chairman, JD Wetherspoon (JDW) (4)
Why he is on the list:
The JDW boss remains one of the industry's best-known and frequently-quoted personalities.
The 680-strong pub group is rarely out of the news — and, on top of this, Martin is seldom afraid to voice his views about issues facing the trade. He was a fierce critic of licensing reform and the Euro.
This year the Government has been in his sights again — this time over its methods to combat teenage drinking. He feels keeping 17-year-olds out of pubs is more likely to drive them down the supermarket drink aisles and out binge-drinking in the parks.
A fellow managed operator says the firm's mantra is: "Never underestimate JD Wetherspoon."
What the past year has held:
The smoking ban was always likely to hit JDW's drink sales —and so it proved, with overall business like-for-like sales down 1.5% in the 39-week period up to 27 April. And on top of that, margins continued to be squeezed, thanks to increases in energy costs.
One of the company's solutions was to up its food deals, with fish and chips on offer at £2.99p.
A sizeable £4m was also spent on extra staff, aiming to address customer complaints about uncleared tables and slow service.
Challenges ahead:
JDW concedes that bar sales will continue to suffer, and it remains cautious about short-term prospects.
Expect further movement on food offers and greater accent on non-alcoholic beverages. Tea and coffee sales have already shown a significant uplift, and intensive cask-ales marketing has led to bumper sales at JDW's blockbuster beer festivals.