Holding(s) in Company

Wetherspoon (JD) PLC
05 May 2005

                               JD Wetherspoon plc
                                ('the Company')

    Notification of Interest in Shares Under Section 198 Companies Act 1985

JD Wetherspoon plc was yesterday notified by Hermes Administration Services Ltd.
that, as at 29 April 2005, BriTel Fund Trustees Limited - The Trustees of BT
Pension Scheme holds an interest in ordinary shares in the company. The shares
are registered as follows:

BriTel Fund Nominees Ltd.            394,411 shares                      0.214%
Chase Nominees Ltd.                  10,811,867 shares                   5.870%
Total Shares                         11,206,278 shares                   6.084%
Amount of Shares on Loan             400,797 shares                      0.218%
Total Holding                        10,805,481 shares                   5.866%

JD Wetherspoon plc was further notified by Hermes Focus Asset Management, as
general partners of various partnerships managed by Hermes SLP Limited, both
being subsidiaries of Hermes Pensions Management Limited have an interest in
ordinary shares of the company. The Shares are registered as follows:

Chase Nominees Ltd.              9,249,335 shares                        5.022%
Total Holding                    9,249,335 shares                        5.022%

JD Wetherspoon plc was further notified by Hermes Focus Asset Management, as
general partners of various partnerships managed by Hermes SLP Limited Lens
Investors (UK) LLC, both being subsidiaries of Hermes Pensions Management
Limited have an interest in ordinary shares of the company. The Shares are
registered as follows:

Chase Nominees Ltd.              7,388,653 shares                        4.011%
Total Holding                    7,388,653 shares                        4.011%

This notifiable interest arises either as controller of Hermes Focus Asset
Management Ltd. and/or Hermes SLP Limited and/or as a partner in one or more of
the partnerships


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange