JD Wetherspoon - they are promoting Brexit

mansize · 01-06-2016 01:56AM

Something tells me your average weatherspoon's drinker would be a No Voter- but not get around to actually voting...

hatrickpatrick · 01-06-2016 03:01AM

Bit surprised TBH, the EU is currently the only thing standing between the UK and minimum alcohol pricing, which would really f*ck Wetherspoons up.

Story Bud? · 01-06-2016 06:12AM

35cent wrote: »

Meh,they can do it if they want. Besides I think Ryanair are doing something similar although for the remain side which is where my vote is going.

Ryanair have been leaving the EU for years.

Badly Drunk Boy · 01-06-2016 07:25AM

Story Bud? wrote: »

Ryanair have been leaving the EU for years.

But there are usually return flights...

Ronald Wilson Reagan · 01-06-2016 09:52AM

Charles Babbage wrote: »

What about Cyprus and Malta?

If that pub is promoting policies likely to lead to Britain reneging on the Good Friday agreement and so leading to resumption of violence on this island, it is no laughing matter and well warrants a boycott.

Your analytical engine needs a recalibration I think.

conorhal · 01-06-2016 09:58AM

The Wetherspoons founder wrote an excellent article on Brexit with perhaps the most valid point I've read, it came down to, look at who's promoting 'stay', the same Tory boy stock brokers, special interests and MNC corporate types that told you over a decade ago that if the UK didn't join the Euro it would damage growth and turn the UK into an unimportant backwater. Always be wary of finding yourself on the same side of the argument as the 1% who all got richer while the plebs suffered during the Euro crisis. When the kind of people that gather in Davo's annually tell you what's best for your country, do the opposite to what they say.

Also Wetherspoons Ireland are all pretty good pubs. I think it's because they have to up their game here as the Irish wouldn't tollerate lino floring and card tables and one cost cutting measure of theirs, no music or TVs is a cost cutting measure that I consider a serious boon.

seamus · 01-06-2016 10:08AM

conorhal wrote: »

When the kind of people that gather in Davo's annually tell you what's best for your country, do the opposite to what they say.

That's perhaps the most invalid reason for doing anything. "When X says it's a good idea, it must be a bad one". If that was the thrust of his argument - "Vote against the elites", then I wonder what rag went and published it.

I make jokes like that about Sinn Fein policy, but I actually still read it to see if it has any merit rather than dismissing it out of hand.

Likewise the "points" made by these beer mats are ridiculous.

The IMF has nothing to do with the EU. What has anything on that beermat got to do with Brexit?

Winterlong · 01-06-2016 10:13AM

If all brexiters boycotted Irish goods and services because of our stance on their referendum we would be in a bit of a pickle.

ohnonotgmail · 01-06-2016 10:39AM

One could be cruel and say that the type of person who is voting for Brexit usually gets their facts from beer mats. But one isnt cruel.

Mint Sauce · 01-06-2016 10:42AM

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Nope. Irish people resident in the UK can indeed vote but not other EU citizens.

http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/upcoming-elections-and-referendums/eu-referendum

Dont forget all the British people living in Ireland for the last 15 years or less ( and there is a lot of them), they can vote too.

Saipanne · 01-06-2016 10:43AM

Impetus wrote: »

Time their Irish operations were boycotted

Because reasons.

seamus · 01-06-2016 11:23AM

Winterlong wrote: »

If all brexiters boycotted Irish goods and services because of our stance on their referendum we would be in a bit of a pickle.

Times have changed. We're not nearly as reliant on the UK market as we used to be, and the UK is a lot more reliant on EU markets than it thinks it is.
And the EU isn't at all reliant on the UK. If the UK leaves, all of the goods they export to the EU, will now be sourced from within the EU - including from us. So while we'd take a hit on UK exports, we'd make a large gain in EU exports. And specifically in FDI as companies relocate from London to Dublin to keep their access to the EU.

Sterling is already seeing its value drop as the potential for "leave" becomes more likely.

While this is good for exports, it's bad for imports and national debt. The days of the British empire are over. The UK doesn't control a large enough market to strongarm anyone into special debt arrangements.

imitation · 01-06-2016 11:37AM

conorhal wrote: »

The Wetherspoons founder wrote an excellent article on Brexit with perhaps the most valid point I've read, it came down to, look at who's promoting 'stay', the same Tory boy stock brokers, special interests and MNC corporate types that told you over a decade ago that if the UK didn't join the Euro it would damage growth and turn the UK into an unimportant backwater. Always be wary of finding yourself on the same side of the argument as the 1% who all got richer while the plebs suffered during the Euro crisis. When the kind of people that gather in Davo's annually tell you what's best for your country, do the opposite to what they say.

Also Wetherspoons Ireland are all pretty good pubs. I think it's because they have to up their game here as the Irish wouldn't tollerate lino floring and card tables and one cost cutting measure of theirs, no music or TVs is a cost cutting measure that I consider a serious boon.

Who put all those bankers and multinationals into place though ? I doubt it was the EU, I think it was Thacher who did her best to shaft the Primary industry in the uk and setup a services economy. Thats what I find funny about brexit, the EU gets the blame for issues caused by Britains own decisions. There is a mighty superiority complex there methinks.

01-06-2016 11:43AM

Nah.

Charles Babbage · 01-06-2016 12:29PM

Ronald Wilson Reagan wrote: »

Your analytical engine needs a recalibration I think.

Really? Which bit of my statement was incorrect.

- the Brexit Leave campaign have explicitly said that they wish to regain control of borders
- we have a border which presumably they want to regain control of
- fiddling around with that border when people in neither half of Ireland want change is a clear negation of the Good Friday Agreement
- Wetherspoons are promoting this.

ohnonotgmail · 01-06-2016 12:37PM

Charles Babbage wrote: »

Really? Which bit of my statement was incorrect.

- the Brexit Leave campaign have explicitly said that they wish to regain control of borders
- we have a border which presumably they want to regain control of
- fiddling around with that border when people in neither half of Ireland want change is a clear negation of the Good Friday Agreement
- Wetherspoons are promoting this.

i have highlighted the key word in bold. everything after that is speculation on your part based on exactly nothing.

Impetus · 01-06-2016 01:54PM

A pub is a place to eat, drink and socialise. If the owner of a pub uses the premises to foist political propaganda on its customers, there is something wrong.

There are two big issues going on in the Anglo-Saxon world at the moment. Donald Trump’s racist campaign for the US presidency, and the Brexit referendum. The latter also attracts a large racist following. These concepts have little or no support in Ireland. No company which is licensed to do business in IRL should be able to get away with supporting racist politics in Ireland or elsewhere.

Wetherspoon is a public company, listed on a London stock exchange, with shareholders. The management of the company is accountable to these shareholders for their management and conduct of the business. My hope is that both Brexit and the board of Wetherspoon get kicked out at the referendum and at the next AGM respectively.

01-06-2016 01:56PM

... tbh many companies have always affiliated themselves. I saw a good few backing the marriage equality vote.

Impetus · 01-06-2016 02:03PM

Deleted User wrote: »

... tbh many companies have always affiliated themselves. I saw a good few backing the marriage equality vote.

Marriage equality is not exactly racist.....

Saipanne · 01-06-2016 02:05PM

Impetus wrote: »

Marriage equality is not exactly racist.....

Sure everything is racism, in your eyes...

seamus · 01-06-2016 02:13PM

To be fair a Brexit is good news for small indigenous companies with little or no external trade.

An Irish craft brewing company was on RTE last night talking about how they've suspended plans to expand into the UK pending the outcome of the referendum.

Wetherspoons have their own homebrew craft ale. If Britain were to leave the EU, not only would it mean that their own brews face less competition from outside the UK, it would also give Wetherspoons a lot more power to arm wrestle lower prices out of UK-based brewers who would lose out on their export sales.

In other words, a Brexit puts more money into the pocket of the Wetherspoons MD.

He's right that people advocating a stay are doing so out of their own self-interest. He's advocating a leave for his own self-interest.

There's always an angle.

ScumLord · 01-06-2016 02:43PM

conorhal wrote: »

The Wetherspoons founder wrote an excellent article on Brexit with perhaps the most valid point I've read, it came down to, look at who's promoting 'stay', the same Tory boy stock brokers, special interests and MNC corporate types that told you over a decade ago that if the UK didn't join the Euro it would damage growth and turn the UK into an unimportant backwater. Always be wary of finding yourself on the same side of the argument as the 1% who all got richer while the plebs suffered during the Euro crisis. When the kind of people that gather in Davo's annually tell you what's best for your country, do the opposite to what they say.

That's a very oversimplified view, of course those people don't actually represent the totality of the stay arguement. Many Irish businesses want Britain to stay so it's easy for them to sell into the UK. Irish companies buy a lot of stock from the UK too.

I don't know how this will affect European safety standards? Many Irish companies get certified by the British Standards Institute. British safety standards are in line with EU safety standards and if they start to diverge it could cause a lot of problems as the British standards would no longer be accepted in the rest of Europe. We use electric plugs from the UK in Ireland. If you look at any plug in this country it's certified by the BSI and displays the kitemark. If British standards diverge will safety standards on electric plugs disapear with them? Will we have to start importing cheap knock offs just because they have the European safety standard. Maybe we continue to use UK plugs but end up paying twice as much?

There will be all sorts of bureaucratic hiccups and delays that will cost both Ireland and the UK a lot of money.

Risteard81 · 01-06-2016 02:47PM

ScumLord wrote: »

If you look at any plug in this country it's certified by the BSI and displays the kitemark.

Not true. Some are certified to BS 1363 and some are certified to IS 401, and some to both.

beach_walker · 01-06-2016 02:54PM

Haha! So now the very concept of leaving the EU is racist? Bloody hell lads.

They could advocate for a workers socialist paradise or the legalisation of weed, don't care. Businesses taking a stand on these issues isn't exactly unknown. As long as they still do a decent pie and a pint for cheap, I'm there.

Paz-CCFC · 01-06-2016 02:58PM

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Bit surprised TBH, the EU is currently the only thing standing between the UK and minimum alcohol pricing, which would really f*ck Wetherspoons up.

I wouldn't think so. The minimum pricing was intended to be 50p per unit. A 4% pint has 2.3 units (UK units equating to slightly less alcohol than Irish). 4-5% beer probably accounts for most of Wetherspoon's draught pints. That'd mean the minimum price for these drinks would be £1.15 - £1.45. The lowest I've seen pints go for was £1.50 and that was on offer. Usually, the cask beer is around £2 and they have plenty of keg beer sold for close to £3 a pint. That'd be well clear of the minimum pricing.

They have a few cask beers at 5%+ (don't think I've seen much higher than about 5.5%) - they're a bit more common at festivals. These might be affected if they were on sale at £1.50, but only by about 10-20p. They could just have it on sale for £1.70 or something. The only pints that would have to be sold more than their £2 base price would be stuff at about 7% and up, which I don't think they'd sell.

Wine and spirits would be even safer, well clear of the minimum pricing. A shot is 25ml over there, which is a unit for 40% spirits. So, the minimum price would be 50p or £1 for doubles. They're way above that. A a bottle of wine (13%) has about 10 units. So, they'd be sold for a minimum of about £5. Which is probably consistent with their cheapest stuff.

It'd have a minimal effect on their own prices. But it'd cause off-licence to have to up their prices on their cheapest stuff. Which will likely divert some of the off-trade to their pubs. Looks like they have a good bit to gain from it.

I don't agree with them on the UK leaving, but I like their beer and I like their prices, so I wouldn't be boycotting over something like this.

01-06-2016 04:11PM

Impetus wrote: »

Marriage equality is not exactly racist.....

... and neither is Brexit.

BalcombeSt4 · 01-06-2016 05:29PM

Nigel Farage, George Galloway and Boris Johnson what a strange alliance that is.

But it shows this isn't just a left / right issue. Tony Benn & Michael Foot campainged for leaving the EU on democratic grounds back in the day and those gentlemen are about as left as it comes in British politics.

Charles Babbage · 01-06-2016 09:22PM

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

i have highlighted the key word in bold. everything after that is speculation on your part based on exactly nothing.

I have presumed they will do what they say they will do. How is that less reasonable that supposing they will do something different?

ohnonotgmail · 01-06-2016 09:39PM

Charles Babbage wrote: »

I have presumed they will do what they say they will do. How is that less reasonable that supposing they will do something different?

you do understand what

- the Brexit Leave campaign have explicitly said that they wish to regain control of borders

means dont you? Actually it is clear that you dont so i will explain. When they say control they mean that they wish to control who can cross their border. You somehow have managed to take this and decide that they wish to change their borders. how exactly do you think britain could change its border with the republic? Do you think they can just unilaterally decide to change it?

Charles Babbage · 01-06-2016 11:43PM

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

Actually it is clear that you dont so i will explain. When they say control they mean that they wish to control who can cross their border. You somehow have managed to take this and decide that they wish to change their borders. how exactly do you think britain could change its border with the republic? Do you think they can just unilaterally decide to change it?

Do you ever read what you post? "They wish to control who can cross their border". How are they going to do this without at least asking these people who they are?

JD Wetherspoon - they are promoting Brexit

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