‘Thanks, George! You’re a star!’ I secretly hoped I could say those words one day, and I’d rarely dared to dream. But now, I can let my feelings flow. Because I’m a woman who drinks beer, and The Chancellor has pleased me much! For most mainstream media, and non-beer drinkers, women like me are a bit odd. Female beer drinkers are pretty much dumped into the same category as that elderly lady you see on the news. You know the one? The one her concerned neighbour’s anonymously called the RSPCA about. The pensioner peeps her head forlornly around the small gap in her front door. Squinting at the animal officer in his smart peaked cap, she croaks ‘Good Morning’, as he spies what looks like dried soup on her cardigan collar. Mushroom or French Onion? Smack. A waft of ammonia darts out from inside the house and shoots up his nose, and as the lady steps back to let him inside the door reveals a hallway crammed chock full. Full of purring, playful cats of all shapes, sizes and colours wandering around her itty-bitty house, all dying to get out and greet their new beau. Who’s hopefully brought dinner.

To anyone who’s ever met me or read my blog in any depth, you’ll know that I’m not that woman. And I’m smiliest when I’m supping a damn fine beer. You’ll also know the reasons why I love my beer.  If not, then get delve into my website: you’ll find it tells you how healthy beer is: full of B vitamins and anti-oxidants, and how it’s a very viable, low strength alternative to the cheap wine and spirits. You know the likes of which are downed in abundance by some people as a pre-cursor to a ‘big night out’. My website recommends beers for you to try, especially if you’re new to the drink and you’re curious. And it will tell you about women’s ancient historical connection to beer! BOOM! So why else do I want to buy The Chancellor a drink?

George Osborne listened to the beer and pub industry, as well as thousands of beer drinkers in Britain, and axed the beer duty escalator in yesterday’s Budget. The tax  – which meant  annual inflationary tax increases levied on brewers – has been abolished. The figures from the British Beer And Pub Association speak for themselves: the UK was the highest country to be taxed on beer in the whole of Europe. And now – due to Osborne’s decision – beer prices will hopefully stabilise and thousands more jobs can be created. The industry can now get on with the job of continued growth and make an even bigger contribution to the economy than the £19 billion the industry was already adding to our GDP.

It was a big fight, with over 100,000 people signing an e-petition started by Hobgoblin Beer, and the Campaign for Real Ale, the Society of Independent Brewers, the Family Brewers Association, and others in the hospitality industry asked members and friends to support them in joining the battle too. Back in January the BBPA asked me to front a film, which was shown to The Treasury, asking George Osborne to recognise the massive economic and social significance that beer and pubs together (they go hand in hand) have on British life and the  economy, and to understand just how much the beer duty escalator was squeezing the industry.

I like many was working when news came through, so I delivered my reaction whilst celebrating in the Courtfield pub last night.

Celebrating beer tax being axed boo.fm/b1280104 via @audioboo #budget2013 #mashbeertax @beerandpub @camra_official @hobgoblin_beer

— Beer Beauty (@BeerBeauty) March 20, 2013

And here’s just a snapshot of the reaction on Twitter.

Celebrating the cut in beer duty with @gregmulholland1 ow.ly/i/1IWtK

— Andrew Griffiths MP (@agriffithsmp) March 20, 2013

A great BIG thank you to everyone who has campaigned on this important issue A great campaign to #saveyourpint which has had so much support

— CAMRA (@CAMRA_Official) March 20, 2013

Bye bye beer duty.Thanks @beerbeauty and all campaigners…and @george_osborne

— Liz Cobbold (@LizCobbold) March 20, 2013

ET“@beerandpub: Beer duty CUT – our full statement on this absolutely brilliant news: #budget2013 bit.ly/ZvLGhL”FANTASTIC NEWS

— OLDERSHAW BREWERY (@oldbrew) March 20, 2013

@beerbeauty Yaay right back at you!Definite celebrations in order

— Kate Hempsall (@katehempsall) March 20, 2013

#ITV getting Paul T’s reaction to today’s #budget announcement twitter.com/BlackSheepBeer…

— BlackSheep (@BlackSheepBeer) March 20, 2013

https://twitter.com/DavidWooding/status/314454806351732736
https://twitter.com/SuzyJacksonHG/status/314403841162489856

Surely time to arrange a celebratory pub crawl @agriffithsmp @gregmulholland1 @brandonlewis with the @morningad team?

— Mike Berry (@mrmikeberry) March 20, 2013

Celebrating the #BeerDutyEscalator removal with a slice of @hobgoblin_beer only the king will do BOOM! twitter.com/KimberleyMDISC…

— KimberleyMDISCO (@KimberleyMDISCO) March 20, 2013

https://twitter.com/realalereviews/status/314420709025779712
https://twitter.com/bearbrewing/status/314373284231774208

@petebrownbeer @aletalk @camra_official Well said Pete many deserve a pat on the back, team effort! Lets hope it is the Beer & Pub cure-all

— LifelongLandlady (@Lifelandlady) March 20, 2013

@gregmulholland1 Thank you for pushing this & sticking up for our much loved pubs. Good work! @camra_official @northoxoncamra

— Russ Broom (@RussBroom) March 20, 2013

 
https://twitter.com/MaryxVern/status/314366855244574720

What a great day yesterday was great press coverage 1p off a pint and the scraping of the beer duty escalator — Gerald Michaluk (@ArranBrewery2) March 21, 2013

Amazing news that beer duty is being cut! Thanks to the tens of thousands who helped this campaign #budget2013 bit.ly/ZvLGhL

— Brigid Simmonds BBPA (@BrigidSimmonds) March 20, 2013

HUGE news! The Beer Duty Escalator is SCRAPPED well done @camra_official you have #savedourpint

— Ilkley Brewery (@Ilkleybrewery) March 20, 2013

I’m proud to have been part of it all. As the #SaveYourPint website says: WE DID IT. CONGRATULATIONS.

JOB WELL DONE!