Wetherspoon boss Sir Tim Martin has called for his pubs to be allowed to "open all night" as he pushes for extended licensing hours and expand locations across the UK.
The JD Wetherspoon chairman explained he would like his establishments to stay open later than their current closing times.
He told the Daily Star: "We open until 1am in most pubs at the weekend, but if we opened for another hour maybe that would be a good thing."
Martin added: "We open from 8am to 1am on the weekend and from 8am to midnight on the other nights - but if you put in a good word for us we could open all night!"
The pub chain has unveiled ambitious expansion plans for 2025, with nine new locations set to open across the UK.
New Wetherspoon pubs will appear at Manchester Airport's Terminal Two, Fulham Broadway Station, and London Bridge's Tooley Street.
Wetherspoon is a popular pub chain in the UK PAAdditional sites include Bath's George Street, Beaconsfield's Station Road, Wetherby High Street, and Fareham's Whiteley shopping centre.
Coastal locations feature prominently with new pubs planned for Cleethorpes Beach in Lincolnshire, Devon Cliffs, Kent Coast, and Haggerston Castle in Northumberland.
Two locations have already opened - one in Marlow, Buckinghamshire and another at London Waterloo station.
Despite the challenges facing pubs, Martin emphasised their crucial role in society's wellbeing.
Current figures show that the total number of pubs in the UK fell from 47,613 in 2019 to 45,345 pubs in 2024 (Stock Image)Getty imagesHe said: "It's a social melting pot. I think people go mad staring at their four walls wanting to get out, and I think a pub is historically a way people in this country have met each other outside of their own tight social circle."
Martin highlighted this with an anecdote about an elderly employee. He told the Star: "We have someone working for us in our pub in Clacton who is 88 or 89 now."
When asked about retirement, the employee responded: "What stay home and stare at the four walls? There's a bit of that in all of us."
Martin noted that certain segments of the pub industry have struggled more than others in recent years.
Wetherspoon is set to close multiple pubs this year
PA"For some reason, the late night market seems to have struggled more than the common or garden pub, which doesn't have entertainment, but I'm not too sure why that is," he explained.
The Wetherspoon chairman pointed to rising costs as a key challenge.
"I think there's room for pubs, they've become relatively more expensive, that's the issue," he said.
Wetherspoons has announced plans to open 13 new pubs across the UK in 2025. Here is the list of locations:
- Manchester Airport – Terminal Two
- Fulham – Fulham Broadway Station
- Bath – George Street
- Beaconsfield – Station Road
- Wetherby – High Street
- Tooley Street – London Bridge
- Fareham – Whiteley Shopping Centre
- Cleethorpes Beach – Lincolnshire
- Devon Cliffs – Devon
- Kent Coast – Kent
- Haggerston Castle – Northumberland
- Marlow – Buckinghamshire (already open)
- London Waterloo Station (already open)
These openings are part of Wetherspoons' ongoing expansion strategy to increase its presence across the UK.
Pubs are closing down due to the cost of living PALogan Woodbridge from Togather has suggested pubs need to offer "more than just food and drink" to survive in the current climate.
Martin has previously expressed his belief that Wetherspoon could eventually reach 1,000 pubs across the UK.
The company is also exploring unique expansion opportunities, with Martin suggesting they might consider taking over some of the 115 Crown Post Office branches at risk of closure.
This domestic growth comes as the chain also harbours international ambitions beyond its current UK and Ireland operations.
Industry experts have warned that pubs could become "critically low" within 50 years without adaptation.
The trend shows customers increasingly seeking "unique experiences" when going out, requiring pubs to offer more than traditional food and drink service to remain competitive.
