Wetherspoon chief slams government plan to curb vape and gambling shops on high streets

Sir Tim Martin, the founder and chairman of JD Wetherspoon, has publicly challenged the UK government’s latest high‑street agenda. In an interview with City AM, he argued that the plan to crack down on vape and gambling shops, part of Andy Burnham’s push to revitalise town centres, unfairly targets legal, tax‑paying businesses.

Government’s high‑street agenda

The Prime Minister recently announced a business‑rates relief for pubs, bars and music venues, but simultaneously pledged tighter controls on vape outlets, betting shops and other “rogue operators”. Martin said the move conflates unrelated issues and risks demoralising entrepreneurs who are already contributing to local economies.

“I think it’s not up to the Prime Minister, or the leader of the opposition, to say what shops should be in high streets,” Martin told City AM.

He echoed the sentiment of retail magnate Mike Ashley, who has labelled the crackdown a quest for “good media soundbites” rather than a solution to the country’s fiscal challenges. Ashley, who runs the Frasers Group, similarly dismissed the policy as populist.

Impact on pubs and the wider sector

Hospitality leaders, including Martin, warn that the government’s new powers to let Mayors impose uncapped tourist levies will add to an already heavy tax burden. The levy, announced this week, would charge visitors for accommodation, a move that industry groups say could push profit margins even lower.

Beyond the levy, pubs are grappling with higher employer national‑insurance contributions, minimum‑wage hikes outpacing inflation, and supply‑chain pressures linked to the Iran conflict. Martin pointed to supermarkets as the biggest competitor, noting they now capture roughly half the beer market that pubs once dominated.

He called for a rebalancing of value‑added tax, arguing that the current 20 % rate on food and drink in pubs puts them at a disadvantage compared with supermarkets, which benefit from lower effective taxes.

Looking ahead

In response to the tax climate, Wetherspoon will cut food and drink prices by 7.5 % next Thursday, aiming to demonstrate the savings that could be passed to customers if the government offered relief. Martin also backs a campaign led by celebrity chef Tom Kerridge to halve the hospitality VAT from 20 % to 10 %.

While the industry pushes for fiscal concessions, the government appears set to continue its high‑street reforms. The outcome will hinge on whether policymakers heed the hospitality lobby’s warnings or press ahead with the proposed levies and shop‑type restrictions.

For more on the tourist levy controversy, see Mayors to get uncapped tourist levy powers amid hospitality industry backlash.