JD Wetherspoon PLC (LSE:JDW) reported a slight slowing of sales growth for its pubs over the past quarter and said staff costs will increase by around £60 million a year from April due to the government's changes to minimum wages and NICs.
For the second quarter to 19 January, like-for-like growth was 4.6%, down from the 5.9% in the first quarter of its financial year.
For the whole 25 weeks, LFL sales were up 5.1%, with bar sales increasing 4.5%, food 5.6% and slot/fruit machines by 11.7%, while hotel room sales decreased by 6.5%.
Over the period, the pub group opened two sites and sold six for £4.1 million, with plans to open nine pubs over the whole of 2025.
Shares in the FTSE 250-listed company were roughly flat at 611p on Wednesday morning.