ladbible homepage
ladbible homepage
  • Home
  • News
    • UK
    • US
    • World
    • Ireland
    • Australia
    • Science
    • Crime
    • Weather
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Film
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • Netflix
    • Disney
  • Sport
  • Technology
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Money
  • Originals
    • FFS PRODUCTIONS
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Citizen Reef
  • Videos
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • SPORTbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
Wetherspoon's pubs used to have a different name but Tim Martin changed it
Home>News
Updated 15:25 28 Jan 2023 GMTPublished 15:23 28 Jan 2023 GMT

Wetherspoon's pubs used to have a different name but Tim Martin changed it

The old name did not last long

Emma Guinness

Emma Guinness

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Wetherspoon - or Spoons as it is more commonly and affectionately known - is nothing short of a British institution.

While Spoons is not exactly winning any prizes with Gordon Ramsay, most Brits know that the pub chain can be relied upon for a meal and a cheap drink, but did you know it used to have a completely different name? Seriously.

It's hard to imagine Spoons being called anything other than, well, Spoons, but like a lot of pubs, the pub - which has the official name J D Wetherspoon plc - was initially named after its owner Tim Martin.

Advert

For the first month of business, it was known as Martin's Free House, which is probably why no one can remember the chain ever having a different name.

Wetherspoons is no longer named after its owner, Tim Martin.
Alamy / Izel Photography

When you think about it, this actually makes a lot of sense when it comes to the history of Great British chains - just look at Morrisons, which is named after founder William Morrison, and Sainsbury's, which gets its name from John James and Mary Ann Sainsbury.

However, as was later revealed on Spoons' website, Martin obviously didn't like the name and decided to rename the pubs after an old teacher.

The original Mr Wetherspoon taught the now-boozer mogul geography back when he was living in New Zealand.

The website states: "For the first month of trading, it was called Martin's Free House – after its owner, Wetherspoon's founder and chairman Tim Martin.

"Then, early in the new year of 1980, the pub was renamed Wetherspoon, after Tim's teacher, who'd taught him at school, when he lived in New Zealand."

For one month, Wetherspoons was called Martin's Free House.
Alamy / PA Images

While on the surface this seems like a sweet tribute to Martin's old teacher, it turns out that it was actually more of a dig.

The Express reported that he deliberately chose that name because this teacher told him that he 'wouldn't amount to anything'.

Martin himself weighed in on his reasons for naming the pub after a teacher he disliked, and he told the Independent back in 1999 that the original Mr Wethersoon 'was the least likely person to control a pub because he could not control a class.'

At this point, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Martin's teacher had J.D. Wetherspoon on his class door, but he didn't.

Instead, these initials are a reference to The Dukes of Hazzard character J.D. 'Boss' Hogg.

The more you know, eh?

Featured Image Credit: TW Photo Images / Islandstock / Alamy
Emma Guinness
Emma Guinness

Recommended reads

Dodgy Fire Stick users are being identified and given two week legal action warningMichael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesKatie Price responds to claims 'missing' husband Lee Andrews has been 'online'Instagram/Katie PriceEmbarrassing moment Elon Musk's Tesla cybertruck tries new 'wade mode' in lakeGrapevine PoliceThailand tourism crackdown has new UK visa rule months after cannabis law changeDaniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty Images

Advert

Choose your content:

12 hours ago
14 hours ago
16 hours ago
  • Grapevine Police
    12 hours ago

    Embarrassing moment Elon Musk's Tesla cybertruck tries new 'wade mode' in lake

    A man has been arrested after being accused of intentionally driving a cybertruck into a lake

    News
  • FIND KIELY
    14 hours ago

    YouTuber ordered to pay $17.5 million to dad of teenager after spreading lie about her death

    A jury reached the verdict that the YouTuber should have to pay millions

    News
  • MIKE PERSSON / AFP via Getty Images
    16 hours ago

    Two 'people hunters' under investigation over alleged sniper safaris that killed women and children

    Several journalists have now dropped bombshell claims about the alleged war crimes

    News
  • Charlotte Coney/Getty Images
    16 hours ago

    Father pays heartbreaking tribute as three sisters identified in Brighton beach tragedy

    The women's bodies were recovered from the water last week

    News

    breaking

  • Couple added another woman to their relationship and it changed everything
  • Justin Bieber set to be the highest ever paid Coachella headliner but will have to abide by serious rule to keep it all
  • Man earned £100k a year doing job no one wants but it had a worrying ‘dark side’
  • Tommy Robinson claims 'millions' turned up to march but authorities say it was significantly less