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AFP
JD Wetherspoon has warned that pre-tax profits for the first half of its financial year will be down on 2018.
The pub chain blamed a £30m rise in labour costs, along with the rising cost of interest payments, utility bills, repairs and depreciation.
But company chairman Tim Martin said full-year profits would be in line with current expectations.
Like-for-like sales, which strip out the effect of new pubs, rose 7.2% during the 12 weeks to 20 January 2019.
"Sales growth has been strong since our last update. Costs, as previously indicated, are considerably higher than the previous year, especially labour, which has increased by about £30m," said Mr Martin.
Mr Martin told the BBC in September that its food and drinks would become pricier.