Smoking in Pubs

Wetherspoon (JD) PLC
24 January 2005



                               JD WETHERSPOON PLC

                                SMOKING IN PUBS


24 January 2005


JD Wetherspoon plc ('JD Wetherspoon') announces that it intends to prohibit
smoking in approximately ten per cent. of its pubs at the beginning of May 2005.
JD Wetherspoon intends to prohibit smoking in all its pubs in May 2006.


Tim Martin, Chairman of JD Wetherspoon, said:

'An increasing percentage of the population are giving up smoking and a
significant number of people are staying away from pubs and restaurants because
they are too smoky.  JD Wetherspoon pioneered non-smoking areas but we now feel
it is the right time to go one step further.


The Government's approach to the issue of a smoking ban does not make sense,
since pubs can get around it by giving up food sales.  We believe our approach
of a complete ban after a period of notice is the right one.'



Enquiries:


Jim Clarke                      Finance Director                   01923 477777



Visit our web site at www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk


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