Totally agree. It’s interesting being in Thailand and seeing how marijuana can only be smoked in designated areas. It makes it a safe, social, regulated and de-stigmatised experience rather than a lonely sofa spiral. Really great arguments, always enjoy reading your posts!
I can see quite clearly why so little profit is being made in grassroots venues nowadays. I travelled up from London to attend the MVT/MVP party at The Croft in Bristol yesterday. 3 fantastic local artists playing to an appreciative audience. Of course, as the night went on the footfall increased and more alcohol was purchased. On this, I have to be honest and say that I had a few beers in the Wetherspoon’s beforehand but this post has galvanised me now to ensure I don’t do this from here on in. A small change for me but a principal led decision nonetheless to ensure that just that little bit more money goes to grassroots venues. Had the most amazing evening talking to Chris and Matt from MVT and also spoke to the local councillors afterwards, one of which gave a nice speech about supporting local grassroots venues. Mark, with each and every Substack post you put out I’m being truly well informed at a level of information I just cannot source elsewhere. Really enjoy reading your posts👍
As someone who spent most of his C Suite career in the supermarket booze trade I can empathise with a lot of this Mark. I often say that I led 2 major lobbying campaigns over the years - one I didn't win over 2020-2022 was the exclusion from support over the pandemic for million + limited company directors and self-employed - and one I did help win which was to highlight the huge influence of organised crime in the alcohol industry and how high duty rates made avoiding paying just too good an opportunity to miss. I worked for a number of the major supermarkets as a buyer - Tesco, Sainsbury's and finally Bargain Booze. I have to advise that it was never an option TAto sell alcohol as a 'loss leader'! As a PLC it's not really an option to do such things, you have to make a profit and in 40 years I never once sold anything at a loss. No, the capacity to sell high ABV drinks at a 'cheap' price was only available to those operations who went the 'duty fraud' route. Avoiding paying the duty - and let's not forget tha HMRC charge VAT on the duty inclusive cost of goods. They add a tax (duty) and then add another tax onto that tax (VAT). A double tax whammy. I started the campaign by
'legal' operators to address this iniquity with David Cameron, George Osborne and Said Javid from 2013 and I'm proud of what we achieved. A regulatory framework that according to those who know is saving HMRC about £8 billion, yes billion, a year. I never got so much as a 'thanks' for that but that's not the point. The criminals have moved onto cigarettes and vapes for easier pickings now. I agree that a change in policy is required to reflect all those highlights you have made. Despite the huge (£8 billion) enhancement of revenue via fraud being suppressed in the alcohol industry HMRC's 'take' on alcohol duty continues to fall year on year as overall consumption declines for health and cost reasons. The tax regime on tobacco has been, for years, overtly aimed at stamping out smoking and I wonder if that's the actual policy aim for alcohol? Just unspoken at the moment. Over recent years HMRC revenues have fallen year on year but duty has gone up and up with no change in sight. One of the so called 'sin taxes. Yes drinking is viewed as a sin, don't forget that. Let's not give the Government's trolling of the industry by trumpeting its 'Penny off a pint for pubs' any houseroom. It’s trolling pure and simple. Anyway, it’s a bit of a specialist subject for me and I wish you all the best in your efforts to get the politicians to see sense!
Very powerful piece Mark. Totally agree we need to break away from silo’d policy making. Culture is the infrastructure to support wider health and well being outcomes
Totally agree. It’s interesting being in Thailand and seeing how marijuana can only be smoked in designated areas. It makes it a safe, social, regulated and de-stigmatised experience rather than a lonely sofa spiral. Really great arguments, always enjoy reading your posts!
I can see quite clearly why so little profit is being made in grassroots venues nowadays. I travelled up from London to attend the MVT/MVP party at The Croft in Bristol yesterday. 3 fantastic local artists playing to an appreciative audience. Of course, as the night went on the footfall increased and more alcohol was purchased. On this, I have to be honest and say that I had a few beers in the Wetherspoon’s beforehand but this post has galvanised me now to ensure I don’t do this from here on in. A small change for me but a principal led decision nonetheless to ensure that just that little bit more money goes to grassroots venues. Had the most amazing evening talking to Chris and Matt from MVT and also spoke to the local councillors afterwards, one of which gave a nice speech about supporting local grassroots venues. Mark, with each and every Substack post you put out I’m being truly well informed at a level of information I just cannot source elsewhere. Really enjoy reading your posts👍
As someone who spent most of his C Suite career in the supermarket booze trade I can empathise with a lot of this Mark. I often say that I led 2 major lobbying campaigns over the years - one I didn't win over 2020-2022 was the exclusion from support over the pandemic for million + limited company directors and self-employed - and one I did help win which was to highlight the huge influence of organised crime in the alcohol industry and how high duty rates made avoiding paying just too good an opportunity to miss. I worked for a number of the major supermarkets as a buyer - Tesco, Sainsbury's and finally Bargain Booze. I have to advise that it was never an option TAto sell alcohol as a 'loss leader'! As a PLC it's not really an option to do such things, you have to make a profit and in 40 years I never once sold anything at a loss. No, the capacity to sell high ABV drinks at a 'cheap' price was only available to those operations who went the 'duty fraud' route. Avoiding paying the duty - and let's not forget tha HMRC charge VAT on the duty inclusive cost of goods. They add a tax (duty) and then add another tax onto that tax (VAT). A double tax whammy. I started the campaign by
'legal' operators to address this iniquity with David Cameron, George Osborne and Said Javid from 2013 and I'm proud of what we achieved. A regulatory framework that according to those who know is saving HMRC about £8 billion, yes billion, a year. I never got so much as a 'thanks' for that but that's not the point. The criminals have moved onto cigarettes and vapes for easier pickings now. I agree that a change in policy is required to reflect all those highlights you have made. Despite the huge (£8 billion) enhancement of revenue via fraud being suppressed in the alcohol industry HMRC's 'take' on alcohol duty continues to fall year on year as overall consumption declines for health and cost reasons. The tax regime on tobacco has been, for years, overtly aimed at stamping out smoking and I wonder if that's the actual policy aim for alcohol? Just unspoken at the moment. Over recent years HMRC revenues have fallen year on year but duty has gone up and up with no change in sight. One of the so called 'sin taxes. Yes drinking is viewed as a sin, don't forget that. Let's not give the Government's trolling of the industry by trumpeting its 'Penny off a pint for pubs' any houseroom. It’s trolling pure and simple. Anyway, it’s a bit of a specialist subject for me and I wish you all the best in your efforts to get the politicians to see sense!
That’s so interesting Keith and I’m learning all the time in areas that are having the biggest impacts on the grassroots eco system. Many thanks👍
Very powerful piece Mark. Totally agree we need to break away from silo’d policy making. Culture is the infrastructure to support wider health and well being outcomes