JD Wetherspoon is slashing expansion from 50 to 40 pubs this year because of a sales decline and duty increases.
It achieved 18 net openings in the first half to take it to 841 managed pubs in the UK. Rival Punch Taverns intends to sell 400-500 pubs this financial year.
10/03/12 Financial Times 19
Times 48, 51
