'Neverspoons' app

[D365]

Continued from SSP (catering) discussion:

I’ve found an app called ‘Neverspoons’ which finds you decent independent pubs close to any Wetherspoons.

I do like how google tries to correct this to 'Wetherspoons'

Looking forward to trying this out when more independents are added to the database. Link to the app website here.

 

[Harpers Tate]

I was speaking to the proprietor of a small independent pub last year. He has two premises; one he owns and one he leases from one of the premises "chains". As it happens, neither is co-located with a 'spoons, and his food is excellent; so it's not intended as a comparision.

The reason for mentioning him is - in the leased property he can do pretty much as he pleases as regards food, but he is tied to buying drink products from the chain. We discussed Peroni draught. He is required to pay about £1 per pint more for Peroni at the leased premises than it costs him at his own place (where he is free to choose supplier). Hence he has to charge a minimum of £1 more per pint retail. One presumes therefore that in many places where independents are near to a 'spoons, the same things go on.

This is the sadness: these premises chains appear to be guilty of a practice that (artificially) inflates bar prices. You end up paying for their profits. Now, given that (in my experience, every single time) drink sold at 'spoons is always in good condition, and is invariably noticeably cheaper (for the same product where a comparison can be made) than is typical elsehwere, the question is - why would you pay extra? What are these premises chains doing to earn your money? Would you buy your (identical branded) baked beans from an unnecessarily expensive store or from the cheaper store nearby?

And places close. Not necessarily from bad proprietors; from lack of trade driven by inflated prices which is in turn driven by the premises chains practices. There is a lesson to be learned - and it doesn't appear to be being learned. I find myself - not through any wish to disadvantage the proprietor himself, but from a reluctance to fund these premises chains from my wallet - often choosing to drink water with my (good) food.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I hope it works. In an unfamiliar town I'd always rather use the local independent pubs, but I hope they are genuinely independent and not just pubs belonging to other chains. The Pubcos are worse than Spoons ever are.

Wetherspoon are a funny one. Their owner is pretty unpleasant, all things considered, but they were selling real ale long before it came back into fashion, and they bring old and interesting buildings back into community use. Compare that to the likes of Greene King, who rip off their landlords at every turn- they even fit monitoring equipment (which is of dubious reliability) to the pumps- and can't wait to sell off their interesting buildings to turn them into flats...

 

[NorthOxonian]

I tried having a look at the app and its recommendations really aren't great. Take Gateshead - rather than recommending one of the decent independents in town, two of the pubs recommended by the app are genuinely dangerous (one of which is part of a chain itself). Even the third is really nothing to write home about.

Part of the appeal of Wetherspoons is its reliability - you know you won't get massively fleeced and you know the standards will be at least halfway decent. But if you just used this app, you could end up in some places far ropier than a typical Spoons.

 

[Bald Rick]

Now, given that (in my experience, every single time) drink sold at 'spoons is always in good condition, and is invariably noticeably cheaper (for the same product where a comparison can be made) than is typical elsehwere, the question is - why would you pay extra?

3 reasons I’m happy to pay extra:

1) my (recent) experience of Wetherspoons is that the Ale is invariably not in good condition
2) I prefer to help out the independent pubs, particularly where I know the landlord
3) I have no intention of putting any more of my cash in to the pockets of that complete **** who owns Wetherspoons.

 

[Jamesrob637]

The issue I have is that Wetherspoon still continues to be my reliable go-to in unfamiliar cities and towns where some of the locals can be a bit, well, local! In more familiar towns and cities I know where the best independents are and can advise others just as well as any app.

 

[cactustwirly]

The issue I have is that Wetherspoon still continues to be my reliable go-to in unfamiliar cities and towns where some of the locals can be a bit, well, local! In more familiar towns and cities I know where the best independents are and can advise others just as well as any app.

You still get those clientele in Spoons anyway, even more so imo, as it's seen as the cheapest place.

 

[xotGD]

The Good Beer Guide has long been the go-to source of gen for a decent pint when in an unfamiliar town.

 

[Jamesrob637]

The Good Beer Guide has long been the go-to source of gen for a decent pint when in an unfamiliar town.

Which does suggest some Wetherspoons.

 

[SteveM70]

Pros and cons of Spoons in my view:

Positive
1 it’s cheap
2 the food is basic and reliable
3 it’s generally a safe bet if you’re somewhere you don’t know
4 they serve food till late
5 some are in interesting buildings
6 the app is good

Negative
1 real ale quality is very variable, both between pubs and on different visits to the same one
2 you need half an hour and a reserve bar of Kendal mint cake for a trip to the gents
3 the owner is an absolutely massive bellend with political views I’m pretty much diametrically opposed to and questionable business ethics
4 the nearest one to where I live is dark, dirty and depressing
5 having the calories on the menu is depressing

 

[Ashley Hill]

You still get those clientele in Spoons anyway, even more so imo, as it's seen as the cheapest place.

I'm in a university city and have four 'spoons within walking distance. 2 full of students,1 of local drunks and another resembling a coffee shop during the day. My tied local is a tad pricey but it keeps the student/pub crawl/all day drinkers at bay. On days out with her indoors she prefers 'spoons because she feels safe rather than being dragged into a spit and sawdust (her description) pub for a rare ale like I'd prefer.

The Good Beer Guide has long been the go-to source of gen for a decent pint when in an unfamiliar town.

Always the way forward but can get caught out due to changes. It may recommend some 'spoons but if there's something else nearby I'll head there.

 

[xotGD]

Which does suggest some Wetherspoons.

Sometimes there isn't a better option. Which is sad.

 

[PeterY]

I like Wetherspoons when I'm in another town, especially on rail trips. You get what you pay for. I can't comment on their beer because I don't drink.

They are useful for a wee, despite mostly being mostly upstairs and along lots of corridors

I won't go into my local home town one though because I know too many undesirable people that use it including my ex but it's the only one I'm aware of, you actually go DOWN stairs to the loo.

 

[Bald Rick]

Sometimes there isn't a better option. Which is sad.

Oh there is always a better option in a town with a Wetherspoons. It’s known as ‘not going to the pub’.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Oh there is always a better option in a town with a Wetherspoons. It’s known as ‘not going to the pub’.

Suggestions about what to do on a wet winter's evening whilst changing trains at Shotton welcome.

 

[Bald Rick]

Suggestions about what to do on a wet winter's evening whilst changing trains at Shotton welcome.

Walk the half mile to Hendy’s pub. Or stay at the station and get wet and cold. But don’t go to Wetherspoons unless it’s to use the toilet.

 

[Starmill]

Ironically as Wetherspoon don't have a 'toilets are for customer use only' policy, if there's nowhere else where facilities are provided, they can be a good option for a quick loo stop!

The Government's hospitality industry support measures have the appearance of having been drafted specifically for the benefit of Wetherspoon to the exclusion of smaller pubs, or independent or more 'traditional' places. No help whatsoever has been offered to small, old pubs that don't serve food, but the massive chunk of taxpayer's cash that's heading to the bank account of Wetherspoon very soon will deprive them of trade.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Walk the half mile to Hendy’s pub. Or stay at the station and get wet and cold. But don’t go to Wetherspoons unless it’s to use the toilet.

Right. Never made it as far as Hendy’s but suggestion taken in the spirit that it is made!

 

[xotGD]

Ironically as Wetherspoon don't have a 'toilets are for customer use only' policy, if there's nowhere else where facilities are provided, they can be a good option for a quick loo stop!

The Government's hospitality industry support measures have the appearance of having been drafted specifically for the benefit of Wetherspoon to the exclusion of smaller pubs, or independent or more 'traditional' places. No help whatsoever has been offered to small, old pubs that don't serve food, but the massive chunk of taxpayer's cash that's heading to the bank account of Wetherspoon very soon will deprive them of trade.

If you are paying £20 for food in a Spoons you've been robbed!

The scheme will benefit plenty of country pubs, 'gastro' pubs and non-spit-and-sawdust town centre pubs.

 

[S&CLER]

I've lived opposite a Wetherspoons (the Sir Henry Segrave ) for 25 years, but have never yet been in it, though I have been in several others. This thread doesn't encourage me to try it. It looks OK from outside though, with picnic tables and umbrellas on the grass verge. It's not a noisy pub, and the only time I can hear any sound from it indoors is on occasions when there is live football, especially an England game, and someone scores. If you choose to live in a town centre, you can't complain about occasional noise, and I don't.

 

[Starmill]

If you are paying £20 for food in a Spoons you've been robbed!

Precisely. Nearly all sales, even with side, drinks and dessert, will be given the maximum discount...

 

[xotGD]

Precisely. Nearly all sales, even with side, drinks and dessert, will be given the maximum discount...

It's not £10 off, it is 50% off up to a maximum of £10.

 

[Butts]

I like Wetherspoons when I'm in another town, especially on rail trips. You get what you pay for. I can't comment on their beer because I don't drink.

They are useful for a wee, despite mostly being mostly upstairs and along lots of corridors

I won't go into my local home town one though because I know too many undesirable people that use it including my ex but it's the only one I'm aware of, you actually go DOWN stairs to the loo.

Completely agree, particularly unlimited Hot Drinks for about £1 upwards...

And normally a Decent Malt for a good price with a Double only a £1 extra...

And the Toilets.

 

[LOL The Irony]

I don't get what boycotting Spoons will do apart from leave 37,000 people jobless at a time when unemployment is what we don't want. All of these people wanting to boycott Spoons for how Tim Martin treated his staff, will actually do more harm to the staff then Tim ever could. It's just the shut up, I'm being offended for you brigade.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I don't get what boycotting Spoons will do apart from leave 37,000 people jobless at a time when unemployment is what we don't want.

It won't do anything of the sort if people are visiting their local independent pubs instead.

 

[LOL The Irony]

It won't do anything of the sort if people are visiting their local independent pubs instead.

Eh? Are you sure all of the independents could take on those 37k unemployed?

 

[Tetchytyke]

Eh? Are you sure all of the independents could take on those 37k unemployed?

If everyone is still spending the same amount of money as before, just in a different pub, then there will be no net effect on the employment rate.

 

[LOL The Irony]

If everyone is still spending the same amount of money as before, just in a different pub, then there will be no net effect on the employment rate.

So they're all going to be able to take on all those extra employees, and everyone who worked a Wetherspoons will be able to get a job after it goes bust because you all boycotted it?

 

[Ian Cunningham]

The Neverspoons app has a couple of big flaws for me
1) It only shows locations of pubs, no other useful information eg link to website, opening hours or whether it has re-opened at all at the moment
2) It was very sparsely populated with pubs until recently but has now added a lot more including all the big pubcos , some of which have behaved very badly towards their tennants and continue to do so

I would recommend folk use the CAMRA Whatpub website for pub info (each pub has an extensive info page
If you want to avoid Spoons a quick click on the pub will show if it's a Spoons or not (the pubs website address is usually the easiest way to spot a spoons)
There is a lot of work by volunteers to try and keep it as up to date as possible which is quite a task at the moment as there are so many changes each day

 

[Ian Cunningham]

Sometimes there isn't a better option. Which is sad.

GBG entry is on the basis of beer quality (largely by CAMRA members beer scores throughout the year) - if a Wetherspoons consistently serves beer in good condition it has every right to be there
Our local Spoons in Musselburgh has has the same manager since opening and it's beer has been pretty decent so has only missed out on the GBG once in seven years.
He has to be on his toes though as the closest real-ale pub is a former CAMRA UK Pub of the Year!