PUB giant JD Wetherspoon has warned it will be loss-making in the first half after sales over Christmas were hammered by Covid restrictions, as chairman Tim Martin accused the UK Government of "hypocrisy" over "partygate".
Wetherspoon, which has around 65 pubs in Scotland, reported this morning that like-for-like sales decreased by 11.7 per cent in the 25 weeks to January 16, compared with the similar period in its 2020 financial year. Total sales were down by 13.3%.
Wetherspoon, founded by outspoken Brexiter Mr Martin in 1979, highlighted the impact of “Plan B” restrictions introduced to combat the Omicron variant by the UK Government for England in December. Like-for-like sales decreased by 15.6%, and total sales by 16.6%, in the 12 weeks to January 16.
In Scotland, sales in the wider hospitality industry were badly hit in the build-up to Christmas and during the festive season after official advice issued in December urged people to avoid seasonal parties and limit socialising amid the Omicron threat.
Restrictions were also introduced on December 27, which brought back physical distancing and table service topubs, though those are now to be eased next week.
Mulling the outlook, Mr Martin said: “As mentioned in our update on 13 December 2021, the uncertainty created by the introduction of plan B Covid-19 measures makes predictions for sales and profits hazardous.
“The company will be loss-making in the first half of the financial year, but hopes that, with the ending of restrictions, improved customer confidence and better weather, it will have a much stronger performance in the second half.”
Mr Martin said in the company's statement to the stock market that anger over "partygate" is largely based on "hypocrisy", declaring that "the public was prevented from seeing friends and family, while the same rules were not observed at 10 Downing Street".
He said "there would have been a number of advantages for the nation" had pubs been open at the time of the alleged party in May 2020.
Mr Martin observed that pubs in Central London "employ experienced staff, including highly trained managers, who would have easily dealt with the "high jinks" alleged to have occurred at No.10."
Shares were down 1.6% at around 918p in early trading.
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