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November
3, 2005
Burnham-On-Sea
pub to start serving up alcohol from 9am each day
A
Burnham-On-Sea pub is to serve alcohol from 9am when new drinking
legislation comes into force later this month.
 JD
Wetherspoon announced this week that virtually all its 650 pubs
across the country, including The Reed's Arms on Burnham seafront,
will allow alcohol to be sold from 9am seven days a week once
new drinking laws come into force on November 24th.
The
Reed's
Arms currently
opens at 10am and closes at 11pm, but will be extending its opening
hours until 1am.
JD
Wetherspoon has soothed fears that the new opening times will
encourage heavier drinking by stating that the majority of early
morning sales are expected to be breakfasts, coffees and non-alcoholic
drinks.
A
spokesman said: "We believe that we are the only large pub
company to open this early."
"There
has been concern expressed about binge-drinking, but Wetherspoon
has a good record of responsible behaviour in this area,"
he added.
 The
comments came as the firm revealed trading remained poor in recent
months, with like-for-like sales down 0.9 per cent in the 13 weeks
to October 23.
The
chain also said business had remained slow at those pubs where
it had banned smoking.
A
smoking ban is expected to come into force at The Reed's Arms
in Burnham-On-Sea during 2006 when it will be the town's first
no-smoking pub.
Finance
director Jim Clarke explain that the introduction of the later
hours is aimed at attracting people who want to stay out for a
drink after 11pm, but do not necessarily want to go to a nightclub.
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