Wetherspoons pubs in Pontefract and Castleford to reduce prices for one day only to celebrate 'Tax Equality Day'

Prices at The Glass Blower on Bank Street and The Winter Seam in Castleford, as well as the The Broken Bridge on Horsefair, Pontefract and The Blue Bell at Cross Hill, Hemsworth, will be reduced for one day only to mark Tax Equality Day in the Wetherspoon pubs to “highlight the benefit of a permanent VAT reduction in the hospitality industry”.

A spokesperson for Wetherspoons said: “All food and drink in pubs is subject to 20 per cent VAT.

"By comparison, supermarkets pay zero VAT on food, and are able to use that saving to sell alcohol to its customers at a discounted price.”

Sarah Heppinstall, manager at the The Glass Blower pub, said: “Customers coming to The Glass Blower on Thursday, September 14 will find the price of their food and drink is lower than normal.

"It is unfair that supermarkets pay zero VAT on food, but pubs pay 20 per cent.

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

The Blue Bell manager, Simon Barker, said of the day: “The tax benefit allows supermarkets to subsidise the selling price of beer.

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