Diners in certain parts of the country are paying up to 125% more for a Sunday roast, according to new research into the cost of the cheapest meat roast available at popular UK pub chains.

The study from leading savings site, VoucherCodes.co.uk, looked at the cost of a Sunday roast in almost 70 pubs within major chains Harvester, J D Wetherspoons and Greene King. Analysing a number of their city centre venues, the findings show a 40% difference between the London average (£11.53) and Birmingham’s average price (£8.24) – respectively the most and least expensive of those analysed.

The worst offending pub chain is Greene King, which has the largest price difference across the venues analysed. The cheapest meat roasts served at Hunters Moon in Birmingham and Wackum Inn, Bristol (both £5.99), are 125% cheaper than in London’s Silver Cross which charges £13.49 – a £7.50 difference within the same group.

By contrast, J D Wetherspoons has the most consistent pricing across the board with a difference of only £0.85 between its cheapest locations (found in 14 cities* at £8.75) and the most expensive in London’s The Liberty Bounds at £9.60.  J D Wetherspoons is also the only group which includes an alcoholic or soft drink with their Sunday roast, providing additional value for money.

While London is predictably the most expensive city on average (£11.53), the research reveals that the other cities also charging a premium are all located in the north of England, including Liverpool (£10.91), Newcastle and Sheffield (both £10.74). The UK average is just £9.60.

Most expensive average Sunday roast costs across the UK:

Most affordable average Sunday roast costs across the UK:

Anita Naik, Lifestyle Editor at VoucherCodes.co.uk, commented: “With Christmas just around the corner, it’s certainly the season for festive Sunday roasts at your local pub. However, it’s alarming to see that you could be paying over double the price for your roast simply depending on where you live.

“With gifts to buy and, for many of us, a lot of socialising December can be  a costly month, so it’s worth exploring your options in your local area before you head out to eat to make sure you’re getting a good deal. The fact prices can vary so much within towns, let alone across the country, shows it really does pay to do a bit of research beforehand. Ensure you make the most of discount codes that can shave valuable cash off your bill – lots of pub chains run promotions throughout the year which can make a difference to your wallet. There is also our latest roast dinner discounts to give you some inspiration.