Wetherspoon chairman attacks euro

JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has launched an attack on the euro at the announcement of the company's annual results.

Mr Martin kick-started his anti-euro campaign by unveiling the posters and beer mats that will be distributed to more than 500 of the company's pubs.

He said he thought there should be a proper debate about the single currency and hoped publicity in the pubs would help encourage that debate.

"We've got no music in Wetherspoon pubs, so we want to give our customers something to talk about," he said.

The posters and the first beer mats to be used in JD Wetherspoon pubs feature the slogan "Let's Get Shot of It" with information about the "Europe Yes. Euro No." campaign that Mr Martin supports (see picture)​.

He said he thought it would be a good thing if other companies followed suit, even if they used pro-single currency slogans.

"I really feel there should be a proper debate and then the public can make up its own mind," he said.

Mr Martin's stance has been criticised as inappropriate for the pub trade, but he defended his actions.

"It's not a political issue, it's economics. It's a money issue." he said. "Money issues go across the board and they affect everyone."

He said he had surveyed every one of the licensees who were to be asked to put up the anti-euro posters.

"We did a survey of our licensees and 90 per cent were against the single currency. But we also asked them all if they were happy for their pub to be used to launch the campaign, and they all said they were."

Mr Martin is adamant his campaign is not xenophobic. He said he is not against Europe, just the euro.

"I believe a single currency will not work without a single government. That's my interpretation of history and I believe the euro will collapse eventually, at enormous expense," he said. Related stories

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