Wetherspoons is cutting the prices of all food and drinks by 7.5% for one day only, on Thursday, September 14, across its pubs in the UK and Ireland. The move marks Tax Equality Day, aiming to highlight the tax burden on the hospitality industry.
For example, a customer spending £10 on food and drinks will pay £9.25. In Scotland, the reduction applies only to food and non-alcoholic drinks, in line with licensing laws.
Founder and chairman Tim Martin said: 'The biggest threat to the hospitality industry is the vast disparity in tax treatment among pubs, restaurants and supermarkets. Supermarkets pay zero VAT on food sales, whereas pubs and restaurants pay 20%.' He argued that this allows supermarkets to subsidise beer prices, putting pubs at a disadvantage.
Martin urged the Chancellor to create tax equality between pubs and supermarkets, noting that the hospitality industry has been under pressure for decades due to these tax rules.
