A pub is going to cut the price of all food and drink by 7.5 per cent to highlight the benefits of a permanent VAT reduction in the hospitality industry.

The Penny Black in Sheep Street, Bicester, will slash its prices on Thursday, September 15, to mark Tax Equality Day in the Wetherspoon pub.

On the day, a customer who would have been spending £10 on food and drink will now only pay £9.25.

All food and drink in pubs is subject to 20 per cent VAT.

Supermarkets however, pay no VAT on food, and are able to use that saving to sell other items at a discounted rate to customers.

The pub’s manager, Jonny Gill, said: It is unfair that supermarkets pay zero VAT on food, but pubs pay 20 per cent.

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“Pubs have been under fantastic pressure for decades due to the tax disadvantages they have with supermarkets.

“It doesn’t make sense for the hospitality industry to subsidise supermarkets.

“Customers coming to The Penny Black on Thursday, September 15 will find the price of their food and drink is lower than normal.

“We urge the chancellor to create tax equality between pubs and supermarkets.”

In September last year, thousand of pubs across the UK slashed their prices by 7.5 per cent on Tax Equality Day.

 

Read more from this author

This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1

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