JD Wetherspoon’s Tim Martin calls for pub industry to reopen at the same time as non-essential shops

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D Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has called on the government to open pubs at the same time as ‘non-essential’ retailers start welcoming customers again.

He said: “Surely it is possible for the hospitality industry to reopen at the same time as non-essential shops, now that a vaccine exists, on the basis of the social distancing and hygiene regulations, which were agreed with the health authorities, after full consultation, for the July 4 reopening last year.”

The chairman, whose firm has around 875 pubs, added: “Unless the industry does reopen on that basis, economic mayhem will inevitably follow.”

Pub owners have had to shut sites at various points since the first lockdown started in March 2020. When pubs have been allowed to open, they have been subject to a number of restrictions, from social distancing to curfews, which have impacted sales.

Companies are now waiting to hear when they can reopen. There have been various reports about when lockdowns will lift for the sector.

Martin said the industry is “on its knees”.

He added that the sector makes a massive contribution to the economy, with Wetherspoon alone paying about £10 of tax for every pound of profit it makes.

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Martin said: “Many people have correctly pointed out that the three lockdowns of the last year have been a disaster for the hospitality, retail, arts and entertainment industries, but our calculations show that they have been an even bigger disaster for public finances.”

 He added: “The taxes paid by Wetherspoon are mirrored by thousands of companies which have been annihilated by lockdowns. As a result, government finances have been annihilated even more.”

Pub and restaurant operators last year invested to make sure sites met government Covid guidelines, from limiting customer numbers to make sure there was social distancing, to setting up hand sanitizer stations.