Banking giant Santander has landed itself in hot water with a social media post that immediately prompted online outrage from businesses within the beleaguered pub and licenced hospitality sector.

The post centred around the already vexed subject of Dry January, the month-long abstinence movement that started out as a well-meaning charity challenge but which has become something of a bête-noire for many in the lowest trading month and therefore when they most need money coming through their doors.

Thursday’s Facebook post by Santander urged the bank’s customers to look at the potential savings they could make by cutting their spending at the pub, not only over the period of January but potentially over many years. It argued that by cutting out three averagely priced pints a week their customers could save £14.43 per week or £57 per month. It argued that over the course of their mortgage, if that money was used for overpayments, a homeowner “could save a whopping £13000 in interest over the course of your mortgage and even pay it off 2 years earlier!”