6 publishers · first seen Wed, 04 Nov 2026 09:02 UTC · updated Wed, 04 Nov 2026 13:48 UTC
Pub group JD Wetherspoon plans to open up to 25 new pubs over the next year, following an 8.2% rise in first-quarter like-for-like sales. The company has already opened six managed pubs in the new financial year, including locations at Manchester Airport and Heathrow Airport. Wetherspoon aims to add five to 10 managed pubs and 10 to 15 franchised sites to its current estate of 797 managed pubs and 25 franchised locations. Chairman Tim Martin remains confident in the company's full-year profit forecast of £76.4 million, despite sales growth easing to 7.5% in the most recent five weeks. Martin also criticized recent government policies on labour costs, stating they widen the price gap between pubs and supermarkets and reduce employment.
Wetherspoon's expansion plans include new locations in London's West End, Edinburgh, Hessle, and West Bromwich. The company's latest update highlights the competitive challenges posed by rising costs, particularly in labour, which Martin estimates at £1.68 per pint in pubs compared to about 15 pence in supermarkets.
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