Wetherspoons Bans Speakerphone Calls and Loud Music in Pubs
The pub chain Wetherspoons has banned customers from playing music out loud or taking calls on speakerphone in its 792 establishments, citing a growing problem of noise that was driving other patrons "nuts".
The pub chain Wetherspoons has moved to silence the modern scourge of public noise pollution, imposing a ban on customers playing music or taking speakerphone calls within its establishments. The company, which operates 792 pubs across the United Kingdom, said the decision followed a rising tide of complaints about the racket from personal devices, which was driving other customers "nuts". Staff have been instructed to ask patrons to switch their devices to silent or use earphones, with managers retaining the discretion to eject those who refuse to comply.
The move reflects a growing public intolerance for the intrusive sounds of other people's digital lives. Research has consistently shown that a majority of Britons find the practice of taking calls on speaker or playing music without headphones deeply annoying. A Transport for London survey of 1,000 people last year found that 70% of respondents considered such noise a nuisance. However, the evidence also points to a generational divide; an Ofcom study from August 2022 revealed that among 13-to-17-year-olds, 83% considered it acceptable to watch videos without headphones.
Wetherspoons, whose establishments are famously devoid of piped music, has long cultivated an atmosphere of quiet contemplation. Its chief executive, Sir Tim Martin, has described the pubs as "an oasis of tranquillity and contemplation... in a world dominated by other people's music and amplified sound". In announcing the new policy, he quipped that the aim was to prevent customers from being "driven chicken jalfrezi by a cacophony of sound". The ban will also apply to the chain's 44 Lloyds' bars, where music is played in the evenings.
The decision places Wetherspoons in line with a stricter, longstanding policy from rival chain Sam Smiths, which prohibits any use of phones or technology. It comes at a time of financial headwinds for the company, which has seen its number of pubs fall from a peak of 955 in late 2015. Last month, Wetherspoons warned investors that profit for the year would be lower than expected due to rising costs for food, labour, repairs, energy and business rates. The British Beer and Pub Association welcomed the new policy, noting that a clear rule helps staff and customers alike, and that few people "relish having a pint against the backdrop of a speakerphone call".