Pub giant Wetherspoons has announced its own January sale – with a pint from just 99p.
The chain will offer special deals on a host of drinks, as well as food.
Wetherspoon founder and chairman Tim Martin said: “Department stores and shops hold their sales in January, so it is the perfect time to have a sale in the pub too.”
The discount event will run from Friday January 2 to Thursday January 15, and from Saturday January 3 in its Scottish pubs.
Among the bargain booze is a pint of Worthington’s beer at 99p, compared with its normal £1.49, at more than 600 of its over 800 pubs. Other drinks featured in the sale include Coldwater Creek wine, with a 250ml glass of Chardonnay, pinot grigio, rose, or merlot for £2.99 each, Johnnie Walker Black Label (25ml including a mixer) at £1.99, and Tanqueray gin (25ml including a mixer) also £1.99.
The chain, known to many as Spoons, is also offering special prices on a range of low-alcohol and alcohol-free drinks. That could prove especially useful for those taking part in their own “dry January” when they shun alcohol for the month. Given the expense of Christmas for many people, January is often one of the quietest months of the year for pubs.
Wetherspoons will offer Guinness 0.0, Corona Cero, Brewdog Punk AF, Stella Artois Alcohol Free, Erdinger Isotonic, Thatchers zero, Koppaberg Alcohol Free, plus Gordons 0. 0 pink gin for £1.69 each, and Beck’s Blue and Sanpellegrino Aranciata Rossa for 99p each.
On the food front, the firm will have an 11-inch margherita pizza and a crunchy chicken burger, served with chips or side salad, each costing £4.99 with a soft drink, and £6.52 with an alcoholic drink. A jacket potato with a choice of one filling will cost £4.99 including a soft drink, and £6.52 for an alcoholic drink. Gourmet jacket potatoes will cost £6.49 with a soft drink and £8.02 with an alcoholic drink.
All the above prices will be available at more than 600 Wetherspoons branches, with prices varying at its other 200 sites, including those in central London.
Mr Martin said: “The range of drinks and food on sale in the pub is aimed at suiting a wide variety of tastes. We have included a large selection of low and non-alcoholic drinks. I believe that the January Sale will prove popular with our customers. As always, staff at the pub will serve customers responsibly,” he added.
The chain has a track record of offering discount deals. In September it sold pints for £1.66 to highlight in tax between pubs and supermarkets.
While many parts of the pub trade are struggling, with widespread closures, a number of chains have enjoyed healthy trade despite a sharp rise in costs. In a trading update, JD Wetherspoon said sales in venues open at least a year grew 3.7% in the 14 weeks to the start of November. Drinks sales increased 5.7%, and food by 0.9%.
