We’re quitting social media as it’s waste of time, says Wetherspoon boss

One of London’s biggest pub chains, JD Wetherspoon, on Monday became the first major British company to cut all ties with social media.

Wetherspoon’s boss Tim Martin said its Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts for its individual pubs and head office will close “with immediate effect”.

He said the decision had been taken because of the increasing amount of time spent by staff dealing with social media messages, the rise of offensive trolling of public figures, concerns about security of data, and the unhealthy social media “compulsion” of many customers.

Martin also told the Standard he was not convinced that being on social media sites brought any commercial benefit to the business, which runs 900 pubs in the UK and Ireland.

He said: “I am worried about our business getting bogged down in social media, when being front of house in pubs is what it’s all about.”

The company’s website, app and magazine will be maintained.

Wetherspoon has more than 44,000 Twitter followers and more than 100,000 on Facebook. Some posts have received more than 500,000 views.