A Southport pub is to cut the price of all food and drink by 7.5% on:- Thursday, 18 September 2025 - to highlight the benefit of a permanent VAT reduction in the hospitality industry.

Prices at The Sir Henry Segrave in Lord Street will be reduced for 1 day only to mark Tax Equality Day in the Wetherspoon pub.

So, for example, a customer spending £10 on food and drink will pay £9.25 on Tax Equality Day.

All food and drink in pubs is subject to 20% 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.

The pub's manager, Daniel Mercer, said:- "Customers coming to The Sir Henry Segrave on:- Thursday, 18 September 2025 will find the price of their food and drink is lower than normal. It’s unfair that supermarkets pay zero VAT on food, but pubs pay 20%. Pubs have been under fantastic pressure for decades due to the tax disadvantages it has with supermarkets. The tax benefit allows supermarkets to subsidise the selling price of beer. A VAT cut to 12.5% is needed to ensure that pubs continue to thrive. We urge the Chancellor to create tax equality between pubs and supermarkets."