The Railway Bell on East Barnet Road will be celebrating ‘Tax Equality Day’ reports Madison Yarbrough

A burger and chips on a plate next a pint of beer — (Credit – Wetherspoons)

A New Barnet pub is cutting its prices for a day to highlight the challenges faced by the hospitality industry.

On Thursday, 18th September, The Railway Bell on East Barnet Road will be celebrating Tax Equality day. The price of food and drink will be cut by 7.5% to emphasize the benefit of a VAT (value added tax) reduction in the hospitality industry.

The Wetherspoon’s chain, which owns The Railway Bell, believes pubs, restaurants and bars suffer because they have to charge 20% VAT on food whereas supermarkets don’t. For example, a £10 bill would be £9.25.

Weatherspoon’s say this allows supermarkets to subsidize alcohol sales and sell their product at a discounted price.

As part of the campaign, Wetherspoon’s founder and chairman, Tim Martin is urging “the Chancellor to create tax equality between pubs and supermarkets”.

He mentions how pubs have been under stress for decades to stay afloat because of this tax. Tax Equality Day is meant to shed light on how things could change for pubs, bars and restaurants with a reduced VAT.

The New Barnet pub’s manager, Stephanie Milne, said: “Customers coming to The Railway Bell on Thursday 18th September will find the price of their food and drink is lower than normal.”

“Pubs have been under fantastic pressure for decades due to the tax disadvantages it has with supermarkets.”

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month's before anyone else.