Let's hear it for Tim!
Our local Wetherspoons is an all day place. Its ambience changes throughout the opening time. Full of middle aged couples in the morning enjoying a (cheap) coffee, some having a breakfast. (Yes, maybe a couple of heavy drinkers sinking their first pints - cheap - of the day. Not sure if they spill any on the carpet) As the day progresses, people having lunches, until the evening, when, if you pass you see bouncers on the doors and the place heaving with the young, loud music blaring out - not really my scene but hey, live and let live.
When having a short break in York we enjoyed our breakfast in the local Wetherspoons. A quiet old worlde place, but two plates of scrambled eggs on toast, one with a side of bacon, and bottomless coffee - all for less than we paid for two Starbuck coffees at Kings Cross Station (and I assume Weatherspoons actually pay THEIR taxes)
I've heard of the staff problems. My own experience of ten years of shelf stacking in a nationwide store, is that irrespective of the Rules and Regulations and Codes, the actual store manager had more effect on how draconian they became.
Tim himself, yes, I remember once him spouting off about the prospect of "free trade" post Brexit. When he hit upon the example of the English Corn Laws of the early part of the 19th century I think they called in the White Coats to carry him away, kicking and struggling. Now he is actually bleating against Boris Johnson about the curtailments to HIS OWN freedoms due to the Covid situation. Par for the course.