JD Wetherspoon to invest £15m in beer-chilling equipment

High-street pub operator JD Wetherspoon is spending £15m on a new “super chill” beer system to satisfy consumers’ growing appetite for colder draught beer.

The Australian technology is cellar-based and frees up bar space according to Wetherspoon, while delivering beer at between 1-3ºC. This compares with an industry average of 6ºC and above.

Installed in around 200 Wetherspoon pubs already, the pub company expects to have the technology in all of its 657 sites by January of next year.

“There’s a worldwide long-term trend for cooler and cooler beer,” said Jim Hutson, Wetherspoon’s chief executive. “It’s a big investment, but the right one to make. We believe we’ve fixed the chill problem with this technology and taken a lead on our rivals.”

Hutson said that although the company would not be charging more per pint, it would be promoting its cool beer with local “temperature watches” to highlight its technology lead over rivals and hopefully win more custom.

Reporting a strong second half to the year thanks to the hot summer, Wetherspoon said turnover in the 53 weeks to 30 July had increased 5% to £847.5m. Pre-tax profit was 24% higher at £58.4m.

Wetherspoon said it would open 15 new pubs next year, compared with nine this year, although any return to large scale expansion would have to wait until after the introduction of a smoking ban in enclosed public places in England next summer.

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By Chris Druce

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