Finding affordable drinks in central London can feel like hunting for treasure these days, with pint prices often soaring past £7 in the West End. Chains like JD Wetherspoon keep things real for budget punters, offering pints from as low as £2-£5 alongside cheap grub.
A new JD Wetherspoon pub is set to open in central London, after planners finally signed off an application for the budget chain to take over a former retail and cafe unit.
Where the new Wetherpoons pub will be and what time will it be open till
The new pub will sit directly beside Charing Cross station, with entry and exit from the station forecourt, putting it in the thick of West End footfall. Planning documents suggest the site will have space for around 320 people and spread across two floors, converting what was previously a retail unit and café into a large drinking and dining space.
The venue has been granted permission to open until 11pm on weekdays and midnight on Saturdays, aligning it with typical central London pub hours rather than late‑night bar trade. It is expected to follow the usual JD Wetherspoon model seen nearby, operating without music or loud entertainment and focusing on cheap food and drink instead.
Local organisations objected to the plans, warning that the area already struggles with crime and anti-social behaviour and that another large pub could worsen those issues. The proposed outdoor smoking area became a particular flashpoint, with one objector arguing that smokers would narrow the pedestrian route to the station and subject new arrivals in London to smoke as soon as they step outside.
Wetherspoon’s first attempt to secure permission to use two floors of the site as a pub with food was refused before the company appealed. That appeal succeeded in June 2025, clearing the biggest hurdle for the scheme and paving the way for the latest licence allowing operation to the agreed closing times.
Opening date for the new Wetherspoons pub
No opening date has yet been confirmed and the pub does not currently appear on Wetherspoon’s public list of upcoming new venues, so customers may still have a wait before doors actually open. The announcement arrives as the chain promotes 99p pints at selected branches through January, underscoring its push to tempt budget-conscious drinkers back into the pub.