JD Wetherspoons has announced plans to open 25 additional pubs next year, following a reported jump in first-quarter sales. The expansion will make it easier for customers to access the chain's affordable food and drink offerings.
Expansion Plans and Current Estate
The pub group intends to open between five and ten managed pubs between the start of the year and August, while also adding ten to fifteen sites to its existing 25-strong franchised estate. These new openings will add to the 797 pubs Wetherspoons already operates.
While the company has not yet confirmed all of the new locations, one pub is set to open on Chambers Street in Edinburgh. The William Chambers was originally scheduled to launch on November 3, but the opening has been pushed back by three months.
Recent Openings and Sales Performance
Six managed pubs have already been opened in the new financial year, including venues in Crewe in Cheshire, Ferndown in Dorset, Dibden Purlieu in Hampshire and Kempston in Bedfordshire. Two airports, Manchester and Heathrow, also launched new Wetherspoons pubs.
The chain reported an 8.2 per cent rise in like-for-like sales in the 14 weeks to November 1. Bar sales led the way with a 9.4 per cent jump, followed by food sales rising by 6.8 per cent. In the first nine weeks of the quarter, sales surged by 8.6 per cent before falling to 7.5 per cent in the most recent weeks.
Financial Outlook and Confirmed Openings
Chairman Tim Martin said: "The company has had a good start to the financial year. There are still three quarters to go and profit forecasts are very dependent on the level of sales growth." With current market expectations for profits of £76.4 million on a 53-week basis, Martin shared that the group feels "comfortable".
Wetherspoons saw pre-tax profits tumble for the year to July 26 to £58.6 million due to rising staff and other costs offsetting the rising sales. Confirmed openings for 2027 include The William Chambers in Edinburgh on January 26, Sant Jordi at Barcelona Airport in February, and The Benjamin Franklin in Charing Cross on March 2.
