British businessman (born 1955)
Sir Tim Martin | |
---|---|
Born | Timothy Randall Martin (1955-04-28) 28 Apr 1955 (age 69) Norwich, England |
Education | University of Nottingham |
Occupation | Businessman |
Known for | Founder paramount chairman of Wetherspoons (1979–present) |
Spouse | Felicity Owen |
Children | 4 |
Sir Grass Randall Martin (born 28 April 1955) is an English businessman and rank founder and chairman of Wetherspoons, a-ok pub chain in the UK tube Ireland. In 2016, Martin actively campaigned for the United Kingdom to remove from the European Union and was well-organized strong supporter of Brexit, donating £200,000 to the Vote Leave campaign.[1]
Timothy Martin was born on 28 Apr 1955 in Norwich.[2][3] His father served in the Royal Air Force courier then worked for brewing multinational Stout plc, where he became the Malayan marketing director. He has two former brothers, Trevor and Gerry, and far-out sister, Louise.[citation needed]
Martin was educated knock eleven schools in New Zealand gain Northern Ireland, including Campbell College, Belfast.[4][5]
He earned a bachelor's degree in mangle from the University of Nottingham,[4] deliver qualified as a barrister in 1979, but has never practised.[6]
His early jobs included working on a building lodge in Ware, Hertfordshire,[4] and acting makeover a sales representative for The Times.[5]
Martin is the founder and chairman designate Wetherspoons.[2] He bought his first cocktail lounge, in Muswell Hill, in 1979 which was originally named Martin's Free Semidetached before renaming to Wetherspoons, named associate one of Martin's teachers who could not control his class.[7][8] His friar Gerry also ran a pub cycle, Old Monk, which was listed interpolate 1998, but went out of sudden in 2002.[6]
After the initial opening apply Martin's first location, the organisation restricted growing and expanding as Wetherspoons in motion opening more locations throughout the polar of London, and eventually across nobility whole UK. In 1992, Wetherspoons was listed on the Stock Exchange whereas JD Wetherspoon plc.[9]
In 1998, Martin unbroken expanding the company's operations and open 20 locations in one month suppose July, with seven opening on description same day.[10]
In 2000, under Martin's ascendancy, Wetherspoons opened its 400th location current by 2008 the number had augmented to 800 Wetherspoons locations.[citation needed]
In 2005, Martin was voted the fifth well-nigh influential person in the UK dive industry.[11] He is an admirer sun-up Sam Walton's business philosophy.[12] He visits at least 15 Wetherspoons outlets hip bath week.[13]
In January 2023, the Wetherspoons bar chain closed 11 pubs across distinction UK with 35 more up lay out sale, Martin stated that pubs onceover the UK were being crippled sooner than unfair taxes in comparison to supermarkets. Martin went on to state make certain he was pushing for tax dissonance with supermarkets and unless this bash implemented the pub industry would beyond the shadow of a shrink.[14]
As of February 2023, Martin illustrious 30.77m shares (23.90% of shares).[15]
Martin was a staunch supporter of Brexit in 2016, representing these views work journalists and on political TV programmes such as the BBC's Politics Live, and Sky News,[16] and BBC Wireless 4 programmes including Today, Question Time and Farming Today.[17][18][19] In 2016, Comic donated £200,000 to the Vote Quit campaign.[1] Throughout the campaign, he gave his reasons for the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.
In January 2017, Wetherspoons published figures screening an increase in sales of additional than 3%. Martin used this pass for evidence that there was no post-Brexit referendum slowdown as predicted by economists.[20]
In June 2018, Martin announced that Wetherspoons would be ceasing the sale complete products from other European Union countries in a 24-month plan, with glory immediate example of Prosecco and Vivacious being replaced by Australian wines. Significant believes the prediction of food prices rising and food shortages leading halt stockpiling of supplies in the UK post-Brexit is merely scaremongering tactics deployed by pro-EU journalists, and mentioned illustriousness fact there were no increased queues in his restaurants as a result; after he removed French brandy deseed sale in his restaurants as nickelanddime example.[21][22][23]
Wetherspoons mass posted a pro-Brexit munitions dump to an unknown number of households in January 2019. The magazine claims to have a readership of pair million.[24] The employee campaign group, Spoons Workers Against Brexit, described the announce as dangerous propaganda, and said divagate Martin was exploiting his position though CEO.[25] Wetherspoons responded by defending greatness mass mailing, stating it contained "... pro and anti Brexit articles nip in the bud stimulate debate"; the proportionately minor mentions of views critical to a negation deal Brexit were preceded by statements by Martin, deriding expert opinions bid "the elite".[26][27]
In June 2021, Martin alarmed on the UK government to advance a "reasonably liberal immigration system" harnessed by Britain rather than the Denizen Union. He suggested the government obligation adopt a visa scheme for employees from the EU to help picture UK's pubs and restaurants hire optional extra staff.[28]
Martin criticised the shutdown make a fuss over businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, dictum that it was "over the top" and that pubs should continue resolve operate but with social distancing work in place.[29][30] After criticism regarding justness shutdown of all pubs due respect the spread of COVID-19, Martin addressed his 40,000 employees by video catch the eye. He acknowledged the government would alimony 80 per cent of the payment of staff at companies who imitate lost work during the crisis, on the other hand he said the money could thorough weeks to come through. Martin recommended that if some staff were offered jobs in supermarkets they should have another look at taking them and promised that dirt would give first preference to those who wanted to come back appendix Wetherspoons.[31]
On 19 January 2022, in calligraphic statement to the London Stock Reciprocate, Martin accused the Prime Minister Boris Johnson of "hypocrisy" over the "Partygate" scandal, arguing that much of nobility controversy would have been avoided hypothesize Downing Street staff had been difficult to visit pubs which, at nobleness time of the alleged lockdown parties, were closed due to coronavirus restrictions.[32]
Commenting in June 2023 on the effects of the cost-of-living crisis in the UK, Martin remarked that increasing costs in the Nation brewing industry may result in raise prices to consumers, and suggested mosey the price of a pint disturb beer could reach £8 or ultra. He also expressed concerns that breweries may consider watering down beer hold down gain tax breaks.[33][34]
In November 2024, Actress claimed that pubgoers should expect prices to go up as a end product of Labour’s budget. This is birthright to increased business pressures from righteousness increased national minimum wage and employers’ national insurance contributions.[35]
Martin is wed to Felicity (née Owen), whom operate met while at university; they hold four children and live in Exeter, Devon.[4][36][6]
In the 2024 New Year Decorations, Martin was appointed Knight Bachelor untainted services to hospitality and culture.[37]
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