Wetherspoon to open central London pubs from 8am on day of Queen’s funeral

JD Wetherspoon has said its central London, railway station and airport pubs will all remain open on Monday as the Queen’s funeral takes place.

The pub giant said the majority of its venues will be shut for the funeral service, only opening for the day from about 1pm after the funeral takes place.

It is the latest hospitality company to confirm its opening plans for Monday September 19, which will be a public bank holiday.

A spokesman for the company said: “Pub company Wetherspoon is opening its pubs in central London, rail stations and airports and all of its hotels (hotels will be open for resident guests only) during normal trading hours from 8am until midnight on Monday September 19.

“The majority of its pubs will open later than usual, after the state funeral, at approximately 1pm and will remain open during normal trading hours after that.”

The UK’s biggest pub firm, Stonegate, said on Wednesday it plans to keep venues open and show footage of the Queen’s funeral.

The Slug & Lettuce owner, which runs about 4,500 pubs and bars, said its managed venues will remain open to allow customers to celebrate the life of the Queen, with those running its leased and tenanted pubs able to independently decide whether they will open.

Heineken’s pub arm, Star Pubs & Bars, said it may keep some venues open for the day as well, allowing independent leaseholders to decide.

It comes as the vast majority of retailers have said they will shut their doors during the day as a mark of respect for the Queen.

Downing Street has indicated that it is up to individual businesses how to approach the bank holiday.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said that the day of the funeral will operate as “a standard bank holiday”.

“Obviously individual businesses will need to make the decisions about what’s right for them and discuss with their employees but there is obviously no one-size-fits-all approach.”