Horsham pub cuts price of food and drink in one-day special offer

Prices at The Lynd Cross in Springfield Road will be reduced by 7.5 per cent for one day only – on Thursday September 14. The price cut aims to highlight the benefit of a permanent VAT reduction in the hospitality industry.

The event also marks Tax Equality Day at the Wetherspoon pub.

The price reduction means that a customer spending £10 on food and drink will pay £9.25 on the day. All food and drink in pubs is normally 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 customers at a discounted price.

Lynd Cross manager Gareth Withers said: “Customers coming to The Lynd Cross 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 it has with supermarkets.

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“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.”