JD Wetherspoon 'To Create 15,000 Jobs'

Tim Martin says Wetherspoon's expansion will boost Treasury coffers

The pub chain outlines plans for a major investment in its operations in both the UK and Republic of Ireland.

The pub chain JD Wetherspoon says it is to create 15,000 jobs over the next five years.

The company, which already operates 930 pubs and employs 34,000 staff, said the new jobs would be the result of a £400m investment including the opening of 200 new pubs across the UK and Ireland.
The posts would include management roles and bar, kitchen and front-of-house staff, JD Wetherspoon said.
It announced the expansion despite previously blaming the UK tax regime for curtailing its ambitions.
Chairman Tim Martin has criticised successive governments for not creating a "level playing field" between pubs and supermarkets.
He argued the greatest disparity was over VAT, because pubs had to pay the 20% rate on food but supermarkets are exempt, and claimed it allowed major chains to subsidise their drinks offerings.
Mr Martin said today: "We are looking forward to opening the new pubs, many of which will be in areas where Wetherspoon is not yet represented.
"We are proud to be creating so many new jobs.
"Wetherspoon paid more than £600m in taxes in our last financial year and this will rise to approximately £1bn in the course of the next five years."