GOD SAVE MY PUBS

Tim Martin is fighting to keep Wetherspoons, his working-class British chain, alive. His detractors would bid it good riddance

- Jonathan Moses

Late one evening last March, Tim Martin, founder and chairman of JD Wetherspoon Plc, Britain’s highest-profile pub chain, descended to his basement to record a video message for his staff of 43,000. It had been a bad week. Cases of the novel coronavirus were surging across the U.K., racing far ahead of the National Health Service’s ability to cope. Desperate to stop the spread, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government had ordered all bars to close. The decision was without precedent; Britain’s pubs stayed open even during the Blitz.

In the grainy video, recorded on a phone camera, Martin did his best to sound reassuring. “I’m very sorry about the situation that has occurred with our pubs,” he said, clutching a mug of tea decorated with what looked like woodland sprites. “It puts everyone in a very difficult position, and I know you’re all sitting there wondering what the hell is happening.” What he said next wouldn’t exactly put Wetherspoons employees at ease. There was “no money coming through the tills,” and government checks that would temporarily cover as much as 80% of wages for furloughed workers weren’t yet in the mail: “They’ll probably be pretty slow-paying it, so there may be some delays, for which I apologize.” For those who “didn’t want to wait around,” he continued, “we’ll give you first preference if you want to come back.” There were jobs available at supermarkets, he noted. “Deeply appreciate your work,” he signed off. “Best of luck!”