Beer duty is 'crippling' says Fullers boss

The brewer and pub operator Fuller, Smith & Turner has announced that half year adjusted pre-tax profits are up 5% to £16.5m.

Once exceptional items have been added on the profits are a little lower at £16m.

But the largest part of the business, managed pubs and hotels, saw like for like sales up 3.9%.

But its chairman, Michael Turner, warned that the beer duty imposed by the government is "crippling" and as a result beer production has fallen in the UK.