Wetherspoon has announced it plans to reopen its pubs and hotels “in or around June”.
The announcement comes despite there being no current government plans to ease lockdown restrictions and Britons being urged to stay at home.
In an after-hours stock market announcement on Wednesday, the business said;
“The company is likely to make some changes to its operating model, assuming increased social distancing, and anticipates a gradual recovery in customer numbers.
“Wetherspoon pubs are substantially larger than average, and most have outside facilities. The company believes these factors are likely to assist if social distancing measures apply.”
Since the closure of pubs on 20 March as ordered by the UK government, the company’s sales have been zero.
Tim Martin, the boss of the chain has been highly critical of the Coronavirus related lockdown measures in the UK, describing restrictions as “over the top”. In March, Mr Martin also said “there’s hardly been any transmission of the virus within pubs“, despite not having any evidence to back up the claim.
The UK is currently in its fifth week of lockdown measures. The measures are expected to be reviewed next week, however, there have so far been few indications from the government in the UK that measures will be lifted. There have previously been suggestions that lockdown measures may be lifted gradually, and that measures keeping hospitality venues closed would be among the last measures to be lifted.
According to the latest figures released by the UK Government’s Department for Health and Social Care, 26,097 deaths related to COVID-19 have been recorded in the UK.
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