Largest town with no Wetherspoons

[Butts]

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

The Fort William one is right next to the Travelodge if I remember correctly, handy for Breakfast.

 

[richw]

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.

If the independent was that good they wouldn't have their trade taken by wetherspoons. Everyone I know will visit the good locals, regardless of wetherspoons presence.

 

[DarloRich]

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.

indeed - but a good pub is a good pub. A decent ale pub is always well patronised as is a decent pub doing good food. What you cant do is try to take on Spoons on price or middle ground quality. They will win.

The clientele depends on the area and style of Spoons although the cheap prices will always attract those with a more limited budget.

 

[mirodo]

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

Ruthin (pop 5461)?

 

[fowler9]

indeed - but a good pub is a good pub. A decent ale pub is always well patronised as is a decent pub doing good food. What you cant do is try to take on Spoons on price or middle ground quality. They will win.

The clientele depends on the area and style of Spoons although the cheap prices will always attract those with a more limited budget.

Yeah, Spoons does what it says on the tin. I use them sometimes and they are fine, others I use the very good real ale pubs in Liverpool of which we have a decent number and seem to be well used.

 

[backontrack]

Perranporth (pop. 3,066) has a Wetherspoons. So do Pwllheli (4,076), Keswick (4,821) and Brigg (5,626). At the other end of the scale, Beverley doesn't have one (though Driffield does).

So Perranporth probably wins that competition.

 

[Busaholic]

The issue I have with Wetherspoons is that (a) they're often full of idiots.

Sometimes on both sides of the bar.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

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.

Indeed, also home to one of the cheapest pints I've ever had, less than £2 IIRC. Sadly only had time for one before the train back!

 

[VauxhallandI]

The Spoons in Borehamwood is an utter disgrace.

Avoided them all for a while but have upped their game beer wise over the last few years.

Usually avoid them at the weekend after 7pm

 

[richw]

Perranporth (pop. 3,066) has a Wetherspoons. So do Pwllheli (4,076), Keswick (4,821) and Brigg (5,626). At the other end of the scale, Beverley doesn't have one (though Driffield does).

So Perranporth probably wins that competition.

I wonder what Perranporth's temporary population goes to with visitors in the summer though?

 

[backontrack]

I wonder what Perranporth's temporary population goes to with visitors in the summer though?

Same with Keswick (which is actually probably higher)...

 

[crispy1978]

Cheap and cheerful, but you know what you get.

Had worse, but it will never get a Michelin Star!

Having said that, have stayed there before, and it was actually surprisingly pleasant!!!

No idea on the OP question though.

 

[Cambus731]

Looks like Stanley has won this. Although Nelson isn't far behind.
It used to have a Wetherspoons but no longer. The town center is a Real Ale desert now.
As for Scotland, Thurso could probably do with one.

 

[crispy1978]

Has Armagh got one?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Perranporth (pop. 3,066) has a Wetherspoons. So do Pwllheli (4,076), Keswick (4,821) and Brigg (5,626). At the other end of the scale, Beverley doesn't have one (though Driffield does).

So Perranporth probably wins that competition.

I thought Beverley did have one, unless it has closed? Was near a Thai restaurant I think.

 

[cf111]

The Fort William one is right next to the Travelodge if I remember correctly, handy for Breakfast.

The Travelodge is above the Wetherspoons - I normally stay there when working in the Fort! I do enjoy a 'Spoons eggs Benedict for my breakfast.

Looks like Stanley has won this. Although Nelson isn't far behind.
It used to have a Wetherspoons but no longer. The town center is a Real Ale desert now.
As for Scotland, Thurso could probably do with one.

It nearly got one a couple of years ago, the local publicans were not pleased.

 

[crispy1978]

The Travelodge is above the Wetherspoons - I normally stay there when working in the Fort! I do enjoy a 'Spoons eggs Benedict for my breakfast.



It nearly got one a couple of years ago, the local publicans were not pleased.

Couldn't imagine Thurso with one - just doesn't fit! It's a quirky old place! Could never live there, but it is one of those places that when I visit I struggle to say goodbye to easily!

 

[PHILIPE]

Trowbridge had 2, The Isaac Pitman and the Albany Palace but both were put up sale last year leaving the town without one at all.

 

[johntea]

On the flip side which towns or cities have the largest number of multiple Spoons

Leeds has a whopping 5 and a potential extra one coming soon towards Headingley!

Sheffield similar but I think one recently changed ownership, it always seems strange when they have two very close to each other! In fact unless it has changed Derby has a Spoons...next to a Spoons

They seem to try and seperate them a bit with the Lloyds branding but they're still Spoons!

 

[dgl]

Weymouth considering that it is not the larges of places has 2, The Swan and The William Henry, and both seem very busy most of the time. The Swan is adults only which I have not seen before.
But as has been mentioned Weatherspoon's are not the finest of pubs (we're in Hall and Woodhouse country and they are better but a fair bit more expensive) but they are always the same and you know what you are getting and for the price you can't complain.
Although I still do not get the idea of having 'spoons at services but then if (as was when we stayed at Beaconsfield services) there is a hotel next door is kinda makes sense.

 

[ValleyLines142]

On the flip side which towns or cities have the largest number of multiple Spoons

Leeds has a whopping 5 and a potential extra one coming soon towards Headingley!

Sheffield similar but I think one recently changed ownership, it always seems strange when they have two very close to each other! In fact unless it has changed Derby has a Spoons...next to a Spoons

They seem to try and seperate them a bit with the Lloyds branding but they're still Spoons!

Cardiff has seven. The Great Western and the Prince of Wales, which are literally right around the corner from each other, the Gatekeeper, the Crockerton, the Central Bar, the Ernest Willows and the Mount Stewart. There's also the Ivor Davies in Canton and the Aneurin Bevan on Gabalfa Interchange. So nine altogether.

Bristol has got the Knights Templar, just outside Temple Meads station, V Shed on the harbourside, the Commercial Rooms on Corn Street, the Berkeley on Clifton Triangle and the W G Grace on Whiteladies Road which are all central ones. On the outskirts there's one in Fishponds, Bedminster, Lawrence Hill, Hanham and Kingswood.

There is a fairly new Wetherspoons that has opened in Weston-super-Mare on the seafront, the Cabot Court Hotel, which is a really nice one!

I imagine Birmingham and Manchester probably have at least five or six too.

 

[91104]

In fact unless it has changed Derby has a Spoons...next to a Spoons

They seem to try and seperate them a bit with the Lloyds branding but they're still Spoons!

Romford has 2 spoons next door but one to each other with another pub/bar between them. One masquerades as a Lloyds no 1 and must be one of the few spoons with the toilets on the same level as the bar. As I don't know if it's just me but every spoons I seem to go into getting to the toilets seems to involve climbing at least one flight of stairs.
I was recently in Barnstaple and they had 2 Wetherspoons and that only seemed like a small town.

 

[sprinterguy]

I imagine Birmingham and Manchester probably have at least five or six too.

There used to be six in Birmingham city centre; The Dragon Inn, The Square Peg, The Briar Rose, the one in Paradise Forum, The Soloman Cutler (Lloyds No.1) and The Figure of Eight. However the unnamed outlet in Paradise Forum went with the demolition of the old Central Library, and the Soloman Cutler has been put up for sale.

Newcastle used to have quite a few, too: The Quayside, The Union Rooms, The Mile Castle, The Keel Row and The Five Swans.

When you consider the level of duplication in many city (and town) centres of a business that founder Tim Martin has readily admitted is a "one trick pony" in terms of its' offering (Excepting the differentiation between Wetherspoon and Lloyds bars), and often absurd proximity to other outlets, as seen between Newcastle's Union Rooms and Mile Castle, or Sheffield's Water Works and Benjamin Huntsman, it is hardly surprising to see Wetherspoons currently engaged in a programme of consolidation, although taken together their business decisions of late do not suggest a business in the best of health.

I am disappointed however that of all their pubs in Newcastle city centre they have chosen to sell up the Union Rooms; it was their original outlet in the town and, in my opinion, the best. Dead good for starting a session cheaply before a night out on the toon.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

One masquerades as a Lloyds no 1 and must be one of the few spoons with the toilets on the same level as the bar.

A rare accolade indeed! I too share the impression that accessing the toilets in many Wetherspoon outlets requires the navigation of labyrinthine arrangements of stairways more reminiscent of an M.C. Escher piece (or perhaps the latter impression is only gained as a result of the drink!).

 

[Bletchleyite]

"Old Wetherspoons" in Milton Keynes (not that old, just the original MK one, and the one nearest the station) is all on one level too, in a modern (ish) building. So's the very new one downstairs from the Travelodge in Fort William, if I recall rightly.

I guess it's the fact that most of them are converted older buildings that causes this to be common.

 

[PHILIPE]

Cardiff has seven. The Great Western and the Prince of Wales, which are literally right around the corner from each other, the Gatekeeper, the Crockerton, the Central Bar, the Ernest Willows and the Mount Stewart. There's also the Ivor Davies in Canton and the Aneurin Bevan on Gabalfa Interchange. So nine altogether.

Bristol has got the Knights Templar, just outside Temple Meads station, V Shed on the harbourside, the Commercial Rooms on Corn Street, the Berkeley on Clifton Triangle and the W G Grace on Whiteladies Road which are all central ones. On the outskirts there's one in Fishponds, Bedminster, Lawrence Hill, Hanham and Kingswood.

There is a fairly new Wetherspoons that has opened in Weston-super-Mare on the seafront, the Cabot Court Hotel, which is a really nice one!

I imagine Birmingham and Manchester probably have at least five or six too.

In Bristol, also the Staple Hill Oak in Staple Hill on the outskirts, not far from the Fishponds and Kingswood ones. Time flies, Cabot Court has been open for just over 5 years now.
Interesting Website here:-

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ccaajpa/pubs-spoons.html

 

[sprinterguy]

I guess it's the fact that most of them are converted older buildings that causes this to be common.

Yeah, that's undoubtedly the case, with regard to shoehorning pub facilities into buildings often built for very different purposes many decades ago (which, to be fair, I think that Wetherspoon generally do very well): There's fewer challenges when fitting out a new build or, presumably, converting fairly modern former retail premises.

 

[PHILIPE]

Yeah, that's undoubtedly the case, with regard to shoehorning pub facilities into buildings often built for very different purposes many decades ago (which, to be fair, I think that Wetherspoon generally do very well): There's fewer challenges when fitting out a new build or, presumably, converting fairly modern former retail premises.

Spoons bought the closed Collingwood Hotel in Ilfracombe in 2007, planning to retain it as a hotel. In the meantime, down and outs were using it and started a fire with a discarded cigarette which resulted in a structural inspection taking place discovering the building was dangerous and riddled with asbestos. It had already been delayed due to Planning issues but that's another story. Finally, it was decided to flatten the building and build a completely new one on the site, but pub only, on the site which eventually opened in 2014.

 

[DarloRich]

"Old Wetherspoons" in Milton Keynes (not that old, just the original MK one, and the one nearest the station) is all on one level too, in a modern (ish) building. So's the very new one downstairs from the Travelodge in Fort William, if I recall rightly.

I guess it's the fact that most of them are converted older buildings that causes this to be common.

it isn't great - service is slow and their ale is often not right. BTW the Secklow Hundred has closed.

I am disappointed however that of all their pubs in Newcastle city centre they have chosen to sell up the Union Rooms; it was their original outlet in the town and, in my opinion, the best. Dead good for starting a session cheaply before a night out on the toon.
:

say it aint so! The Union Rooms is a nice one. Drunk ( and been drunk) there many times

 

[sprinterguy]

say it aint so! The Union Rooms is a nice one. Drunk ( and been drunk) there many times

Afraid so! Bit of a strange one, as Wetherspoons had only bought the building (they were previously tenants) five months before they offered it for sale.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news...erspoon-confirms-sale-newcastle-city-11357545

Although I haven't heard anything more since it was offered for sale in May, and as far as I know it is still operating as a Spoons at present. Great building: Light, airy and absolutely loads of space for drinkers (three bars!) and diners.

 

[Bletchleyite]

it isn't great - service is slow and their ale is often not right. BTW the Secklow Hundred has closed.

Yep, I know, it's being converted to some kind of trendy real ale pub.

 

[DarloRich]

Yep, I know, it's being converted to some kind of trendy real ale pub.

the hipster beards/quiffsters like to call it craft ale

PS - try MK Biergarten in Wolverton.

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Afraid so! Bit of a strange one, as Wetherspoons had only bought the building (they were previously tenants) five months before they offered it for sale.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news...erspoon-confirms-sale-newcastle-city-11357545

Although I haven't heard anything more since it was offered for sale in May, and as far as I know it is still operating as a Spoons at present. Great building: Light, airy and absolutely loads of space for drinkers (three bars!) and diners.

I have always liked it - an great example of spoons bringing old buildings back into modern use. There was always space even when v busy. It is even better now that bloody awful tower block has gone