Wetherspoons opens pubs & creates jobs: The Good, the bad & the ugly
Wetherspoons have announced that post pandemic they plan to open more pubs, expand others and create 2,000 jobs.
After the year pubs have had they must be seen as a headline of good news
Of course it is much more complicated than that. After persistent blethering by Tim Martin about the impact lockdowns have had on Wetherspoons trade it appears that what with furlough and Government aid, matters aren’t quite so bad after all.
Of course no area of hospitality has done well in the last 12 months but Spoons have fared better than wet led pubs that don’t sell food which the Government has consistently dumped on.
Martin also repeats his well known views on the Government’s COVID policy which are in tune with right-wing Tory MPs. The points he makes that there is no evidence that pubs are a particular source of infection I think are right but they are not right because he makes them. Chris Whitty has noted that there was no scientific reasons for 10pm curfews or substantial meals as in fact have the Courts in England. Hence both are gone.
The bad element of all this is that while jobs are being create, they will not well paid ones or particularly secure. Martin refuses to recognise trade unions. He is far from alone in the pub trade in that respect but he makes a thing of it. Some Wetherspoons are unionised btw and they have consistently argued notwithstanding the above against a boycott. Rather they suggest that people visit a Spoons if they want to and while there talk to staff about joining a union.
The ugly side, again as above, is that Martin and Wetherspoons continue to prosper while other areas of the pub trade and hospitality have not had as much or any Government support. While Spoons opens pubs others are still likely to close…
BBC Report
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