Sir, – I read with some dismay of the seemingly unstoppable advance of JD Wetherspoon pubs in Ireland (Una Mullally, "Protect the uniqueness of Irish pubs from JD Wetherspoon's inexorable advance", Opinion & Analysis, January 5th).
While I have to admit that the attraction of cheaper pints has a certain obvious appeal, having visited a few Wetherspoon pubs in the UK, I have to say that the word average could have been invented for them. Average in every way, exceptional in none.
If the arrival of this chain results in the loss of many traditional pubs, community hubs which have evolved over generations, then that will be very expensive cheap drink indeed.
The jobs argument holds no water either if every Wetherspoon pub that opens costs the jobs of those who work in every old-school pub that closes as a result. – Yours, etc,
VINCENT HEARNE,
Nabinaud,
France.
Sir, – Maybe the Weatherspoon pubs are revenge for all the similar-looking Irish pubs all over the world. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN HODKINSON,
Reboge,
Limerick.