In a trading update, JD Wetherspoon reported a rise in sales and continued expansion, including new franchise pubs and staff investments. However, chairman Tim Martin warned that soaring wage and tax costs may impact profits.

JD Wetherspoon has reported a 5.6 percent rise in like-for-like sales for the 13 weeks ending 27 April 2025, compared with the same period last year. 

For the financial year to date, like-for-like sales are up by 5.1 percent, while total sales increased by 5 percent in the quarter, with a year-to-date gain of 4.2 percent. The slightly lower growth in total sales reflects the closure of seven pubs since the start of the financial year. Despite these disposals, the pub chain is continuing to expand. Two new pubs have already opened in 2025, with a further four or five expected by the end of the financial year. Around ten more are in the pipeline for the following year. 

“The company’s main ambition, as always, is to improve its appeal to staff and customers,” said chairman Tim Martin. “In this connection, for example, the company has invested in new staff facilities in 520 pubs (49 in the current year), including staff rooms and changing rooms, with approximately 270 planned for the future. The investment per pub is approximately £100,000.”

A notable development is the company’s move into franchising. Four new franchise pubs opened during the last quarter, all operated by Haven Holiday Parks. This brings the total number of franchised Wetherspoon pubs to seven. The company now runs 795 pubs across the UK and has purchased the freehold on seven sites where it has previously been a tenant. 

“Bearing in mind that recent trading has been helped by favourable weather, the company anticipates a reasonable outcome for the financial year, notwithstanding previously reported wage and tax increases of approximately £1.2 million per week,” Martin concluded. 

Indeed, while Wetherspoon’s sales growth figures are encouraging, rising taxes and staffing costs could significantly affect profits. The operator has previously warned of a £60 million jump in labour-related costs from April due to increases in employers’ national insurance contributions and the minimum wage. Martin has cautioned over the impact of the surging wage bill and in January called on the Prime Minister to cut pub food taxes before the jump in costs linked to last October’s Budget – but Martin is still waiting on that order.