Wetherspoons has barred customers from playing music or talking though loudspeakers on their mobiles in all its 792 pubs. The pub chain said drinkers were being driven ‘nuts’ by the antisocial noise. Wetherspoons introduced the ban across all its chain on 17 August, saying sounds from smartphones and tablets had become an ‘increasing problem in recent years’. The company said in a statement: ‘Following complaints from customers, who are being driven nuts by other people’s videos and amplifed phoneconversations, Wetherspoon has asked customers to switch their phones to silent or to use earphones.’
Wetherspoons, which has long dropped piped music, is not quite the first pub chain to forbid people using loudspeakers on its premises, as Sam Smiths prohibits the use of mobiles in any way in its pubs. But it is certainly the biggest.