The Square & Compasses

21/10/2026

Please be aware that we are closed for a private function today.
Open as usual this evening at 6pm.
Apologies for any inconvenience.

13/10/2026

Quick reminder that it’s charity quiz tonight.
Doors open 6pm.
Quiz starts 7pm.
Food offering for quizzers is Southern fried chicken tenders and chips.
We are full with quizzers so unfortunately unable to accommodate walk ins.

07/10/2026

Festive party menu now available. Pop in to pick up a booking form, or head to www.squarecompasses.co.uk to download as a pdf.

04/10/2026

We have a few spaces available for lunch today, please call 01223 343164 to grab your space before they are all taken.

08/09/2026

Quick reminder that it’s our monthly Charity Quiz Night this evening.
We are full with quizzers so unable to accommodate walk in diners.
Doors open 6pm.
Quiz starts 7pm.
Food offering for quizzers is Jacket potatoes with cheese/beans/coleslaw.

21/08/2026

Today’s the day!!!!

Follow the link to join the Square& Compasses league. https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/ks5fru

17/08/2026

We’ve given our menu a bit of a refresh. Some new dishes to try, and the return of some pub classics. Launches tomorrow evening, Tuesday 18th.

11/08/2026

Quick reminder that tonight is our monthly charity quiz.
Doors open 6pm.
Quiz starts 7pm.
Food offering for quizzers will be southern fried chicken tenders and chips.
We are full with quizzers so unfortunately unable to accommodate any diners.

26/07/2026

Total Tax Burden for hospitality!!

I’ve been quite surprised over the last 24 hours as to how many people don’t appreciate the significant difference between the total tax burden for hospitality compared with other sectors.

As an example, supermarkets (also food and drink) pay an estimated 8% to 11% of their total revenue in combined taxes. A pub or restaurant pays a crushing 28% to 35% of its turnover directly to the government.

This means a hospitality business carries a tax burden that is three/four times heavier relative to its revenue.

The UK tax system inherently protects the automated, low-margin, zero-rated grocery model of supermarkets while aggressively taxing hospitality businesses on their land footprint, their reliance on human workers, and a punishing 20% flat consumer VAT on everything they serve.

When a customer spends £100.00 at a restaurant table, £16.67 is instantly stripped away in VAT. Once you add rising employer National Insurance, and property rates, the government takes between £28.00- £35.00 of every £100.00 spent over the bar.

Andy Burnham’s recent Business Rates reduction was a positive step—but it is a drop in the ocean. This minor relief is easily wiped out by the major hikes in Employer National Insurance and National Minimum Wage.

Over 16,000 hospitality venues have already collapsed since the pandemic, because the current tax framework makes survival incredibly difficult.

Independent pubs and restaurants need a 10% hospitality VAT rate to stop a broken tax system from killing it.

Tom Kerridge
The Pheasant Inn

25/07/2026

Follow the link to join the Square& Compasses league. https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/ks5fru