Wetherspoons

[IngressUK]

I agree! We went a few weeks ago and the pub itself was nice. I guess cos it’s new, but the service was horrendous. Have you been to the other one in Clapham junction? Not the high street more like Battersea really. The asparagus. That’s a dive but not as bad as tooting!

It is a shame about the London and Southwestern. With good management it could be very good, however I left feeling a bit disappointed with it.

Yes, I've been to The Asparagus (painted blue outside) before. it is less than a ten minute walk from the London and Southwestern.

To be fair it isn't that bad. Certainly not one of the worst I've been in.

Another of my gripes with Spoons is that they have now closed down so many branches, some areas are now bare of Spoons.

I refer to areas such as Mitcham, Highgate, Archway, Hampstead (The Horseshoe there was the former Spoons), Balham, Morden and central London, around the West End. Years ago there used to be The Tyburn at Marble Arch and The Moon and Sixpence in Soho. The Green Man near St Paul's has now also gone, as has the Print Works in Clerkenwell and The Glass Works (where the small shopping centre is) in Angel. I also recall going into The Man in the Moon in Camden, outside The Stables market which has also gone. One of the most disappointing closures was The Crown and Sceptre in Streatham Hill.

Even the medium sized town of Wokingham had its Spoons branch closed a couple of years ago, leaving the town without a branch. Reading used to have four, now reduced to two.

There are countless other areas that used to have two, or more branches, now reduced to just one.

I've not fully agreed with Tim Martin's closure programme over the years. In many cases it has been disputes with the landlords of the property they lease, that has resulted in the pubs closing. No efforts, in some cases, have been made to find a suitable premises elsewhere in those locations.

There is a website somewhere that lists the branches that have been closed. The list is quite long! Someone once said to me there are now more closed/former Spoons branches in London, than open ones.

Other recent ones I've been into.

Slough
Cricklewood (another I wasn't impressed with)
Acton
Abingdon (The Narrows is a great modern style pub).
Uxbridge
Camberwell
Mile End (another branch that has been done out well).

I also recently revisited two of my haunts from University days. The Coronet on Holloway Road and The White Swan on Highbury Corner.

 

[Oppyonion]

The White House in Scraptoft near Leicester is a lovely building, there grilled chicken burger with an added on cheddar is lovely! I always get an extra side of chips to share with everyone, as they are always tight on chips! For a sweet and sickly pudding try the cookie dough...it’s small when it comes but you realise quickly you wouldn’t be able to eat anymore!

 

[BattleAxing]

I don't like it. It's cheap, microwavable food.

It seems to be a hit with people I know and my family so I tend to go when invited. But I wouldn't choose it as an option myself. The chips are dry, the curries aren't authentic. Everything else is mediocre.

 

[Phoenix Lazarus]

I don't like the level of noise there normally is in there.

 

[Warpaint]

The one in Llandudno is in an old picture house and they have done it up beautifully. Only been in a couple of times in the afternoon when on holiday but nice atmosphere. My hubby always makes a note of where they are as he does not drink and likes the idea of buying 1 coffee and then having as many as he wants for free and also likes their brunch so we have been in quite a few of them and have to say not been in a tacky one yet. The one in Harrogate was the nicest one we have been in, I think.
That C5 programme last night about Wetherspoons last night explained the way they work and if you didn't see it it is on catchup.

That programme last night definitely put me off the food more. Those curries looked grim in the microwavable packets.

 

[Rockin' Robin]

I have mixed feelings about them. On the one hand, I appreciate the way buildings that might have been demolished - i.e. cinemas, are given a new lease of life.
However the food has really gone down hill in recent years, I found a peice of plastic packaging in my chicken tikka the other week!

 

[Peaches_xox]

The newest London branch in Clapham Junction - The London and Southwestern - I visited last Sunday. A nicely done out pub that suffers with poor service. One person serving on the till, plus they failed to inform when ordering there was a 30-40 minute wait for food.

I agree! We went a few weeks ago and the pub itself was nice. I guess cos it’s new, but the service was horrendous. Have you been to the other one in Clapham junction? Not the high street more like Battersea really. The asparagus. That’s a dive but not as bad as tooting!