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Man who invented 'Wetherspoons Game' legally changes name to pub-inspired moniker
Chris Illman, the man who came up with the viral Wetherspoons Game, is changing his name by deed poll to reflect his dedication to the discount pub chain – and even got a tattoo in its honour
The bloke behind the viral Wetherspoons Game is set to change his middle name to 'Spoons' by deed poll.
Chris Illman, 43, admitted the change of moniker has been a long time coming, but insisted he's not obsessed with the pub chain. He said he will kick off the process with a signing ceremony in Newcastle on Sunday evening (February 2). He said: "My cat is called Spoons, but I am not obsessed, it is the group that has made me do things."
When the Facebook group Wetherspoons The Game hit 10,000 members around five years ago, Chris celebrated by getting a tattoo of a sun covered by a cloud and a spoon on his upper arm. The pub aficionado admitted he initially never thought the group would attract such a following.
He added: "The tattoo is a bit weird. I agreed to get a tattoo of a picture of a spoon, and then my son said I should get a cloud with it. I was a bit confused but he said a cloud is a form of weather, so then the tattoo would be 'weather spoon', or rather Wetherspoons."
Wetherspoons The Game is a Facebook group that encourages members to try to get a free pint using the pub chain's app. Simply post your table number, location and a photo of yourself and wait to see if kind strangers send you food and drinks.
Chris, from near Portsmouth, told ChronicleLive that his friends and family find the idea of him legally changing his middle name to Spoons hilarious. He also confessed he's the type of person to "say I will do something thinking that it is never going to happen, and then it happens."
Chris is set to officially change his moniker while playing the famed Wetherspoons Game he invented at the Mile Castle Wetherspoons, which was launched in December and now boasts a hotel upstairs. During the event, volunteers from Newcastle Helping Street Friends will arrive from 6pm to collect burgers and snacks for the homeless.
The event will also be attended by Facebook group moderators, including Stephen Lowery from Newcastle – an instigator in Chris' decision to change his name.
"He always brought it up asking, 'When are you going to do it, when? You cannot back out now, you cannot,'" Chris recounted.
"So because Stephen was coming to the event, I thought it was an ideal time to get it done and he can be one of the witnesses to me signing the paperwork, and then he will have to sign it himself."
This is only the first step for Chris, who will meet with a solicitor next week before sending off official documentation to make him Chris Spoons Illman.
Daily Star Sunday
Chris Illman, the man who came up with the viral Wetherspoons Game, is changing his name by deed poll to reflect his dedication to the discount pub chain – and even got a tattoo in its honour
The bloke behind the viral Wetherspoons Game is set to change his middle name to 'Spoons' by deed poll.
Chris Illman, 43, admitted the change of moniker has been a long time coming, but insisted he's not obsessed with the pub chain. He said he will kick off the process with a signing ceremony in Newcastle on Sunday evening (February 2). He said: "My cat is called Spoons, but I am not obsessed, it is the group that has made me do things."
When the Facebook group Wetherspoons The Game hit 10,000 members around five years ago, Chris celebrated by getting a tattoo of a sun covered by a cloud and a spoon on his upper arm. The pub aficionado admitted he initially never thought the group would attract such a following.
He added: "The tattoo is a bit weird. I agreed to get a tattoo of a picture of a spoon, and then my son said I should get a cloud with it. I was a bit confused but he said a cloud is a form of weather, so then the tattoo would be 'weather spoon', or rather Wetherspoons."
Wetherspoons The Game is a Facebook group that encourages members to try to get a free pint using the pub chain's app. Simply post your table number, location and a photo of yourself and wait to see if kind strangers send you food and drinks.
Chris, from near Portsmouth, told ChronicleLive that his friends and family find the idea of him legally changing his middle name to Spoons hilarious. He also confessed he's the type of person to "say I will do something thinking that it is never going to happen, and then it happens."
Chris is set to officially change his moniker while playing the famed Wetherspoons Game he invented at the Mile Castle Wetherspoons, which was launched in December and now boasts a hotel upstairs. During the event, volunteers from Newcastle Helping Street Friends will arrive from 6pm to collect burgers and snacks for the homeless.
The event will also be attended by Facebook group moderators, including Stephen Lowery from Newcastle – an instigator in Chris' decision to change his name.
"He always brought it up asking, 'When are you going to do it, when? You cannot back out now, you cannot,'" Chris recounted.
"So because Stephen was coming to the event, I thought it was an ideal time to get it done and he can be one of the witnesses to me signing the paperwork, and then he will have to sign it himself."
This is only the first step for Chris, who will meet with a solicitor next week before sending off official documentation to make him Chris Spoons Illman.
Daily Star Sunday