A popular pub chain is offering a drastic price cut this month but it will not apply to punters north of the border.
Pubgoers popping into any of Wetherspoon’s 850 pubs will benefit from the move to mark Tax Equality Day.
However, punters visiting any of the chain’s 60 or so establishments in Scotland will not have the same opportunity when it comes to alcoholic beverages.
Tax Equality Day, which is aimed at highlighting the benefits of cutting VAT, provides several hours for pubgoers to take advantage of the cut on September 12.
The cut will see a large breakfast drop from £9.99 to just £9.25.
A breakfast wrap will be available for £5.75, rather than £6.21.
A pint of Bud Light is priced at just £4.09, 33p less than the usual cost of £4.42.
However, prices at Wetherspoon’s pubs vary across the UK.
Wetherspoon is a popular pub chain in the UK PAA pint of Stella Artois from a Devon Wetherspoon’s could cost as much as £3 less than compared to the branch’s boozer at Leicester Square in London.
Scottish punters will also miss out on saving some pennies on alcoholic drinks, instead only clawing back cash on food and non-alcoholic drinks.
The discount does not apply to Scotland due to its tougher licensing regulations, Wetherspoon’s has said.
Wetherspoon’s 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 in respect of food sales, whereas pubs, bars and restaurants pay 20 per cent.
JD Wetherspoon founder and chairman Tim Martin in a pub holding coffee mug
PA
“This tax benefit allows supermarkets to subsidise the selling price of beer.
“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.
“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.
“Customers coming to Wetherspoon’s pubs on Thursday 12 September will find the price of their food and drinks to be lower than normal.
“We call on the chancellor to create tax equality between the hospitality industry and supermarkets.”
Source Agencies
