A Bath landlord is helping to lead a campaign to stop any further tax increase on a pint of beer.
Rod Humphris, landlord at the Raven on Queen Street, was joined by members of the Tax Payers' Alliance and chairman of Bath's Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), David Gledhill to launch the campaign in the city.
The Tax Payer's Alliance wants the Chancellor, George Osborne, to freeze beer duty at next month's budget on March 20.
According to the group the tax on beer has increased by 42 per cent in the last four years, and tax now accounts for one third of the price of a pint of beer or just over £1.
Mr Humphris said: "It seems unfair that it should automatically go up - what is so bad about beer that it should be taxed?
"Behind these pumps are many little businesses employing many people."
He added: "There's been an explosion of brilliant new breweries starting up. The offering of real ale has never been better and it should be celebrated not penalised."
Tim Newark, Bath co-ordinator for the Tax Payers' Alliance, said many pubs were independent businesses that needed help to be able to keep their prices down.
He said: "A freeze in beer duty would help independent pubs and beer makers."
Mr Gledhill, from the FSB, said: "Pubs are closing down at an alarming rate. People fail to realise each of these pubs is a small business in their own right and they deserve support not just from their customers but the government at this difficult time."
As part of the campaign hundreds of beers mats are being distributed throughout the city calling on members of the public to lobby their MP and urge Mr Osborne to freeze the tax.
For more information visit, www.MashBeerTax.org
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