WETHERSPOONS has announced it is slashing the price of food and drinks at pubs around the UK for one day only.
The popular pub chain is giving customers a 7.5% discount to mark Tax Equality Day.
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Wetherspoons punters across the country will be able to get their favourites at a discount Credit: Getty
On Thursday, September 17, punters across the country will be able to buy their favourite food and drinks at discounted prices.
Wetherspoons is cutting the prices of all food and beverages in every single boozer in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
In Scotland, discounts will only apply to food and non-alcoholic drinks, the pub chain confirmed.
The promotion at the boozers aims to highlight the benefit of a permanent VAT reduction in the hospitality industry.
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On Tax Equality Day, you could get a large breakfast, which normally costs £7.53, for £6.97 – saving 56p – at Wetherspoons.
A breakfast wrap, priced at £5.18, would cost £4.80 on September 17, saving you 38p.
A pint of Bud Light, priced at £5.50, would cost you £5.09 – 41p less than usual.
A 500ml bottle of Kopparberg cider, usually priced at £6.65, would cost £6.16 on the day.
And a 250ml glass of Sauvignon Blanc would cost you £4.49 – a saving of 36p.
Bear in mind that prices at Wetherspoons pubs vary across the UK, so you won’t always get the same discount.
If you want to find your nearest pub, you can use the locator tool on Wetherspoons’ website or app.
After selecting your location or adding your postcode, the tool will bring up your nearest boozer.
All food and drinks in pubs are subject to 20% VAT.
In comparison, supermarkets don’t pay VAT on food, and can then afford to offer drinks at discounted prices.
Sir Tim Martin, founder and chairman of Wetherspoons, is calling for a VAT cut to 12.5%, which he says would ensure that pubs, bars, and restaurants do not continue to close.
He said: “Pubs have been under fantastic pressure for decades, because of the tax disadvantages which they have with supermarkets.
“It doesn’t make sense for the hospitality industry to subsidise supermarkets.
He said the cut would help hospitality venues to stay opening, adding: “A VAT cut to 12.5 per cent is needed to ensure that pubs, bars and restaurants do not continue to close, but instead thrive, invest and create new jobs.
“We call on the chancellor to create tax equality between the hospitality industry and supermarkets.”
Earlier this month, Wetherspoons slapped prices hikes of up to 20p on the cost of pints, meal deals, and breakfasts.
Just weeks before, Sir Tim had warned rising costs could hit profits at the pub chain’s 794 outlets.
In January Wetherspoon’s chairman, Tim Martin, said he expected profits would be lower in the first year pointing to a rise in energy, wages, and repair costs.
The hospitality sector is facing significant challenges, as it battles rising labour costs after increases to minimum wage and National Insurance contributions as well as the botched business rates reform.
How can I save money at Wetherspoons?
PUB-GOERS love Wetherspoons for its competitive pricing and low-cost meals – but did you know there are more ways to save money?
Senior consumer reporter Olivia Marshall explains how.
Free refills – Buy a £1.50 tea, coffee or hot chocolate and you can get free refills. The deal is available all day, every day.
Check a map – Prices can vary from one location the next, even those close to each other.
So if you’re planning a pint at a Spoons, it’s worth popping in nearby pubs to see if you’re settling in at the cheapest.
Choose your day – Each night the pub chain runs certain food theme nights.
For instance, every Thursday night is curry club, where diners can get a main meal and a drink for a set price cheaper than usual.
Pick-up vouchers – Students can often pick up voucher books in
their local near universities, which offer discounts on food and drink, so keep your eyes peeled.
Get appy – The Wetherspoons app allows you to order and pay for your drink and food from your table – but you don’t need to be in the pub to use it.
Taking full advantage of this, cheeky customers have used social media to ask their friends and family to order them drinks. The app is free to download on the App Store or Google Play.
Check the date – Every year, Spoons holds its Tax Equality Day to highlight the benefits of a permanently reduced tax bill for the pub industry.
It usually takes place in September, and last year it fell on Thursday, September 14.
As well as its 12-day Real Ale Festival every Autumn, Wetherspoons also holds a Spring Festival.
