Wetherspoon falls to first loss since 1984 amid warnings of 'last orders' for hospitality industry
Monday, October 19, 2020
Pub giant JD Wetherspoon has made its first loss in more than 30 years as its founder and chairman urged the UK government to adopt the Swedish model of lighter limits on Covid.
Mr Martin added that comparable sales in the 11 weeks since July 26 were 15 per cent down on the same period last year, with strength in sales in the first few weeks followed by a noticeable slowdown since the curfew and other restrictions were brought in.
He quoted economics professor Warren Buffett from 1989 and claimed that Sweden's professor Johan Giesecke was the epidemiological equivalent, and that the UK should follow suit.
He pointed to the "costly to implement" requirement to supply the table, which for many people undermines the essence of pubs because pubs are now like restaurants."
While the firm registered a surge in trading in the aftermath of relaxing its blockades, the latest restrictions and curfews at 10pm continued to see a decline.