Wetherspoon to open first pub in Spain – offering garlic prawns and beer from 6am

Wetherspoon to Open First Pub Outside UK with Early Morning Beer Serves and Spanish Flair

In a move that marks its first foray into mainland Europe, Wetherspoon is set to open its very first pub on the continent - in Alicante airport. Spanning 93 square meters of floor space, the pub will cater exclusively to Britons waiting to board their planes home from Spain's popular tourist hotspot, Costa Blanca.

Scheduled to launch in January, the Castell de Santa Bàrbera pub promises to bring a taste of England to Spanish shores. Rather than serving traditional British fare, the menu is expected to offer an eclectic mix of local and international favorites, including garlic prawns and Spanish omelette.

But what sets this airport pub apart from its UK counterparts is its unusual hours - it will serve beer and food from 6am onwards, catering to holidaymakers looking for a pre-flight pit stop. The decision comes as Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin gears up to expand his chain's reach into the European market, following years of vocal opposition to EU membership.

The smaller-than-average pub will boast an outdoor terrace with seating, where thirsty travelers can grab a drink and soak up some sun before their flight is called. Food will be available throughout the day, with opening hours extending until just 60 minutes before closing time.

Martin's plan for global expansion comes on the heels of slower sales growth in the UK, which has seen the chain's revenue rise by just 3.7% over the past two months. However, Wetherspoon remains a business known for its consistent performance and ability to deliver growth, with Martin expressing optimism about its future prospects.

As Wetherspoon takes its first steps into continental Europe, it raises questions about the future of the UK pub scene - will this be the start of a new era of expansion, or simply a strategic move in an increasingly competitive market?

I mean, I'm loving the idea of getting a taste of England at Alicante airport . But, to be honest, I'm not sure about serving beer from 6am onwards . That's just gonna wake up all the sleepyheads and put 'em in a state . Give me a morning coffee at home any day ️. And garlic prawns? That sounds like a weird choice for an airport pub . Still, I guess it'll be interesting to see how that thing goes down . Wetherspoon's always been good about surprising people with their new ideas, so who knows, maybe it'll be a hit !

Airport pubs are a thing now . 6am beer serves? More like 'can't sleep thinking about the flight' brews . Still, I guess it's cool they're trying something new. Spain can handle Wetherspoon for now .

omg can u imagine sippin on a pint o beer at 6am while watchin sunrise its like wetherspoons is bringin the british vibes to spain, and talkin about it just got me hyped!! i mean, who wouldn't wanna grab a bite or drink before their flight home? and the spanish flair sounds so cool, cant wait to try that garlic prawn dish its def a bold move by tim martin & wetherspoons, but idk if its gonna change the game for uk pubs... maybe its just the start of somethin new tho

aww man i feel u they're bringin some british vibes to spanish shores and servin up early morning drinks sounds like exactly wut we all need after a night out partying i'm def gonna be curious about how this whole experience goes down, especially with the 6am beer serves lol what's next tho? more pub expansion or r they just tryna cater to the eurotravellers

I'm not sure if this is gonna be a game changer for Wetherspoon or just another way to milk their customer base. I mean, we all love a good pub lunch, but 6am beer serves is that really what Brits want from an airport experience? And how's that gonna affect the locals who already have a lot to deal with in terms of tourist traffic?

I gotta say, I'm loving this move by Wetherspoon! Serving up breakfast beers and Spanish omelette at Alicante airport is genius . I mean, who doesn't love a good pre-flight meal and pint before the long haul home? And having that outdoor terrace with seating sounds like a game-changer - perfect spot for Brits waiting to catch their flights back to Blighty ️.

I'm not surprised it's happening now, considering the UK pub scene has been struggling lately. But hey, if Wetherspoon can bring a bit of British flair to Spanish shores, I say let them have a crack at it! Who knows, maybe this is the start of a new era for the chain? We'll just have to wait and see how it all pans out...

I'm not sure if I love the idea of having a pub at Alicante airport but it's definitely a clever move by Wetherspoon to cater to their existing customer base . I mean, who doesn't want a pint and some grub before a flight? It's also interesting that they're offering a mix of local and international food options - will this help them appeal to more tourists or just Brits looking for a taste of home? The hours are pretty unusual too, but hey, if it works, who cares? Maybe it'll be the start of a new trend in airport pubs? Only time (and their sales figures) will tell

I mean, can you believe they're opening a Wetherspoons at Alicante airport?! ️ What's next? A pub at Heathrow for those returning from Tokyo? But seriously, it's pretty cool that they're catering to Brits on the go. Those early morning beer serves and Spanish flair are gonna be a hit with the holidaymakers! I've got friends who travel all the time and this would be a godsend for them. Plus, Tim Martin expanding into Europe is no surprise, given how popular Wetherspoons has gotten back home. Still, it's interesting to see how this'll affect the UK pub scene...

I'm loving this news ! An airport pub in Alicante that serves breakfast beers and Spanish omelettes sounds like a genius idea to me. I mean, who wouldn't want to have a pint at 6am before a flight home from Costa Blanca? It's genius marketing, really. And can you imagine the queue for the loo when it opens on a Friday morning? Anyway, I'm excited to see how this venture goes down and if it'll be the start of more UK pubs popping up abroad. Maybe they'll even bring some proper English tea to Spain! ️

I just saw that news and I'm kinda surprised they're doing an airport pub first . I mean, don't get me wrong, it's great for Brits heading back to the UK but I think they should start with a city centre spot first . Also, 6am beer serves? That's gonna be a wild ride . And I'm curious about the menu, garlic prawns and Spanish omelette? Not bad, not bad at all . But what really got me thinking is that Wetherspoon is expanding into Europe because of slower sales growth in the UK... it just feels like they're trying to distract us from their problems . Still, I hope it works out for them and we get more options in airports ️

I'm not sure I'm down with this idea. I mean, airports are already crazy busy and adding a pub to the mix could just make things even more chaotic. Plus, serving beer from 6am? That's just gonna attract all the party animals looking for a pre-flight buzz. But hey, if it brings in some extra cash, I won't complain! It'll be interesting to see how they manage the crowds and keep everything running smoothly. Maybe they can even offer some sort of "flight simulator" experience or something

I mean, what's next? First, we'll have pubs that serve beer from 6am and serve Spanish omelette for breakfast... it's just not right. I love Wetherspoon as much as the next guy, but this airport pub thing just feels like a gimmick to me. What's the point of opening a pub at an airport if they're not gonna serve proper English food? And 6am hours? That's just madness! People will be trying to catch some shut-eye on the plane before their long-haul flight and you'll have them stumbling into your pub like zombies... . I'm all for Wetherspoon expanding globally, but let's not get ahead of ourselves here...

omg can u imagine having a wetherspoons near ur airport i think its a great idea to have early morning beer serves though, who doesnt love a pint before a flight i mean, the spanish flair is cool and all but im not sure if its going to be a hit with british expats waiting for their planes. maybe its just a way for wetherspoons to get in on the airport action before they go global? anyway, cant wait to hear how it does!

OMG I'm so down for that ! A Wetherspoon pub at Alicante airport sounds like such a brilliant idea! Who wouldn't want to grab a pint and some grub before their flight home? The fact they're serving beer from 6am onwards is genius, I mean who doesn't love a pre-flight breakfast or brunch? Plus, it's so cool that they're bringing a taste of England to Spain! Can't wait to see how this goes down and maybe even get to try some garlic prawns on the menu

man i'm mixed about this one . on one hand, i love the idea of wetherspoon bringing a taste of england to spain and catering to british expats. it's like they're giving a little slice of home away from home . but at the same time, i worry that it might be just a way for them to make some extra cash off unsuspecting holidaymakers . i mean, 6am beer serves? that's just crazy talk ️. and what about all the other pubs in spain that are already serving great food and drinks? do we really need another one of these airport pubs? still, it'll be cool to see what they come up with in terms of menu and vibe... garlic prawns and spanish omelette sound like a tasty combo .

I'm low-key excited about Wetherspoons expanding to Alicante airport, but can we talk about how weird it is that they're catering only to Brits waiting for planes? Like, who's going to be there to drink beer from 6am onwards? The idea of serving garlic prawns and Spanish omelette sounds kinda cool though, especially if you're already in Spain. I hope the pub does well and brings a taste of England to the sunny Costa Blanca coast! But also, is this just a desperate attempt to boost sales because they're not doing so great in the UK?

Meh, airport pubs are just a novelty thing... think they'll catch on with regulars . 6am beer serves? Who's gonna be drinking at that hour? And what's with the Spanish flair, is it really necessary? I mean, can't they just stick to traditional pub grub and call it a day? And don't even get me started on Wetherspoon's expansion plans... they're basically just trying to cling to relevance. The UK pub scene needs a shake-up, not more of the same old formula.

I'm not buying it. This has got to be some kind of Trojan horse plan for Wetherspoon to brainwash all those Brits flying out of Alicante with their weird British food and drink. What's the real reason they're doing this? Are they trying to create a loyal army of beer-swilling, garlic-prawn-eating tourists who'll keep coming back to Spain... or is it just a cover for something more sinister? And what about all those hours they'll be serving? Is that really necessary? Sounds like a recipe for fatigue and dependency on foreign booze. There's got to be more to this story than meets the eye...

I'm defo down with Wetherspoons expanding to mainland Europe . I mean, who doesn't love a good pint while waiting for their flight, right? And the fact that they're serving Spanish food is a great idea - garlic prawns are my fave! It's not like they'll be changing the menu too much or anything.

I think this is a smart move by Tim Martin and his team. Slower sales growth in the UK doesn't mean they can't make it work on the continent. Plus, it's always good to have some competition out there. I'm curious to see how it'll all play out - will this be the start of a new era for UK pubs?

One thing that's got me thinking is what other pub chains will follow suit? Will we see more airport pubs popping up across Europe? And how will Wetherspoons adapt their menu and services to cater to local tastes? Time will tell, I suppose!