I’ve always been a pub goer and with some breweries and many pubs situated within my constituency, I enjoy travelling around and getting the chance to have conversations with the various landlords, whether they’re part of a chain or an independent. But, since becoming the MP for Gower, I’ve also seen the impact that pub closures have had, particularly on the agricultural community. Pubs serve a purpose and once one closes it has gone forever — it’s like losing the heart of that community.
Pubs support local sports clubs, are a warm hub for older people, a place for families too. It doesn’t matter who you are, the pub is there for you. During Covid I saw personally how pubs, like The King’s Head in Llangennith [a finalist in the PubAid Awards in 2025] cooked and delivered meals to their community, looking after the most vulnerable within it. And, I shall never forget that the day after my mum died, I went into my local pub and, regardless of people’s politics, they put their arm around me and bought me a drink and wanted to know if I was okay. It’s one of those moments that I’ll never forget.
I tell people about it because it shows how much my community and my local pub means to me. Now, some people may scoff at that, but I saw it as that little bit of magic in the small town of Pontarddulais.
On every level, the pub means something different to everyone, but for me, it’s very much about community and opportunity as well. T he opportunity is about being able to have those conversations that you probably would never have otherwise, speaking to people you wouldn’t ordinarily see, if you were just travelling between work and home. Pubs offer that little bit of magic — and they are also important to tourism and the local economy.
The APPBG’s new report [How Brewing and Pubs Can Help Drive Economic Growth] aims to shout about the importance of pubs and show the opportunities the hospitality and bar sector has for growth in the local economy — whether that’s people looking for a job for life, part-time work to fit in with having children, or winding down their careers.
I’m really proud of the report particularly because it was impressive how many people gave evidence, and all these views are reflected within it.
One area highlighted within the report is how many different Government departments brewing and hospitality is affected by. There is no joined up approach — within either this Government or the previous Governments — and by not looking holistically across the different departments, decisions are being made that have a huge and negative impact on the industry.
You can see how the rise in National Insurance (NI) contributions hit the sector, because last summer we saw fewer and fewer students able to get work — due to pubs being unable to afford to employ them.
Importantly, along with NICs, VAT needs to be reduced, as it should not be set at the same rate as other VAT. I realise that it is a complex issue, but when you compare the rate of VAT for tourism and hospitality to other European countries, it really does make you think. For example, Germany’s rate from next year is reducing to just 7%, and reducing VAT here would provide a real boost for the sector.
Business rates reform is also needed and along with flagging the negative effects of the NI contributions, we are asking if the Treasury can look at things in a different way. The changes made in the recent budgets have hit a lot of smaller and medium sized businesses — which is what pubs are.
The industry requires support in order to reach its full potential.
As I see it, there are ways to support growth, such as removing NI contributions for young people, under the age of 25, to keep them in work. There are also opportunities in apprenticeship reform, which would see people trained up to learn new skills, including how to communicate, be friendly, deal with various situations, be customer facing, and so on. These are skills that are very important in life.
Let’s see the sector be rewarded for the opportunities it creates and for its innovation, rather than being hammered from every angle.
Let’s see the expansion of the low and no alcohol drinks sector, which is absolutely phenomenal, be celebrated. It is something the Government should be supporting by, for instance, looking at improving labelling to help people understand the difference. Let’s not forget that pubs can play a big part in encouraging responsible drinking.
Pubs create an environment where all people can go and have a conversation, in a safe and highly regulated space — unlike drinking at home, where there is no one to tap you on the shoulder and ask if you are okay. It’s something we should be worried about and the answer is the pub.
While the report is about getting the message to MPs about the value of the brewing and pub sector, we all need to be having conversations with MPs of all political colours. We need to keep pushing for the change that will keep this sector in growth.
As MPs, pubs are a key part of our constituencies and I’m hoping that the work we’ve done with the APPBG will help the Government realise that it’s missing a trick. An overview is needed and one that recognises this as a growth sector, where there are a variety of jobs and opportunities for people to upskill.
I encourage all publicans to invite their local MPs, councillors, members of the Welsh Senedd and the Scottish Parliament to their pub and to have that engagement with them. Let them know what life is like in the pub, let them speak to the other people and understand what pubs have to offer. Have those open and honest conversations, because as MPs we want to know who is struggling and why, and how we can help them and make sure that their voice is heard in Parliament.
I understand that often there is a reluctance to engage with politicians, because people feel nothing is going to change, but these initial conversations will lead to more conversations, including with other MPs in the lobby. In this way, the message gathers momentum.
I hope, in future, we will see a more joined up approach in Government, one that shows that this sector is valued. It’s what I am standing for, because I see the potential for growth, for the community and as a support for people.
Ultimately, the Government has to make tough choices, but I don’t think it has thought through the consequences of those choices, which is why it’s important to keep raising the concerns in order to create a thriving sector, where people can enjoy living their best lives, because that’s all people really want to do — and it’s why I do this job.
