Tim Martin Discusses the Future of JD Wetherspoon

Tim Martin has made a rare comment about his wife as he discusses the future of JD Wetherspoon in the UK.

Since opening his famed pub chain in 1979, the 69-year-old, who lives in Exeter, Devon, has seen business go from strength to strength – and he now boasts almost 800 outlets up and down the country.

Now, as he addresses the future of the chain, Mr Martin has discussed his wife Felicity, whom he rarely mentions. The couple, who met at university, have four children and 10 grandchildren.

In an interview with the Daily Star, Tim cheekily claimed there were three important things for good mental health – but joked his wife was not one of them.

He quipped: ‘I think exercise is good – specifically walking, you don’t need to go to the gym. And then work is good, I think we’re built to work and people who work are happier.

‘And the other thing is the pub. The pub is the hub, I think the King said, and he’s right about that. Work, exercise, pubs,’ he said.

He added: ‘My missus would say, ‘and the missus’ – but that’s more debatable.’

The cheeky comment comes after the entrepreneur urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to act to save the UK’s pubs, saying that they are a priority to protect people’s mental health.

Tim, who first opened Martin’s Free House in Muswell Hill in 1979, warned the government needs to ‘equalise tax with supermarkets’.

Tim Martin made a rare comment about his wife -as he laid bare the future of Wetherspoons

The State of Pubs in the UK

He revealed that pubs have ‘lost over 50 percent of their beer trade and wine’ to supermarkets in the last 25 years.

He added: ‘Pubs are a good thing for the country, they generate masses of employment, they generate masses of taxes. Be fair. We want equality.’

The Norwich-born business mogul claimed pubs are ‘informal therapists’ were people go to socialise and feel less ‘isolated’.

According to data published by the British Beer and Pub Association almost 300 pubs closed for good in 2024.

Many believe the closures are a result of changes in drinking habits, particularly younger generations, but Martin claimed they simply can not afford to go out.

More than 50 pubs a month on average were lost in England and Wales during the first half of 2024, analysis of Government data revealed.

Real estate intelligence firm Altus Group said the overall number of pubs, including those which were vacant or being offered to let, fell to 39,096 at the end of June.

The figure is down 305 versus the end of 2023 when it was at 39,401 – with the pubs either having closed down, been demolished or turned into something else.

The Wetherspoons boss mentioned his wife Felicity, (right) whom he met while at university and went onto have four children with, the pair now also have 10 grandchildren

Regional Pub Closures

Some pubs have been converted into other types of use such as homes, offices or even day nurseries.

The North West of England lost 46 pubs, the most of any region, during the first half of 2024.

The next worst-hit area was the East Midlands, down 37; the West Midlands, down 36; then Yorkshire and Humberside, down 35.

Industry Calls for Reform

The industry has long called for reforms to business rates as a means of tackling the issue. Pubs currently have a 75 per cent discount on the tax, but this is set to end in March 2025.

A spokesperson for the British Beer and Pub Association said: ‘While we know that brewers and pubs pour billions into the economy, their massive contribution to society is priceless which is why any closure is devastating.

‘Government must use this Budget to cut beer duty, reform business rates, and maintain 75 per cent business rates relief so that pubs can remain a home from home.’

Pubs currently make an average of 12p profit on every pint of beer once taxes and costs have been deducted.

Wetherspoons’ Policies and Practices

It comes after Tim revealed why dogs and music are not allowed in his pubs across the UK – and told the story behind why his brand is named after an old school teacher.

Speaking to Sky News, Tim recalled a time when he didn’t have a ‘no-pooches’ policy in place.

‘At pub number one I had a dog,’ he explained. ‘A very nice Doberman Pinscher, but he was very frightened of other dogs and barked like hell whenever another dog came in.

‘It’s also a divisive issue. Some people like them in big pubs like ours, but with lots of children at half term like at the moment, it doesn’t work very well.’

Elsewhere Tim claimed having music in the pubs is similarly controversial because people have different music tastes.

He said: ‘I don’t hate music, I love it actually. But it’s quite divisive.

‘In the first pub we had music and I’d go to the loo and come back and The Strangers were playing at top volume so I thought in the end, with a lot of people you don’t need music.

‘You can choose your own when you go home, as I do myself.’

Meanwhile for years many have wondered where the name Wetherspoons actually came from and Tim revealed its wholesome origins.

He said: ‘It was a teacher who couldn’t control the class, a nice man, and in the first pub I couldn’t control the customers or the staff, no one did what I would say, so I sympathised with the teacher.’

Elsewhere the boss had also revealed exactly how he keeps prices so cheap in the pub – and slammed the claim that it was due to the beer being close to its expiry date as an ‘urban myth’.

Instead, he said it was because they keep their profit per drink as low as possible, with a focus on huge supply.

‘We sell a lot and have been doing for years,’ Tim explained. ‘Our margins are low.’