Wetherspoons to slash prices on food and drink by 7.5% next week

Wetherspoons is cutting its prices on food and drink by 7.5% next Thursday.

On September 24, the cost of a beverage or meal at the cheap eatery will be slashed to show the benefit of reduced VAT in the industry.

The move comes as part of a long-standing campaign to lower the tax burden on pubs.

It’s known as “Tax Equality Day” and will be rolled out across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In Scotland, all food and soft drinks will be reduced by the 7.5% but booze will not due to licensing restrictions.

Do you support the reduction of VAT in pubs? Tell us why in the comments section…

The discount means that a drink and burger meal at ‘Spoons will cost just £5.82 rather than £6.29.

Or, snap up an 11-inch pizza and a Pepsi for £5.08 instead of the usual £5.49.

Those looking for a cheap tipple will be happy, as a pint of Ruddles ale costs £1.10 down from £1.29.

While Abbot Ale will go from £1.99 to £1.84.

Not bad…

Though prices do vary from pub to pub, so check your local Wetherspoon’s menu.

It’s the second big discount to be applied this year, as Rishi Sunak’s VAT holiday saw costs plummet by up to 28%, reports The Sun.

The tax break cut VAT from 20% to just 5% in an effort to help the hospitality industry recover after lockdown.

The major tax cut will remain until January 12 2021 – so there’s plenty of time to take advantage.

The VAT holiday, unlike the 7.5% Equality Day discount, will not apply to alcohol, but ‘Spoons discounted some of their booze anyway.

The massive chain has asked the Chancellor to make the tax break permanent.

This is to create “tax equality” between pubs and supermarkets.

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Currently, pubs are subject to a 20% tax on food and drink while this does not apply to food in supermarkets.

Wetherspoons has run the 7.5% discount day for the last eight years in pursuit of tax equality.

The pub chain's founder Tim Martin said: “Pubs have been under fantastic pressure for decades due to the tax disadvantages they have with supermarkets.

“We are urging the Chancellor to create tax equality between pubs and supermarkets by making the current VAT regime for pub food and soft drinks permanent.

“It will make pubs, cafes, coffee shops and restaurants more competitive against supermarkets."

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