"Spending an hour or two a week posting pictures of a pint of bitter is a waste of time," says founder Tim Martin
National pub chain JD Wetherspoon has decided to shut down its entire social media presence with immediate effect.
The company will no longer be communicating to its customers via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, on behalf of its 900 individual pubs or head office.
Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin said the dramatic move, which has the backing of the majority of his pub managers, follows "the bad publicity surrounding social media."
He also cited the addictive, anti-social nature of social media, saying; "It’s becoming increasingly obvious that people spend too much time on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and struggle to control the compulsion.” Recent concerns regarding the misuse of personal data were also a factor.
Instead, Weatherspoon’s 44,000 Twitter followers and around 100,000 Facebook fans will have to rely on getting the pub’s news by way of the company’s website or traditional marketing material such as their print magazine, Wetherspoon News.
Obviously customers will still be able to offer their opinion on third party ratings websites such as TripAdvisor, but they can always go back to absolute basics and offer feedback directly to pub managers and staff in person.
The chairman of the bargain pub chain is convinced that "going against conventional wisdom that these platforms are a vital component of a successful business" is the correct move, and doubts that “closing the accounts will have any negative affect on the business whatsoever".
He told the BBC: "Spending an hour or two a week per pub trying to send people pictures of a pint of bitter, which they know what looks like anyway, is a waste of time."
Wetherspoon’s will not be abandoning modern technology completely, as customers who prefer not to rely on outmoded techniques such as talking to someone will still be able to order food and drink through the Wetherspoon smartphone app.
