Wetherspoons to show England games with sound up

01-Jun-2006 - Last updated on 12-Mar-2017 at 00:16 GMT

U-turn for England - but sound will go off again for other matches.

JD Wetherspoon pubs will be showing England games in the World Cup with the sound up as a "one-off", the Morning Advertiser has learnt.

The move is a major u-turn for the managed operator which has always vowed it would not have the sound on at its newly-installed plasma screens during the World Cup.

Chief executive John Hutson said: "For most of the games the sound will be off but England games are a one-off and the sound will be up. We're not looking to attract new customers. It's about regular customer staying with us to watch the England game. We're not suddenly becoming football pubs and we won't be attracting big crowds. The England friendly against Hungary was very quiet in our pubs."

Hutson declined to say exactly how many Wetherspoon pubs will be showing the World Cup.

But the company's website lists several hundred venues that are showing games.

"Our customers who go to individual pubs will know which ones are showing games," he said.

Hutson added that there will be no drinks promotions during England or other games.

Government ministers have made it very clear to the trade at meetings that a dim view would be taken on drinks offers during World Cup games, Hutson added.