A number of Wetherspoon pubs in the UK are at risk of closing, including some in Scotland. One location, the John Stirling Maxwell in Shawlands, has already confirmed it will be shutting its doors on March 26, giving customers just a few weeks to make their finals visits.
Dozens more are earmarked for closure and are up for sale in the UK, two of which are in this country. If they aren't bought over then it's likely they'll close for good. The two Scots locations earmarked for closure are The Cross Keys in Peebles and The Saltoun Inn in Fraserburgh.
The Mirror reports that another two pubs in England has already shut - The Cliftonville in Hove, East Sussex, and The Willow Grove in Southport, Merseyside. As well as this, another 13 pubs are currently under offer - meaning offers have been received but no sale decision has been made.
In good news for fans, all sites are to remain trading as JD Wetherspoon pubs until a sale has been officially completed, and will likely continue for a while afterwards until the plan for the site is announced by bosses. Here's everything you need to know about the pubs at risk of closure, and the ones that are currently under offer.
JD Wetherspoon pubs earmarked for closure
- The Butlers Bell, Stafford
- Worlds Inn, Romford
- Silkstone Inn, Barnsley
- Wrong ‘Un, Bexleyheath
- The Percy Shaw, Halifax
- Jolly Sailor, Hanham
- The Alfred Herring, Palmers Green
- The Moon & Bell, Loughborough
- The Widow Frost, Mansfield
- Resolution, Middlesbrough
- Foxley Hatch, Purley
- The Rising Sun, Redditch
- Sennockian, Sevenoaks
- Admiral Sir Lucius Curtis, Southampton
- The Colombia Press, Watford
- The Malthouse, Willenhall
- The John Masefield, New Ferry
- The Cross Keys, Peebles
- Lord Arthur Lee, Fareham
- The Saltoun Inn, Fraserburgh
- General Sir Redvers Buller, Crediton
- Plough & Harrow, Hammersmith
- Thomas Leaper, Derby
- Tollgate, Turnpike Lane
- Asparagus, Battersea
- Millers Well, East Ham
- Hudson Bay, Forest Gate
- Angel, Islington
- The Billiard Hall, West Bromwich
- Capitol, Forest Hill
- The Bankers Draft, Eltham
- Moon on the Hill, Harrow
- The Bank House, Cheltenham
- Last Post, Loughton
JD Wetherspoon pubs currently under offer
- The Butlers Bell, Stafford
- The Percy Shaw, Halifax
- Foxley Hatch, Purley
- Tollgate, Turnpike Lane
- Asparagus, Battersea
- Millers Well, East Ham
- Hudson Bay, Forest Gate
- Angel, Islington
- The Billiard Hall, West Bromwich
- Capitol, Forest Hill
- The Bankers Draft, Eltham
- Moon on the Hill, Harrow
- Last Post, Loughton
The pub chain employs around 43,000 people in the UK and has over 800 locations in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. JD Wetherspoon announced that it was to close around 35 sites last year, with the chain's boss, Tim Martin, blaming the current situation the business is in on a mix of both the Covid-19 pandemic and rising prices for things like food, energy, and upkeep.
While the chain's sales increased towards the end of 2022, its like-for-like sales were still down two per cent from its 2019 levels. The Daily Record has contacted JD Wetherspoon for comment.
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