J D Wetherspoon’s founder and chairman Tim Martin opened trading on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) – to mark the 20th anniversary of the company’s listing.
Wetherspoon floated on the LSE in October 1992, with 44 pubs and 1,200 employees. At present, it has 863 pubs across the UK and employs almost 30,000 staff.
Tim Martin founded J D Wetherspoon in 1979, naming the company after J D Hogg, from the Dukes of Hazzard TV series, and one of his teachers, Mr Wetherspoon.
He was joined at the ceremony by the company’s executive directors, together with a number of pub and head-office staff who have 20 years’ service.
Tim said: “This is a great honour for the company. In the past 20 years, Wetherspoon has gone from strength to strength and continues to do so.
“Our success is due to our talented and hard-working staff and the millions of customers who visit our pubs each week.”
Marcus Stuttard, head of UK primary markets at LSE Group, added: “We were delighted to welcome Tim Martin to open trading and to mark a very British success story.
“Growth stories like that of J D Wetherspoon highlight the strength of British business and the vital role which entrepreneurs and innovative business people play in maintaining the health of the UK’s economy.”