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VAT Cut on Family Attractions and Meals Begins in UK
A temporary reduction in value-added tax on children's meals and entry to attractions started Thursday and will run until September 1. The measure covers theme parks, zoos, cinemas, and selected restaurants across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
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A temporary VAT cut on children's meals and admissions to family attractions took effect on Thursday and will continue until September 1. The reduction applies to venues such as zoos, theme parks, cinemas, and restaurants serving children's meals. Officials said the change is intended to ease summer-holiday costs for households.
Entertainments, which operates 20 sites including Alton Towers and Legoland, lowered advance ticket prices at both parks to £29.75 from £34. Longleat safari park reduced the price of advance family-of-four tickets to £122.30, a saving of £17.50. Cinema chains Odeon, Vue, and Cineworld joined the scheme.
Odeon stated that a family ticket for two adults and two children will fall from £32 to £28.50 for the duration of the program.
Restaurant groups Greene King, McDonald's, Wetherspoons, and Nando's are passing on the tax saving on children's meals. Nando's reduced its Nandino meals from £6.95 to £6.08; Wetherspoons lowered a £5.75 children's meal to £5.03; and McDonald's cut the price of a typical Happy Meal by 27 percent to £2.99. Haven Holidays confirmed that both existing and new bookings will reflect the lower rate.
Season tickets and multi-visit passes costing more than a single-entry ticket are excluded. Participation is voluntary, and the Treasury estimated the program will cost about £300 million. The package also includes free bus travel for children aged five to 15 in England during August school holidays.
