TRIVIA: Stations with Wetherspoons

[dk1]

The Green Ginger is the only Wetherspoons I've ever asked for a refund and walked out of.

I do miss The London Inn as a Spoons. The Green Ginger is awful & always has been. Now it’s back as a Yates again it’s okay but I’ve found the food to be a bit hit/miss especially if busy with football.

 

[railfan99]

I didn't want to start a new thread, but am conscious this is possibly OT.

Including last year, I've been to UK three times with 2023's trip to be my fourth.

I've yet to enter, dine or drink at a 'JDW".

I've viewed its extensive menu that may be standardised nationally.

Is the food reasonable? That is subjective: what I'm really trying to say is 'if you like items like burgers and chicken schnitzel occasionally, is food acceptable for the price?'

Do these JDWs attract many (if I may say so) 'down and outs' whose behaviour can be potentially threatening or is its market largely lower middle class to middle class people, such as tradesmen with or without family members?

Is the atmosphere generally extremely noisy on busier nights (Fri/Sat) or is it fairly subdued? Are large screen TVs showing sport constantly in one's face?

 

[43066]

I've yet to enter, dine or drink at a 'JDW".

I wouldn’t, there are far better pubs around these days.

Is the food reasonable? I know that's subjective: what I'm really trying to say is 'if you like items like burgers and chicken schnitzel occasionally, is the food acceptable for the price?'

No. It’s like cheap supermarket ready meals heated up. I wouldn’t go near a burger in a spoons. On the other hand the beer selection is usually reasonable.

Do these JDWs attract many (if I may say so) 'down and outs' whose behaviour can be potentially threatening or is its market largely lower middle class to middle class people, such as tradesmen with or without family members?

It’s a mixed bag, but quite few patrons are in the down and out category, in my experience! Outside one near where I used to live it was common to see people downing pints at 1000, which isn’t a good sign!

 

[dk1]

I didn't want to start a new thread, but am conscious this is possibly OT.

Including last year, I've been to UK three times with 2023's trip to be my fourth.

I've yet to enter, dine or drink at a 'JDW".

I've viewed its extensive menu that may be standardised nationally.

Is the food reasonable? That is subjective: what I'm really trying to say is 'if you like items like burgers and chicken schnitzel occasionally, is food acceptable for the price?'

Do these JDWs attract many (if I may say so) 'down and outs' whose behaviour can be potentially threatening or is its market largely lower middle class to middle class people, such as tradesmen with or without family members?

Is the atmosphere generally extremely noisy on busier nights (Fri/Sat) or is it fairly subdued? Are large screen TVs showing sport constantly in one's face?

I’ve visited around 550 Spoons and you get good & bad exactly the Same as other pub chains with differing types of clientele depending on location. You’ll find it hard to beat them on price. Even for coffee you’ll get unlimited Lavazza for around £1.50 hence why it’s now one of the biggest for this market in the UK. Food reheated, fried or griddled is totally acceptable for the cost in my opinion too & you’ll find some unbelievable deals on beers, wines etc even in London. Toilets on the whole are well kept but on a busy hectic weekend maybe not what you’d hoped for but then that’s the same wherever you go.

 

[GoneSouth]

I didn't want to start a new thread, but am conscious this is possibly OT.

Including last year, I've been to UK three times with 2023's trip to be my fourth.

I've yet to enter, dine or drink at a 'JDW".

I've viewed its extensive menu that may be standardised nationally.

Is the food reasonable? That is subjective: what I'm really trying to say is 'if you like items like burgers and chicken schnitzel occasionally, is food acceptable for the price?'

Do these JDWs attract many (if I may say so) 'down and outs' whose behaviour can be potentially threatening or is its market largely lower middle class to middle class people, such as tradesmen with or without family members?

Is the atmosphere generally extremely noisy on busier nights (Fri/Sat) or is it fairly subdued? Are large screen TVs showing sport constantly in one's face?

JDW offers drinks comparatively cheaply so does attract those who want to drink cheaply. Students, older people, those on limited budgets all like them. That doesn’t necessarily make them bad places to go. Really you have to look at them as individual pubs because the location does make a huge difference. If you are travelling for example, you can find a good value pint at some of the larger rail stations such as Leeds and Birmingham New Street.

I’m sure if you share the locations you intend to travel to you will be given lots of local advice by people who know the individual pubs and if there are better places to go nearby.

Personally I’d eat at well regarded local pubs rather than Wetherspoons given the choice. There are other large pub chains like Green King who will also offer a fairly standardised menu, and I’d rather avoid those too if possible!

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Worcester Foregate Street has a 'Spoons just a few yards up the street.

No longer: the Postal Order has now closed. Slightly surprising. But there's plenty of good pubs and cafes within reach of Foregate Street anyway.

 

[Mikey C]

Many Spoons have a really nice atmosphere inside them during the day, because their customer mix genuinely reflects their local area. A much wider age profile than many pubs and much wider ethnic mix too than traditional pubs.

What they are successful at is catering to different groups at different times of the days. Go there during the daytime and you'll see more pensioners and families, go there at 10pm on a Friday night and you'll see more yoof. Pubs which pigeonhole themselves to appeal to one group only are missing a lot of business.

 

[GoneSouth]

No longer: the Postal Order has now closed. Slightly surprising. But there's plenty of good pubs and cafes within reach of Foregate Street anyway.

Their business model these days seems to be as much about property as running pubs. Didn’t they have around 40 pubs for sale recently?

Buy cheap run down (but iconic) property, renovate, build a sustainable pub business on the Wetherspoons name then sell. Good for the balance sheet.

 

[camflyer]

I wouldn’t, there are far better pubs around these days.

No. It’s like cheap supermarket ready meals heated up. I wouldn’t go near a burger in a spoons. On the other hand the beer selection is usually reasonable.

It’s a mixed bag, but quite few patrons are in the down and out category, in my experience! Outside one near where I used to live it was common to see people downing pints at 1000, which isn’t a good sign!

To be honest, I'd rather have a burger at a Wetherspoons than a McDonalds. At least you can have a beer with the former.

Wetherspoons near railways stations tend to be OK for a quick drink and bite to eat. They depend more on passing trade and often have a lot of local coemption compared to their branches in more suburban location which attract more all-day drinkers where they have fewer alternatives.

 

[DelW]

Many Spoons have a really nice atmosphere inside them during the day, because their customer mix genuinely reflects their local area. A much wider age profile than many pubs and much wider ethnic mix too than traditional pubs.

What they are successful at is catering to different groups at different times of the days. Go there during the daytime and you'll see more pensioners and families, go there at 10pm on a Friday night and you'll see more yoof. Pubs which pigeonhole themselves to appeal to one group only are missing a lot of business.

I'd agree with that exactly. The Wetherspoons business model is to attract business throughout the day, they're often quite busy from breakfast time onwards. There will be a small number drinking beer at that time but the majority will be in there for a quick and good value breakfast with tea or coffee.

Most are well run and don't tolerate threatening behaviour, or any attempt at begging or selling dodgy goods. I don't think I've ever felt at all unsafe in a Spoons over many hundreds of visits.

The food is mostly pre-prepared and reheated but is decent quality and good value. My last lunch in one a few days ago (burger and chips with a pint of real ale) was cheaper than the similar "special offer" burger, chips and Coke in a nearby fast food place.

There's usually a range of real ales, some fairly bland national brews but normally some tastier local beers, at prices that are way below the average. Don't believe the hoary old myth that "it's stale beer just at its sell-by date", that simply nonsense. On the very few occasions I've been served a poor pint it's been replaced with no issues.

 

[dk1]

No longer: the Postal Order has now closed. Slightly surprising. But there's plenty of good pubs and cafes within reach of Foregate Street anyway.

The Crown Pub/Hotel is still going strong.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Apr 2023 ==

Many Spoons have a really nice atmosphere inside them during the day, because their customer mix genuinely reflects their local area. A much wider age profile than many pubs and much wider ethnic mix too than traditional pubs.

What they are successful at is catering to different groups at different times of the days. Go there during the daytime and you'll see more pensioners and families, go there at 10pm on a Friday night and you'll see more yoof. Pubs which pigeonhole themselves to appeal to one group only are missing a lot of business.

Yes this is more apparent in Lloyds No1 outlets which have music & DJs at the weekend.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Apr 2023 ==

Their business model these days seems to be as much about property as running pubs. Didn’t they have around 40 pubs for sale recently?

Like most chains JDW have always sold off pubs. This is often as much to do with lease ends as underperformance. Then again expensive new outlets such as Birmingham New St & The Stargazer at the O2 have recently started trading.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Apr 2023 ==

There's usually a range of real ales, some fairly bland national brews but normally some tastier local beers, at prices that are way below the average. Don't believe the hoary old myth that "it's stale beer just at its sell-by date", that simply nonsense. On the very few occasions I've been served a poor pint it's been replaced with no issues.

Yes, Tim wrote about that myth in the quarterly magazine several years ago. He said the tale gets told so many times that people eventually believe it to be true.

 

[DelW]

Is the atmosphere generally extremely noisy on busier nights (Fri/Sat) or is it fairly subdued? Are large screen TVs showing sport constantly in one's face?

I missed this question in my earlier reply and I don't think anyone else has answered it either. Unless you happen to pick an evening when there's a major football match on, you're unlikely to be troubled by any sports coverage, and even then you'd usually be able to get away from the screens. Except in Lloyds no 1 branded pubs, there's no music at all.
Friday and Saturday nights can be noisy, but only from lots of customers talking to each other.

 

[Wolfie]

I missed this question in my earlier reply and I don't think anyone else has answered it either. Unless you happen to pick an evening when there's a major football match on, you're unlikely to be troubled by any sports coverage, and even then you'd usually be able to get away from the screens. Except in Lloyds no 1 branded pubs, there's no music at all.
Friday and Saturday nights can be noisy, but only from lots of customers talking to each other.

Spoons only show international football.

 

[Clayton]

Within one town or city the Spoons can vary a lot ... some perfectly respectable and comfortable, others filled with more dodgy looking folk. But they are so cheap and convenient, especially if you’re in a strange town or need some food at an unusual hour.

 

[Mikey C]

Especially if you're by yourself and with luggage/valuables, the App is really convenient, as you don't have to leave your table and belongings to go to the bar to order.

 

[railfan99]

There are other large pub chains like Green King who will also offer a fairly standardised menu, and I’d rather avoid those too if possible!

I dined at a Greene King in a rural UK city last year and found food (and beer) to be excellent. From memory it was more expensive than what Wetherspoons suggests on its menus.

 

[Mordac]

The reason some people have a problem with Whetherspoons is that they don't like the CEO's political views, rather than anything about the chain itself, which provides quite good value for money pints.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

The reason some people have a problem with Whetherspoons is that they don't like the CEO's political views, rather than anything about the chain itself, which provides quite good value for money pints.

To be fair the CEO's political views are splattered pretty widely across the chain itself, on beermats, the magazine, posters, etc.

 

[robert thomas]

To be fair the CEO's political views are splattered pretty widely across the chain itself, on beermats, the magazine, posters, etc.

That's the problem

 

[railfan99]

That's the problem

It certainly won't dissuade me from patronising Wetherspoons, although being by myself, I'll not engage in any discussions about contentious subjects (indeed, unlikely to have any discussions whatsover except to the barman or waitress re what I'm ordering for lunch or dinner).

 

[camflyer]

The reason some people have a problem with Whetherspoons is that they don't like the CEO's political views, rather than anything about the chain itself, which provides quite good value for money pints.

If I avoided every pub where I disagreed with the political views of the owner then I'd be very thirsty.

 

[camflyer]

To be fair the CEO's political views are splattered pretty widely across the chain itself, on beermats, the magazine, posters, etc.

I find that does vary a lot depending on the area of the country you are in.

 

[alholmes]

The reason some people have a problem with Whetherspoons is that they don't like the CEO's political views, rather than anything about the chain itself, which provides quite good value for money pints.

Pedantic point - the CEO is John Hutson, who’s held that role for many years. You’re presumably referring to the Chairman and founder of the business - still the largest shareholder, although his % ownership has decreased over time, to 21.9% last July.

 

[Mordac]

Pedantic point - the CEO is John Hutson, who’s held that role for many years. You’re presumably referring to the Chairman and founder of the business - still the largest shareholder, although his % ownership has decreased over time, to 21.9% last July.

Indeed, my bad. I did mean Tim Martin, I thought he was the CEO.

If I avoided every pub where I disagreed with the political views of the owner then I'd be very thirsty.

I agree completely.

 

[dk1]

If I avoided every pub where I disagreed with the political views of the owner then I'd be very thirsty.

Me too as that would be ridiculous. Most important thing is what I want & what is the best option for me. Can’t worry about principles.

 

[davews]

The menus vary enormously between different WS. I went to the one inside Victoria a couple of weeks back and being Friday was going to have fish and chips. No sign of it, or steaks/mixed grill, on the somewhat cut down menu. Clearly designed for the passing passenger traffic. The burger I saw somebody else eating looked pretty miniscule as well. I have had some excellent meals in WS but some don't meet the grade (but the beer is cheap, especially with a meal...).

 

[Mikey C]

The menus vary enormously between different WS. I went to the one inside Victoria a couple of weeks back and being Friday was going to have fish and chips. No sign of it, or steaks/mixed grill, on the somewhat cut down menu. Clearly designed for the passing passenger traffic. The burger I saw somebody else eating looked pretty miniscule as well. I have had some excellent meals in WS but some don't meet the grade (but the beer is cheap, especially with a meal...).

They now do a 3 oz burger as well.

It makes sense for a railway station pub to not serve the full menu, as people will be mainly passing through. There's another Spoons right outside the station which I assume does the full menu.

 

[RailAleFan]

To celebrate yesterday's opening of The London and NorthWestern at Birmingham New Street

And it seems to be doing very good business. They should rename it The Full and Standing!

I never realised how big that unit was until being opened up. Approx 30p price premium across the board on food and drinks compared to their other Birmingham city centre pubs and the food menu is very slightly reduced from the normal offering but nothing like the limited menus at some airport locations.

A railway and local industry history mural surrounds the main seating area above the windows which I hadn't noticed on my first couple of visits (3rd picture in the gallery)...

The London and Northwestern - J D Wetherspoon

The London and Northwestern

www.jdwetherspoon.com