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Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by lawlessone on Monday April 16, 2018 @05:44AM (#16847772)
They're facing some backlash over campaigning for Brexit too which might have something to do with this.
Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by michaeljbishop on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:19AM (#16847894)
Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by guilhas on Monday April 16, 2018 @01:10PM (#16850685)
Every quarter in their magazine they publish very good articles 5 pro and 5 against brexit.
Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by mseebach on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:20AM (#16847899)
That seems unlikely. The Brexit vote is almost two years away now, and if anything, the negotiations have never looked better (not that that's a high bar). Why only now, and why in a so weirdly unrelated way? If they were sorry about Brexit support, just, uh, say it? Perhaps do some Europe-themed promotions?

It seems much more likely that social media simply isn't a very high ROI marketing channel for them, and they're capitalising on general unease following the CA debacle.

Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by pjc50 on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:50AM (#16848025)
> negotiations have never looked better

In the sense that we're going for "no substantial change but lose our vote" Brexit, rather than one of the various flavours of "disaster Brexit"?

At least the UK has conceded that there must be no border in Ireland and that EU residents have a right to remain. It's the non-EU immigrants that are getting it in the neck this week, including the "Windrush generation".

Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by threeseed on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:57AM (#16848055)
No. The UK has said there must be no hard border in Northern Island.

But what they are basically proposing is a soft border with number plate recognition etc. Which everyone at the EU working group literally laughed at. Because it is a ridiculous and dangerous suggestion especially when you think through the scenario of what happens if cameras are destroyed over and over again. Police will be required to protect the cameras and then you have an armed borer.

Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by pjc50 on Monday April 16, 2018 @07:22AM (#16848158)
You're absolutely right that the soft border is ludicrous.

The draft agreement: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/d...

"A common regulatory area comprising the Union and the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland is hereby established. The common regulatory area shall constitute an area without internal borders in which the free movement of goods is ensured and North - South cooperation protected in accordance with this Chapter"

They're free to submit daft proposals all they like but until then this is the one that's been agreed on.

(That document lists Gibraltar and the various islands, but also one nobody's mentioned in the news so far: "Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus").

Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by jen20 on Monday April 16, 2018 @07:00AM (#16848066)
It doesn’t matter what the U.K. says, that outcome is not grounded in reality.
Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by Chestofdraw on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:35AM (#16847968)
There are ongoing investigations into the leave campaigns (which Wetherspoons was a part of), new evidence was published last week and a few people are appearing in front of a HoC committee this week.

So the timing isn't really odd and I don't think they're doing it because they're sorry about supporting Brexit. There's a reasonable chance that they've shared data or spent funds in a way that would find them on the wrong side of the investigation.

Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by dazc on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:52AM (#16848035)
It's equally possible that every story in the news isn't always a Brexit conspiracy?
Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by threeseed on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:58AM (#16848060)
And equally possible it is.

We are all just speculating since there isn't any concrete facts.

Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by matthewrudy on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:42AM (#16847990)
A couple of months ago they were still using beermats pushing for a harder Brexit.
Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by threeseed on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:52AM (#16848033)
> the negotiations have never looked better

Of course. Because all of the really tough decisions e.g. Northern Ireland border, Financial Services passporting rights, Channel and Dover customs checks etc have been pushed down the road.

The political environment in the UK has never been worse and every day people are starting to realise that Brexit isn't what they bargained for. Especially when May tells them they are going to need full regulatory alignment without any say.

Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by bengale on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:05AM (#16847846)
Yeah this is a huge part of it, also the public nature of complaints on social media wasn't helping them. They were referred to as the mcdonalds of pubs elsewhere here but the food quality is much worse; its all microwaved packets from filthy 'kitchens'.
Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by north_east_dev on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:07AM (#16847852)
> filthy 'kitchens'

Where are you getting that from? I know lots of people who've worked there and the stories of the over-the-top cleaning were constant from all.

Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by isostatic on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:10AM (#16847866)
93% of weatherspoons have a 5/5 food hygiene rating
Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by tim333 on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:14AM (#16847878)
Also having eaten there I'd say mostly not microwaved.
Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by timrichard on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:53AM (#16848036)
I used to know people working at their branches, and it's mostly microwaved. The exceptions are a few items like steak, of course.
Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by matthewmacleod on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:54AM (#16848043)
Yeah – I mean, the food is generally _awful_, but that's because it's bargain-basement stuff, not because of any inadequacy in food safety.
Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by setquk on Monday April 16, 2018 @06:29AM (#16847944)
At Trowbridge, a rat stole someone's food off a table a couple of years back.
Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by letsgetphysITal on Monday April 16, 2018 @07:00AM (#16848063)
Meanwhile, in the other just under 1000 locations across the UK, nothing untoward of merit occurred.

One sample does not data make.

Re:UK Pub chain JD Wetherspoon shuts its social media accounts by setquk on Monday April 16, 2018 @07:12AM (#16848108)
Not so sure. Check the lowest bidding suppliers as well https://www.food.gov.uk/news-updates/news/2018/16850/action-...

They pulled half the menu at 900 locations due to that.

Also it’s pretty easy to get a 5 food hygiene rating with a static menu. It’s mostly procedural stuff which is easy on large scale places.