Managed Groups

Wetherspoon's boss Tim Martin hits out at 'deluded' pubco chiefs

21-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has said there’s a “level of delusion” among senior figures in the industry who are “out of touch” and “don’t actually like pubs”.

Wetherspoon's £100m expansion budget

12-Nov-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has secured an extra £100m facility for its expansion plan as it looks to accelerate its openings, chairman Tim Martin has said.

Wetherspoon pubs get top loo ratings

28-Oct-2013 By Michelle Perrett

More than 200 Wetherspoon pubs have achieved the ultimate rating in the Loo of the Year Awards 2013.

JD Wetherspoon reports healthy sales rise

13-Sep-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon, the managed pub operator, has reported a 5.8% rise in like-for-like sales in the year to 28 July, with profits before tax and exceptionals up 6.3% to £76.9m, in what it called a “year of progress”.

JD Wetherspoon to open sixth site at Heathrow

29-Jul-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon, the managed operator, is to spend £1.3m on its sixth pub at Heathrow Airport.

JDW reports positive outlook as like-for-like sales up

24-Jul-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon says it expects to achieve a slightly better outcome for its current financial year than previously anticipated, as it reports a 3.5% rise in like-for-like sales in the 11 weeks to 14 July and an increase in operating margins.

Tim Martin tops list of pub industry’s most influential

21-Jun-2013 By Rob Willock

The chairman of JD Wetherspoon is back on the top of the PMA’s list of pub industry power players in 2013.

JDW pubs gain top FSA hygiene scores

13-Jun-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon, the managed pub operator, says 85% of its eligible pubs have gained the maximum five star rating in the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Scores on the Doors food hygiene scheme.

JD Wetherspoon defends e-cigarette ban in pubs

07-Jun-2013 By Noli Dinkovski

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has defended its position after it emerged that the use of e-cigarettes had been banned inside all of its pubs.

JD Wetherspoon focused on increasing pre-tax profits and free cash-flow rather than margins, says Tim Martin

14-May-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) is focused is on increasing pre-tax profits and free cash-flow rather than margins, chairman Tim Martin has told M&C Report.

JD Wetherspoon will have to increase prices in response to rising costs

18-Mar-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon will have to increase prices as one response to rising costs that are affecting the company, chairman Tim Martin has told the Publican's Morning Advertiser's sister title M&C Report.

Wetherspoon's profits hit by cost inflation despite sales growth

15-Mar-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon has reported a fall in profits and operating margin in the six months to 27 January due to "considerable" cost inflation in the period, despite like-for-like sales growing 6.9% and overall sales rising 10% to £626.4m.

JD Wetherspoon to roll out new customer feedback programme across pub estate

07-Mar-2013 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon is to roll out its first full customer feedback programme across its pub estate.

Horsemeat scandal: Wetherspoon's tests give meals the all-clear

25-Feb-2013

JD Wetherspoon, the managed pub operator, has issued a statement confirming that tests have shown no traces of horse DNA in its meals.

JD Wetherspoon asks landlords to cut insurance costs

20-Nov-2012 By John Harrington & Adam Pescod

JD Wetherspoon has asked around 400 of its landlords to reduce its insurance costs after discovering that the company could save between 25% and 75% by securing its own cover.

Tim Martin accuses pubcos of being “silent” in fight against tax differential between supermarkets and pubs

08-Nov-2012 By Gurjit Degun

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) chairman Tim Martin has accused pub companies of being “silent” in the fight against the tax differential between supermarkets and pubs.

J D Wetherspoon reports 3.2% rise in like-for-like sales

14-Sep-2012 By Mark Wingett

JD Wetherspoon, the managed pub operator, has reported a 3.2% rise in like-for-like sales for the 53 weeks to 29 July, and said that with taxation and input costs expected to continue to rise it was aiming for a “reasonable outcome” in its current financial...

Wetherspoon's reopens the Great Harry pub after riots destruction

10-Jul-2012

Just 11 months after being destroyed by fire in the riots last August, managed operator JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has reopened the Great Harry in Woolwich, south London.

Tim Martin and Ian Payne slam minimum unit pricing for alcohol

04-May-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Two of the pub industry’s most influential figures, JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin and Stonegate chair Ian Payne, have spoken out against the merits of introducing a minimum unit price of alcohol.

Wetherspoon's bemoans tax burden after small increase in like-for-like sales

02-May-2012 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon has reported a 2% rise in like-for-like sales in the 13 weeks to 22 April, as it revealed plans to further scale down its opening programme and predicted its tax bill will reach half a billion pounds this year.

Settlement for JDW in Van de Berg case

06-Mar-2012 By John Harrington, M&C Report

JD Wetherspoon (JDW), the managed pub operator, has won a settlement in relation to fraudulent property transactions involving the company’s former property agent Van de Berg.

JD Wetherspoon issues warning over cost pressures

18-Jan-2012 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon (JDW), the managed pub operator, has reported a 3.6% increase in like-for-like sales for the 12 weeks to 15 January, but warned on the impact of continuing cost pressures.

JD Wetherspoon to open 13 new sites

06-Jan-2012 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon, the managed pub operator, has revealed details of 13 sites it plans to open in the first three months of this year.

Tim Martin "perplexed" by Ted Tuppen's tax claims

01-Dec-2011 By Adam Pescod

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) chairman Tim Martin has described comments made by Enterprise Inns chief executive Ted Tuppen on tax and regulation as “confused thinking”.

Wetherspoon is tops for customer service

25-Oct-2011 By Gurjit Degun

JD Wetherspoon has been named as Britain’s best pub operator for customer satisfaction in the second major national study by customer experience specialist Nunwood.

Wetherspoon: Sales top £1bn but pre-tax profit slips

09-Sep-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Managed pub operator JD Wetherspoon has reported annual sales above £1bn for the first time, although the company blamed higher interest charges for denting profit before tax and exceptional items by 5.9%.

JDW reports slowdown in like-for-like sales

13-Jul-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

JD Wetherspoon (JDW), the managed pub operator, has reported a slowdown in like-for-like sales over the 11 weeks to 10 July.

Wetherspoon pub to use 50% less energy

15-Jun-2011 By Adam Pescod

A JD Wetherspoon pub in Melton will use 50% less energy than a similar-sized Wetherspoon establishment following post-fire refurb.

Tim Martin is the most influential person in the pub industry

09-Jun-2011 By MA Team

JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin, has retained his position as the most influential person in the pub trade. Martin's company has continued to...

Buzz Bars' Wetherspoon milestone

26-May-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Booker has reached its target of trading with as many Buzz Bars as there are JD Wetherspoon pubs.

Wetherspoon's green pub to re-open

11-May-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

JD Wetherspoon's flagship green pub, the Kettleby Cross in Melton Mowbray, is set to re-open on 24 May.

Wetherspoon spends £50k on aborted review

21-Apr-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

JD Wetherspoon spent about £50,000 on legal and other fees preparing to defend itself at an aborted licence review for one of its pubs that failed...

Wetherspoon praised for corporate responsibility

30-Mar-2011 By Graham Ridout

JD Wetherspoon has been praised for its corporate responsibility strategy for the eleventh year in a row. The pubco is included in the...

Tim Martin: pubs are the whipping boys

16-Mar-2011 By Lesley Foottit

JD Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin has accused the Government of driving drinkers out of pubs through a combination of continual price hikes and...

Wetherspoon extends contract with Retail Eyes

15-Mar-2011 By John Harrington, M&C Report

Managed pub operator JD Wetherspoon has renewed its contract with customer service improvement firm Retail Eyes for a further two years. Retail Eyes...

JDW reports 11% fall in H1 pre-tax profits

11-Mar-2011 By Mark Wingett, M&C Report

JD Wetherspoon has reported an 11% decline in first half pre-tax profit to £32.2m, which it said was due to increased interest charges.

Wetherspoon to target rural communities

11-Mar-2011 By Hamish Champ

Live and work in a rural community? Then a Wetherspoon pub could be opening up near you, if the managed operator has its way. John Hutson,...

JDW opens pub with nightclub hours

02-Mar-2011 By The PMA Team

Managed operator JD Wetherspoon re-opened the former Blu Bambu nigtclub in Sunderland yesterday after a £1.2m investment — and is believed to have...

Exclusive: JDW uses 'spotters' for ID patrols

10-Feb-2011 By The PMA Team

JD Wetherspoon has started to employ "spotters" to identify under-age drinkers that have slipped through the net at its pubs. They are being...

Exclusive: JDW targets smallest town yet for opening

25-Jan-2011 By The PMA Team

JD Wetherspoon is buying a hotel with 18 bedrooms in the Welsh town of Ruthin, which has a population of just over 5,000. Observers claim this is...

Wetherspoons warns on rising costs

19-Jan-2011 By Hamish Champ

JD Wetherspoon, the managed pub operator, has warned that despite an "encouraging" performance from its newly-opened pubs, rising supply costs and...

'Wetherspoon chief joins chorus of disapproval over rates plan'

17-Jan-2011

Tim Martin, chairman of pubs group JD Wetherspoon, has added his voice to the criticism of the Scottish Government's proposed "supermarket tax". The...

Hutson celebrates 20 years with JDW

07-Jan-2011 By Lesley Foottit

JD Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson is celebrating 20 years with the company as the longest serving employee, aside from chairman Tim Martin....

Exclusive: JDW drops 99p pint deal

24-Dec-2010 By John Harrington

JD Wetherspoon is not re-running its 99p pint deal in its January Sale next month, the Morning Advertiser has learnt. Next year's sale will see...

JD Wetherspoon flushed with success at Loo Awards

06-Dec-2010 By Lesley Foottit

Managed pub operator JD Wetherspoon has been crowned overall winner of the Loo of the Year Awards 2010.

Wetherspoons makes top 100 companies

29-Nov-2010 By Matt Eley Matt

Managed chain JD Wetherspoons has emerged as the only pubco to make it into a list revealing the UK's most customer friendly companies. In a survey...

Wetherspoons unveils new pub near first ever site

22-Nov-2010 By Hamish Champ

JD Wetherspoon has opened a new pub in North London's Crouch End, not far from Muswell Hill, where it opened its first pub back in 1979. Managed by...