Wetherspoon has announced the opening dates for five new establishments, including one at a UK airport. The latest addition, named Sir Frank Whittle after a British RAC officer who helped develop the turbojet engine, will open at Heathrow Terminal 2 on July 14. This will be the third Wetherspoon pub at Heathrow, with existing locations at Terminal 4 and Terminal 5.
In addition, a new Wetherspoon pub will open at Birmingham University on May 26 on Edgbaston Park Road. The chain will partner with Joe’s at this location, which will be managed by the Guild of Students.
Another upcoming opening is The Sir Ronald Wates at Wates House, Surrey University in Guildford, on July 7. While the pub will be owned by the university, it will be operated as a franchise by Wetherspoon.
Looking ahead, Wetherspoon plans to open two new pubs at Barcelona airport. The first one, set for Terminal 1, is scheduled to open by September 2026, followed by a second at Terminal 2 by January 2027. These openings are part of the company’s broader strategy to launch 15 managed pubs by the end of the financial year, adding to its portfolio of nearly 800 sites.
However, Wetherspoons recently cautioned about potential profit challenges due to increased labour costs, taxes, and energy bills, which could contribute to inflation in the UK economy. Chairman Tim Martin highlighted the impact of an extra £60 million in annual costs from national insurance and wages, as well as additional expenses from energy costs and packaging taxes.
Despite these challenges, the business reported a decline in profits of nearly a third over the past half-year, attributing this to higher wage costs, repair expenses, and business rates. On a positive note, revenues for the same period increased by 5.7%, with like-for-like sales up by 4.8%, driven by growth in bar sales. Wetherspoons also revealed a recent uptick in sales, with a 2.6% increase over the seven weeks leading to March 15.
