The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) attacked the Chancellor's decision to impose a "damaging" 7.2% increase in beer duty, saying that the average duty and VAT on a pub pint will now exceed £1.
Camra said it feared the price of a pint of beer will rise by 10p from next Monday, driving even more customers away and leading to the closure of more pubs, currently running at 25 a week.
Beer tax has now increased by over a third since 2008, taking the average price of a pint of real ale to £2.84, and £3.02 for a pint of lager, figures which will now increase in the wake of today's announcements.
Mike Benner, Camra's chief executive, said: "It is incredible to consider that Britain's beer drinkers are forced to endure the second highest rate of beer tax in Europe, particularly when the Prime Minister promised a pub-friendly Government with the pub at the heart of the Big Society.
"By penalising the vast majority of responsible pub-goers, the Government is not getting to the root of the problem, which remains cheap alcohol sold in an irresponsible manner in the off-trade."
The British Beer and Pub Association, which represents most of the country's 52,500 pubs, said sticking to the previous government's beer tax escalator was a "hammer blow" to pubs and drinkers.
Chief executive Brigid Simmonds said: "This will not raise any more money for the Treasury, cost 10,000 jobs this year alone and see many more pubs close.
This policy hampers growth and damages pubs and the communities which rely on them.
"Increasing the tax on beer in line with other types of drinks is also a missed opportunity to recognise beer's wider economic contribution. Beer has a special place in keeping Britain's pubs thriving, and is also as the nations' favourite, lower-strength drink.
"However the Government does deserve credit for the 50% reduced rate for beers below 2.8% abv. It will act as a spur to innovation in what is a vital UK industry, and over time, should help nudge consumers towards lower-strength drinks.
"The next step is to move towards a zero rate and, as importantly, for the Government to support a change in European law to increase the 2.8% abv threshold to which reduced rates can be applied." Tweet
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Only 10p?! That's a poor show from the Government. I would have put beer up by at least £1 along with tobacco price increase by 15%! Drink and smoking is bad so shut have their prices increased substantially. Then I would reduce petrol by 10p per litre!!!
Seriously, who drinks beer that is less than 2.8%?
I don't drink beer but find this ridiculous, more public houses closed.
This is Labour's rise, this budget froze the duty.
Andanotherthing, Mcr (23/03/2011 at 15:07)
I don't drink beer but find this ridiculous, more public houses closed.
You have nothing to worry about then have you?
Lordy! I remember paying 30p for my first pint back in the early 80s. And I don't think any of my now locals serve beer at 2.8% and below except for low or non alcohol drinks.
oh well! good job i've got a local cricket club who sell excellent cheap beer to members and players and still cheaper than the pubs for non-members......Blame the brewerys for having the high prices.....especially robby's houses!!!
Not been out for ages due to illness. In that time some of my fave places have gone to the wall and prices have increased enormously! Looks like I will have to get used to staying in!
They need to focus on increasing the price in supermarkets and off-licenses rather than in pubs, until it’s comparatively the same price in a pub as in supermarkets and off-licences they will continue to fail. I get a pint in the legion for about £1.90 a bargain in this day an age but I can get four cans for £4 literally over the road. Off-licences and supermarkets should be taxed at a much higher rate to stop thing such as pre loading and on the park Lambrini drinking and pubs should have a tax break. More British pubs, more local jobs more community spirit and less anti-social behaviour I would wager.
There'e a killing to be made in opening illegal shabeens. There's only so much you can push the working class.
more publicans to join the dole queue shortly!
The Chancellor should be taxing 5 gallon drums of vegetable oil and bags of onions he would get a massive income on this..
Depressing new, I need a drink! I like all the new real ales that are about now, but can't afford to drink much.
For the bloke (above) who wants £1 on a pint and petrol DOWN by 10p per litre - forget it. the maths doesn't wrk out and anyway all you'd get is more people boozing at home and pubs closing.
When oil is $200 per barrel, petrol will be twice the price. Get a bike.
On the 6pm news tonight most pundits were forecasting 5p on a pint of strong beer and 2p on a pint of weaker beer.
Where camera get 10p from i don't know.
Surely this will be good news for the Wet Lettuce brigade and I cannot stand the smell of cigarettes when I sipping my spinach flavour wine.
Well done everyone. You have pretty well killed off the traditional pub. No smoking, over-priced ale, a pervading atmosphere of impending violence, drug dealing etc etc. You brought it on yourselves.
Go have a pint in Norway, its 200% more than what you pay in the UK ( and funny enough you don't have as many problems in society )
The government want to close pubs down, pubs are where people exchange ideas and you can't have an organised lower class in case they object to the increased demands on their effort and incme on order to fund your expensive houses and cars.