Wetherspoons slashing food and drink prices for one day

Wetherspoon customers can bag a major bargain later this month, with the British pub chain slashing grub and alcoholic drink prices for an exclusive 24-hour period.

The business, which recently detailed why a popular dish was finally axed for good this year, is waging war against rising taxes.

“The biggest threat to the hospitality industry is the vast disparity in tax treatment among pubs, restaurants and supermarkets, Sir Tim Martin, the pub chain owner and chairman stated.

“Supermarkets pay zero VAT in respect of food sales, whereas pubs, bars and restaurants pay 20 per cent. This tax benefit allows supermarkets to subsidise the selling price of beer.

“Pubs have been under fantastic pressure for decades, because of the tax disadvantages which they have with supermarkets. It doesn’t make sense for the hospitality industry to subsidise supermarkets.”

Sir Tim Martin is slashing the prices of food and drinks at Wetherspoons (Peter Summers/Getty Images)

He argued that a VAT cut to 12.5 percent is needed to ‘ensure that pubs, bars and restaurants do not continue to close, but instead thrive, invest and create new jobs’.

Therefore on 17 September, every Wetherspoon in England will discount its food and drink prices by a whopping 7.5 percent.

That means Strongbow Original will cost from £2.30 instead of £2.39 and bottles of Pinot Grigio will set punters back by around £10.54 (usually £11.39).

Breakfast bits, gourmet burgers, curries, and pizzas will also be discounted as part of the company’s annual Tax Equality Day event.

The purpose is apparently to show the unfair tax rules between pubs and supermarkets.

Pub-goers in Scotland will also see a reduction in food prices. They will also receive discounts on non-alcoholic drinks.

The discount comes amid news that Meta Glasses cannot be used inside pubs (John Keeble/Getty Images)

Last month, Wetherspoons went viral for announcing filming on Meta Glasses would no longer be allowed in its 790+ establishments.

In a statemement, the company said: “Like many hospitality companies, Wetherspoon has CCTV cameras for security reasons, but their use is strictly controlled by data legislation.

“Apart from that, the general code that applies in our pubs, and most pubs, is that you can’t film customers or employees without their permission.”

The decision was made soon after the chain banned customers from playing music or taking calls on speakerphone on-site.

(Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"We are not looking to ask anyone to leave a pub if they go against the ruling, but it is an option for managers if they refuse to do so," the company confirmed.

The British Beer and Pub Association, which represents Wetherspoons and several other pub companies in the UK, said that ‘having a clear policy helps staff enforce rules and customers know what they can and can't do’.

The group added: "We're yet to hear of anyone who relishes having a pint against the backdrop of a speakerphone call or someone loudly playing a video, so we expect this move will be greatly welcomed."