Today is not National Wetherspoons Day - this is why people are confused

It is not National Wetherspoons Day (Photo: Shutterstock)It is not National Wetherspoons Day (Photo: Shutterstock)
It is not National Wetherspoons Day (Photo: Shutterstock)

Pub and restaurant company Wetherspoons is a much loved British institution, so the notion of a National Wetherspoons Day doesn’t seem entirely implausible.

Thanks to a misunderstanding and a slightly hard to read hashtag, many Twitter users seem to think today (Wed 5 Feb) is National Wetherspoons Day - but it isn’t.

Why the confusion?

Today is actually ‘National Weatherperson's Day’.

It is observed primarily in the United States and recognises those in the fields of meteorology, weather forecasting and broadcast meteorology.

The date was chosen in honour of the birthday of John Jeffries, one of the United States’ first weather observers who took daily measurements, starting in 1774. Jeffries also made the first balloon flight over London in 1784, with the goal to gather data for a scientific study of the air at high altitudes.

Is there a National Wetherspoons Day?

There is a sort of National Wetherspoons Day, but it’s actually known as National Tax Equality Day.

JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin called on pub and restaurant operations to show their support for a UK-wide Tax Equality Day on 19 September in 2019. On 19 September, Wetherspoons pubs cut their prices of food and drink by 7.5 per cent.

The point of Tax Equality Day is designed to highlight the benefit of a VAT reduction in the hospitality industry.

What is Twitter saying?

With the hashtag #NationalWeatherpersonsDay trending on Twitter, many UK users experienced the same moment of realisation as it dawned on them the real meaning of the hashtag.

One user wrote, “Unfortunately I am disappointed once again as my sleep deprived eyes read ‘national wetherspoons day’ #nationalweatherpersonsday”

Another tweeted, “Is it a bad thing that I read #NationalWeatherpersonsDay as National Wetherspoons Day?”

“Why did I think this said National Wetherspoons Day and was ready to go down a pitcher or two? Disappointing #NationalWeatherpersonsDay,” wrote another.

With the outpouring of disappointment at the lack of a National Wetherspoons Day, perhaps Wetherspoons may now be encouraged to make a celebratory day of their own.