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English Wine Week: WineGB launches manifesto
Kicking off English Wine Week and ahead of the general election on 4 July, trade body WineGB has launched its manifesto for growth.
The document from the association that represents wine producers in England and Wales has identified several main areas that will require support from an incoming British government.
It thinks the government should address the competitive disadvantages English and Welsh wine faces in terms of domestic regulation and production costs introduce a fairer tax regime and reverse unworkable changes to the wine Excise Duty system; reduce duty for wine as the UK is one of the very few wine-producing countries in Europe that levies excise on home-grown and produced products; reform Small Producer Relief (SPR) by raising the threshold to a level that English and Welsh wine can naturally achieve, so that small British producers can actually use the scheme, just like with beer and cider.
Last week all of the political parties launched their manifestos, causing WineGB to release its document as well. According to the trade body, the English and Welsh wine industry is the fastest growing agricultural sector in the UK, which brought in its largest harvest last year.
It is experiencing rapid growth with planting predicted to rise by 84% by 2032. The association is calling on the new government to act now and ensure that the right investment occurs, opportunities are taken, and regulatory blocks are removed to safeguard the sustainable growth of our sector.
Commenting on the launch, CEO of WineGB Nicola Bates said: “The domestic wine sector is growing at pace. Our producers are investing; WineGB provides vital business support for them; and we look to the next Government to accelerate the growth of our industry to provide greater value to the UK.
“Our Manifesto for Growth identifies three key areas where we can make changes that will have a palpable effect on our community of winemakers and vine growers. We seek fairer business, a better environment and an understanding of the value of British.”