Whitby pub The Angel Hotel to cut price of food and drink for Tax Equality Day
The Angel Hotel in New Quay Road is supporting Tax Equality Day, a Wetherspoon campaign for equal tax between between the hospitality industry and supermarkets.
To mark the day (Thursday September 17), prices at the chain’s pub on New Quay Road will be reduced for one day.
For example, where the price of a meal and a drink might usually be £10, the cost on Tax Equality Day would be £9.25.
The pub’s manager, Em Tetley, said they’re proud to support the campaign to reduce VAT within the hospitality industry.
“We are keen to highlight the amount customers could save if VAT in pubs was lowered permanently,” she said.
“A reduction in the level of VAT on a long-term basis will generate growth and create jobs in the important hospitality sector and help the high street, of which pubs are an integral part.”
Both pubs and supermarkets are subject to the standard VAT rate of 20 per cent on alcohol.
But, where food in supermarkets has a VAT rate of zero, food in pubs and restaurants remains taxed at 20 per cent.
Wetherspoon states that as a result, supermarkets are able to use that saving to sell alcohol at a discounted price.
This comes as more than 800 hospitality businesses signed an open letter to Andy Burnham, urging him to lower the rate of VAT nationally.
Supported by the pub’s chain, the VAT’s The Problem campaign has called for the hospitality VAT rate to be reduced from 20% to 10%.
Wetherspoon has said: “Alongside the Tax Equality campaign, we’re supporting the hospitality industry campaign calling for a fairer VAT rate.
"If you’d like to support the campaign, please consider signing the petition.”
So far, the campaign’s petition has more than 370,000 signatories.