‘Beer deal won’t hurt us’

British pub operator JD Wetherspoon has said its ambitious growth plans for the Irish market will not be negatively affected by it not stocking the country’s top selling lager, Heineken in its pubs.

The British group yesterday struck a revised deal with the Dutch brewing giant, following a pricing row between the two, last month, which saw Wetherspoon delist all Heineken products from its 926 pubs in Britain and Ireland.

In Ireland, the pub chain will now stock Beamish stout, Fosters lager and Symonds cider; but will not be selling Murphy’s stout and Heineken’s eponymous flagship lager.