THE price of food and drinks will be slashed by Minehead’s Wetherspoons pub - for one day only.

The Duke of Wellington, in Wellington Square, will cut the cost of items by 7.5 per cent to highlight the benefit of a permanent VAT reduction in the hospitality industry.

Pub manager Nathaniel Leader said the hospitality industry has been under pressure for years and the price reduction will be in place on Thursday, September 12, to mark Tax Equality Day.

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 per cent 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, Mr Leader, said: "Customers coming to The Duke of Wellington on Thursday, September 12, 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 per cent.

"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.

"It doesn't make sense for the hospitality industry to subsidise supermarkets.

"We urge the Chancellor to create tax equality between pubs and supermarkets."

A number of other Wetherspoons pubs across the county will also marking Tax Equality Day with the same price cuts.