As of early 2026, Wetherspoons runs over 800 pubs across the UK and Ireland. Yes, eight hundred. That's more than most high street coffee chains. It's an army of affordable ale and carpet that defies science.
But here's the kicker: they used to have more. In 2015, they peaked at nearly 1,000 boozers. Founder Tim Martin has been selling off the slower ones. He calls it "optimising the estate." We call it a pub cull.
A map of madness
The distribution is bonkers. London has the most, with over 60 in the city alone. But the real champion is Birmingham. The second city packs in 31 Spoons. You can't swing a pint glass without hitting one.
Scotland? They've got 45. Wales has 27. Northern Ireland? A modest 11. And Ireland (the Republic) gets just 9. Sorry, Dublin. You're slacking.
The smallest Wetherspoons? Try the Sir John Armitage in the tiny town of Louth, Lincolnshire. It's snug. The largest is the mammoth Royal Victoria Pavilion in Ramsgate. It once housed a casino and a cinema, now full of bargain breakfasts.
