Alcohol prices will be frozen until August 2023, when a new system for alcohol taxes is introduced.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt had said in his Autumn Statement that prices would go up in February, reversing a decision made by his predecessor Kwasi Kwarteng.
But after Mr Hunt said the duty would rise in line with retail prices index inflation from February, industry leaders were disappointed.The Scotch Whisky Association said many distillers were "furious" at the move that it said would amount to an average increase of 12% in price, or £1.35p to the average bottle of whisky.
Monday's news was welcomed by the hospitality trade, but Michael Kill from the Night Time Industries Association called for more government support for the sector, which over the last few years has been hit by Covid lockdowns, and more recently train strikes leading to cancelled bookings and lower trade.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, whose members represent over 20,000 UK pubs, said: "This freeze will allow £180m to be reinvested into our sector at a critical moment and inject a much-needed flurry of festive cheer for pubs and breweries.
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