BrewDog chief's £1bn warning to Reeves over tax increases

THE hospitality sector needs to sell almost one million extra pints every hour in order to cope with a £1 billion cost surge thanks to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes, the chief executive of BrewDog has warned.

- JON ROBINSON

James Taylor, who took on the job earlier this year, said Reeves needs to take “meaningful action” because of the rise in energy bills, labour costs and the Chancellor's tax hikes.

The Scotland-based company wants to see reforms to business rates, relief on beer duty in next week’s Budget as well as “a review of the cumulative cost burden that is threatening the viability of UK pubs and breweries”.