Pub group JD Wetherspoon has announced that it will invest £145 million in developing new pubs and upgrading existing pubs, creating 2,000 new jobs in the process.
The company said that it is keen to start the development project within weeks of its pubs reopening fully.
It has a pipeline of 75 projects, 18 of which are new pubs and 57 of which are significant extensions and upgrades to its existing 871 pubs.
The first tranche of new pubs and extensions will be located in towns and cities including Dublin, Birmingham, Carmarthen, Felixstone, Glasgow, Haverfordwest, Heswall, Leeds, Newport Pagnell and Sheffield.
Wetherspoon said that once the 75 projects in the pipeline are completed, it anticipates investing an additional £750 million to open an additional 15 new pubs and enlarge 50 existing pubs each year for ten years.
According to the group, this 10 year pub project will create 20,000 jobs.
Wetherspoon Founder And Chairman Statement
Wetherspoon founder and chairman Tim Martin stated, "Our immediate investment will provide work for architects, contractors and builders as well as result in 2,000 new jobs for staff in our pubs.
"We are geared up to start on the first projects within a few months.
"We are also committed to our long-term investment and job creation programme over the next decade.
"However, the investment is conditional on the UK opening back up again on a long-term basis, with no further lockdowns or the constant changing of rules."
© 2021 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
