“Better than average” Wetherspoons

[dk1]

But the Percy Shaw in Halifax met its fate last Sunday, so you gain some but unfortunately also lose some.

My preferred Halifax Spoon that

The Captain Flinders (Eversholt Street off Euston Road, exit the station next to M&S) opened today;

The Captain Flinders

www.jdwetherspoon.com

Perfect

 

[D6130]

But the Percy Shaw in Halifax met its fate last Sunday, so you gain some but unfortunately also lose some.

....and the White Hart in nearby Todmorden is reportedly closing next weekend. Rumour has it that it's going to be converted into flats....but the Percy Shaw will continue to be a pub under its new owners.

 

[Kite159]

Spoons is just like any other business, they will review sites to see if they are profitable. If the site isn't making money, then it will likely close.

 

[telstarbox]

The Captain Flinders (Eversholt Street off Euston Road, exit the station next to M&S) opened today;

The Captain Flinders

www.jdwetherspoon.com

That should take pressure off the St Pancras one.

They are opening a new outlet on the Euston Road in January. I can't see any obvious vacant premises near Charing Cross.

Charing X going just outside the station opposite the Co-op. I did find the planning application but don't think it mentioned Spoons specifically.

The Ship and Shovell is the best pub round there!

 

[dk1]

Spoons is just like any other business, they will review sites to see if they are profitable. If the site isn't making money, then it will likely close.

Which is what they have always done. A very savvy and successful UK business.

 

[Bald Rick]

The Captain Flinders (Eversholt Street off Euston Road, exit the station next to M&S) opened today;

The Captain Flinders

www.jdwetherspoon.com

Excellent! Handy for a toilet stop when heading between Euston and St Pancras.

 

[Jamesrob637]

The Captain Flinders had that "new car smell" but was very average in all other aspects. I wonder how those at holiday parks (the first of which is due to open next month at Primrose Holiday Park near Filey in East Yorkshire) will fare?

 

[Russel]

The Captain Flinders had that "new car smell" but was very average in all other aspects. I wonder how those at holiday parks (the first of which is due to open next month at Primrose Holiday Park near Filey in East Yorkshire) will fare?

I commented on The Captain Flinders in the Euston Wetherspoons thread, but yeah, average and slow sums it up.

I've never waited 15 minutes for a bacon sandwich in any other Wetherspoons, what is worse is other than myself and partner, there was only a couple of other customers there!

 

[dangie]

In the ‘Picture House’ in Stafford today. For those who know the Picture House they’ll know that a few years ago it was closed for many months due to flooding from the River Sow. I believe considerable anti-flooding work was done.

Well it’s pretty close to being flooded again. Down near the bar they have a floor plate up with a submersible pump, pumping water out discharging into the river. I’m guessing they have a basement below river water level.

Unfortunately the discharge hose appears to be like a pin cushion. A member of staff was busily wrapping it with Duct Tape. The carpets were getting wet and the smell……

The good news was that the pub was extremely busy, the food was good and the Top Dog Stout from the Burton Bridge Brewery was excellent.
***************
As a side story, the other Wetherspoons pub in Stafford, the Butler’s Bell, which closed some months ago, reopened today after being taken over by Davenports.

 

[12LDA28C]

I commented on The Captain Flinders in the Euston Wetherspoons thread, but yeah, average and slow sums it up.

I've never waited 15 minutes for a bacon sandwich in any other Wetherspoons, what is worse is other than myself and partner, there was only a couple of other customers there!

You forgot to mention small and expensive, too.

 

[Russel]

You forgot to mention small and expensive, too.

I did think it cost a bit more than I normally pay in the Midlands, but I put that down to it being London.

 

[12LDA28C]

I did think it cost a bit more than I normally pay in the Midlands, but I put that down to it being London.

It's more expensive than other Spoons in London too

 

[Russel]

It's more expensive than other Spoons in London too

I normally use the Baker Street Spoons but never used it for breakfast so wasn't aware...

I'm guessing they've applied the same pricing structure they use at on station pubs like Leeds, New Street etc.

 

[Bald Rick]

Regarding this thread. Does ‘better than average’ mean compared to other pubs in general, or just compared to other Wetherspoons.

I presume the latter, as there can‘t be any in the former category.

 

[Jimini]

It's more expensive than other Spoons in London too

Same prices (or near enough) as the Barrel Vault up the road at St Pancras, to be fair.

 

[johntea]

The Six Chimneys in Wakefield is now back open after the refurbishment including knocking through to the derelict former pub next door, nice job done on the refurbishment and additional space created shame the rest of the surrounding Kirkgate area is still a bit of a dump!

 

[Russel]

The Six Chimneys in Wakefield is now back open after the refurbishment including knocking through to the derelict former pub next door, nice job done on the refurbishment and additional space created shame the rest of the surrounding Kirkgate area is still a bit of a dump!

The refurbishments can be a bit varied, some are really good, others a bit of a let down.

They made a huge fuss about refurbishing The Square Peg in Birmingham last year, when it reopened the reaction from most locals was "what have they actually done?", only obvious difference was a new carpet, at £850k it must have been a very expensive carpet...

 

[dk1]

The refurbishments can be a bit varied, some are really good, others a bit of a let down.

They made a huge fuss about refurbishing The Square Peg in Birmingham last year, when it reopened the reaction from most locals was "what have they actually done?", only obvious difference was a new carpet, at £850k it must have been a very expensive carpet...

They are always bespoke Axminster carpets though. Often it’s kitchen & back of house which are upgraded so wouldn’t be noticeable to the general public.

 

[Russel]

They are always bespoke Axminster carpets though. Often it’s kitchen & back of house which are upgraded so wouldn’t be noticeable to the general public.

It's a shame they didn't touch the exterior, it's looked scruffy for years.

It's not a nice spoons even with the refurb, I only ever nip in to use the toilet while I'm waiting for the bus.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I just wish that separate to any refurbishments of the pub interior or indeed kitchens and back of house they had a separate rolling program where they specifically looked after the toilets. You can have the best spoons anywhere in the universe and yet it's toilets are as grim or worse than something you'd find in a municipal car Park on a Saturday night. Anyone whose been to the foot of the walk in Edinburgh pretty much ever since it opened will know exactly what I'm talking about here

 

[dk1]

It's a shame they didn't touch the exterior, it's looked scruffy for years.

It's not a nice spoons even with the refurb, I only ever nip in to use the toilet while I'm waiting for the bus.

I will probably call in next week. I have booked the Holiday Inn so I can tick the new one at Euston & the fairly new one on New Street station.

 

[dangie]

…You can have the best spoons anywhere in the universe and yet it's toilets are as grim or worse than something you'd find in a municipal car Park on a Saturday night.…

Unfortunately, even with the best toilets in the universe you can’t control the actions of those who use them. I know that the staff are supposed to inspect them regularly and tick off on the sheet, but it must be awful to see the state some of them are left in. From what the wife says, this is not just male toilets but female as well.

 

[dk1]

Unfortunately, even with the best toilets in the universe you can’t control the actions of those who use them. I know that the staff are supposed to inspect them regularly and tick off on the sheet, but it must be awful to see the state some of them are left in. From what the wife says, this is not just male toilets but female as well.

I find most Wetherspoons toilets far better than those in comparable pubs often winning awards for them too. What I do find most strange are the people who decide to sit at tables outside them particularly when eating.

 

[Russel]

I will probably call in next week. I have booked the Holiday Inn so I can tick the new one at Euston & the fairly new one on New Street station.

Don't get me wrong, it's not terrible, but at the same time, there are much nicer Spoons around, I think having two bus stops outside the main entrance serving some deprived areas doesn't give the best first impressions, The Briar Rose just off New Street is decent.

 

[dk1]

Don't get me wrong, it's not terrible, but at the same time, there are much nicer Spoons around, I think having two bus stops outside the main entrance serving some deprived areas doesn't give the best first impressions, The Briar Rose just off New Street is decent.

I stayed at the Briar Rose a few years ago and wasn’t over impressed with it.

Okay for a drink though.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Okay for a drink though.

That's most Spoons in fairness. Last weekend in Sheffield, I had a Wendy's for lunch instead of Spoons food. Not much better admittedly, but we don't have Wendy's where we live so it was somewhat of a novelty.

 

[dangie]

Wetherspoons unfortunately suffers from Britishness.
We tend to knock anything which has become successful.

Edit: I should have said ‘some tend to knock anything which has become successful’

 

[jon81uk]

Regarding this thread. Does ‘better than average’ mean compared to other pubs in general, or just compared to other Wetherspoons.

I presume the latter, as there can‘t be any in the former category.

There are plenty of Wetherspoons that are better than an "average" pub. No loud music getting in the way of conversation and drink prices usually cheaper, so if just meeting a friend for a pint I'd rather pay less for the Wetherspoons than go to a Greene King, Nicholsons or other pub and pay more.

 

[dangie]

There are plenty of Wetherspoons that are better than an "average" pub. No loud music getting in the way of conversation and drink prices usually cheaper, so if just meeting a friend for a pint I'd rather pay less for the Wetherspoons than go to a Greene King, Nicholsons or other pub and pay more.

Agreed. Whenever I see signs outside displaying ‘Music, Live Sports, Big Sceens’ etc, I give them a wide berth.

I like music, I listen to music, I like sport, I watch sport, but not when I’m out for a drink or a meal. For me pubs are for socialising with people, not for gawping at a screen.

 

[IanD]

I've visited hundreds and have to say that the number which are proper dives is minimal but they are the ones that get the publicity because they fit the narrative portrayed by the media and comedians looking for a cheap laugh. The worst ones have been in the London suburbs.

The majority are just run-of-the-mill pubs which, were they not Wetherspoons, people would be calling 'a decent boozer'.

Some stand out such as The Winter Gardens Harrogate, The Opera House Tunbridge Wells, The Caley in Edinburgh, Royal Victoria Pavilion Ramsgate and many more.

Sadly, some of the really nice ones have been sold off eg The Capitol Forest Hill and Knights Templar Holborn