“Better than average” Wetherspoons

[Zamracene749]

I've not been in for a while, but I always liked the Aberystwyth one next to the station. Of the two in Huddersfield, the Cherry Tree is a dive but the Lord Wilson is pretty nice. Neither have much to praise architecturally though.
Batley's The Union Rooms is nicer than you'd expect given that it's in Batley.

For bad ones, The Six Chimneys in Wakefield was pretty grim. It's currently closed until next year for refurbishment, but when I was in Wakefield on Thursday it was still showing as open on their app. Hopefully once they've done it up it'll be improved, but it is at the rough end of the city centre.

There's a not rough end?

 

[DannyMich2018]

The Wetherspoons near Blackpool Pleasure Beach (The Velvet Coaster) is very nice, has 2 floors plus a roof terrace. Also not quite as mad busy as the other one (Albert and Lion) which must be one of their most profitable ones!! A third one in Blackpool, Layton Rakes is quite pleasant too.
Beware though as all 3 have a premium on drinks and meals so are more pricey than many other Spoons!

 

[Zamracene749]

The one in Abergavenny-The Coliseum-is an old Cinema.
Quite interesting.
If you like nice views the Mount Stuart in Cardiff bay has good views from upstairs.
It was a Harry Ramsdens.
My local in Cwmbran was previously a different pub.
It’s quite popular but if you go in a Wetherspoons-and I’ve been in a few-you know what you are getting.
Only one I wasn’t too impressed with…and it shall remain nameless.

The scariest South Wales one? Ebbw Vale by any chance?

 

[Meole]

The scariest South Wales one? Ebbw Vale by any chance?

or the Prince of Wales ?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

There's a not rough end?

It's all relative of course, but the end up by Westgate station, the bus station and Trinity Walk is head and shoulders above the area near Kirkgate (the road and the eponymous station) and the bottom entrance to the Ridings Centre.

 

[Benters]

I was born & raised in Stone but left long before Wetherspoons were founded.
Stone Wetherspoons is in the old Post Office. I’ve been in once but have to admit it was just to used the toilets.

Have visited the pubs of Stone many times and The Poste is a good one. Have enjoyed a couple of meals there, but the toilets are upstairs. Apparently this is quite common in buildings that have been repurposed as pubs/restaurants. I once went to a pub in Inverness which was a former bank, run by a Wetherspoons-style company.
I had to go up three flights of stairs to use the gents.
As regards The Plaza in Rugeley, I have visited it a few years ago on a night out with friends in the depths of winter. It wasn't bad. I've also visited the Wetherspoons in Llandudno mentioned upthread. Other Wetherspoons I would recommend are the one in Chester (a converted Co-op tastefully done with wood panelling, the one in Shrewsbury and The Full Moon Under Water in Leicester Square, London.

 

[johntea]

I visited one in London once which apparently had a license so you could get married there if you so desired!

A bit of further research suggests it was Knights Templar in Chancery Lane which closed down earlier this year but is now open under new management Berkeley Inns as The Last Judgement

 

[Bluejays]

The aneurin Bevan in Cardiff. Actually has a bit of a 'neighborhood local' feeling about it. I think that's helped by it's funny shape, which means there's a defined bar area and a back room. Kept in good condition with some interesting local history posters on the walls aswell

 

[Zamracene749]

It's all relative of course, but the end up by Westgate station, the bus station and Trinity Walk is head and shoulders above the area near Kirkgate (the road and the eponymous station) and the bottom entrance to the Ridings Centre.

Agreed Wakefield, like most Yorkshire cities, is mostly a great place to visit, especially if you like a good pint

 

[jamesbwxm]

The Elihu Yale in Wrexham. It's not a great pub but the toilets are on the ground floor and don't need climbing equipment.

 

[DaventryRabbit]

The Imperial in Exeter is quite spectacular, and also one of the few things in the city that's actually near Exeter St Davids station. Good cider, too.

Llandudno (as mentioned upthread) is good, and Aberystwyth of course as part of the railway station. The Lord High Constable in Gloucester has a superb location in the Docks.

I'll second that re. The Imperial, having visited on Fri Night. Although quite crowded (it seems to be popular with Exeters Student Population)

 

[NeilCr]

I visited one in London once which apparently had a license so you could get married there if you so desired!

A bit of further research suggests it was Knights Templar in Chancery Lane which closed down earlier this year but is now open under new management Berkeley Inns as The Last Judgement

Superb loos in the Knights Templar! Been in there a few times with friends in the past

I live in Ramsgate and can echo the comments about The Royal Pavilion. They’ve done a super job on it and the balcony is glorious in good weather

It also attracts day trippers and tourists leaving other more out of the way pubs for us locals!

The Margate Spoons - The Mechanical Elephant - isn’t a patch on it but does have a decent balcony view

I’ve got no problems with Spoons. They generally do what it says on the tin

 

[317 forever]

As you walk into The Moon Under Water on Deansgate, Manchester there is the bar on the right and seating area on the left. Then there is another seating area and bar (not always staffed) heading right. There is also an upper deck but they tend to close this around 10.30pm.

The ones outside the area I have used most are The Childwall Fiveways Hotel in Childwall, Liverpool and The Bowling Green, Otley, Leeds.

 

[Revilo]

There's a not rough end?

There’s a rough end and a very rough end!

 

[Russel]

Visited there a few years ago, wasn't impressed. Fire doors at the rear were locked mid-evening even though it's also an access to the pub. Security guards perving over female drinkers and indiscriminately shining laser pens at people. When we complained the staff considered us troublesome and wouldn't serve us.

Another one I wasn't impressed with was the one in Clacton-on-Sea. Dismal, in need of updating and had a really 'local.pub for local people' feeling about it.

I've only used the Llandudno spoons during the day so haven't encountered the security staff, but I've seen them at other branches and the level of professionalism does vary...

Clacton, I completely agree, I have family in Clacton so visit a few times a year, Clacton Wetherspoons is the only branch I refuse to use, it's absolutely disgusting, I'd rather eat out of my dogs food bowl.

 

[AndrewE]

The North Western on Liverpool Lime Street station is an excellent example.

That's one of the worse ones as far as I am concerned, and the toilets are foul.
OTOH the Captain Alexander directly opposite James St station is excellent, might have been opened last week (rather than several years ago.)

 

[KT550]

Some nice ones I've encountered include:

Penny Black, Northwich - old building with a "floating" roof
Crosse Keys, London EC3 - former bank with great interior/ceiling
Old Chapel, Darwen - a former chapel
Bloxwich Showman, Bloxwich - an old cinema
Roebuck, Nottingham - an old building, nice and tidy inside

 

[D6130]

The Richard Oastler in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, is very impressive architecturally. It's - ironically - a converted early nineteenth century Methodist chapel and the (inaccessible) upper galleries and huge organ are sights to behold.

 

[BJames]

Some nice ones I've encountered include:

Penny Black, Northwich - old building with a "floating" roof
Crosse Keys, London EC3 - former bank with great interior/ceiling
Old Chapel, Darwen - a former chapel
Bloxwich Showman, Bloxwich - an old cinema
Roebuck, Nottingham - an old building, nice and tidy inside

Forgot about the Crosse Keys. Refurbished not too long ago - quite airy and large inside, quite liked it.

Roebuck Inn is the wetherspoons I've spent the most time in. It's definitely the best one in Nottingham (and far, far superior to the Joseph Else on the Market Square). The Lloyds No 1 bar on the other side of town is alright, to be fair, but definitely not above average.

 

[Lost property]

I recall the one in Henley on Thames had some very nice hanging floral baskets...which comes as no surprise given the location.

 

[Russel]

Maidenhead is very nice, it has a traditional pub feel to it that a lot of Wetherspoons don't have.

 

[TheSmiths82]

I am in the "try and avoid them camp" but I like a pint with my food and if I am travelling sometimes the offer is just too good for a skint traveller like myself. I got a pizza and a pint for £12 yesterday at St Pancras station, that is not bad for central London. My contribution to this thread is there is a very good Wetherspoons on the quayside in Newcastle, it is a really old converted building and has a lot of character.

I quote like the one in Victoria Station in London, it is quite good for train and people watching. The Waterhouse is decent in Manchester too, although the rest in Manchester should be avoided like the plaque.

The Standing Order in Edinburgh used to be good (used it up until 2018), but so busy I'd refer to it as The Standing Room Only; several rooms, table count well into 3 figures, regular changing local cask ales, surprisingly swift service despite all that

Been there a few times but it is really starting to show its age now, there is a better Spoons towards Haymarket which is an old cinema but I forget its name.

 

[AndrewE]

Been there a few times but it is really starting to show its age now, there is a better Spoons towards Haymarket which is an old cinema but I forget its name.

The Caledonian Picture House.
I use https://whatpub.com/ to remind me of pub names...

 

[Russel]

Been there a few times but it is really starting to show its age now, there is a better Spoons towards Haymarket which is an old cinema but I forget its name.

The spoons on Waverley Bridge is quite nice, very handy for the train station too, but the downside of that is it's always been full every time I've been in.

 

[Iskra]

I recall the one in Henley on Thames had some very nice hanging floral baskets...which comes as no surprise given the location.

That’s certainly the ‘poshest’ ‘Spoons I’ve visited. Nice pub, nice place.

 

[nlogax]

Crosse Keys, London EC3 - former bank with great interior/ceiling

Ah that's the one I was desperately trying to remember on Saturday while we were in Cambuslang for the meal. Thank you.

 

[AndrewE]

The spoons on Waverley Bridge is quite nice, very handy for the train station too, but the downside of that is it's always been full every time I've been in.

It's always heaving, a victim of its success, but the sticky floor at the bar at lunchtime is disgusting... I'm sure it can't have got like that since opening time! The bogs are OK though.

 

[1D54]

The Elihu Yale in Wrexham. It's not a great pub but the toilets are on the ground floor and don't need climbing equipment.

North and South Wales Bank in Wrexham was by far the better of the pair and i was very disappointed when they closed it down.

 

[Jimini]

The Margate Spoons - The Mechanical Elephant - isn’t a patch on it but does have a decent balcony view

That's one of the worst ones I've ever been to. The guys sitting on the tables out the front smoking crack at 4pm on a Tuesday afternoon set the scene nicely!

My personal vote for the worst 'Spoons however will always be JJ Moons by Tooting Broadway station. Lived nearby for many a year and saw quite a few colourful sights.

Back on topic though: can't really fault the Barrel Vault at St. Pancras, The George in Wanstead, The Crosse Keys on Bishopsgate. Hamilton Hall also worth a visit. A quick hat tip to the Mossy Well while I'm on a roll.

But you can't beat The Rocket by Putney Bridge. Cracking 'Spoons.

 

[AndyPJG]

Back on topic though: can't really fault the Barrel Vault at St. Pancras, The George in Wanstead, The Crosse Keys on Bishopsgate. Hamilton Hall also worth a visit. A quick hat tip to the Mossy Well while I'm on a roll.

Yes, the Hamilton Hall at Liverpool Street Stn. Very elegant ballroom of the old railway hotel I seem to recall. On one visit it was a stop on some kind of 'Monopoly' challenge, with some visitors in fancy dress.

EDit:- seems it was a pub crawl http://monopolyboardpubcrawl.com/