A KEIGHLEY brewery boss has spoken of his concerns for pubs in the coming months.

Tim Dewey, chief executive of Timothy Taylor, says the company's outlets enjoyed a generally strong end to last year.

But he has voiced fears for the first few months of 2023, as pubs battle with rising costs at a time of year when trade is traditionally down.

"On the whole our pubs had a good first quarter of our financial year – October to December," said Mr Dewey.

"We were helped by no significant resurgence of Covid during December for the first time since 2019.

"However we're very concerned about January to March this year. Trade naturally falls off during this period, especially in the first two months, yet pubs are facing significant increases in costs across all areas – staffing, utilities, and beer and food prices.

"Our pubs team is working very closely with each of our 19 outlets, two of which we manage ourselves and 17 that are managed by business partners/tenants, to help them navigate this difficult period.

"I also remain very concerned about the way in which utility companies are not playing fair on their pricing, and as we look to a significantly reduced level of Government support from April."

The Society of Independent Brewers says the hospitality sector is "under intense pressure" from the "lingering impacts" of the pandemic, and the combined energy and cost-of-living crisis.

It says nearly 400 pubs in England and Wales closed for good last year, with the number of hostelries across the UK falling by a quarter since 2000.

From August this year, draught pub products such as beer and cider are set to receive a five per cent duty discount in an effort to support the industry.

However, the society claims the move "doesn't go far enough" and is calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, to expand the relief to 20 per cent.

Mr Dewey says he supports the idea of lower rates of duty, but questions whether seeking 20 per cent is realistic.

"I would agree that the five per cent reduction could be more generous but I think that in calling for 20 per cent the society is not being as mindful as it might about the very stretched public finances," he says.

"I feel that increasing the rate to ten per cent would be a more realistic ask."