DISCOUNT PUB CHAIN JD Wetherspoon won’t be pulling any European drinks from its Irish pubs post-Brexit.
The firm, whose chairman Tim Martin is a vocal supporter of Brexit, announced it will switch to UK and non-EU providers in the run up to the UK leaving the EU.
It is switching from a range of drinks including champagne and wheat beers, which are produced in France and Germany.
Wetherspoon will replace champagne with sparkling wines from the UK; Denbies Sparkling Whitedowns Brut and Whitedowns Rose Brut as well as Hardys Sparkling Pinot Chardonnay from Australia.
Martin said: “This move helps us to broaden our horizons so that we create an improved offer for the two million customers who visit our pubs each week.
“It is the start of a review all products in the next six to 24 months, with the object of making our business more competitive.
“The EU’s customs union is a protectionist system which is widely misunderstood.
“We intend to honour existing contracts with EU suppliers, some of which have several years to run.
“However, we are starting to make the transition to non-EU trade now.
“Our biggest bottled cider supplier is the excellent Kopparberg of Sweden.
“Kopparberg has said that it will transfer production to the UK post-Brexit.”
However, a company spokesperson confirmed to TheJournal.ie that the changes will not affect Ireland.
The company owns four pubs here, aiming to open another 10 this year and has begun work on a hotel on Camden Street in Dublin. The €15 million investment will see 200 jobs created at the 98-room hotel.
With reporting from Cathy Lee
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