Greene King report finds pubs generate £26.2bn of GVA
Speaking at The Kings Arms in Mayfair, City of Westminster, London, on Monday 24 April, Mackenzie introduced new research commissioned by Greene King ahead of the King’s coronation.
The report, entitled ‘Serving King and Country: The Great British Pub at the Heart of Communities’, revealed the pub sector supports 936,000 jobs and generates £26.2bn of gross value added (GVA).
In addition, the report called for a policy environment that allows pubs to thrive and encourages investment, including fundamental reform to business rates as well as protection from energy companies penalising hospitality businesses and charging unfair prices.
Favourite pub
Mackenzie further called for a reform of the apprenticeship levy to be employer-led.
He also reflected on how the business has changed since the last coronation, when it operated 499 pubs with only cask on tap and still used horse-drawn drays.
62 million pints are expected to be pulled across the industry throughout the Coronation bank holiday weekend, according to the report, with 44% of the population having a favourite pub they visit when celebrating life moments.
Greene King has since expanded to 2,600 managed and tenanted pubs and launched hundreds of new beers, with the Coronation Ale created specifically for the occasion.
This comes as research conducted by Opinium on behalf of the pub operator and brewer recently highlighted the importance of pubs to their local economic and social communities, with 43% of over 18s going to the pub at least once a month.
Vital services
In addition, the research stated Greene King itself expected to pull around 1.8m pints across its 1,600-strong managed estate across the coronation weekend.
Regarding the research, Mackenzie said: “The pub experience in 1953 will be unrecognisable to many of today’s customers and we pride ourselves on creating warm, welcoming spaces for millions of people of all backgrounds.
“We are now looking forward to welcoming customers through our doors as we come together to celebrate the King’s coronation.
“The social and economic impact of pubs is undeniable. Alongside the great career and training opportunities available in communities up and down the country, many pubs also provide vital services and act as hubs, which support people in their local areas.”
