Wetherspoon is set to open its first pub on mainland Europe, located in the departure lounge of Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport in Spain. The pub, named Castell de Santa Bàrbera after a historic fortress in Alicante, is scheduled to open in January and will serve alcohol from 6am daily.
The move marks the chain's first expansion into continental Europe, nearly a decade after founder and chairman Tim Martin celebrated the UK's vote to leave the European Union, a policy he actively supported. Martin stated, 'We are very much looking forward to opening our first overseas pub. We believe it will be popular with people travelling home from Alicante airport.'
The pub will occupy approximately 93 square metres (1,000 square feet) and will feature an external terrace with seating for customers. It will serve a mix of Wetherspoon's standard fare, including fry-ups, burgers, and pizzas, alongside local dishes such as garlic prawns and Spanish omelette. Food will be available at all times until one hour before closing.
Wetherspoon already operates pubs in the Republic of Ireland, but this is its first venture into continental Europe. The company has experience in airport locations, having opened its first airport pub at Heathrow Terminal 4 in 1992, with additional venues at Gatwick, Stansted, and Edinburgh. The expansion comes after the chain reported slowing sales growth but still saw a 3.7% increase in sales over the first 14 weeks of the financial year.
