JD Wetherspoon to open first pub in Republic of Ireland

By Noli Dinkovski

25-Nov-2013 - Last updated on 25-Nov-2013 at 13:44 GMT

JD Wetherspoon plans to open between 10 and 20 pubs over the next five to 10 years

JD Wetherspoon will open its first pub in the Republic of Ireland next year as part of a long-term strategy to become established in the country.

The managed pub operator has purchased the Tonic Bar in Blackrock, Dublin, in a €1.5m investment. A further €1.5m will be spent on re-developing the site.

JD Wetherspoon expects to complete the purchase in the next few days, and aims to have the new-look pub open by April 2014.

Company founder and chairman Tim Martin said: “I am delighted that we have secured our first site in the Republic of Ireland and am looking forward to opening our first pub there in the near future.”

Martin added “Our aim is to invest up to €50m in the Republic of Ireland over the next five to 10 years, opening between 10 and 20 pubs.

“Each pub will create approximately 50 jobs.”