Exact dates are available for some openings as chain announces new franchise deal
JD Wetherspoon is set to open 15 new pubs, delighting fans of the budget-friendly chain. The new locations include Lincoln, Bristol and Cramlington.
This expansion comes after the popular pub chain signed a fresh franchise agreement with The Papas Group, a family-run business. As part of this deal, 15 new sites will be launched.
One of these includes a new pub at Gateway Park, Lincoln, which will take over the site of a former Brewers Fayre. Named The Hykeham Manor, it’s scheduled to open its doors on 1 October.
Three more pubs are planned to open in October and November at locations in Annitsford, Stockton-on-Tees and Emersons Green. However, the exact locations of all these sites have yet to be disclosed.
Michael Barron, Wetherspoon’s commercial director, expressed his delight at signing agreements with The Papas Group.He also hinted at further opportunities, expressing confidence that more franchise agreements will be signed.
Andrew Papas, director of The Papas Group, shared his excitement about partnering with Wetherspoons to bring 15 new pubs to life across the UK. He emphasised that these aren’t just any pubs – they’re beloved community spaces, strategically located outside the traditional high street, but right at the heart of where people live, work, and gather.
Wetherspoons already has several franchise agreements with groups including Haven Holiday Parks and Newcastle and Hull Universities. Such agreements are commonplace in the hospitality sector and allow an independent operator to run an alre.
The well-known chain, Wetherspoons, has also revealed plans to open 15 managed pubs in addition to franchise locations. This follows a series of new openings announced by the budget firm earlier this year, including a site on the former grounds of The London Dungeon.
The upmarket London district of Fulham has also seen the arrival of a new ‘Spoons’, situated in the old West London tube station. Enthusiasts can look forward to three more openings this year, including a branch in Warwickshire which opened its doors on Tuesday, 29 July.
Is a Wetherspoons coming to a neighbourhood near you?
You can check out an updated list of openings for this year below:
- Marlow, Buckinghamshire – already open
- London Waterloo Station – already open
- The Conister Arms, Douglas, Isle of Man- already open
- Walham Green, Fulham Broadway – already open
- Dictum of Kenilworth, Warwickshire – already opening
- The Sun Wharf, Tooley Street, London Bridge – opening in September
- The Sir Alexander Fleming, Paddington – opening September 23
- The King of Essex in Basildon – opening September 30
- The Chiltern, Beaconsfield – opening December 2
As well as expanding its store estate, the chain has been offloading some of its smaller and older pubs.
The sites up for sale now are:
- The Water Gate – Barnstaple
- The Babington Arms – Derby
- Baxter’s Court, Hackney
- Kentish Drovers, Peckham
- The Grey Friar, Preston
- The William Jameson, Sunderland
But it is important to note that these pubs will continue trading as normal until they are sold.
Last month JD Wetherspoon revealed its sales rose in recent months as it hailed Guinness as a “standout performer” and reported a rebound in demand for breakfasts.
The chain, which runs 794 pubs in the UK and Ireland, said sales increased by 5.1% in the three months to July 20, compared like-for-like with the same period last year.
The volume of sales recently overtook pre-pandemic levels, the company revealed, having previously flagged a slow recovery across its estate. It highlighted strong draught sales, particularly Guinness, as well as growth for wine and an improvement in spirits.
Guinness maker Diageo has consistently said demand for the Irish stout has been growing rapidly.
Furthermore, good weather over the period boosted visitors, with a raft of Wetherspoon pubs benefiting from beer gardens.
Wetherspoon’s chairman Tim Martin said: “Draught volumes are performing strongly with Guinness being the standout performer.
“On the food front, breakfasts, terribly slow post-pandemic, have recovered their lustre and are now well ahead.
“Chicken, also, has put in a clucking good performance and volumes in recent weeks are up by about 50% compared to pre-pandemic levels.”
Wetherspoon is expecting to meet its profit forecasts for the year, despite warning over the impact of higher labour costs following increases to employers’ national insurance contributions and the minimum wage.
It has previously warned it is facing a £60 million hit from the higher business costs.
Nonetheless, the group has said it plans to invest in its pubs over the year ahead, including staff rooms and gardens, and hopes to open another 30 sites.
