Pre-Annual General Meeting Information • Oct 27, 2025
Pre-Annual General Meeting Information
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If you are in any doubt about what action to take, you should consult your stockbroker, solicitor, accountant or other appropriate independent professional adviser authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. If you have sold or otherwise transferred all of your shares in J D Wetherspoon plc (the 'Company'), please forward this document and the accompanying proxy form to the person through whom the sale or transfer was effected, for transmission to the purchaser or transferee.
27th October 2025
Dear Shareholder
etc.venues, 50-52 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1HL Thursday 20th November 2025 at 10am
I am pleased to invite you to our 2025 Annual General Meeting (the 'Meeting').
The formal notice of Meeting and your proxy form are enclosed.
If you would like to vote on the resolutions, but cannot attend the Meeting, please fill in the proxy form and return it to our registrars at the address detailed in the notes to the notice of Meeting as soon as possible, but in any case by no later than 10am on 18th November 2025. The completion and return of a proxy, or the appointment of a proxy, will not prevent you from attending and voting at the Meeting, or any adjournment of it, in person should you wish to do so. Irrespective of whether or not you propose to attend the Meeting, we would encourage you to appoint the Chair of the Meeting as your proxy. This will ensure that your vote will be counted if ultimately you are (or any proxy you might otherwise appoint is) not able to attend on the day for any reason.
If you plan to attend the Meeting, we also invite you to submit any questions you may want the Company to answer at the Meeting to the address below, for the attention of the Company Secretary, or via e-mail to [email protected] before 10am on 18th November 2025. In addition, questions will be invited from the floor of the Meeting itself. It is hoped that advance notice of some of the questions will enable the Company to select important issues to debate which might otherwise be missed. It might also encourage institutional investors to attend.
If you are intending to attend the meeting could you please indicate in the space provided on the proxy form, or by clicking the relevant box if voting electronically.
Please note that the e-mail address above is only to be used for submitting questions in advance for answering at the Meeting and for no other purpose. Any questions received will be answered in accordance with paragraph 12 of the general notes to the notice of meeting.
The directors consider that all resolutions to be put to the Meeting are in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders as a whole. Each of the directors will be voting in favour of each of the resolutions in respect of their own holdings of shares (save in respect of resolutions in which they are interested) and unanimously recommend that you do so as well.
Yours sincerely
Tim Martin Chairman
Registered office: Wetherspoon House Reeds Crescent Watford WD24 4QL
Registered number: 1709784
Notice is hereby given that the 2025 Annual General Meeting of J D Wetherspoon plc will be held at etc. venues, 50-52 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1HL at 10am on 20th November 2025 to consider and, if thought fit, pass the following resolutions.
All resolutions will be proposed as ordinary resolutions, except for resolutions 15, 16, 17 and 18 which will be proposed as special resolutions.
The explanatory notes on pages 6 to 8 give further information on each of the resolutions that are to be proposed at the Meeting.
To consider and, if thought fit, pass the following resolutions as ordinary resolutions:
To consider and, if thought fit, pass the following resolutions, in the case of resolutions 13 and 14 as ordinary resolutions and in the case of resolutions 15, 16, 17 and 18 as special resolutions:
(B) to allot Relevant Securities comprising equity securities (within the meaning of section 560 of the Act) up to an aggregate nominal amount of £753,620.76 in connection with an offer in favour of holders of ordinary shares in proportion (as nearly as may be practicable) to their existing holdings of ordinary shares, but subject to such exclusions or other arrangements as the directors deem necessary or expedient in relation to fractional entitlements or any legal, regulatory or practical issues under the laws of any territory or the requirements of any regulatory body or stock exchange.
The powers set out in subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall be for a period expiring (unless previously revoked, varied or renewed by the Company) on the date which is 15 months from the date of the passing of this resolution or, if sooner, the end of the next annual general meeting of the Company, provided that the Company may, before such expiry, make an offer or agreement which would or might require Relevant Securities to be allotted after this authority expires, and the directors may allot Relevant Securities in pursuance of such offer or agreement, as if this authority had not expired.
This power applies in relation to a sale of shares which is an allotment of equity securities by virtue of section 560(3) of the Act as if, in the first paragraph of this resolution, the words 'pursuant to the authority conferred by resolution 14' were omitted.
This power applies in relation to a sale of shares which is an allotment of equity securities by virtue of section 560(3) of the Act as if, in the first paragraph of this resolution, the words 'pursuant to the authority conferred by resolution 14' were omitted.
(A) the maximum number of ordinary shares which may be purchased is 16,956,467;
(B) the price at which an ordinary share may be purchased shall not exceed 105% of the average of the middlemarket quotations for the ordinary shares (as derived from the Stock Exchange Daily Official List) for the five business days preceding the date of purchase and shall not be less than its nominal value, in each case exclusive of expenses; and
By order of the board
Nigel Connor Company Secretary
Wetherspoon House Reeds Crescent Watford WD24 4QL
For each resolution that is proposed as an ordinary resolution, more than half of the votes cast in respect of the relevant resolution must be in favour of the resolution for it to be passed. For each of the resolutions that are being proposed as a special resolution, at least three-quarters of the votes cast in respect of the relevant resolution must be in favour of the resolution for it to be passed. Voting on all of the proposed resolutions at the Meeting will be conducted on a poll rather than on a show of hands.
The directors recommend that the Company adopt the reports of the directors and the auditors and the audited accounts of the Company for the year ended 27th July 2025.
Resolution 2, which will be proposed as an ordinary resolution, asks shareholders to approve the directors' remuneration report for the year ended 27th July 2025 in the form set out on pages 67 to 74 of the annual report.
In accordance with the remuneration reporting rules, the vote on the report is an advisory vote and so the directors' entitlement to receive remuneration is not conditional on it.
The directors recommend a final dividend of 8.0 pence per share. Subject to approval of the proposed dividend by shareholders, the dividend will be paid on 27th November 2025 to shareholders on the register at close of business on 24th October 2025.
In accordance with the UK Corporate Governance Code, all of the directors of the Company will stand for re-election to the board with the exception of Harry Morley who, as previously announced, will retire from the board after the meeting. The chairman confirms that each director's performance continues to be effective and demonstrates commitment to his or her respective roles, including time commitments for board and committee meetings. The chairman also confirms that the contribution of each director is, and continues to be, important to the Company's long-term sustainable success. Further details, including biographical details, are set out on page 64 of the annual report.
The auditors of the Company must be appointed at each general meeting at which accounts are laid to hold office until the conclusion of the next such meeting. The Company proposes Grant Thornton UK LLP be re-appointed as the Company's auditors for the next financial year and that the Audit Committee of the board authorise its remuneration.
Resolution 13 relates to the proposed introduction of a new deferred bonus scheme by the Company, the J.D. Wetherspoon plc Deferred Bonus Scheme 2025 (the "New DBS"), and which will replace the Company's existing deferred bonus scheme, the J.D. Wetherspoon plc Deferred Bonus Scheme (the "Existing DBS").
Since its approval by shareholders in November 2015, the Existing DBS has provided for the grant to the Company's executive directors and other senior managers of bonus awards which relate to performance over a financial year of the Company. Awards granted under the Existing DBS are settled in cash or shares which are ordinarily delivered in three equal instalments, at the end of the relevant financial year to which the bonus award relates and on the first and second anniversaries of the end of that financial year respectively.
The Existing DBS is due to reach the end of its 10-year life on 12th November 2025. The Remuneration Committee has therefore concluded that shareholder authority should be sought under Resolution 13 for the adoption now of the New DBS to replace the Existing DBS.
The terms of the New DBS have been drafted to be materially similar to the Existing DBS, but with appropriate changes to bring the New DBS in line with prevailing best practice.
The terms of the New DBS are consistent with the relevant provisions of the Company's current directors' remuneration policy which was approved by shareholders at the Company's annual general meeting held on 16th November 2023.
The principal terms of the New DBS are summarised in Appendix 1 of this Notice of Annual General Meeting.
The Companies Act 2006 (the 'Act') prevents directors of a public company from allotting shares, other than pursuant to an employee share scheme, without the authority of shareholders in a general meeting. In certain circumstances, this could be unduly restrictive. The general authority previously given to the directors to allot 'relevant securities' will expire at the end of the Meeting.
Accordingly, Resolution 14, which will be proposed as an ordinary resolution, authorises the directors (pursuant to section 551 of the Act) to allot ordinary shares:
The Company does not currently hold any ordinary shares in treasury.
The authority sought by this resolution (unless previously varied, revoked or renewed) will expire on the earlier of 15 months from the date of passing the resolution and the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company.
In accordance with the Investment Association's share capital management guidelines, the limit on the directors' authority to allot shares under section 551 of the Act may be increased from one-third to two-thirds of the Company's issued share capital, provided that the amount of any authority above one-third must be applied to fully pre-emptive offers and should be valid for the period until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting only.
The directors will exercise such authority to allot shares only when satisfied that it is in the interests of the Company to do so. They have no present intention of exercising the authority.
The provisions of section 561 of the Companies Act 2006 (the 'Act') (which confer on shareholders rights of pre-emption in respect of the allotment of 'equity securities' which are, or are to be, paid up in cash, other than by way of allotment to employees under an employee share scheme) apply to the unissued ordinary shares of the Company to the extent that they are not disapplied, pursuant to sections 570 and 573 of the Act.
The current disapplication of these statutory pre-emption rights will expire at the end of the Meeting. Accordingly, Resolution 15, which will be proposed as a special resolution, permits the directors to allot shares without the application of these statutory pre-emption rights: first, in relation to offers of equity securities by way of rights issue, open offer or similar arrangements; and second, in relation to the allotment of equity securities for cash, up to a maximum aggregate nominal amount of £226,086.23 (representing approximately 10% of the nominal value of the ordinary shares of the Company in issue as at 15th October 2025 (being the last practicable date prior to the publication of this document)).
The authority (unless previously varied, revoked or renewed) will expire on the earlier of 15 months from the date of passing the resolution and the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company.
The directors are following the updated Statement of Principles issued by the Pre-Emption Group on 4th November 2022 (the "Pre-Emption Principles").
Although the directors embrace the flexibility conferred by Resolutions 15 and 16 to issue shares without the application of pre-emption rights, the directors also recognise that existing shareholders may be keen to participate in a non pre-emptive "follow-on" offer carried out under these authorities. The directors are therefore supportive of the ability to make a "follow-on" offer as reflected in the Pre-Emption Principles, and which has been reflected in each of these Resolutions.
The directors confirm that they intend to follow the shareholder protections and approach to follow-on offers contained in Part 2B of the Pre-Emption Principles.
Following the adoption by the Pre-Emption Group of the Pre-Emption Principles, the Company proposes to seek an authority from shareholders for the disapplication of pre-emption rights for an additional 10% of the issued share capital of the Company for the purpose of a specified capital investment.
Resolution 16, which will be proposed as a special resolution, permits the directors to allot shares without the application of the statutory pre-emption rights, in addition to any authority granted under Resolution 15, up to a maximum aggregate nominal amount of £226,086.23 (representing approximately 10% of the nominal value of the ordinary shares of the Company in issue as at 15th October 2025 (being the last practicable date prior to the publication of this document)) to be used only for the purposes of financing (or refinancing, if the authority is to be used within six months after the original transaction) a transaction which the directors determine to be an acquisition or other capital investment of a kind contemplated by the Pre-Emption Principles.
The authority (unless previously varied, revoked or renewed) will expire on the earlier of 15 months from the date of passing the resolution and the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company.
As referenced above, this Resolution 16 includes the ability of the Company to make a follow-on offer of the kind contemplated by the Pre-Emption Principles.
In common with many other listed companies, the Company proposes, once again, to seek an authority from shareholders to permit it to purchase its own shares. Accordingly, Resolution 17 will be proposed as a special resolution to authorise the Company to make market purchases of up to 16,956,467 shares, just under 15% of the Company's
current issued ordinary share capital, at prices not less than the nominal value of an ordinary share and not exceeding 105% of the average of the middle-market quotations for an ordinary share for the five business days before each purchase (in each case, exclusive of expenses). The authority will last until the earlier of 15 months from the date of passing the resolution and the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company.
The directors envisage that purchases would be made only after considering the effects on earnings per share and the benefits for shareholders generally.
If Resolution 17 is passed, it is the Company's current intention to cancel all of the shares it may purchase pursuant to the authority granted to it. However, in order to respond properly to the Company's capital requirements and the prevailing market conditions, the board will need to assess at the time of any and each actual purchase whether to hold the shares in treasury or to cancel them, provided it is permitted to do so.
The notice period required for general meetings of the Company is 21 clear days, unless shareholders approve a shorter notice period, which cannot, however, be fewer than 14 clear days. Resolution 18 seeks such approval. The approval will be effective until the Company's next annual general meeting, when it is intended that a similar resolution will be proposed.
In addition, in order to be able to call a general meeting on under 21 clear days' notice, the Company must make a means of electronic voting available to all shareholders at that meeting.
The shorter notice period would not be used as a matter of routine for such meetings, but only where the flexibility is merited by the business of the meeting and is thought to be to the advantage of shareholders as a whole.
Annual general meetings will continue to be held on at least 21 clear days' notice.
Summary of the principal terms of the J.D. Wetherspoon plc Deferred Bonus Scheme 2025
The J.D. Wetherspoon plc Deferred Bonus Scheme 2025 (the "New DBS") is a proposed share-settled bonus arrangement which will be made available to senior managers and above, including executive directors.
The New DBS has been designed to replace the J.D. Wetherspoon plc Deferred Bonus Scheme (the "Existing DBS"), which was approved by shareholders in November 2015 and is due to expire in November 2025, after which it will no longer be possible to grant new awards under the Existing DBS. The New DBS has been designed to be materially similar to the Existing DBS, but appropriate changes have been made
to the New DBS rules to reflect current legislation and bring the terms of the New DBS in line with prevailing best practice.
The New DBS is consistent with the relevant provisions of the Company's current directors' remuneration policy which was approved by shareholders at the Company's annual general meeting held on 16th November 2023.
The Remuneration Committee of the board of directors of the Company (the "Committee") may select, at its discretion, executive directors and other employees of the Company and its wider group (the "Group") to participate in the New DBS from time to time.
In practice, all Group employees who are at senior manager level and above, including executive directors of the Company, will be eligible to participate in the New DBS for any financial year.
At or about the start of any financial year, all eligible employees of the Group will be invited to participate in the New DBS for that financial year (each, a "Participant") and each such Participant may be granted a bonus award under the New DBS (a "Bonus Award").
Bonus Awards consist of a conditional right to receive a bonus amount, which may be provided to the relevant Participant in the form of shares in the Company ("Shares") or in cash.
The Committee will specify the performance criteria and methodology by which the actual amount of any Bonus Award which shall be payable to each Participant in respect of that financial year for will be calculated. The Remuneration Committee will continue to set appropriately challenging performance criteria based on the financial performance of the Company.
Following the end of the relevant financial year, the Committee shall calculate the amount that each Participant may be entitled to receive, if any, in connection with their Bonus Award. Such calculation shall ordinarily be performed by reference to performance against the performance criteria set by the Committee for the relevant financial year. However, if events have occurred which cause the Committee to consider that the performance criteria and/or methodology of calculating performance which was chosen when the Bonus Award was granted have become unfair or impracticable, it may at its discretion (acting fairly and reasonably) amend the performance criteria and/or methodology in such manner as it sees fit.
Bonus Awards are not capable of transfer or assignment by a Participant to any other person (save, in the event of a Participant's death, to the Participant's personal representatives).
No Bonus Awards will be made after the tenth anniversary of the date on which the New DBS is approved by shareholders.
Bonus Awards shall be satisfied by the issue or transfer to the Participant of Shares in the Company (subject to the deduction of income tax and employee national insurance contributions). The number of Shares to which the Participant will be entitled (the "Award Shares") will be equal to the amount of the Bonus Award as determined by the Committee (by reference to the performance criteria), divided by the average market value of a Share over the five dealing days following the announcement by the Company of the results for the financial year in respect of which the Bonus Award was granted.
On the day falling 30 days after the determination of the amount of the Bonus Award (the "Award Date" and the "Determination Date" respectively), one-third of the total number of Award Shares to which the Participant is entitled will be issued or transferred to them. A further one-third of the total number of Award Shares will be issued or transferred to the Participant on each of the first and second anniversaries of the Award Date (provided they remain an employee of the Company or one of its subsidiaries – see paragraph 7 (Termination of employment) below for further details).
Bonus Awards may be satisfied by the issue of new Shares, by the purchase of Shares in the market, by the transfer of Shares held within an employees' share trust or by the transfer of Shares from treasury.
No Bonus Award may be granted under the New DBS if it would cause the number of new Shares issued or issuable pursuant to awards and options granted in the preceding 10 years under any Group share plan (including the New DBS) to exceed 10% of the Company's issued ordinary share capital on the day before the proposed date of grant.
As is typical, if Bonus Awards are specified as being capable of being satisfied by a transfer of existing Shares only (including Shares held by or purchased by an employees' share trust), the percentage limits stated above will not apply. For so long as it is required by institutional investor guidelines, these dilution limits will also apply to Awards satisfied by the transfer of Shares from treasury.
Alternatively, the Committee may determine at any time that a Bonus Award may be satisfied (in full or in part) by the payment of a cash sum in an amount which is equal to the value of the Award Shares that would otherwise have been received by the Participant.
The Committee may determine that a Participant is entitled to receive additional Shares (or, alternatively, a cash sum) when they receive their Bonus Award Shares in an amount which are equivalent to the value of any dividends that would have been payable in relation to the Bonus Award Shares between the Award Date and the date on which the Bonus Award Shares are issued or transferred to them.
Any dividend equivalent payment may exclude the amount of any special dividends and/or may assume re-investment of dividends in further Shares on the relevant dividend record date, in each case as determined by the Committee.
If at any time in the two-year period after the Determination Date (or such other period specified by the Committee on or prior to the Award Date) the Committee determines in respect of an Award that:
the Committee may seek to withhold or recover some or all of the amount that is capable of payment or which has been paid in connection with an Award by:
The Committee may also use any of the above methods to give effect to any clawback provisions contained in any other incentive arrangement operated by any Group Company in which the relevant participant participates.
The clawback provisions above will apply regardless of the circumstances in which the Award is satisfied (including good leaver and takeover situations).
A Participant who ceases to be employed by the Group before the Award Date in circumstances in which they are a 'good leaver' shall have the amount of their Bonus Award reduced to reflect the proportion of the financial year to which the Bonus Award relates that they were employed.
A Participant who ceases to be employed by the Group on or after the Award Date in circumstances in which they are a 'good leaver' shall be entitled to receive a proportion of the Shares that have not yet been released to them. Such proportion will normally be calculated by dividing the number of months from the Award Date to the date on which employment ceased by the number of months from the Award Date until the original date on which the Shares were due to be released (i.e. the first or the second anniversary of the Award Date).
In either case, the Committee may at its discretion determine that any leaver shall be entitled to receive a higher or lower proportion of their Award.
A Participant who ceases to be employed by the Group at any time and who is not a 'good leaver' will not be entitled to any part of their Bonus Award or to receive any further Shares in connection with it.
A 'good leaver' is a person who ceases to be a director or employee of the Group by reason of injury, disability or redundancy (within the meaning of the Employment Rights Act 1996), retirement (with the consent of the Company) or wrongful dismissal by their employer (as determined by the board of directors of the Company or for any other reason if the Committee, in its absolute discretion, so determines.
If there is: (i) a change in control of the Company (howsoever such change of control is effected); or (ii) a voluntary winding-up of the Company; or (iii) if determined by the Committee, a delisting, (each, a "Corporate Event") in each case which occurs before the Award Date in respect of a Bonus Award, the Participant shall be entitled to an immediate cash payment but shall not be entitled to receive any Award Shares (including Deferred Shares). The amount of the payment shall be determined by the applicable performance criteria, subject to any amendments the Committee considers appropriate in the circumstances (including, if appropriate, a reduction in the amount of the payment to reflect the proportion of the relevant financial year which has expired as at the date on which the Corporate Event occurs).
In the event of a Corporate Event which occurs on or after the Award Date, all Shares comprised within any outstanding Bonus Award shall be transferred to the relevant Participants on such date (and subject to such conditions) as the Committee determines, provided always that the Committee may at its discretion determine that any entitlement to Shares may be satisfied in cash.
If there is an internal reorganisation of the Company's share capital, the Committee may vary any Bonus Award in such manner as the Committee considers appropriate and any Shares to which a Participant is or becomes entitled in connection with a Bonus Award shall be shares in the new holding company.
If the Company is affected by a material demerger, merger, a special dividend or other event which may, in the opinion of the Committee, affect the current or future value of Shares or Bonus Awards, the Committee may in its discretion determine that any Shares may be issued or transferred to a Participant on any earlier date and on such other terms as the Committee may determine.
If the Company's share capital is varied (or example, by way of capitalisation or rights issue, sub-division or consolidation, or a share capital reduction), the Committee may vary the number of any Shares that a Participant is entitled to receive in connection with any Bonus Award in such manner as the Committee determines to be fair and reasonable.
The Committee has complete discretion to amend the New DBS, save that the provisions of the New DBS relating to: (i) the persons to whom or for whom Awards may be made; (ii) the maximum entitlement for any one Participant and the basis for determining a Participant's entitlement to, and the terms of, Shares or other securities, cash or other benefits to be provided (and for the adjustment thereof if there is a variation of capital); or (iii) the Committee's powers of amendment to the New DBS, cannot be altered to the advantage of participants without the prior approval of shareholders in general meeting (except for minor amendments to benefit the administration of the New DBS, to take account of a change in legislation or to obtain or maintain favourable tax, exchange control or regulatory treatment for the participants in the New DBS, for the Company, or for the Company and its subsidiaries).
This summary does not form part of the rules of the New DBS and should not be taken as affecting the interpretation of their detailed terms and conditions. The Directors reserve the right up to the time of the 2025 Annual General Meeting to make such amendments and additions to the rules of the New DBS as may be necessary or as they consider appropriate and provided that such amendments do not conflict in any material respect with this summary.

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