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JD Wetherspoon sales up 5.1%, to ramp up franchise estate: JD Wetherspoon saw its like-for-like sales increase by 5.1% in the 12 weeks to 20 July 2025, compared to the same period last year, helped by the favourable weather, and said it planned to open approximately 15 new managed pubs and about the same number of franchised pubs in its next financial year. The company said that in the year-to-date its like-for-like sales increased by 5.1%. In the year-to-date, the company has opened three pubs and sold nine, taking its estate to 794 pubs. Five new franchised pubs have opened in the year-to-date, bringing the total to eight. Eight freehold reversions, where Wetherspoon was previously the tenant, have been acquired in the year-to-date, at a total cost of £19m. In the year-to-date, the company has purchased 10,579,081 of its own shares for cancellation at an average price of £6.26 a share. It said that it currently anticipates year-end net debt to be approximately £720m, with headroom, under existing facilities, of approximately £220m. Sir Tim Martin, founder and chairman of JD Wetherspoon, said: “The company has benefitted from favourable weather in the fourth quarter, so that profits are anticipated to be in line with market expectations, notwithstanding the high tax and labour increases for the hospitality industry, which have been widely reported. In the next financial year, as well as investing in areas such as staff rooms, glass racks for ‘branded’ glasses, and gardens, the company plans to open approximately 15 new managed pubs and about the same number of franchised pubs. Sales volumes, which were very slow post-pandemic, have recently overtaken pre-pandemic levels. Wine, for example, has shown strong growth, with Villa Maria from New Zealand and Prosecco from Italy both shooting the lights out. Spirits have improved in recent months and whisky volumes are significantly above pre-pandemic levels. 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.”

Premium Club subscribers to receive updated Multi-Site Database with 3,436 operators and 26 new companies on Friday, videos from Operational Excellence Conference on Friday, 1 August: Premium Club subscribers are to receive the updated Multi-Site Database on Friday (25 June). The next Propel Multi-Site Database provides details of 3,436 multi-site operators and is searchable in seven main segments. The database features 1,005 (29%) operators from the casual dining sector, 800 (23%) pub and bar operators, 597 (17%) cafe bakery operators, 480 (14%) quick service restaurant operators, 283 (8%) hotel operators, 225 (7%) experiential leisure operators and 54 (2%) fine dining operators. The database is updated each month, and this edition includes 26 new companies. The database includes new companies in the pub and bar sector such as fledgling London pub business Aldrich Inns and Oliver’s Bar Group, which currently owns and manages six venues across Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Premium Club subscribers will also receive all the videos from the Operational Excellence Conference on Friday, 1 August, at 9am. They include Steve Haslam, who founded pub and restaurant operator AIM, talking about improving operating standards to revitalise performance in uniquely challenging times. Premium Club subscribers will also receive all the videos from the Operational Excellence Conference on Friday, 1 August, at 9am. They include Steve Haslam, who founded pub and restaurant operator AIM, talking about improving operating standards to revitalise performance in uniquely challenging times. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five additional databases: the New Openings Database; the Turnover & Profits Blue Book; the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the Who's Who of UK Hospitality. All Premium Club subscribers will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events and discounts on specialist sector reports. Operators that are Premium Club subscribers are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club subscribers receive their daily Propel Info newsletter 11 hours earlier than standard subscribers, at 7pm the evening before. They also receive videos of presentations at eight Propel conference events two weeks after they are held. This represents around 100 videos of industry insight over the course of the year. Premium Club subscribers will be sent a dedicated monthly newsletter that will highlight key updates in the sector and direct subscribers to all the vital content their membership offers. Premium Club subscribers also receive exclusive opinion columns every Friday at 5pm, which include the thoughts of Propel group editor Mark Wingett and a host of industry leaders from across the sector. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Deliveroo and Home Office join forces against illegal migrant workers: Asylum hotel locations are to be shared by the Home Office with food delivery companies to combat illegal working by asylum seekers. The Telegraph reports that the government department has struck a new agreement with Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats, under which officials share details about hotels in high-risk areas to enable the firms to spot illegal working and suspend accounts. The move is designed to combat the practice of delivery drivers sharing their accounts with asylum seekers so that they can work illegally. The efforts to crack down on illegal working came after The Telegraph revealed in May how asylum seekers housed in taxpayer-funded hotels were working as delivery riders for Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat within days of arriving in the UK on small boats. Asylum seekers are banned from working during the first 12 months after lodging their claim, unless a decision is made sooner. Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, said: “Illegal working undermines honest business, exploits vulnerable individuals and fuels organised immigration crime. By enhancing our data sharing with delivery companies, we are taking decisive action to close loopholes and increase enforcement.” The gig economy firms had been increasing identity and right-to-work checks, which had led to thousands of workers being taken off the platforms, the Home Office said. The firms have also agreed to increase the use of facial verification checks and fraud detection technology to ensure only registered account holders can work off their platforms. This is designed to help stop people with no right to work in the UK from using someone’s name to earn money illegally. Any member of staff caught sharing their accounts will have their profiles suspended.