Wetherspoons announces major 200 venue expansion plans across UK

JD Wetherspoon is planning to grow its footprint to more than 1,000 sites through franchise agreements with hotel restaurants. The pub giant, has some 800 pubs in the UK and the brand's founder revealed last year that 900-1000 pubs might be the most it can expand further.

Wetherspoon's is now looking to expand its vast porfolio of boozers across the country into hotels, partnering with property adviser Christie & Co as it looks to provide "cost-effective" conversions of existing hotel restaurants that are "underperforming", as per . The business broker said it will assist the chain in seeking franchise partners, which will be supported by the company's design teams as well as getting access to its expertise, supply chain, training and marketing resources.

Simon Chaplin, senior director at Christie & Co, said: "We are delighted to be assisting such a powerful brand as Wetherspoon in using this route to expand.

"We have considerable hospitality expertise across the UK which, combined with our work in franchising, should help us secure a number of new Wetherspoon franchisees in the coming months, with several conversations already underway."

Christie & Co said it is also open to enquiries are welcome from other sectors, with Wetherpoons pubs already operating as part of franchises in a range of locations.

The first opened in Hull University's student union January 2022, after which a second was launched in Newcastle University in September 2023.

Another opened at Haven's Primrose Valley Holiday Park in Filey, North Yorkshire, in March last year, the firm said.

Christie & Co expects to open five more franchise pubs in the second half of this financial year.

In a recent , the revealed the chain had even been considering a European expansion at one point, describing how venues in Calais, Dunkirk, and Lille were identified as the brand sought to take over the continent.

Ultimately, however, the pub chain decided against it as the boozer was a quintessentially British phenomenon.

"I do see how some restaurant chains expanded abroad and wonder if we were too conservative," he said.

"I'm hoping to work for another 45 years. So maybe there is time [for an international expansion]. Wetherspoon's can conquer the world."