Licensees celebrate court win over JDW
Licensees in Goole, North Yorkshire, have expressed their delight at the prosecution of JD Wetherspoon for incorrectly displaying local bar prices on its premises.
The City and County pub, a Wetherspoon venue in Goole, put a sign in its window in February last year comparing its drinks prices to those of five local independent pubs.
This practice is part of the pub chain's Price Watch scheme, which compares its prices to other operators' in the same area.
The licensees of the Old George, the Macintosh Arms, the Vikings, the North Eastern Hotel and the Peacock contacted Trading Standards after they discovered the prices advertised were false and sometimes described products that were not even sold on the premises.
Earlier this month the pub company pleaded guilty to three counts of giving a misleading price indication.
It was fined £2,500 and made to pay £537 in legal costs.
Maria Jessney, licensee of the Old George pub, said: "A lot of people will be jumping for joy after this decision. Some of the prices they were advertising bore no resemblance to reality. They even claimed we were selling Stella and Theakstons, which we don't. Why were they targeting small operators like us? I would liken it to Tesco comparing prices against the local corner shop. It felt like they were rubbing our noses in it."
Licensee of the Macintosh Arms Mel Lockwood said: "They wrongly had me down as serving Carling. I don't mind them having lower prices - I've had happy hours in my time. But I wish they would get their facts right. I hope this will be a lesson to Wetherspoon and maybe inspire other towns with this problem to take similar action."
Eddie Gershon, spokesman for Wetherspoon, said: "There is nothing wrong with this form of marketing. But you have to get your facts right and on this occasion we have to hold our hands up and say we didn't. However, we will be continuing this policy."
