Wetherspoon scores a '0-0 draw' in World Cup trading

JD Wetherspoon, the managed pub operator, scored a 0-0 draw trading-wise during the recent World Cup, according to the group's finance chief.

Keith Down said the group had had a "neutral" tournament, despite bringing screens into a number of its pubs.

Speaking before Wetherspoons went into its close period, Down said the group's pubs had seen more success from opening earlier, at 7am, as well as benefitting from the recent warmer weather.

"We had a neutral World Cup and we're happy with that, since we've suffered in past tournaments.

"We brought screens into some pubs rather turning sites into 'football pubs'," he said.

Like-for-like sales for the 11 weeks to July 11, 2010, rose one per cent, Down said, with total sales up 5.8 per cent.

Wetherspoon said it had opened 41 pubs during the year, with two sales.

Six further pubs were due to be unveiled before the group's year end on July 25. Down reaffirmed the group's aim to open a further 250 pubs over the next five years.

With the consumer already under pressure - and likely to be more so from the looming hike in VAT, Down said the group would be looking at ways to encourage punters into his company's pubs during the tough times ahead.

"People know [the VAT rise] is coming, so it'll be a case of 'do we have to do something differently?'," he said.

Down also warned that the group's interest charges would rise by up to 24 per cent in the next financial year, as a result of its recent refinancing deal.

"We've been paying between £28m and £29m in interest and next year that will rise to around £35m," Down said.

Wetherspoons' shares were down two per cent this morning, trading at 428p.