A pub chain that barely plays any music of its own is now setting rules for how loud customers' phones can be—that's the most curious part of Wetherspoons' new policy. The UK pub group has announced a ban on customers playing music or videos out loud on phones, tablets, or other devices, and on taking calls on speakerphone, with the rule applying across all 792 of its pubs.
The chain says it will put up new signage across its branches reminding customers to switch devices to silent or use headphones. Wetherspoons has long followed a no-background-music policy, and of its 792 pubs, only the 44 branded as Lloyds play background music at all. The company says speaker noise from smartphones and tablets has become an increasingly "growing problem" in recent years, with many customers complaining they've been driven "up the wall" by other people's video calls or music.
Wetherspoons founder Tim Martin offered a fairly vivid description of his own pubs: "In a world full of other people's music and turned-up volume, Wetherspoons pubs are an oasis of calm and contemplation."
On enforcement, the chain has told staff to "use common sense" and won't ask customers to leave simply for not complying right away. The company's statement read: "We won't be asking people to leave the pub for breaching this rule, but it remains an option available to pub managers if someone refuses to cooperate."
The British Beer and Pub Association welcomed the move, putting it bluntly: "We've yet to hear of anyone who enjoys having their pint accompanied by someone else's speakerphone call or blaring video, so we expect this change to be widely welcomed." A 2025 YouGov survey also found that 79% of Britons are bothered by people playing music or videos out loud on their phones.
It's worth noting that Wetherspoons' stance on "sound" has never really been straightforward. Back in 2013, when the chain bought Edinburgh's Picture House venue with plans to convert it into a pub, musicians including Frank Turner, Amanda Palmer, and Frightened Rabbit spoke out in support of preserving the space for live performances. This new ban on outward-facing phone noise, in a way, carries on the chain's long-standing philosophy of quiet—only this time, the noise source in its crosshairs is the phone in customers' own pockets.
