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Largest town with no Wetherspoons

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91104

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Just like these largest town in Britain without a railway station threads that come up from time to time does anyone know what the largest town in Britain is that doesn't have a Wetherspoons?
I'll start off with my local area of South Essex and suggest Grays or Tilbury both sizeable places that have yet to have a Wetherspoons open up.
 
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mikeg

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Was thinking Northallerton, but Grays is far bigger (though Tilbury isn't) in population terms.
 

Blindtraveler

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I dont know the definitive answer but, personal opinion only, the occupants of the town without one of these establishments should count themselves lucky.
 

bnm

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Tynemouth. Which beats Grays in population terms.
 

Merseysider

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Heswall comes to mind.

Other than the Exchange, it's quite a pricey area so a Spoons would be most welcome.

I'd have to disagree there, they have a good beer selection and the prices are reasonable unlike a lot of pubs round my way...
Agreed. Plus, you know for certain that if you get food it'll be distinctly, but safely, average. :D
 

Clip

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Cant knock a spoons - value for money really and of late have really got their beers spot on.
 

Tom B

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If going to a Wetherspoons ensure that whatever you're buying is fried or grilled, otherwise it'll be microwaved!

But yes they're the sort of places you might go a) for some cheap grub one evening if you want to eat something but it's not an occasion to go somewhere poncey, or b) if you're in another town you don't know and want to have a 'known quantity'.
 

PHILIPE

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Just like these largest town in Britain without a railway station threads that come up from time to time does anyone know what the largest town in Britain is that doesn't have a Wetherspoons?
I'll start off with my local area of South Essex and suggest Grays or Tilbury both sizeable places that have yet to have a Wetherspoons open up.


Tilbury used to have a Spoons. The Anchor, but sold off some years ago now. Not much like one inside and the only one I've seen with a Dart Board.
 

fowler9

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Nothing wrong with a Spoons as long as you set your expectations when you walk through the door. A bar half a mile long with one person serving, another person dishing out food. Everyone in the queue doesn't know what they want to eat or drink or where they are sat and has possibly never been in a pub before. Half of them want tea or coffee so their order will take half an hour. Apart from that Spoons are sound.
 

Dave1987

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I dont know the definitive answer but, personal opinion only, the occupants of the town without one of these establishments should count themselves lucky.

I wasn't aware that you are forced to be a patron. If you don't like them then don't go in simples! I and others though find their prices very reasonable and beer to be of reasonable quality. Certainly if there are no decent beer pubs around I will head for the Whetherspoon as you know exactly what you going to get.
 

PHILIPE

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Tilbury used to have a Spoons. The Anchor, but sold off some years ago now. Not much like one inside and the only one I've seen with a Dart Board.

It's now a Religious Centre. Thirst before righteousness instead of the other way round.
After making the unpopular decision to do away with Sunday roasts earlier this year, a decision which has appeared to reduce the number of punters in my local on a Sunday, they have bow dispensed with Christmas dinners this year.
Commercial decisions, but they remain secret.
 

Clip

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It's now a Religious Centre. Thirst before righteousness instead of the other way round.
After making the unpopular decision to do away with Sunday roasts earlier this year, a decision which has appeared to reduce the number of punters in my local on a Sunday, they have bow dispensed with Christmas dinners this year.
Commercial decisions, but they remain secret.

Was just reading about them doing away with Christmas dinners - that could go wrong for them.
 

Dave1954

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There`s 2 places that comes to mind Llangollen and Swanage !!
Both with a railway connection :)
Regards Dave 1954 :)
 

Cumberlandkev

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Nothing wrong with a Spoons as long as you set your expectations when you walk through the door. A bar half a mile long with one person serving, another person dishing out food. Everyone in the queue doesn't know what they want to eat or drink or where they are sat and has possibly never been in a pub before. Half of them want tea or coffee so their order will take half an hour. Apart from that Spoons are sound.


Brilliant! My experience every time at the local Spoons.
 

AlterEgo

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I wasn't aware that you are forced to be a patron. If you don't like them then don't go in simples! I and others though find their prices very reasonable and beer to be of reasonable quality. Certainly if there are no decent beer pubs around I will head for the Whetherspoon as you know exactly what you going to get.

Indeed. Spoons are incredibly consistent, it's almost as consistent with product delivery as McDonald's.

It's dirt cheap, the food fills a hole and a drink comes with a lot of meals.
 

Cowley

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Nothing wrong with a Spoons as long as you set your expectations when you walk through the door. A bar half a mile long with one person serving, another person dishing out food. Everyone in the queue doesn't know what they want to eat or drink or where they are sat and has possibly never been in a pub before. Half of them want tea or coffee so their order will take half an hour. Apart from that Spoons are sound.

Spot on Fowler9! :)

I'd like to add that it's the only pub that my wife and our kids (6 between us) can go out for a meal, desserts and drinks and get out alive for easily under fifty quid in the whole of Exeter.
Also an honorary mention must go to the company for the buildings that they've saved over the years. The George's Meeting House and The Imperial in Exeter are fabulous buildings and It's good to see them have a new lease of life.

The feeling of irritation when the person in front of you orders a coffee does make me want to throw the chairs around though. Oh and when they've sold out of a particular meal when you're trying to order and you have to ring someone back at the table to ask what they want instead with the feeling of eyes boring into you from the rest of the queue behind.

I'd never order a coffee on a busy day though. Right, better leave this now as I've gone to bad place again.
 
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61653 HTAFC

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What would be the smallest place WITH a Spoons? Can't be many competitors for Batley I'd have thought...
 

AlterEgo

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What would be the smallest place WITH a Spoons? Can't be many competitors for Batley I'd have thought...

Batley isn't that small.

Leighton Buzzard has one and I'm sure it's nowhere near the smallest place with a Spoons.
 

Blindtraveler

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Fort William potential contender for smallest place? Peebles also and maybe berwick on tweed although I understand that ones closing/being sold.
 

91104

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What would be the smallest place WITH a Spoons? Can't be many competitors for Batley I'd have thought...

Wick must be a contender. I was pleasantly surprised to find a Spoons there when I did the Far North line earlier in the year.
 

DarloRich

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Cant knock a spoons - value for money really and of late have really got their beers spot on.

I have no problem with a spoons - you know what you will get and for a decent price.

The beer can be hit and miss though. If you get one with a manager who has had a pub before the beer is fine. If you get one with a kid out of uni as a manager the beer tends to be treated like lager and therefore of a poorer quality. The ranger offered is really good and they must buy thier beer/lager/cider for almost nothing considering the volume they shift.
 

yorksrob

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It's now a Religious Centre. Thirst before righteousness instead of the other way round.
After making the unpopular decision to do away with Sunday roasts earlier this year, a decision which has appeared to reduce the number of punters in my local on a Sunday, they have bow dispensed with Christmas dinners this year.
Commercial decisions, but they remain secret.

That's a sign of decline if ever there was one !

Interesting to see about the furore regarding getting rid of the Sunday lunch. I would suggest that if they screw around with breakfast, they'll be toast.
 

Greenback

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Wick must be a contender. I was pleasantly surprised to find a Spoons there when I did the Far North line earlier in the year.

I was about to suggest the very same!

I don't mind Wetherspoons at all. They are pretty consistent with both their beer and food in my experience.
 

richw

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Was just reading about them doing away with Christmas dinners - that could go wrong for them.

They've axed roast dinners as well. I kind of understand their reasoning though and it certainly is understandable.

Unlike McDs, KFC etc Wetherspoons is as expected everytime no matter where you go, and for £5.99 a beer and burger meal is better than McDonalds every time, as you'll never get a beer with your McDs!
Everything is microwaved/fried/grilled to order so hasn't been sat in a holding cabinet for hours unlike KFC/McDs etc.
 

61653 HTAFC

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I was about to suggest the very same!

I don't mind Wetherspoons at all. They are pretty consistent with both their beer and food in my experience.

The issue I have with Wetherspoons is that (a) they're often full of idiots, and (b) they take trade away from decent independent pubs nearby.
 
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