Wetherby Wetherspoons: Pub giant confirms plan to open pub in Yorkshire town this year

The company plans to open a total of nine pubs in the year, including sites at London Bridge station, Fulham Broadway underground station, Manchester Airport, Beaconsfield, Wetherby and Bath.

In addition, a further four franchised pubs will open at Haven Holiday Parks, bringing the total number of franchises to seven.

The four new pubs will be located at Cleethorpes Beach in Lincolnshire; Devon Cliffs in Devon; Kent Coast in Kent and Haggerston Castle in Northumberland.

Six pubs have been sold in the year, giving to rise to a cash inflow of £4.1m. The company currently has a trading estate of 796 pubs.

In the trading update, the boss of JD Wetherspoon called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to cut pub food taxes ahead of a jump in costs linked to the Budget.

Chairman Tim Martin said the company is set to face a £60m jump in labour-related costs in April, amid increases in employers’ national insurance contributions and the minimum wage.

He said the business is in a “reasonable” position but that forecasting is “difficult” in the face of impending tax and wage increases.

As a result, he renewed calls to equalise the VAT paid on food by pub and restaurant businesses with that of supermarkets.

Most food and drink in shops has zero VAT whereas restaurants and pubs have a standard rate of 20 per cent.

“This tax advantage allows supermarkets to subsidise the price of beer they sell,” Mr Martin said.

“The VAT distortions that exist today will inevitably create more supermarkets and less pubs.

“Wetherspoon therefore calls upon Sir Keir Starmer to redress this imbalance, thereby striking a blow for tax equality and ending discrimination in favour of dull dinner parties.”

It came as the pub company reported higher sales over recent months.

It said like-for-like sales rose by 5.1 per cent over the 25 weeks to January 19 compared with a year earlier.