Local Conservative Future ‘Say No to the Cider Tax’

Over 1,200 Teignbridge residents have signed a petition organised by local Conservative Future members against the 10 per cent increase in cider duty announced in the recent budget.

Members collected signatures from weekend revellers in bars across the new Newton Abbot constituency, including Newton Abbot’s famous Ye Old Cider Bar. Petitions have also been left in pubs and bars across the area.

The petition reads:

“To the Chancellor of the Exchequer:
We the undersigned believe that the Government’s decision to increase cider duty by 10% will endanger the cider industry in Devon. We believe that the increase is a tax on the West Country, will harm local cider producers and should be reversed.”

Petitions are available for people to sign in most of the pubs around Teignbridge, including the Dolphin in Kenton, The Atmospheric Railway and the Galleon in Starcross, The Swan Inn, Dawlish, The Smugglers, Teignmouth, The Ness, Shaldon, The Church House Inn, Stokeinteignhead, The Coombe Cellars, Combeinteignhead, Ye Olde Cider Bar and the Dartmouth Inn, Newton Abbot, The Jolly Sailor, Ogwell and the Union Inn, Denbury.

Chairman Richard Fisher said:
“We received an excellent reception in the Cider Bar from many drinkers who believe, like us, that the cider tax is a tax on the West Country, and will harm local growers and sellers.

“While we believe that higher strength, damaging drinks need to be less affordable - attacking popular, locally produced drinks is the wrong way to go about it.

Deputy Chairman Phil Coombes said:
“As David Cameron said, White Lightning has as much relation to an apple as I do with Gandhi. The government just don’t understand this region, and because they don’t have much electoral success here, they don’t really care.”

Photo: Phil Coombes and Neil Wilson collect signatures in Newton Abbot's famous Cider Bar.