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Prepared to fight: Richard Siddle's comment

Published:  13 March, 2009


If the drinks industry was midway through a boxing contest with the Treasury it would be a long way behind on points going into the decisive final rounds.

If the drinks industry was midway through a boxing contest with the Treasury it would be a long way behind on points going into the decisive final rounds.

But there are signs this week that it might yet be able to bounce off the ropes and start landing a few body blows itself. The industry's prize fighters went toe to toe with the powers that be in two separate contests at the House of Commons this week.



First up saw a Transatlantic bout featuring our own Troy Christensen, American chief of Constellation and other leading trade figures who spelt out to MPs the industry could lose up to 75,000 jobs if the duty tax escalator is enforced in April's budget. Next up were the publicans and the big brewers who put the case for beer and pubs to a tag team of ministers and 50 plus MPs.


The combination of jabs thrown all add weight to the argument that this is not the right time for the government to be piling added costs and pressure on an already troubled sector. For once the drinks industry, both on and off-trades, were in the same corner - a unification fight if ever there was one.


The fact so many ministers and MPs were prepared to at least spar with the powers that be in the trade show they are prepared to listen at least. But the impact would be even more powerful if it came from you. Today we launch the "It's Your Duty" campaign and would urge anyone in the sector to take up the mantle, write to their MP and local paper and tell them how this recession is affecting your business.


It is vital we all play our part in the fight. For that is what it is. Every week we report more job losses, and closures in the drinks industry and it will be get a whole lot worse if we are not all prepared to get our boxing gloves on.

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