Wetherspoons has introduced a new rule banning customers from playing music or videos out loud, as well as taking calls on speakerphone, in its pubs.
According to NME, the policy will apply to mobile phones, tablets and other devices across all 792 pubs in the chain. New signs will be displayed asking customers to keep devices on silent or use earphones.
The company already operates a no-music policy in its pubs, with only its 44 Lloyds-branded venues ever playing music in the background. Wetherspoons said noise from smartphones and tablets has become an “increasing problem” in recent years.
Staff will be told to use “common sense” when enforcing the rule. The company said customers will not automatically be removed if they ignore it at first, though managers can ask them to leave if they refuse to comply.
The British Beer and Pub Association welcomed the move, and YouGov research from 2025 found that 79 per cent of British people were bothered by music or videos played through phone speakers.
