Wetherspoon’s sales jump as people seek cheaper food and drink

Fellow hospitality chain Loungers enjoys record sales, with inflationary pressures diminishing

The pub chain JD Wetherspoon has reported soaring sales in recent weeks, as cash-strapped consumers look for cheaper food and drinks amid high inflation and the cost of living crisis.

Wetherspoon's, which runs just under 830 pubs across the UK and Ireland, said its sales had risen by 11% in the 10 weeks since the start of May, compared with the same period in 2019, before the pandemic.