J D Wetherspoon has made a tongue-in-cheek attack on No. 10 over its parties during lockdown - and said it would never have happened in one of its pubs.
Today Spoons put out an update saying its sales were down 13.3 percent in the year to January 16, due to government Covid restrictions hitting sales.
But most of the note took aim at the government over the so-called 'partygate' scandal.
This scandal, revealed by The Mirror, surrounds parties in the garden of 10 Downing Street at a point when the rest of the country was under strict lockdown.
In a statement today, Wetherspoons said: "Public anger regarding 'partygate' relates mainly to hypocrisy - the public was prevented from seeing friends and family, while the same rules were not observed at 10 Downing Street.
"However, the circumstances also highlight other ramifications of 'lockdowns' and pub closures."
The cheeky pub chain said that the people partying would have been far safer doing it in one of its pubs.
Wetherspoons said: "If, instead of partying in No. 10 on the 20 May 2020, for example, the attendees had been able to visit a pub (pubs were locked down at the time) there would have been a number of advantages for the nation."
The is because pub bouncers and staff could have dealt with any "high jinks", Spoons said.
The pubs also have plenty of hand sanitiser - great for stopping the spread of germs.
Wetherspoons' CCTV is also used in central London pubs, which is helpful for capturing any wrongdoing on camera.
Covid controls in pubs were also "superior to private parties", the pub chain went on.
Spoons pays £15million in tax a week.
Wetherspoons also took aim at the fact that pubs pay 20 percent VAT on food sales, but supermarkets pay nothing, and 20p per pint in business rates, whereas supermarkets pay around 2p.
"The situation is crazy," Wetherspoons went on. "If you hold a garden party at No. 10, or Chequers for example, and buy the food from Waitrose, employing staff to prepare and serve it, no VAT is payable.
"However, fish and chips at your nearest pub will have 20 percent VAT added to the bill."
Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin said: "As mentioned in our update on 13 December 2021, the uncertainty created by the introduction of plan B Covid-19 measures makes predictions for sales and profits hazardous.
"The company will be loss-making in the first half of the financial year, but hopes that, with the ending of restrictions, improved customer confidence and better weather, it will have a much stronger performance in the second half."
Wetherspoons is currently running a discount scheme, with some beers costing just 99p .
This super-cheap booze tariff will last until February 28 2022.
A mini 200ml bottle of prosecco is on sale for £2.99 and a full 750ml bottle for £10.99.
All hot drinks in every Wetherspoons pub will cost 99p, with free refills.
Spoons is even selling pints for 99p each at 671 pubs.
A pint of Ruddles Best will be on offer for 99p, though some pubs will be selling Greene King IPA for the same price.
