As you may know, this year is FetLor’s 100th birthday!
We are keen to connect with as many former members as we can this year.
On 24th May we are having our Centenary Dinner at Fettes College. As part of that evening, we would like to show some short interviews with former members. We are keen to hear about your favourite FetLor experiences and what you are doing now.
Our Chief Executive, Richie Adams, would love to chat with you. Richie would be delighted to welcome you to the club for a coffee and chat at a time to suit you or he’ll happily come and meet you at a place that suits you both.
Alternatively, if you’d like to make a short video telling us your favourite FetLor memory, when you were a member and what you’re doing now and, perhaps, wish us a happy birthday, we can show that on the night too. Just send it to Richie and he’ll do the rest.
We are really keen to make this a fantastic year and very much hope we can reconnect with you.
If you would like to come to the Club or meet with Richie somewhere else, please either message us here or drop Richie and email at richie@fetlor.org.uk
More than 38,000 pubs are set to benefit from six-month freeze to alcohol duty from today
The great British pub receives further boost from today as a six-month alcohol duty freeze to 1 August 2024 takes effect.
This tax saving will help support around 38,175 pubs to face rising costs.
Duty freeze comes in addition to £4.3 billion in business rates cuts and duty protection for pints sold in pubs.
Pubs and hospitality venues have received a tax saving today, 1 February 2024, as a six-month alcohol duty freeze takes effect.
British pubs are a significant part of the fabric of communities across the UK and a further freeze on alcohol duty will help to support the sector while the government continues to bring down inflation while driving growth and investment.
This will impact around 38,175 pubs across the country and was announced as part of a multi-billion support package by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in his Autumn Statement which also included £4.3 billion business rates relief.
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Gareth Davies, said: “The great British pub remains a critical part of communities across the country, that’s why we’re helping to keep costs low by freezing alcohol duty, reducing business rates, and supporting on energy costs.
“Our decisive action has also helped to more than halve inflation last year, protecting pubs and other businesses from the higher costs they would have otherwise faced.
“And we need to stick to our plan, so we can deliver the long-term change our country needs to deliver a brighter future for Britain, and improve economic security and opportunity for everyone.”
The six-month duty freeze, from 1 February to 1 August 2024, follows the biggest reform of alcohol duties taking effect last August, where, for the first time in over 140 years the UK’s alcohol duty system simplified so the duty paid reflects the amount of alcohol in it.
These reforms cut duty on pints in pubs by up to 11p when sold in supermarkets. Not increasing alcohol duty in line with inflation has now saved a further 3p to the duty on a typical pint of beer, 2p to a pint of cider, 4p to a glass of whisky, or 18p to a bottle of wine.
Welcoming the decision by the Chancellor to freeze alcohol duty, Nuno Teles, Managing Director, Diageo Great Britain, said: “By freezing duty until August, HM Treasury has listened to the industry’s plea for support and decided to back our homegrown sector, that employs so many people across the UK, and we urge the Chancellor to continue to back pub-goers, hospitality owners and producers.
Andy Slee, Chief Executive of the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) said: “While trading has been tough for pubs and independent breweries, the government’s continued support is very welcome. The beer duty freeze for six months provides some certainty for brewers as the new alcohol duty system is embedded.
“As part of this, the government introduced Draught Relief allowing beer destined for the pub to have a lower rate – and already there are signs that this is working to support pubs.”
The duty freeze formed part of a multi-billion pound support package for the alcohol duty industry announced at the Autumn Statement.
Retail, Hospitality and Leisure business rates relief was extended for a fifth year to 2024-25. This means around 230,000 retail, hospitality and leisure properties will receive 75% relief, up to a cap of £110,000 per business, on their business rates bills from the 2024-25 tax year.
This is a tax cut worth nearly £2.4 billion and comes on top of one third of business properties being taken out of paying business rates completely thanks to other government reliefs.
The small business multiplier for business rates was also frozen for a fourth consecutive year, protecting over a million ratepayers from an inflation increase in their bills.
August 2023’s ‘historical’ alcohol duty reforms saved on taxes in three ways:
Firstly, on draught drinks in the pub for all draught products below 8.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) through increasing Draught Relief. This is part of this government’s Brexit Pubs Guarantee commitment for every pint in every pub to pay less duty than their supermarket equivalent.
Secondly, tax was cut on lots of popular drinks in shops like sparkling wines and ready-made drinks.
Finally, the new Small Producer Relief was announced to help small businesses and start-ups create new drinks, innovate and grow.
The first of a two-stage approach to new legal safeguards on XL Bully dogs will come into force on 23 February subject to parliamentary approval.
From this date, it will remain legal to own an XL Bully dog but owners must ensure their dogs are muzzled and on a lead when in a public place. Selling, gifting or exchanging XL Bully dogs will also be prohibited.
Stage two of the new rules, which come into force from 31 July, will make it an offence to own an XL Bully without an exemption certificate or having applied for an exemption certificate. This means existing XL Bully dog owners will need to consider whether they wish to keep their dogs and if so will have to apply and pay for an exemption permit by that date.
Full details as to what date applications for an exemption certificate will open, how to apply and the support available will be announced in the coming weeks.
The new regulations, which are subject to approval by Parliament, are being introduced as a consequence of similar controls on the breed that have been introduced by the UK Government in England and Wales, which have resulted in reports of dogs being moved to Scotland.
Minister for Victims & Community Safety Siobhian Brown said: “It is vital XL Bully dog owners get ready for the first stage of legal safeguards that will come into force on 23 February. These new rules are intended to prevent risks to public safety and animal welfare and keep our communities safe.
“The second stage of legal safeguards will provide owners seeking an exemption an appropriate length of time to decide how to prepare for the forthcoming change in the law ahead of the 31 July deadline.
“The vast majority of dog owners are responsible animal lovers and we know owning a dog brings with it important responsibilities. I would encourage owners to make themselves aware of the new laws and get ready for them.”
The penalties available to a court upon conviction for breach of the new safeguards are up to six months imprisonment and/or a fine up to £5,000.
The definition to be used for an XL Bully dog is the same as used by the UK Government. This can be found at: Check if a dog is an XL Bully – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Local authorities have existing powers under the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 to serve Dog Control Notices that set out what dog owners must do to bring their dogs under control to combat ‘out of control’ dogs at an early stage.
Ban on unregistered XL Bully dogs now in force in England and Wales
It is now illegal to own an XL Bully dog unless it is registered and complies with strict rules including being neutered and muzzled in public
The ban on XL Bully dogs is now in force making it illegal to own an unregistered XL Bully dog from today (1 February).
This delivers on the Government’s pledge to take quick and decisive action to protect the public from devastating dog attacks by adding the breed type to the list of dangerous dogs.
The decision was made following a concerning rise in fatal dog attacks involving the XL Bully breed type. Up until 2021 there were around 3 fatalities per year. There have been 23 since the start of 2021 – with the XL Bully being involved in many of these tragic attacks.
From today, anyone found in possession of these dangerous dogs and is not meeting the strict rules will have their dog seized and faces prosecution and a criminal record.
Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said: ““The ban on XL Bullies is now in place meaning it is illegal to own one of these dogs unless it has been registered.
“We have delivered our pledge to bring in this important measure to protect public safety, and we expect all XL Bully owners to comply with the strict conditions.”
In order to safely manage the existing population of these dogs, owners of XL Bully dogs must register their dogs and make sure they comply with strict rules.
“This includes having them microchipped, kept on a lead and muzzled when in public and, to ensure these dogs cannot continue breeding, they must also be neutered. For most dogs, this will be by 30 June, and for dogs under one year old, this should be by the end of 2024.
The Government will continue supporting the police to make sure the ban is effectively enforced, and ministers met with police chiefs this week to discuss their preparations to implement the ban.
The ban applies to England and Wales. The Scottish Government has also announced they will be bringing forward an XL Bully Ban (see above).
