Good old Tim even issued an RNS to the markets.
Investegate |Wetherspoon (JD) PLC Announcements | Wetherspoon (JD) PLC: Inaccurate Reporting of Beer Supply Issues
Friday 03 September, 2021
Wetherspoon (JD) PLC
Inaccurate Reporting of Beer Supply Issues
RNS Number : 7325K
Wetherspoon (JD) PLC
03 September 2021
For Immediate Release
J D WETHERSPOON PLC
Inaccurate Reporting of Beer Supply Issues at JD Wetherspoon PLC
Wetherspoon referred yesterday, in a
RNS ,to an inaccurate report by the BBC which incorrectly said that "Wetherspoon runs low on beer".
In fact, Wetherspoon beer stocks in pubs, as we stated yesterday, are approximately the same as for the same period in 2019, although there have been supply issues for a minority of products in the last fortnight, following industrial action, including an overtime ban, which affected a major brewer.
Our attention has been drawn to other misleading articles on the same subject.
For example, a Mirror headline (1 September) said that "Wetherspoons runs out of beer amid Carling shortage ", and the article itself said that "Bud Light, Carling and Coors taps" have "run dry". These comments are untrue.
The Mirror added that the "beer shortages at the pub chain" are "caused by Brexit". This is not true because recent supply issues are mainly due to industrial action.
An Independent article (2 September) also said that "Wetherspoon is running out of beer", which is untrue for the same reasons.
Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin said:
"There is clearly a shortage of HGV drivers, both in the UK and in mainland Europe- where, some reports say, there is a shortage of 400,000 drivers.
"Following the pandemic, there are supply chain issues in many other parts of the world also.
"In the light of the undoubted problems, it is important that the public is provided with accurate information. Factual inaccuracies and partisan Brexit politics will not assist in finding solutions."
3rd September 2021
Enquiries:
Ben Whitley Finance Director 07970 477428