Euro 2012 football boosts JD Wetherspoon sales

JD Wetherspoon has more than 800 pubs across the UK

Pubs chain JD Wetherspoon has reported a sharp increase in sales thanks to the Euro 2012 football tournament and the Diamond Jubilee.

Like-for-like sales, which strip out the impact of sales from new and closed pubs, rose 6.1% in the 11 weeks to 8 July compared with a year earlier. Total sales were up 11.9%.

In the past year, the company has opened 40 pubs and closed three.

In March, it said it would be opening fewer pubs due to the UK's tax regime.

The chain reiterated that its main challenges this financial year have been cost pressures resulting from government legislation, including increases in excise duty and business rates.