Greene King vs Spoons: Who is winning the great British pub battle? May 20, 2025 There are few well-populated areas of the UK where you can’t find either a Greene King or JD Wetherspoon pub. The two titans of the British pubs industry together operate thousands of locations each across the country and are staples of most urban areas. Both are major contributors to the UK economy – providing employment [...]
Wetherspoon, Marston’s and Young’s manage to fend off UK pubs crisis – for now May 13, 2025 Some of the UK’s biggest pub chains – JD Wetherspoon, Marston’s and Young’s – have all proved surprisingly resilient in avoiding the hospitality crisis predicted last Autumn. The London-listed companies have all reported better-than-expected trading over the last year, despite very low business and consumer confidence. In an update to markets this morning, Marston’s reported [...]
JD Wetherspoon sales jump despite continued pub sell-off May 7, 2025 Sales at JD Wetherspoon jumped five per cent over the last quarter as the pub giant continued to sell more locations. The pub giant has sold off seven of its pubs since the start of the year, despite opening only two new ones, it said in a trading update today. It said it expected to [...]
Wetherspoons fails to prove cider is not alcohol in tax dispute April 24, 2025 Budget boozer Wetherspoons unsuccessfully argued cider did not fall within the meaning of 'alcoholic beverages' in a VAT dispute with HMRC
Brits back Ryanair calls for two drink limit at UK airports April 22, 2025 Brits overwhelmingly back a two drink limit at UK airports to stop drunken passengers disrupting flights, a new survey has found. Yasper Communications agency polled more than 2,500 people and found 60.7 per cent either agreed or agreed strongly with the idea. Only 10.8 per cent of Brits disagreed or disagreed strongly with the introduction [...]
I went storm chasing in Canada – but this Hawaii-style holiday offered so much more March 25, 2025 The irony is not lost on me that on the day I fly out to Canada’s Vancouver Island to chase some of the world’s gnarliest weather, the UK is being battered by its biggest storm in decades. Flights are being cancelled by the minute – airport boards lighting up red like Eighties arcade machines; travellers [...]
Wetherspoons: Pub group hikes dividend despite cost warning March 21, 2025 Pub giant J D Wetherspoon has reported a dip in profits in its half-year results despite an uplift in sales, while chairman Tim Martin warned that rising labour costs and tax disparities are set to hit the pub industry hard. Its share price fell more than seven per cent in early trades. Like-for-like sales rose [...]
All the pubs hiking the price of a pint after Budget tax raid March 19, 2025 Shepherd Neame announced this morning that it would be forced to raise prices at its 290 pubs due to cost pressures from last October’s budget. The family business follows a host of other hospitality companies in raising prices, with the average price of a pint set to go up by six to eight per cent, [...]
Wetherspoons set for profit spike as it braces for Budget tax hit March 16, 2025 JD Wetherspoon is expected to reveal soaring sales this week, as experts tip the pub group to seize more market share from smaller competitors amid tax rises coming in April. The London-listed firm, which has around 800 pubs across the UK, is set to report its half-year results on 21 March. In a January trading [...]
Birmingham landmark on sale in cut-price deal as value slashed in half March 11, 2025 A landmark office building in Birmingham city centre has been put up for sale for half what it was bought for in 2019. The Lewis Building and its adjoining neighbour Priory Court in Bull Street were acquired by Gulf Islamic Investments for £140m. The investor, which has offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, bought the [...]