News

MP backs local independent beer with ‘Make it 20% pledge’

Published

2 years ago

February 23, 2024

PRESELI Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb has backed a campaign to support independent brewers and community pubs in Pembrokeshire in the Chancellor’s Spring Budget.

Stephen Crabb MP supported a Parliamentary event this week calling for the Chancellor to Make it 20% and increase the Draught Relief to 20% in his Budget on 6 March.

Introduced last year, the Draught Relief allows a lower rate of alcohol duty to apply to beer that’s sold in pubs rather than in supermarkets. Currently the Draught Relief is set at 9.2%, but a more substantial 20% rate could encourage more people to support their local community pubs by making sure tax on draught beer is 20% lower than the general rate of duty on the likes of supermarket alcohol.

This campaign comes as the sector continues to face intense pressure from energy prices and cost increases with hundreds of pubs being forced to close last year.

The event was organised by the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA), the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and the Independent Family Brewers of Britain (IFBB) and enabled Members of Parliament to engage with the views of local brewers and industry specialists to discuss the way that the government taxes beer.

At the Autumn Statement last year the Chancellor decided to freeze beer duty until 1 August. This means he’s due to make a decision on beer duty from the summer in his Spring Budget.

Stephen Crabb MP commented:

“Our independent Pembrokeshire breweries like Bluestone Brewing Company, Old Farm House Brewery and Harbwr Brewery, and local pubs are a key part of the community. I’m proud of the contribution they make to the local economy in Pembrokeshire. At a time when the brewing and pub sector is under enormous pressure it is right that the Government considers what it can do to help and increasing Draught Relief to 20% would give it the boost it needs. This is why I’m supporting the Make It 20% campaign and calling on the Chancellor to consider increasing the Draught Relief in his Budget in March.”

Andy Slee, Chief Executive of SIBA commented:

“I’m grateful to MPs for supporting local independent brewers and giving their backing to the Make It 20% campaign. The Draught Relief has been a gamechanger for the brewing and pubs sector allowing draught beer destined for the pub to have a lower rate of duty than beer sold elsewhere and there is already tentative evidence that it is working to revive draught beer in pubs. We hope that the Chancellor will look at increasing this to 20% in his Budget next month.”

Tom Stainer, Chief Executive of CAMRA, added:

“We know that pubs are at the heart of communities across Preseli Pembrokeshire, bringing people together and helping to tackle loneliness and social isolation. CAMRA members will be delighted that Stephen Crabb is working to make sure that consumers, pubs and local breweries get the support they need to survive and thrive.”

Crime

Uxbridge motorist banned after Pembrokeshire drug-drive stop

Published

1 hour ago

June 24, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

Driver was heading home after visiting former girlfriend when police stopped him on the A477

A WEST London motorist has been banned after being caught driving on the A477 in Broadmoor with a cocaine metabolite and cannabis in his system.

Danny Small, 32, was stopped by police carrying out routine checks at around 11:30am on January 28.

After providing a positive roadside drug swipe, Small was taken to a police station, where blood tests showed he had 157mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system. The legal limit is 50mcg.

He also had 2.9mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system. The legal limit is 2mcg.

Small, of Little London Close, Uxbridge, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week, where he pleaded guilty to two drug-driving offences.

Probation officer Julie Norman told the bench that Small had been visiting his former girlfriend in Pembrokeshire and was driving home to Uxbridge at the time of the offence.

Ms Norman said Small was a regular cannabis and cocaine user.

“This helps treat his undiagnosed ADHD,” she said.

“He didn’t think the drugs would still have been in his system, as he’d consumed the drugs several days earlier. But drugs can often remain in the system for several weeks.”

Small was sentenced to a 12-month community order, during which he must complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was fined £80 and ordered to pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 costs. He was disqualified from driving for 15 months.

News

Uxbridge motorist banned after Pembrokeshire drug-drive stop

Published

1 hour ago

June 24, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

Driver was heading home after visiting former girlfriend when police stopped him on the A477

A WEST London motorist has been banned after being caught driving on the A477 in Broadmoor with a cocaine metabolite and cannabis in his system.

Danny Small, 32, was stopped by police carrying out routine checks at around 11:30am on January 28.

After providing a positive roadside drug swipe, Small was taken to a police station, where blood tests showed he had 157mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system. The legal limit is 50mcg.

He also had 2.9mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system. The legal limit is 2mcg.

Small, of Little London Close, Uxbridge, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week, where he pleaded guilty to two drug-driving offences.

Probation officer Julie Norman told the bench that Small had been visiting his former girlfriend in Pembrokeshire and was driving home to Uxbridge at the time of the offence.

Ms Norman said Small was a regular cannabis and cocaine user.

“This helps treat his undiagnosed ADHD,” she said.

“He didn’t think the drugs would still have been in his system, as he’d consumed the drugs several days earlier. But drugs can often remain in the system for several weeks.”

Small was sentenced to a 12-month community order, during which he must complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was fined £80 and ordered to pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 costs. He was disqualified from driving for 15 months.

Crime

Carpenter banned after drug-driving in camper van

Published

1 hour ago

June 24, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

Pembroke Dock man was five times over the cannabis limit

A PEMBROKESHIRE carpenter has been banned from driving after being caught behind the wheel of his camper van while five times over the drug-drive limit.

James Toulouse, 35, was stopped by police shortly before midnight on December 20, 2025, as he drove his white Mercedes Vito along Buttermilk Lane in Pembroke.

“There was a strong smell of cannabis coming from the vehicle and the driver, who was James Toulouse, appeared glazed, as his eyes were red and bleary,” Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan told Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court.

A roadside drug swipe proved positive. Further tests showed Toulouse had 11mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system. The legal limit is 2mcg.

The court heard this was Toulouse’s second drug-driving offence in ten years.

Toulouse, of Clarence Street, Pembroke Dock, pleaded guilty to drug-driving.

He was represented by solicitor Michael Kelleher, who said the defendant works as a carpenter.

“Obviously it’s not going to be easy for him to carry on with his work, but he’s fully intending to do so,” he said.

Toulouse was disqualified from driving for 36 months. He was fined £350 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £140 surcharge.