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Wetherspoons' Tim Martin's incredible success story

A no-frills pub phenomenon
Martin’s Free House
A swift name change
Following in Walmart's footsteps
The oldest pub in the chain
Profits at last
London-centric early years
A million-pound profit
Floating on the London Stock Exchange
Expansion out of London
A market-defying vision
FTSE 250 status
Curry Club comes to town
Branching out to accommodation
Steak Club arrives
Pub Company of the Year
'No TV or music' rule banished
Wetherspoons snaps up Lloyds No.1s
Flushed with success
Breakfast revolution
Share price tumbles
Taking a sabbatical
Making the influential list
Hands-on management
Free Wi-Fi for all
Most Responsible Managed Pub Chain
A step ahead on the smoking ban
Wedding bells ring
Fish Friday launched
Wetherspoons hits Ireland
Britain’s first motorway service station pub
Backing Leave
Goodbye social media
Ditching European drinks
The mighty get mightier
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Stefan Rousseau/PA Archive/PA Images

A no-frills pub phenomenon

Whether you love it for its cheap and cheerful dining and drinks or loathe it for its no-frills ethos and corporate ambience, Wetherspoons is now a British institution. From humble beginnings as a lone pub in a former north London bookies to a ubiquitous 900-strong chain across the UK and Ireland with an annual turnover of £1.6 billion, we track the rise of one of Britain’s biggest brands, and the story of its outspoken and flagrantly pro-Brexit founder Tim Martin (pictured far right). 

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lovemoney staff

09 January 2019

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