JD Wetherspoons has just joined the public chorus hitting out at the prime minister over partygate.
The national pub chain previously aligned itself with Boris Johnson and proudly declared itself to be pro-Brexit, making this U-turn even more surprising.
But, sharing a trading update on Wednesday, the chain announced that its like-for-like sale had decreased by 11.7% and total sales by 13.3% compared to the same period in the financial year of 2020 when the UK was under stricter Covid measures.
It then has a whole section titled ‘Partygate’ which reads: “Public anger regarding ‘partygate’ relates mainly to hypocrisy – the public was prevented from seeing friends and family, while the same rules were not observed at 10 Downing Street.
“However the circumstances also highlight other ramifications of ‘lockdowns’ and pub closures.
“If, instead of partying in No.10 on the 20 May 2020, for example, the attendees had been able to visit a pub (pubs were locked down at the time) there would have been a number of advantages for the nation.”
It claims central London pubs would have provided work for experienced staff who “would have easily dealt with the ‘high jinks’” alleged to have taken place at the No.10 parties.
Reports have suggested employees took a suitcase full of Co-op wine into the No.10 offices and that Johnson’s son’s swing set was broken by adults during one of the parties.
Spoons then seems to reference the Met’s refusal to investigate these allegations – based on a supposed lack of evidence – by writing: “CCTV is in operation in Central London pubs, so subsequent enquiries as to events are facilitated by the ready availability of evidence.
It says “Covid controls in pubs were superior to private parties with screens, sanitisers, optimal seating layouts and so on”, and there were “no outbreaks of the virus among customers as defined by the public health authorities”.
The closure of pubs meant public finances were dealt a blow, too.
The chain claims: “There are well documented social and health benefits from open hospitality venues, especially for people who don’t, or can’t, attend private parties.”
When critiquing how VAT has impacted its profits too, Spoons claimed: “The situation is crazy.
“If you hold a garden party at No.10 or Chequers, for example, and buy the food from Waitrose, employing staff to prepare and serve it, no VAT is payable.”
Wetherspoon’s chairman Tim Martin was also quoted as saying: “The uncertainty created by the introduction of plan B Covid-19 measures makes predictions for sales and profits hazardous.
“The company will be loss-making in the first half of the financial year, but hopes that, with the ending of restrictions, improved customer confidence and better weather, it will have a much stronger performance in the second half.”
