A new manifesto, designed to help safeguard the UK pub industry, has been drawn up by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) and the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA).

The document puts forward a range of policies, including decreasing duty on lower strength beers, increasing support for pubs serving food and scrapping proposals to increase duty by 2 per cent above inflation in next year's budget. A new campaign - "I'm backing the pub" - has also been launched in order to call on consumers, publicans and politicians to support the UK pub sector, following a ComRes opinion poll that found 71 per cent of people think more needs to be done to support the industry.

BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds said: "There is a clear and compelling public consensus amongst the British people that the pub is a vital part of their community and the social and economic character of Britain. "It is time for a concerted effort by government, industry and all those who value the pub to work together to adopt and implement policies to promote the great British pub."

Image: BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds (left) with Feargal Sharkey at the launch of the campaign