JDW blasted for not joining responsible drinking scheme

JD Wetherspoon has come under fire from licensees and a local council for failing to join up to a voluntary scheme to curb excessive drinking.

Police claim crime outside licensed premises has dropped 25 per cent since the initiative began - but the pub company has still not signed up.

The code of conduct for the area of Richmond and Twickenham in South West London was set up by licensees at the beginning of October, although many have been implementing the code since April.

The initiative, which has the support of virtually all other licensees, the local council and police, asks premises to stop "aggressive" discounting that could encourage binge-drinking.

Frank Dupree, licensee of the Cabbage Patch in Twickenham and head of the local Pubwatch, which set up the code, said: "It is irresponsible and outrageous. We want to know why they have not signed up."

Tony Arbour, leader of Richmond Council, has written a letter to Tim Martin, chairman of Wetherspoon, asking him to sign up to the voluntary code.

Eddie Gershon, spokesman for the company, said: "The company has been trying to get a copy from the licensing officer and the council to sign, as soon as it does it will sign straight away.

"There has been a sticking point about pricing, but we will be happy to sign, although we will not be changing our pricing. We don't aggressively price."

The company said it had not changed its prices and did not consider them irresponsible.

Wetherspoon added that it has already introduced its own charter to target binge-drinking.

The code of conduct implemented in Richmond and Twickenham has proved so successful that other councils including Westminster and even Montreal in Canada are looking at the scheme.

Related articles:​

Licensees sign up to code of conduct (4 August 2004)

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