The BBC's Declan Curry: "The pub chain says these jobs are for keeps"

The company will create 2,000 new jobs to add to its staff total of 7,900 people.

The company is offering full and part time posts for pub managers, bar and kitchen staff.

The Wetherspoon pint floweth over

J D Wetherspoon currently has 306 outlets that have a "no music" policy and pride themselves on large no smoking areas.

It operates pubs in Scotland, Wales and England, with the largest concentration of outlets in the South East and London. It now planes to open new pubs in Glasgow, Ayr, Cheltenham, Cambridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, Norwich, Halifax, Cardiff, Weymouth and several other locations.

The chain was founded in 1979 by its current chairman Tim Martin and specialises in converting disused buildings like banks, post offices and cinemas into public houses. During past years the company has expanded by opening around 60 pubs per year.

Wetherspoon specialises in real ale

"Since we opened our first pub we have traded in both good and bad economic times and it hasn't made a lot of difference to the overall success of the business," said Mr Martin. He described the expansion programme as a reflection of "our continued confidence in the success of our style of pubs".

Investors in Wetherspoon, though, may not agree. Shares in the company hit a high of 341 pence per share at the end of March this year, but are currently languishing at 176p.