Posting personally (again), I always decline any offer of including black pudding to my breakfast meal. 

 
Previous topics and posts on this particular subject now merged here. 

 
See also a previous topic, which Coffee Shop forum member Kernow Otter reminded me about:


CfN. 

 
It may just be a 'creative artist's impression' of the proposed new Wetherspoons establishment, but I find their suggestion of decor to be very garish:



 

 
Indeed, and his open support - to the tune of £200k - to support a policy that would chronically deplete his own serving staff. However, he doubled down on this by making what remained of his staff during COVID, work from home - except there was no work, nor pay, nor job.

 

I'm surprised Tim Martin has time to open new outlets bearing in mind all the time he spends giving interviews to the media telling them how much the latest tax changes are killing the pub trade.... 

 
I don't know how long this one has been in the planning.

It is only a few months since they opened one at the side of the station at Paddington Basin.

https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/the-sir-alexander-fleming-paddington/

 

The Bakerloo never really had a surface building.  There was a stairway facing Praed Street (opposite London Street) in Paddington Square, the stairway was a small building with oxblood type tiles along the side.

However that whole area has now been redeveloped and the massive Paddington District postal sorting office building was demolished and replaced by new office block with shops etc at subsurface level, possibly the whole thing connects (or soon will do) to Paddington station concourse (there were hoardings on the concourse across from platform 11 and 12 area when I was last there couple of weeks ago).

It would make sense there is a former Bakerloo ticket hall under the roadway of Paddington Square.  Bakerloo now has a new entrance nearer South Wharf Street and a connecting passageway under the main station to Circle line station

 
"Huge new Wetherspoons" is a phrase that should send a shiver down the spine of anyone who values real pubs, irrespective of location.

 

...or the Elizabeth Line! But the station plan dated July 2025 shows three big units as "coming soon" exactly there - between the gents' and the way through to the Elizabeth Line. As those are the only spaces implied to be vacant, I guess that is where it will be. From the picture, a new mezzanine will be inserted to increase floor space, but remove any "heritage" atmosphere.

 
I can't place a "former ticket hall, which provides direct access to the Bakerloo line".  If anything, the one I'm thinking of on the Eastbourne Terrace side would be closer to the District line.

 
Bear and Bishop might take a beating.

And will we be still able to buy tickets from a human?

 
From Evening Standard

 
I don't think I've ever been to Wokingham. If I have, I don't remember it. I probably never will now.

 

Lucky Wokingham - especially as the Molly Millar has also gone!

 
Just finished a bottle of Golden Pride - always look a bit more distinguished drinking that than the similar strength Carlsberg Special Brew!

The Mad Bishop & Bear at London Paddington occasionally have it on draft. Handy when they do as it then qualifies for the CAMRA member discount.

 

Preference regarding real ales is very subjective, but I agree that Green King IPA is rather bland and tasteless, very ordinary, also very cheap wholesale.
Fullers London Pride is one of my favourites, ESB better still but too strong to drink in quantity, Fullers "golden pride" is exceedingly strong and not regularly available on draught, but well worth looking for IMO.

 
Wokingham is now a Wetherspoons-free town. But...

Wetherspoons announced last September that the Gig House would close, giving a year's notice. That might suggest they don't love us Wokingham residents any more - or that we don't love them enough in the commercial sense (but see below for evidence to the contrary). However, it was always clear the lease was up for renewal, and maybe they were just arm-wrestling with the landlord.

Then a month ago this closure was suddenly brought forward with one week's notice. There was muttering about the loss of trade due to the obstructive building works, by then on both sides of the Gig House. But, again, the real explanation is obviously the lease - a new tenant had been found, so the old lease could be terminated by mutual agreement. (Bear in mind a lessee can't transfer liability to pay rent to another without the lessor's agreement.)

So it's been quickly and minimally refitted by its new proprietors, Bear Inns, as a Wannaspoons house - they have said as much: "It's the Wetherspoon idea ... so we're not using the Bears model". It opened last night, though I've not been to look yet. Of course that's not near the station, the pub down there is the Molly Millar - or was, as that's also been relet (or sold) and refitted (closed most of April).

In this case the new operators are Stonegate, who have listed it among their Craft Pubs chain, though that's not a strong branding you'd notice. Menu and service-wise it's pretty much a Wannaspoons - and still trying harder when I was there soon after it opened. Beer prices may not be quite that low, though. Certainly the craft offering from the "beer wall" I had was pricey, and the general bar prices were not visible. With the weather so far allowing them to fill the large patio/decking area, even when shh...you-know-what has filled the indoor viewing zones, the new owners probably mark this one as worth taking on.

And it's got a new name: the Station Tap. Historically, it was the Railway Hotel most of the time from being built (ca. 1860) until quite recently. For most of the 1900s, the Railway Tap operated round the back for those not posh enough for the main "commercial" hotel. That building is still there, as part of the "Crisis House" on Station Approach.

 
I've had black peas, also excellent in eh Refreshment room at Stalybridge Bridge Station.

Pity the trains are so boring!

 

Agreed - it's a cracking pub. We've stopped there a couple of times when boating through Wolverhampton.

 
Word reaches me from a trundling trencherman (guess who?  ) that Wetherspoons have added black pudding to their breakfast menu.

Excellent. 

 
Grey peas! Black peas in my old hometown, and a gourmet treat I have not had in a long time!

In re Wetherspoons, I had a very acceptable steak and chips in the Albert and the Lion recently, washed down with Lytham Blonde before catching the tram back to mum's.

 
Not a Wetherspoons but a great pub even on match day!

The Great Western opposite the old Wolverhampton Low Level station at back of existing station.

Go through subway at left of entrance to station and turn right and follow path on other side.
 
We choose a match day! place heaving bt fully geared up to task 5 bar staff so drinks obtained quickly. Match day food served from kitchen main dishes curry et al preprepared and served from pots chips continuously frying. Again minimal wait. I had Grey Peas and bacon with crusty bread and chips thick cut home fried. Excellent. Others had chicken curry large chunks of chicken, pork baps crackling and lots of meat. Must return-on a non match day.

Proves the point that as you go north portion sizes increase and price decrease.

 
I would think twice before going anywhere near there after dark! But straight down Talbot Road should be OK, then left towards the Tower.

 

A warning to anyone considering a 10 minute walk from Blackpool North - In some directions at least it is not the most salubrious part of town, and I would think twice before walking to North Shore after Dark. 

 
In Blackpool, you are a little spoilt for choice. The Velvet Coaster is on the sea front between Pleasure Beach and Blackpool South stations. The Layton Rakes and the Albert and the Lion are a 10 minute walk from Blackpool North, but will be a quick tram ride soon, when the railway goes inland to BPN. And a couple of minutes stroll down the delightfully named Hardhorn Road from Poulton-le-Fylde station is the Poulton Elk, although to get there, one would have to pass the Golden Ball. I'm not sure I could do that, even despite the globalisation of Boddingtons, which I first drank there around 1972. Old times sake and all that...
 
If you include close to the trams, the Jolly Tars in Cleveleys is 3 minutes from the tram stop. The Thomas Drummond is in London Street, Fleetwood, just round the corner from London Street tram stop.

 
The North Western at Liverpool Lime Street is the former hotel.

 

You've now reminded me why I didn't like it. I never put the vinegar word to the taste, but you are absolutely spot on.

 
I'm fond of a pint of the old Ernst Stavro Blofeld myself.

 
.......and Fullers "Chiswick" tops the lot, but is very hard to find!

 
.... and Fullers ESB an even better one! 

 
Oh, I say, steady on! 

Fuller's London Pride is an excellent pint! 

 

Most ones I've had are creamy, flat with a hint of vinegar. I don't like their "smooth" handled glasses either. Maybe I have just had bad examples, but I'd always tend to avoid GK in as much as I'd avoid Fullers brews and Shepherd Neame.

 

How they can get away with describing their bland 3.6% beer as an IPA I don't know. In reality it is a very ordinary bitter.

 

I agree - they were serving it at Twickenham in the bars at £6 per pint a few weeks ago when we played Wales - pre poured and ice cold! 

 

Having lived in Greene King territory (Sandy, Beds) for several years, I have to say I found their IPA to be one of the most disappointingly insipid brews. I kept on trying to like it, but never did...

 
New Spoons opened a few months ago virtually at Liverpool Lime St station.    The Booking Office opened this week in Edinburgh just on the corner at the top of the slope leading to the Waverley Bridge.  Believe Pen Cob at Pwllheli is more or less opposite.  The John Wallace Linton at Newport was just across the road from the former station entrance but a little further now since the awfully designed and hopelessly thought out alterations to the station.  Talk of the Town in Paignton approx 50 yards in direction of seafront.   Lord Roseberry in Scarborough just across the road.   The Esquire House at Anniesland just across the road after coming down to street level from the Platforms.  The Samuel Romiley at Barry approx 100 yards on the opposite side of the road from the Town station.  The Imperial at Exeter just across the road and up the steps to the road leading up to the city centre.  The Last Post in Southend opposite Central station.  The Tumble in Pontypridd across the road.The Central Hotel in Shotton next door to the High Level (Wrexham-Bidston route) Platforms.

 

Sorry, I meant Abbot as a regular not IPA.

 

Speaking as a cider/wine drinker - Why should a Suffolk Ale be sold in Somerset or West Wales? 

They say around here that Wadworths 6X is at its best when not more than 30 miles from Devizes.  Aren't real ales supposed to be local?

 
Abbot is also a regular real ale - apparently, it's Tim Martin's favourite. 

We don't have Greene King IPA here in Nailsea. 

 

Brains SA is not a regular Spoons ale but might available as guest on occasions.  Spoons Ales always on tap are Doom Bar, Greene King IPA and Ruddles Bitter.  Any others are guests.

 
I called in at my local Wetherspoons (The Glassmaker, in Nailsea) after work this evening, at 5:45, and they'd run out of mixed grills altogether - as well as mashed potato, soup and several other things. 

To be fair, it's Father's Day, so I suspect they'd been extremely busy earlier in the day. 

 
Just been in Yr Hen Orsaf at Aberystwyth station.  Staff friendly and pub clean.  Nice outdoorish seating area with views directly out onto the station platform, under the station canopy.

The mixed grill (£9.99 including a pint, not on steak club day) was ok but not very big.  The steak and lamb were quite small but cooked perfectly.  There were approximately 12 chips which didn't seem very generous (I won't go into calculating the volume of each item).



Beers on offer included Doom Bar (£2.45) and a local(ish) beer Dragon's Revenge (£2.19).  Disappointed to see no Brain's S.A. and no "Welsh" products on the menu except flaming dragon curry (seem to recall a steak+ale pie, faggots and something leek related in the past).

 
The star in Honiton is a winner and only a two min walk from the station

 

But Doombar doesn't have a "tee" in it. Exmoor Stag does though

 

 
Been in two near stations today - The Duke of Wellington in Minehead which is very spacious and also a good value hotel and The Tremenheere in Penzance.  Doombar £2.55 a pint in Penzance.  Exmoor Stag was £2.50 in Minehead.

Almost tee-total me.... 

 

The 'spoons at Gatwick south terminal is considerably worse. £4.90 for a pint!

Edinburgh 'spoons is always packed when I pass through, but from what I can tell it's the best place to be in the overcrowded terminal other than the BA lounge!

Regarding Wetherspoons at railway stations, a new one is due to open at the top of the ramp outside Edinburgh Waverley (it might already be open).

 
Thanks for the suggestions.

 

All a matter of taste/opinion of course - I cited the Barley Mow because I've had several good nights in there, it's proximity to the station and it has character unlike most Wetherspoons warehouses.....of course it is a bit pricier, but where isn't than JDW? In my experience you get what you pay for.......in this case the ale is far superior, and benefits smaller independent breweries.

Agreed re: Queen Square/Harbourside, as you say a bit more of a stroll.

I'll leave this here for eightf48544's consideration (I'm not on commission!!!) 

http://www.barleymowbristol.com/

 
There, I would disagree. 

The Wetherspoons near Bristol Temple Meads (The Knights Templar) is a good example of its type - comparatively cheap real ales, and their predictable full range menu of food.

The Barley Mow in Barton Road has relatively expensive beer and an uninspired menu, in my experience.

If you're prepared to walk ten minutes from the railway station, there are far more options available, in Welsh Back, Queen Square or the harbourside generally.

 
Grim.....like most Wetherspoons. There are far, far better options in Bristol. Try a proper pub like the Barley Mow, not far from Temple Meads.

 
What's the Wetherspoon's at Bristol like? Are there any other pubs or restaurants close to station you'd recommend for a lightish lunch?

 
Indeed.  I have recently used both the airside 'spoons at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports.  Prices are the same at both.

The drinks are reasonably priced (not Wetherspoons typical prices, but still cheaper than many pubs on the high street): £3.55 for a pint of Doom Bar (CAMRA vouchers accepted).

Food is pricey.  The burgers (typically £4.59 with soft drink or £5.59 with alcoholic drink, outside Central London) were only available as "gourmet upgrades" (typically £6.59 or £7.59) but priced at £10 to £11.50 without the drink and without the onion rings.  Add on £3.55 for a pint and you're looking at minimum £5.96 more for less food.  Also meals like chilli con carne are around £11.50 (again, slightly different meal contents to the standard high street chilli and rice option).  No steak on offer, presumably because steak knives are not permitted airside.  No daily "clubs" (steak, curry, chicken, mexican, fish).

I visited both airports on a Wednesday evening two weeks apart.  In Glasgow, we were the only customers in the pub and speeded through security in less than 30 seconds.  At Edinburgh, the pub was almost completely full and security was painfully slow.  Service in Glasgow was much better than in Edinburgh.

 

... and I'm still waiting for the other culprit to own up.

 
I'll leave in the typlo wlith the exltra L. My phlone's dictionary has Blackwell in it but not Backwell. Didn't notlice the aulto-correlct.

Rectiflied. 

 

Indeed you were - and you've 'blotted your copybook' even further by mis-spelling Backwell. 

 
I think it may be I that was one of those who'd complained to Chris about the walk from Nailsea and Blackwell station to Nailsea town centre.

Today I've been mostly in a field drinking Tribute. More of that elsewhere on the forum for regular readers.

 
The Spoons here in Edinburgh don't do the Sunday Club any more, have to jump on a train to Berwick for my fix. 
Alternatively if it's pay weekend then I head to The Grosvenor and get super-thick-sliced beef (bordering on steak) and all the trimmings. Supposed you get what you pay for!

 
My own local Wetherspoons (The Glass Maker, Nailsea) is within 15 minutes' walk of my local railway station - although a certain two members of this forum have baulked at the effort involved (it's mostly uphill). 

I enjoyed an excellent ^1.99 pint of one of the guest beers - 'Piston Broke', from the Box Steam Brewery - this evening. 

 
Ironically the Wetherspoons I was in this lunchtime had a problem in the cellar and had no draught beers, ciders or lagers!

 
Visited The Company Inn in Nottingham today (about 5 mins walk from the station).  A Lloyds Bar, so it played background music (even during the day).  Not too busy at lunchtime, very clean and staff were friendly.

It appears JDW have changed their Sunday Club offering.

Previously you would receive meat, one Yorkshire pudding, three roast potatoes, carrots, peas, brocolli, gravy and a drink.  A ^1.50 upgrade got you mash, an extra Yorkshire pudding and something else.

Now (for the same price), you get meat, one Yorkshire pudding, three roast potatoes, mash, sausage with bacon, carrots, peas, brocolli, gravy and a drink.  A ^1.50 upgrade gets you an extra Yorkshire pudding plus extra turkey or beef (even if you chose a different meat for the main course).

The previous pork loin option has been replaced with sliced turkey.  But I would still recommend the chicken option as being the best in terms of quantity (half a roast chicken).

For ^6.49 including a pint of Bullion (a local golden ale), I was rather impressed and left feeling very full.


The price varies (usually between ^4.99 and ^8.75) depending on pub, but I believe the food offering has changed eveywhere.  Just hoping JDW get my local rebuilt soon (after it was partially destroyed by fire) as they offered all the "clubs" for between ^4.99 and ^5.75!

 
David Protheroe in Neath and Malcom Uphill Caerphilly both across the road.

 
Beer & Burger King..........perfect.......Deep fried Mars Bars too? 

 

There's a new one opened up even closer to Queen Street station, the Camperdown Place is situated at street level under the station occupying an area comprising the site of an old bar and the old lower level of Burger King.

 

If memory serves this one is called The Punch Bowl.

 

Well deserved - your mate deserves praise, like the Allied Arms it's an oasis in a sea of identikit bars and pubs in Reading.

 
I would also recommend The Great Western and The Prince of Wales.  Both a short walk from Cardiff Central.

The Great Western is better for eating, but the Prince of Wales has a better atmosphere later in the evening.  Spent many a night in there chugging pints of skull attack.

 
I highly recommend downloading the wether spoons app it has a map where it will locate the nearest wether spoons to your location!

 
Nice to see The Greyfriar near the Station in Reading getting a shout out - it's owned by a mate of mine 

They use Social Media (FB) to publicise their "Tap take-overs" etc. which are quite frequent.

 

Last Saturday a group of us were intending to get breakfast at The Three Guineas, but their kitchen had no gas apparently. Deciding instead to have a JDW breakfast I remembered The Monk's Retreat from a previous visit so we went to The Hope Tap instead ;-). We also visited The Back of Beyond for the first time and had a pint out the back near the river navigation. Very pleasant!

 
Whilst the Allied Arms and the Greyfriar are vastly superior to anything Wetherspoons has to offer in Reading in terms of beer/atmosphere/clientele/ambience, the Hope Tap isn't bad but I wouldn't recommend the Monk's Retreat, very gloomy and some of the customers tend to bring the Jeremy Kyle show to mind (as befits a pub that opens at 0700).

Back of Beyond is a bit livelier if you don't mind a longer walk, lots of students.

 
Reading has 4 Wetherspoons, 2 of which are within a short walk from Reading "main" station - both are on Friar Street but at opposite ends.

 
York (as has been mentioned) turn right on station exit. At traffic lights...it's there, Cross Keys...so 3 mins. Better go to Brigantes though, turn left at said lights, 100 yards on left: Micklegate. you won't regret it. 10 wickets and good imported bottled...oh and good food.

 
You can indeed (normally) access the platform(s) (there's only one heavy rail platform at present). There is a gate between the Wetherspoons and Network Rail property but that is seldom closed (the one time I remember was when trains were replaced by road transport and the gate was shut with a notice telling you there were no trains so go find the bus/coach).

The Wetherspoons is called 'The Old Station' (but I think it is only written in Welsh) and is built into the GWR part of the station buildings, Arriva Trains Wales use the older pre-grouping station buildings. There are small windows in part of the pub (perhaps former ticket windows?) through which you can see trains using the heavy rail platform, and there is an 'outside' seating area (not sure if they call it a 'beer garden') under the station roof.

 
Casting a magic wand into the future , the as yet as un-named Wevvers is under construction at Portishead and it will be within 300 yards of the as yet unbuilt station!
I have started a thread on the Portishead streetlife page , and have written to Wetherspoons suggesting names in keeping with local history. My  first suggestions is 'The Fred E Weatherly'. He was a prolific Victorian songwriter brought up in Portishead, the John Lennon of his day. His most famous lyrics are those of 'Danny Boy'. For the real Posset locals this could be parodied as 'Denny Buoy'!. in his autobiography 'Piano and Gown' he mentions catching the train from Portishead to begin his studies at Oxford. I strongly suspect it was the very first one in 1862!
My second suggestion is  'The Power and the Phosphorus', relating to two aspects of local history long since demolished. Other suggestions have been made on Streetlife which range from IMHO most imaginative to 'what have you been drinking' ?!

 
Fair point ellendune. I have therefore split this discussion on Wetherspoons away from the topic about Marks and Spencer at Paddington. The original thread can be found here:

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=15829.0

 
Having difficulty relating any recent content on this thread to the title. Have M & S taken over Wetherspoons without telling anyone?

 
Usually Wetherspoons serve cider from a bag-in-a-box in the fridge, even if there's a pump clip - the latter is just advertising. The Westons range is the most common - particularly Marcle Hill, which is a Wetherspoons "exclusive" - but you'll often see Gwynt y Ddraig, Thatchers, Mr Whiteheads and a few others.

Most Wetherspoons now have at least one bag-in-a-box; many have more (I think there were six in the Hereford one last time I was there). Speaking of which, the 'Spoons in Hereford is a shortish walk from the station, and the Postal Order in Worcester is very close to Foregate Street.

 
I can't lay my hand on the letter which came with them at the moment, but from memory the offer includes any hand pulled ciders plus those dispensed from fridge based cider "bag in boxes" - can't remember the correct term just now.

 
I find their prices to be quite variable in general.  In Cambridge, there were two 'spoons (until one burnt down).  A pint of guest ale cost ^2.49 in one and ^1.99 in the other.  Steak club (8oz steak or mixed grill plus pint) was ^7.15 in one and ^5.15 (yes, really) in the other.  The Victoria station branch charges around ^3.50 for a pint - quite expensive in comparison, but well priced for the area.

Also worth noting the Victoria station branch only serves a limited menu.  Possible due to the limited space available in their unit on the mezzanine.  Same at airports: the menu at The Windmill (Stansted Airport) is totally different to high street pubs.  They even have gourmet burger toppings you can't get elsewhere.

On the subject of the Gog & Magog in Plymouth, I've only been there once last year but had a great chicken club meal (half roast chicken with rice and side order of salad).  Staff were friendly, beer was served well and good portion of food.  Couldn't want more.

Also, does anyone know what they mean by "real cider" on the CAMRA vouchers?  I rarely see a guest cider, so assume this means the products like Thatcher's Gold or Stowford Press, instead of Strongbow?

 
Another Wetherspoons set open near a station later this month.

The hoardings came down this week in Teignmouth.  In the distance you can just see the railway station.



Looks a pretty big building with a large open area at the back.

 
The Barking Dog, Barking | Our Pubs | J D Wetherspoon

Turn left out of station and it's above the GOB platform

 
This one is a short walk from the station at Oban, and serves haggis while the ships sail by.

 
Heathrow too.

The "best" one I have been to is without doubt The Counting House in Glasgow, it's their Scottish flagship and you really wouldn't know it's a Wetherspoons - it's got a lot of character & enough barstaff at busy times for one thing!

Doesn't have that "converted warehouse" feel that you get in so many of them (.....although I guess that's because a lot of them are converted shops etc, whereas this one was a rather grand Bank!)

Worst one? Without a doubt the Gog & Magog on the Barbican in Plymouth, a genuinely awful experience in every way and I find you tend you get this if they are interspersed with other pubs charging "normal" prices......the lowest common denominator will gravitate there together with a sprinkling of 16 year olds! (....present company excepted on both counts!!!) 

 
Ah yes, Aberstiffwhistle.

I forgot about that one. And to think I had a very agreeable breakfast in there a few years back.

 
Hi

Believe Aberystwyth has one built into the old Station which you can access platforms from.

At airports all the Spoons charge higher prices.

Basset

 

London Victoria
London Liverpool St
Leeds

Less than three minutes walk:

Bristol Temple Meads
Putney
York
Newcastle

No doubt many more within the sound of a guard's whistle.

 

I can think of Victoria (mezzanine level) & Leeds (used the latter recently, bit of a trek to the platforms), think the Liverpool Street one is just outside (again "upstairs").

Not a massive fan of Fullers beer in general (preferred the Three Guineas in its previous guise), but some of their outlets do go in for guest ales. Again, recently, the Doric Arch just outside Euston had 5 guests on.

 

Are there Wetherspoons at any stations?

Busy stations outlets tend to have to pay a premium for space rental, and it's those franchises which allow differential pricing which seem to be frequently found (and charging more) at stations.   Love the fact there's a McDonald's at Paddington at (I think) standard McDonald's prices!