Wetherspoons to slash prices on certain drinks in November
Wetherspoons (JDW.L) has said its pubs are set to lower prices on a range of drinks during November.
From Monday 1 November to Tuesday 30 November inclusive, the pubs will be serving a selection of alcoholic drinks, as well as hot drinks at a discount.
Throughout the month all hot drinks (a range of coffees, tea and hot chocolate) will cost 99p with free refills.
At 671 pubs three alcoholic drinks will be on sale for 99p each — a pint of Ruddles Best (some pubs will be serving Greene King IPA), a bottle of Beck’s and a 25ml measure of Bell’s whisky with a mixer.
And at 99 pubs the pint of real ale will cost £1.10, with the bottle of Beck’s and a 25ml Bell’s whisky including a mixer at 99p each.
In addition, at each of the chain's 770 pubs, a 25ml measure of Gordon’s gin with a mixer will cost £1.99, a glass of Coldwater Creek wine from a choice of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Merlot, White Zinfandel Rose will cost £1.69 for a 175ml glass and a bottle of Hardys wine from a choice of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Shiraz, Rose will be available for £6.99.
“Our pubs are known for their excellent choice of drinks at value-for-money-prices at all times," said Wetherspoon’s chairman Tim Martin.
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“Throughout November our customers will be able to choose from a great choice of drinks and save themselves some money too.”
Prices at Wetherspoon’s other pubs will also be reduced but will vary in price. In the remaining pubs, a pint of real ale will cost from £1.49 to £1.99, a glass of wine from £1.99 to £2.79 and a Gordon’s gin with mixer from £1.99 to £2.99.
The pubs serving the real ale at £1.10 and not 99p are in Scotland and Wales which both have minimum unit price restrictions.
The move is a bid to boost sales following the chain's worst ever loss in its quarterly financial results earlier in October.
The company saw a loss of £154.7m ($212.9m) in the year to 25 July, compared to a £34.1m loss a year earlier, as sales slumped and it struggled to hire staff in staycation hotspots.
Revenue fell from £1.26bn to £773m in the last year after Wetherspoons was closed for 19 weeks due to COVID-19 measures.
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Wetherspoons opened five new pubs during the year, but sold or closed another 16, leaving it with a total of 861 in its estate.
Pubs and restaurants were one of the hardest-hit sectors from the pandemic. Businesses dealt with lengthy closures and rule changes, but managed to support staff through the government’s furlough scheme, VAT holidays and local authority grants.
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