December 2001 Sales Update

Wetherspoon (JD) PLC
9 January 2002



                              JD WETHERSPOON PLC

                                PRESS RELEASE

                                                                9 January 2002

December 2001 Sales Update

JD Wetherspoon plc ('the Company') announces that total company sales in the
six weeks to 6th January 2002 increased by 23% to £71.1 million. Like-for-like
sales during the same period increased by 3.7% against a strong comparative
period which achieved a 9.4% like-for-like sales increase.

Year to date sales for the current financial year (23 weeks to 6th January
2002) were £254.6 million, 26% ahead of the same period last year with year to
date like-for-like sales up by 5.4%. As anticipated, 29 new pubs opened during 
the 23 weeks, bringing the total number of pubs to 550.

Enquiries:


Tim Martin             Chairman                                    01923 477777
John Hutson            Managing Director                           01923 477777
Jim Clarke             Finance Director                            01923 477777


Eddie Gershon          Press Office                                07956 392234

www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk