Hundreds of people in Hallam have contacted me over the past few months, worried about the effect the pandemic is having on our local pubs and breweries, and raising concerns about the serious holes in the Government’s support package.

So ahead of the budget this week, I have joined the 731 people in Hallam who have signed the petition, and have pledged my support for the Long Live the Local campaign. I am calling on the Government to cut beer tax at the Budget, to help pubs in Hallam recover from the pandemic. On Monday I spoke to BBC Radio Sheffield about the campaign.

I have also been working with local breweries in Hallam and across Sheffield to campaign against the Government’s proposed cuts to Small Breweries Relief.

Local brewing and pubs are vital for Hallam’s economy. They support 1,368 jobs and contribute £25.4m to the local economy. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on brewers and pubs throughout the UK. In 2020 beer sales in pubs fell by 56%, which amounts to £7.8bn in lost sales.