JD Wetherspoon has announced it is selling 32 pubs due to rising food and energy costs and a lack of staff.

The pub chain, which has around 300 pubs and hotels in the UK and Ireland, said it made the decision because it was at risk of millions of pounds in upkeep and increased wages.

Eddie Gershon, its spokesman, said: “On occasion, Wetherspoon does put some of its pubs up for sale. This is a commercial decision.

“We understand that customers and staff will be disappointed with it. The pubs will continue to operate as Wetherspoon outlets until they are sold.”

The pubs are in city centres across England, with 10 in London, including in Battersea and Islington.

In May Tim Martin, the chain’s boss, announced a series of widespread changes to the business as a result of increasing costs.

This included a rise in drink prices of 10p for a pint across the country and 20p in London.

Bank of England launches bond-buying programme to prevent ‘material risk’ to UK financial stability

UK economy latest news: Pension funds would have collapsed today without BoE action – with ‘mass insolvencies’

Bank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway

The sales are being handled by commercial property specialists CBRE and Savills.

Toby Hall, senior director at CBRE, said: “The excellent mix of locations in this portfolio is rarely seen in the market.

“With more than half of the portfolio located in London and the South East and other strong locations in the South West, Midlands and North we believe the pubs represent an excellent opportunity for existing pub operators and new entrants”.

The pubs up for sale:

Barnsley – Silkstone Inn
Beaconsfield – Hope & Champion
Bexleyheath – Wrong ‘Un
Bournemouth – Christopher Creeke
Cheltenham – Bank House
Durham – Water House
Halifax – Percy Shaw
Hanham – Jolly Sailor
Harrow – Moon on the Hill
Hove – Cliftonville Inn
London Battersea – Asparagus
London East Ham – Miller’s Well
London Eltham – Bankers Draft
London Forest Gate – Hudson Bay
London Forest Hill – Capitol
London Hornsey – Toll Gate
London Holborn – Penderel’s Oak
London Islington – Angel
London Palmers Green – Alfred Herring
Loughborough – Moon & Bell
Loughton – Last Post
Mansfield – Widow Frost
Middlesborough – Resolution
Purley – Foxley Hatch
Redditch – Rising Sun
Sevenoaks – Sennockian Southampton – Admiral Sir Lucius Curtis
Stafford – Butler’s Bell
Watford – Colombia Press
West Bromwich – Billiard Hall
Willenhall – Malthouse
Wirral – John Masefield

Related posts:

Bitcoin storms past $50k for first time as mainstream appeal grows National Grid’s ‘transformational’ pivot to electricity targets net zero ambitions Insurtech giant WeFox on Target for $250m capital injection Afghanistan’s economy, supply chain issues and firms inventing COVID protection products HGV crisis: Unprecedented demand for training as drivers load up on pay rises Asda charters ship to navigate a path through Christmas supply chain storms Businesses warn of ‘unprecedented’ cost pressures as inflation fears grow TM Lewin lender PETRA puts its shirt on rescue deal Chelsea to unveil £20m-a-year shirt deal with cryptocurrency brand WhaleFin Germany to miss gas storage target amid warnings of winter shortages Pound plunges, Italy moves to right and huge investment in electric vehicle chargers Aldi promises to continue to offer lowest prices despite big drop in profits