Carlisle Brewing Company co-owner Alison Davis has met Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of Small Business Saturday.
She was invited to visit 10 Downing Street with about 50 other small businesses from across the UK, and asked to take samples of the brewery’s ales to the event.
Since Tuesday’s visit, Alison, who also runs The Spinners Arms in Cummersdale with husband Alain, has written to the Prime Minister to outline the challenges faced in the hospitality industry.
She said: “It was quite a surreal experience being invited to 10 Downing Street. It’s a very impressive building and like a Tardis in there.
“Those of us who were asked to take samples of our products were invited to a back room, where Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds gave a speech about the importance of small businesses.
“Then the Chancellor and Prime Minister walked in and visited our tables. Keir Starmer actually spent decent amount of time with everyone, and asked about Carlisle’s State Management Scheme, so he’d done his homework.
“He came across as being very genuine, and mentioned me in a speech at the end, saying I had brought back brewing to Carlisle.”
The day was rounded off with photos outside Number 10 – including with Larry the famous Downing Street cat – before Alison was invited for a tour of the House of Commons by Carlisle MP Julie Minns.
Alison then penned a letter to the Prime Minister to thank him for the visit, and highlighted many of the issues her industry is struggling with.
Alison wrote: “I don’t need to tell you how much hospitality and its supply chain brings in for the national and local economy.
“We all understand that hard decisions have to be made, that the money to ‘fix’ our country has to come from somewhere, but there is a definite fear within the hospitality industry that it is being asked to shoulder more than its fair share, given that it is already in a precarious situation following the lack of income, increased debt and staffing issues following industry lockdowns and Brexit complications.
“I feel the biggest issue is a lack of confidence, that until people see the money in their pocket going up even by a small amount rather than still reducing as it has been over the last 10 years, they aren’t going to spend.
“As the owners of an ex-State Management pub, and being in the fantastic position of restarting brewing in Carlisle after 27 years, we believe that even though society has changed immeasurably in the 17 years we have owned the Spinners Arms, the public house, as a British institution, should still play a huge part in the community around it, and as such needs to be supported as much as possible.”
