Wetherspoons to cut prices by 7.5% for one day only next week

WETHERSPOONS is cutting food and drink prices by 7.5% next Thursday, September 24.

Prices will be slashed at all UK pubs for one day only in an aim to highlight the benefit of reduced VAT in the hospitality industry.

Wetherspoons is cutting food and drink prices by 7.5% for one day only next week

It comes as part of a campaign to lower the tax burden on pubs known as “Tax Equality Day”.

It means a beer and burger meal at Wetherspoons will be reduced from £6.29 to £5.82, while pizza fans can nab a 11-inch margherita pizza and a Pepsi for £5.08, down from £5.49.

Ale drinkers will also be able to enjoy a pint of Ruddles for £1.10, down from £1.29, while pints of Abbot Ale will be reduced from £1.99 to £1.84.

The 7.5% discount applies to all food, drinks and booze in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In Scotland, prices will be reduced on all food, soft and non-alcoholic drinks and hot drinks, but not booze due to licensing restrictions.

Prices at Wetherspoons vary between locations though, so it’s worth double-checking its app before you head over.

In July, Chancellor Rishi Sunak temporarily slashed VAT from 20% to 5% for the hospitality and tourism industries in order to help them bounce back from the coronavirus crisis.

It came into effect on July 15 and will remain in place until January 12, 2021.

Following the VAT cut, Wetherspoons slashed food and drink prices by up to 28%.

The VAT cut doesn’t apply to booze, but Wetherspoons reduced the price of some ales anyway.

The pub chain is now urging Mr Sunak to make the VAT cut permanent to create “tax equality” between pubs and supermarkets.

All food and drink sold in pubs is usually subject to 20% VAT, whereas many food items sold in supermarkets are not subject to the levy.

Wetherspoons has slashed prices by 7.5% for several years to mark “Tax Equality Day”.

Wetherspoons 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.”

Wetherspoons has around 900 pubs in the UK – use the online finder tool to locate your nearest boozer.

Wetherspoons has cut prices by up to 48% until November as the Eat Out to Help Out scheme came to end.

It joined a number of other chains offering half price meals in September including Harvester, Toby Carvery, Bill’s, Tesco Cafe and Pizza Hut.

Earlier this week, Wetherspoons revealed 66 workers have tested positive for coronavirus with 50 pubs affected.