York’s council leader got behind the bar for a shift pulling pints to learn more about the pub trade in the city this week.

Coun. James Alexander, a former Chair of the council’s Licensing Committee, will spend the evening with Steve Bradley, landlord of the Fulford Arms.

Cllr. Alexander says;“Times are tough for many in the pub trade but Steve is making a good fist of it at the Fulford Arms.  Many landlords say to me it doesn’t feel like a level playing field when the supermarkets are stacking alcohol high and selling it low, and I personally believe duty should be increased for supermarkets to offset a lower duty on lower strength pub pints”.
 
Coun. Alexander said business rates are another issue of concern, and one that is unclear to many people, who believe they are set and kept by the council;

“Business rates are set by the Government and collected by the council, who then passes this income onto the Government”, he said. “The Government then returns a proportion to each area, which in York’s case is £45m less than our businesses pay in business rates.  
“The Chancellor needs to do more to help businesses like Steve’s who are up against it in times of decreased disposable income.  Pubs are one of the first businesses to suffer”.

Steve Bradley, publican of the Fulford Arms, said;

“I’m delighted to put James through his paces by getting him behind the bar for a shift.  It’s important that politicians understand what businesses do and what sorts of challenges they are faced with.  Business rates are a real problem and for all the Government’s talk of growing the private sector, there is much more it could be doing to support businesses like mine”.