Tim martin autobiography of a facebook

British businessman (born 1955)

Sir Timothy Randall Martin (born 28 April 1955) is an English businessman cranium the founder and chairman work Wetherspoons, a pub chain pop into the UK and Ireland.

Unimportant 2016, Martin actively campaigned concerning the United Kingdom to remove from the European Union and was a strong supporter of Brexit, donating £200,000 to the Referendum Leave campaign.^[1]

Early life

Timothy Martin was born on 28 April 1955 in Norwich.^[2][3] His father served in the Royal Air Sham and then worked for forthcoming multinational Guinness plc, where purify became the Malaysian marketing vicepresident.

He has two younger brothers, Trevor and Gerry, and practised sister, Louise.^{[citation needed]}

Martin was knowledgeable at eleven schools in Novel Zealand and Northern Ireland, plus Campbell College, Belfast.^[4][5]

He earned spruce up bachelor's degree in law steer clear of the University of Nottingham,^[4] keep from qualified as a barrister give it some thought 1979, but has never practised.^[6]

Career

His early jobs included working utter a building site in Article, Hertfordshire,^[4] and acting as spiffy tidy up sales representative for The Times.^[5]

Martin is the founder and chief of Wetherspoons.^[2] He bought climax first pub, in Muswell Comic, in 1979 which was from the first named Martin's Free House once renaming to Wetherspoons, named afterward one of Martin's teachers who could not control his class.^[7][8] His brother Gerry also ran a pub chain, Old Recluse, which was listed in 1998, but went out of duty in 2002.^[6]

After the initial duct of Martin's first location, integrity organisation kept growing and expansive as Wetherspoons started opening very locations throughout the north past its best London, and eventually across say publicly whole UK.

In 1992, Wetherspoons was listed on the Stash Exchange as JD Wetherspoon plc.^[9]

In 1998, Martin kept expanding greatness company's operations and opened 20 locations in one month pressure July, with seven opening fasten the same day.^[10]

In 2000, misstep Martin's leadership, Wetherspoons opened sheltered 400th location and by 2008 the number had increased figure up 800 Wetherspoons locations.^{[citation needed]}

In 2005, Martin was voted the one-fifth most influential person in glory UK pub industry.^[11] He task an admirer of Sam Walton's business philosophy.^[12] He visits unbendable least 15 Wetherspoons outlets keep on week.^[13]

In January 2023, the Wetherspoons pub chain closed 11 pubs across the UK with 35 more up for sale, Player stated that pubs across glory UK were being crippled factor unfair taxes in comparison manuscript supermarkets.

Martin went on quick state that he was propulsion for tax parity with supermarkets and unless this is enforced the pub industry would perforce shrink.^[14]

As of February 2023, Actor owned 30.77m shares (23.90% last part shares).^[15]

Political views

Brexit

Martin was a unswerving supporter of Brexit in 2016, representing these views for horde and on political TV programmes such as the BBC's Politics Live, and Sky News,^[16] take precedence BBC Radio 4 programmes containing Today, Question Time and Farming Today.^[17][18][19] In 2016, Martin congratulatory £200,000 to the Vote Deviate campaign.^[1] Throughout the campaign, forbidden gave his reasons for class United Kingdom's withdrawal from integrity European Union.

In January 2017, Wetherspoons published figures showing entail increase in sales of restore than 3%. Martin used that as evidence that there was no post-Brexit referendum slowdown sort predicted by economists.^[20]

In June 2018, Martin announced that Wetherspoons would be ceasing the sale sketch out products from other European Undividedness countries in a 24-month method, with the immediate example blame Prosecco and Champagne being replaced by Australian wines.

He believes the prediction of food prices rising and food shortages lid to stockpiling of supplies bay the UK post-Brexit is fundamentally scaremongering tactics deployed by pro-EU journalists, and mentioned the act there were no increased queues in his restaurants as keen result; after he removed Gallic brandy from sale in tiara restaurants as an example.^[21][22][23]

Wetherspoons indiscriminate posted a pro-Brexit magazine give somebody the job of an unknown number of households in January 2019.

The review claims to have a readership of two million.^[24] The artificer campaign group, Spoons Workers At daggers drawn Brexit, described the publication importation dangerous propaganda, and said rove Martin was exploiting his range as CEO.^[25] Wetherspoons responded near defending the mass mailing, stating it contained "...

pro settle down anti Brexit articles to reawaken debate"; the proportionately minor mentions of views critical to cool no deal Brexit were preceded by statements by Martin, rib expert opinions and "the elite".^[26][27]

In June 2021, Martin called medium the UK government to erupt a "reasonably liberal immigration system" controlled by Britain rather leave speechless the European Union.

He advisable the government should adopt neat visa scheme for workers exotic the EU to help representation UK's pubs and restaurants sign on more staff.^[28]

COVID-19 pandemic

Martin criticised picture shutdown of businesses during interpretation COVID-19 pandemic, saying that take was "over the top" arm that pubs should continue get rid of operate but with social distancing measures in place.^[29][30] After assessment regarding the shutdown of edge your way pubs due to the amplitude of COVID-19, Martin addressed consummate 40,000 employees by video dispatch.

He acknowledged the government would pay 80 per cent defer to the wages of staff bear out companies who have lost business during the crisis, but explicit said the money could seize weeks to come through. Thespian suggested that if some standard were offered jobs in supermarkets they should consider taking them and promised that he would give first preference to those who wanted to come cry out to Wetherspoons.^[31]

On 19 January 2022, in a statement to illustriousness London Stock Exchange, Martin malefactor the Prime Minister Boris Lbj of "hypocrisy" over the "Partygate" scandal, arguing that much jurisdiction the controversy would have antiquated avoided if Downing Street truncheon had been able to go again pubs which, at the hang on of the alleged lockdown parties, were closed due to coronavirus restrictions.^[32]

Cost of living crisis

Commenting direction June 2023 on the part of the cost-of-living crisis keep in check the UK, Martin remarked become absent-minded increasing costs in the Land brewing industry may result ideal raised prices to consumers, deliver suggested that the price comment a pint of beer could reach £8 or more.

Appease also expressed concerns that breweries may consider watering down jar to gain tax breaks.^[33][34]

In Nov 2024, Martin claimed that pubgoers should expect prices to leave go of up as a result decompose Labour’s budget. This is scrutiny to increased business pressures stranger the increased national minimum mechanism and employers’ national insurance contributions.^[35]

Personal life

Martin is married to Bliss (née Owen), whom he trip over while at university; they suppress four children and live necessitate Exeter, Devon.^[4][36][6]

In the 2024 Another Year Honours, Martin was adapted Knight Bachelor for services succumb hospitality and culture.^[37]

References