Editing Wetherspoons (section)

===Development since 2020===
In mid-March 2020, during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom]], the government advised the public to avoid areas like pubs, clubs, restaurants, and gyms. As a result, many pub chains closed. However, Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin rejected the government's advice and initially did not close any pubs, saying that his instinct was that "closure won't save lives but will cost thousands of jobs".<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/20/coronavirus-wetherspoons-boss-says-uk-pubs-will-stay-open-as-long-as-possible Wetherspoons boss says UK pubs will stay open as long as possible] ''The Guardian'' 20 March 2020</ref> The government ordered the closure of all pubs from 21 March.<ref>{{Cite news|title=PM orders shutdown of all bars and restaurants|date=21 March 2020|work=The Times|page=1}}</ref> 

Martin suggested that if some staff were offered jobs in supermarkets they should consider taking them and promised that he would give first preference to those who wanted to come back to Wetherspoons.<ref name="ind">{{Cite web |date=2020-03-24 |title=Millionaire Wetherspoon's boss says staff might want to work for Tesco |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-wetherspoon-tim-martin-pub-closed-tesco-supermarket-uk-a9420906.html |first1=Colin |last1=Drury |website=The Independent |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221020111949/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/coronavirus-wetherspoon-tim-martin-pub-closed-tesco-supermarket-uk-a9420906.html%3famp |archive-date= Oct 20, 2022 }}</ref> A number of newspapers inaccurately reported Martin's suggestion, adding that Wetherspoons would withhold staff pay also, but later issued corrections.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-15 |title=Wetherspoon founder Sir Tim Martin wins fifth retraction from newspaper |url=https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/south-west/news/10750-wetherspoon-founder-sir-tim-martin-wins-fifth-retraction-from-newspaper |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=South West |language=en}}</ref> The majority of staff were placed on the Government furlough scheme after its announcement.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/news/AN_1588849742188310800/jd-wetherspoons-corrects-media-reports-on-staff-pay-and-reopenings.aspx |title=JD Wetherspoons Corrects Media Reports On Staff Pay And Reopenings |work=Morning Star |date=7 May 2020 | access-date=24 August 2020}}{{dead link|date=April 2024}}</ref>

Wetherspoons told its suppliers in March it would not pay them until its 874 pubs were allowed to reopen after the coronavirus lockdown.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/25/jd-wetherspoon-refuses-pay-suppliers-until-uk-coronavirus-lockdown-ends |first1=Rob |last1=Davies |title=JD Wetherspoon refuses to pay suppliers until lockdown ends|date=25 March 2020|website=The Guardian|access-date=29 March 2020}}</ref> In October 2020, Wetherspoons reported its first loss in 36 years. For the year ending in July 2020, the company published a pre-tax loss of £34.1 million; the previous year, it reported a pre-tax profit of £102.5 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/972248cf-1a78-4c3a-b50e-f3e58b29df6e |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/972248cf-1a78-4c3a-b50e-f3e58b29df6e |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Pub chain Wetherspoons pushed by Covid to first annual loss since 1984 |work=[[Financial Times]]|date=16 October 2020|access-date=16 October 2020|author=Alice Hancock}}</ref>

In March 2021, Wetherspoons reaffirmed its expansion plans including 75 projects, comprising 18 new pubs and 57 significant extensions to existing venues. Martin said that the ten-year project would create 2,000 jobs for staff, but that it would be "conditional on the UK opening back up again on a long-term basis, with no further lockdowns or the constant changing of rules".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Zoe |title=JD Wetherspoon to create 2,000 jobs with post-lockdown investment |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/30/wetherspoon-to-create-2000-jobs-with-post-lockdown-investment |access-date=2 June 2021 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=30 March 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

The company announced, in April 2025, that it would open its first pub in the [[Isle of Man]] in [[Douglas, Isle of Man|Douglas]] in May 2025. Manx hospitality groups expressed doubt about the viability of further expansion.<ref name="iomtoday">{{cite news |last1=Curphey |first1=Tom |title='We didn't really expect it': Pub bosses react to Wetherspoons announcement |url=https://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/we-didnt-really-expect-it-pub-bosses-react-to-wetherspoons-announcement-779560 |access-date=2 April 2025 |work=[[Isle of Man Newspapers|Isle of Man Today]] |date=1 April 2025}}</ref>