JD Wetherspoons plans to expand its UK pub count by 185 to reach 1,000 pubs, with pre-tax profits increasing eight-fold to £36 million.

UK-based pub chain JD Wetherspoons, led by owner Tim Martin, aims to expand its pub count by 185 to potentially reach 1,000 pubs in the UK. The company's pre-tax profits have increased almost eight-fold to £36 million for the year ending January compared to £4.6 million the previous year. Wetherspoons has benefitted from a steady increase in demand and easing cost inflation, with sales growing by 7.4% over the year and now standing at 15.3% above pre-pandemic levels from 2019.