JD Wetherspoon to open 10th airport pub

JD Wetherspoon is to open a £3.5m pub in Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 next week as it accelerates airport expansion.

Launching on 21 July, the Sir Frank Whittle will mark Wetherspoon’s 10th airport pub in the UK and Spain.

It comes as the British pub giant plans to open a trio of airport sites over the next six months, starting with Manchester Airport in September.

Two more pubs are in the works at Barcelona Airport, due to open in November and January 2027 respectively.   

The Sir Frank Whittle is located airside (after security) and takes its name from the former RAF officer who is credited with having co-created the turbojet engine.

The opening of the pub has created 100 new jobs and the team will be led by Tom Blacktop, previously pub manager at the Beehive at Gatwick Airport.

The Sir Frank Whittle pub will be open from 4am until 11pm seven days a week, specialising in real ales and traditional ciders.

Blacktop said: “Myself and my team are looking forward to welcoming customers into the Sir Frank Whittle and we are confident that the pub will be a great addition to the choice on offer for customers travelling through Heathrow Airport.”

Wetherspoon also operates airport pubs in Heathrow Terminals 4 and 5, Gatwick, Stansted, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández.