Why food and drink will be cheaper at Wetherspoons in Sheffield next week including Benjamin Huntsman
Wetherspoons pubs in Sheffield will be cutting the prices of their food and drink for one day next week in a stunt to pressure the government into changing VAT laws.
Ten chain pubs in the Steel City will be taking part, including the Benjamin Huntsman, The Woodseats Palace, The Bankers Draft and The Steel Foundry.
The company is taking aim at a 20 per cent VAT on food and drink sold in pubs compared with zero per cent in supermarkets, with Jonathan Atkinson, manager of The Bankers Draft, claiming it is “unfair”.
He said: “Pubs have been under fantastic pressure for decades due to the tax disadvantages it has with supermarkets.
“The tax benefit allows supermarkets to subsidise the selling price of beer. It doesn't make sense for the hospitality industry to subsidise supermarkets. We urge the Chancellor to create tax equality between pubs and supermarkets.”
Wetherspoons as come up with what they call “Tax Equality Day”, when they will lower the price of all their food and drink by 7.5 per cent.
In 2024, the discount day will be on Thursday, September 12 and will be held in all 10 of the chains venues in Sheffield.