American pop icon Olivia Rodrigo donned a vest with “Guinness is ‘Good 4 U” written on it for an encore at a gig in Dublin last night – and also posted on Instagram about the beloved beverage.
You’re unlikely to bump into pop star Olivia Rodrigo in your local ’Spoons, but young Guinness fans like her have helped the chain buck the pub industry gloom.
JD Wetherspoon, which has more than 800 pubs, has reported increasing sales when elsewhere struggling landlords are calling last orders and closing. It said takings rose by more than 5% year-on-year in the 13 weeks to the end of April, partly because of the craze for the stout.
Founder Tim Martin, 69, said: “The gods of fashion have smiled upon Guinness, previously consumed by blokes my age, but now widely adopted by younger generations.” Vampire singer Rodrigo, 21, has been pictured sipping the black stuff and wrote “Guinness Is Good 4U” on her vest for a Dublin gig last week.
Mr Martin added demand for cask beer – including his favourite Abbot Ale – was recovering after taking a dive in the pandemic. Wetherspoons has done well by keeping its pubs busy all day, including at breakfast. Lavazza coffee for an average £1.56 a cup has also been a big hit, with Mr Martin joking: “Free refills are thought to be responsible for spontaneous breakdancing among retired customers.”
JD Wetherspoon’s sales since last August are up more than 8%. The company, with a stock market value of more than £900million, expects profits this financial year to be towards the top of what analysts are expecting.
Other pub owners, especially free houses, are battling with soaring costs and changing drinking habits. The British Beer and Pub Association says more than 500 shut for good in 2023. Industry chiefs are hoping this summer’s Euros in Germany will prove a welcome boost.
