[toyg]

whetherspoons don't have "habits", they have corporate strategies. If they think they need a marquee building in a given area (typically to achieve a higher degree of brand acceptance, or to disguise), they'll occupy an old one; if they don't, they'll happily go for a recent build. They don't have values or habits, they are only interested in what makes them money.

In my neck of the woods (NW England), most Wetherspoons are in new buildings, except in the city centre. Not that it makes any difference to me: I have not stepped in one since it became very clear in 2016 that the owner is a racist piece of work.