Wetherspoon says 22 of its pubs remain up for sale after offloading 28 already this year

The group denied the move was a “money-raising exercise” amid tough trading conditions, insisting that the “almost all” of the sales are in areas where it has another pub nearby.

It comes after the firm, which has 827 pubs across the UK, warned last September that 32 pubs were being put up for sale due to a “commercial decision” as it battled higher food and energy costs.

Those closing included The Malthouse in Willenhall, where locals gathered to bid farewell on its last day. Others put up for sale included The Butlers Bell in Stafford and The Billiard Hall in West Bromwich as well as The Postal Order in Worcester and The North and South Wales Bank in Wrexham.

The Butler's Bell was one of a number of the chain's pubs that was put on the market earlier this year

There are currently 15 Wetherspoon pubs classed as being "under offer" where an offer is currently being considered by the seller.

All sites, including the Butler's Bell in Gaolgate Street in the town centre, are continuing to trade as normal until a decision is announced on a sale.

In its latest update, the pub chain said it was a “misinterpretation” to suggest the move was down to difficult trading conditions.

It said: “In fact, the disposals have raised relatively modest amounts (although every little helps) and almost all are related to circumstances....where there is another Wetherspoon pub nearby.”

It came as Wetherspoon notched up another double-figure hike in sales and said it was being boosted by easing energy costs.

The firm saw sales lift 11.5 per cent year on year in the 10 weeks so far of its final trading quarter and are up 12.9 per cent in the financial year to date.

Compared with pre-Covid trading in 2018-19, sales in the fourth quarter so far are 11 per cent higher.

The firm said profits for the year to July 30 are set to be in line with market expectations, having improved its outlook in May.

It added that lower costs are set to boost its performance in the next financial year.

Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin said: “As a result of a continued improvement in sales and a slightly reduced expectation for cost increases, for example energy costs, the company anticipates an improved outcome for the next financial year, and anticipates an outcome for the first half of 2023-24 approximately in line with the second half of 2022-23.”

In May, Wetherspoon predicted record sales for the year to July after sales jumped 12.2 per cent in the three months to April 30 thanks to a bumper Easter and May bank holiday trading.

It has also reignited £15 million plans to transform Wolverhampton’s city centre Moon Under Water pub with a hotel and ‘heritage centre’, creating around 70 new jobs. The building sits opposite the Grand Theatre and is set to benefit from a comprehensive redevelopment of Lichfield Street as part of Wolverhampton Council’s city centre transformation works.

And it says it continues to invest in its existing pubs, including The Thomas Botfield near Telford Shopping Centre, which underwent a £150,000 refurbishment just prior to lockdown.