JDW's out to woo a more upmarket clientele
by The PMA Team
JD Wetherspoon is to trial a lightly branded pub in an attempt to attract a more upmarket clientele.
The Draper's Arms pub, which will open within four weeks in Peterborough's Cowgate, will feature fresh food items such as hand-battered fish. It will also have a 17-strong "world beer" offering and be located away from the main circuit in the city where Wetherspoon already has a pub, the College Arms.
The company hopes to attract a more professional clientele and sell more food than its estate average, with a ban on smoking.
Chief executive John Hutson said: "It will be similar to our new pub in Exeter. In Exeter, there was no point in replicating what we had a 7,000 square foot pub. "We decided to push the boat out and try a few new things. It's a bit of a twist on what we do. There's an opportunity to push a bit further with a new opening."
A company spokesman added: "There will be nothing overt in the way of JD Wetherspoon branding. It will offer an alternative to the circuit. There will be two wheat beers on draught, for example, which sets the tone.
"We want the new pub to be a little bit different from other Wetherspoon's to cater for a slightly different, perhaps slightly more upmarket or professional crowd." The Draper's Arms was acquired from Tim Martin's brother Gerry, who ran it as an Old Monk until a few months ago.
l Martin's smoke ban p14
