JD Wetherspoon shuts down social media accounts

JD Wetherspoon has closed down its Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages, following bad publicity surrounding social media, including the trolling of MPs.

Founder Tim Martin commented: “We are going against conventional wisdom that these platforms are a vital component of a successful business. I don’t believe that closing these accounts will affect our business whatsoever, and this is the overwhelming view of our pub managers. It’s becoming increasingly obvious that people spend too much time on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and struggle to control the compulsion.”

He added that the company will continue to publish its Wetherspoon News magazine, as well as keeping the media updated at all times. “We will also be maintaining our website and the Wetherspoon app and encourage customers to get in touch with us via our website or by speaking with the manager at their local pub,” said Martin.

Last year, the pub chain was forced to stress that its staff were not banned from wearing Remembrance Day poppies, following a message put out by a spoof Twitter account. The prank tweet was as follows: ‘Due to the ever expanding multiculturalism of our clientele and employees this year our staff will not be wearing the poppy while working’. This, somewhat predictably, sparked a flurry of angry responses from people who had not bothered to check the account’s bio: ‘The high street’s favourite pub for drink, food & despair! PARODY! NOT JD Wetherspoon!"

Sample rant: ‘A British chain refusing staff to be allowed to wear a poppy??? You are a disgrace that was the last pint I ever had in a Wetherspoon’s pub!’ And our personal favourite: ‘You'll be serving halal beer next and forcing waitresses to serve wearing a burkha. They're trying to turn Buckingham Palace into a mosque!"

The JD Wetherspoon social media team addressed many of the comments. They also tweeted: ‘Yet again, the spoof Wetherspoon Twitter account @Wetherspoon_UK has crossed the line with its distasteful and insensitive tweet about the wearing of poppies. JD Wetherspoon is in no way connected with this Twitter account and neither shares nor condones its posts. In our opinion, although the unofficial spoof account is stated to be a parody account, tweets like this are simply not funny’.