Basically this is a diary of the various Wetherspoon and Lloyds bars I visit and any adventures on the way, with maybe a few words about life as we know it thrown in for good measure.
Our second pub today that is inside a shopping centre. Clean and bright but with a limited ale selection. So limited in fact that I was forced to go for a double Buffalo Trace. Nothing to do with Wetherspoons but while taking the photos a security guard asked me not to take any more while he was present . However he was completely unable to give me a reason why. I complied with his request but as the shopping centre itself was completely "camera'd" up I felt a certain double standard was operating. I try to be careful while taking my photos. I don't want to upset anyone by intruding upon their privacy, after all we should be able to have a drink without being molested by the paparazzi. But... maybe it's something about the friendliness of Wetherspoon patrons that makes them jump in front of the camera, it's happened on several occasions now!
Hammersmith tries to redeem itself with The Plough & Harrow and if you like large, bright, modern pubs then it largely succeeds. I thought I would try the Marcle Hill still cider as it felt like the right sort of drink for the pub. Ultimately I was disappointed with both, nothing wrong with the cider or the pub, just not to my taste.
Our London adventure continues. Let me get one thing straight, just so you're clear. This blog was never intended to be a guide or critique of Wetherspoon pubs. That would be far to grand. It is basically a reminder of where I have been so I don't accidentally visit any twice. I may jot down a little information on parking, or what I drank because if I do decide to revisit one I don't want to spend hours looking for a space or find they have no beer! But, this one I will definitely avoid. Which is a shame as the pub itself is fine, large and with a dark interior theme which I like. The girl who served us at the bar was pleasant and service was relatively quick. So where did it all go wrong. Two things really. The loos and the food. I (and I know I'm not alone this) will often judge a place on it's loos. Wetherspoon pubs have very good loos but why would whoever put the paper in the stalls put all of the toilet rolls on the floor. They didn't do it in the ladies so why do it in the gents where it's almost certainly going to become unusable! Secondly, the food. We were all hungry so ordered as soon as we arrived. One of the things I like about Wetherspoon is the consistency of the food quality. It has been pretty much the same in all of the pubs visited so far. You order a burger, you know what you are going to get. Not at the William Morris. I was very hungry and ordered a Gourmet Burger with an extra burger. Both burgers were burnt, very burnt, charcoaled even. The cheese sauce was missing entirely as was a rasher of bacon (the menu states bacon slices - plural). Everywhere else I've eaten I've always received two slices of bacon... consistency you see. And did I mention the burgers were burnt!!! I got chatting to a chap who said he was in there most days and that he wouldn't touch the food they served and especially not the breakfasts. I must also mention the steak and kidney pudding on the new menu. It looks very nice. A member of our little dinning group ordered one. When it arrived it had about half a tea spoon of gravy in it and a lot of air. She sent it back and had a curry instead. To be fair on this it may be that we were unlucky on the pudding and just got a duff one. We will be trying out the steak and kidney pudding again but definitely not at the William Morris.
Mr and Mrs Sinner have decided to go visit some friends in London. Maybe it's because they like a beer or maybe it's because they have bought into "the Wetherspoons Challenge" idea but they thought it would be a good idea to spend the day with us visiting a few Wetherspoon watering holes. The Central Bar is the first Wetherspoon pub I have visited in a shopping centre. Not quite my idea of a pub but I can get on board with the idea. I thought it would be busy, filled with men waiting for their wives to finish shopping. It was busy but not a full as I was expecting, maybe not all men have my aversion to retail therapy. I sipped on a pint of Dark Island as I sat looking out over Shepherds Bush Green and contemplated the day ahead. With around seventy Wetherspoon pubs in London only one of which I had already visited it was obvious we couldn't get to them all today. Between us we worked out a route based on what was closest to where we were and as we were getting a little peckish made the decision to eat at the next location. In retrospect this was not the best plan in the world!
Determined. If it involves a beer. This has led me to commit myself to a "Quest" to visit and have at least one drink or meal in each Wetherspoons pub in the UK. I have set myself no time limit, in fact I have not set myself any rules other than the most basic.
Never drink before noon,
(it's always after noon somewhere), when in doubt turn left and never run with scissors.
