Brexiteer pub boss bans booze from EU

PUB chain Wetherspoon is to sell more drinks from the UK and non-EU countries in the run-up to Brexit.

Its bars are ditching German beer and French champagne ahead of Britain’s departure from the EU.

Sparkling wines from the UK and Australia will replace champagne, while more British wheat beers will be introduced.

The switch will affect all 880 Wetherspoon pubs from July 9.

Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin, a strong supporter of Brexit, said: “This move helps us to broaden our horizons so we create an improved offer for the two million customers who visit our pubs each week.

“It is the start of a review of 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.

“It imposes tariffs on the 93 per cent of the world that is not in the EU, keeping prices high for UK consumers.

Transition

“Tariffs are imposed on wine from Australia, New Zealand and the US, and also on coffee, oranges, rice and more than 12,000 other products.

“There will be an inevitable transfer of trade post-Brexit to countries outside the EU, which will reduce prices in shops and pubs.

“The products we are now introducing are at lower prices than the EU products they are replacing.

“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.”

Sparkling wines from the UK will include Denbies Sparkling Whitedowns Brut and Whitedowns Rose Brut. They will be joined by Hardys Sparkling Pinot Chardonnay, from Australia.

The pubs will also serve wheat beers from the UK and non-EU countries.

Among the new brews are US export Blue Moon Belgian White and British brands Thornbridge Versa Weisse Beer and SA Brains Atlantic White.

Wetherspoon will continue to serve Kopparberg cider from Sweden.

Kopparberg has confirmed that it will be producing its cider in the UK post-Brexit. Alcohol-free Adnams Ghost Ship will replace Erdinger alcohol-free beer from Germany.

The Wetherspoon chain was founded in 1979 by Mr Martin.