Why your voice matters more than ever.
The UK vineyard and winery sector is a growth sector with remarkable acceleration in the past six years, however, we’re seeing a slowdown in sales, which are being further impacted by a contracting hospitality sector and suppressed economy.
We need an intervention to help build business resilience.
English and Welsh wine tourism is one of the newest, most exciting hospitality offerings in the UK, with over 1.5 million visitors enjoying celebrations, tours, tastings, meals and weekend escapes.
One of the most impactful and immediate policy measures the government could introduce is duty relief on wine sold directly to consumers and tourists through the cellar door.
We have a unique opportunity to showcase the strength, creativity, and economic importance of our industry.
The cellar door has become one of the most powerful engines of growth in British wine, and strengthening this isn’t just good for tourism; it’s the frontline of Britain’s global wine story and unlocks global potential which is pivotal to the sector’s next phase of growth.
Our consumer focused Back British Vineyards campaign is a practical, targeted measure to drive interest and attention for Wine Tourism Relief which is gaining traction in Parliament. It:
- Calls for the removal of excise duty on sales at vineyards and wineries
- The proposed duty relief would be applied to on-site wine sales through the cellar door (capped at a maximum of 50,000 75cl bottles per producer)
- Such a relief would reduce duty collected on cellar door sales to circa 1.4 million bottles
- At a cost of approximately just £6 million to the exchequer
- Encourages sustained investment in high quality rural jobs
- Would provide certainty and build confidence to encourage regular reinvestment
Together, we can ensure that the growth of English and Welsh wine continues to benefit rural Britain for generations.
Join the campaign today: www.winegb.co.uk/create-new-traditions-back-british-vineyards
