Small Welsh breweries should be able to stock products in local pubs, says Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP, Liz Saville Roberts.

She is calling on UK Government to level the playing field, allowing Wales to adopt the Scottish guest beer model so pubs can stock guest beers from small, independent breweries, even when tied to large pub companies. This approach has been praised for supporting local economies and promoting customer choice.

The Welsh beer and pub sector contributes over £1.5 billion to the national economy and supports more than 68,000 jobs across Wales.

However, small breweries face significant barriers to market access, with 60 per cent of pubs within 40 miles of an independent brewery inaccessible due to restrictive supply arrangements.

Mrs Saville Roberts visited Purple Moose Brewery in Porthmadog to discuss the challenges faced by small Welsh breweries. Many are currently restricted from selling to some pubs in their own communities due to restrictive supply agreements.

Mrs Saville Roberts said: “Small breweries such as Purple Moose in Porthmadog, are vital to our local economies and cultural identity. Yet they face significant barriers when trying to sell their products to pubs in their own locality.

“The Scottish guest beer model offers a practical solution that supports small producers and enhances consumer choice.

“Enabling fair access to pub markets would not only support local businesses but also contribute to a more diverse and resilient brewing sector across Wales and the UK.

“I urge UK Government to consider this approach as part of its review of the Pubs Code and market access for draught beer.”

Purple Moose Brewery Managing Director Lawrence Washington said: “We’ve got lots of great pubs in Wales, but many aren’t permitted to directly access a beer from a local brewery.

“This means we can’t sell to most pubs in the local area and consumers are losing out.”