JD Wetherspoon chair Tim Martin has called for the new government to change its attitude towards the pub industry, claiming that 'unproductive' legislation has done little to tackle alcohol abuse.

Martin criticised plans outlined by new home secretary Theresa May that could see local authorities given more powers in a bid to crack down on drink-related disorder, including the introduction of a fee for late-night licences. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has already raised concerns over the proposals, while Martin said additional legislation will continue the "job and social destruction" of the sector started by the previous administration.

It comes as JD Wetherspoon reported a 4.3 per cent increase in revenue for the year ending 25 July, compared with the previous year. Pre-tax profits excluding exception items also grew by 7.3 per cent to £71m. Martin said: "The biggest danger to the pub and catering industry is a continued increase in destructive taxes and regulations. It is to be hoped that the UK government's attitude towards pubs, in particular, changes and that a co-operative and helpful, rather than a punitive, approach is adopted.

"Our sales, profit and cashflow continue to be resilient and the performance of our recently opened pubs is encouraging. As previously indicated, we continue to believe that there are substantial opportunities for us to acquire new sites at reasonable prices."