JD Wetherspoon to open first pub in a motorway service station as food sales grow

JD Wetherspoon looks set to open its first pub in a motorway service station within the next six to seven months.

Founder and chairman Tim Martin (pictured) would not be drawn on where the new site would be located, but predicted the move would be successful as a result of the group's climbing food and soft drink sales.

"These days in our new pubs, 35%-60% of our sales are food, coffee and tea. It is not too extravagant a move to go to that sort of position and we are obviously on a lot of roads around the country already," Martin said.

When asked if this would be the first of a number of motorway service station sites, Martin said: "I've been listening to Autobahn by Kraftwerk so I have been thinking of contacting them and we could do a cross-franchise. I could be the fifth member of group."

The motorway pub is still expected to serve alcohol, as in any normal Wetherspoon's.