Pub chain Wetherspoon is to open up to 25 more pubs after sales jump 8.2% despite rising labour costs
Sir Tim Martin and Boris Johnson. Wetherspoon's chairman accused Chancellor John Healey of compounding pressure on pubs by raising beer duty 2p per pint at last week's Budget.
JD Wetherspoon chairman Sir Tim Martin held both Conservative and Labour governments responsible for the growing price gap between pub pints and supermarket cans, arguing that above-inflation minimum wage increases and higher employer National Insurance contributions have cut jobs and pushed the average pint price toward £5.34. Q1 like-for-like sales came in 8.2% higher, and the chain says its performance remains in line with market expectations despite those pressures.
Martin accused Chancellor John Healey of compounding the problem by raising beer duty 2p per pint at last week's Budget — a move the British Beer and Pub Association branded 'breath-taking'.
