To praise Wetherspoons

[itsnotmeitsu]

And no, I've not been to one tonight. I've spent the day on my own, at home. But when I visit it's always the same one, which is in a lovely listed building. As a caveat, I only go there on a Sunday lunchtime, so can't account for what it's like on a Friday/Saturday night.

The pub chain seems to have a bad reputation, but from what I've seen it can be a place for those, who would otherwise feel very isolated, to find a bit of life and get outside of their home, whilst being able to afford the drink and food prices. I would feel comfortable to spend time in the couple of Wetherspoons I know of as a woman on my own, or an elderly person just wanting to be in a social atmosphere, reading a book and having a cheap drink, or topping up my endless cups of coffee or tea, and not be sitting at home feeling like I was the only person in the world.

The owner treated his staff appallingly during Covid, and was a big champion of sending our economy down the toilet aka Brexit. Now we’re all poorer, £1 bottomless coffee is about all many can afford.

I’ll take my hard earned elsewhere and people watch, but you do you.

@sparepantsandtoothbrush

Because of his odious political views, mainly.

I’m pleased to hear that your DC have been well treated by the company. i know some ex-Wetherspoons managers whose experiences have not been so positive, but I suppose that’s the reality of management in the hospitality industry.

I have to admit i also am a fan of weatherspoons too,

It's relatively cheap, cheerful and you know exactly what you are getting,
obviously the food platter is nothing speacial,

Plus points about this chain of restaurants it preserves, and ensures the heritage of UK buildings and pub continues cheers to that,

I agree it's like a community hub suitable for range of age groups,

they also highlight artesian alcoholic drinks festivals, and fundraiser for designated charties,

Downsides to this pub and restaurant chain company

the high up manager is an bit of Arsehole the way he mistreated his employees in lockdowns in regard of issuing Furlogh,

He is up his own back side bit too much,
opionated, Mr Know it all,
thinks he is something speacial.

I avoid wetherspoons. Even if they weren't selling microwave meals I'd not support Tim Martin (owner, just looked up his name) who actively campaigned for Brexit. Boneheaded move seeing as Brexif completely fucked the hospitality and leisure industry.

Maybe he just wanted UK to be poorer so people could only afford his "cheap" (get what you pay for") shitty pubs.

I'm also a fan but I haven't been in years & years as I have no friends. Literally none ☹️

Shall I be the one to say that they failed to pay a lot of their small suppliers during Covid, despite already having sold their beer and pocketing The money?

I also hate having the owners’ politics shoved down my throat.

the one in the small city I live in is filthy, surrounded by a fug or cigarette smoke, and frequented by drunks by 10am. Not the welcoming atmosphere described in the op.

I have dozens and dozens Of lovely independent pubs within a ten minute walk. I’d rather support them.

the quality of the food is awful. Really awful.

so it’s massive no from me.

Great food, beautiful old buildings instead of the nasty new builds of Beefeater etc. Food is served in minutes and always good nowadays.
They even have Linghams as a condiment which is tops!
I always go there now if need a quick meal with children when out and about all over the country. Other pubs are way too random with quality, very slow and and very pricey.

I’d only go into Wetherspoons to use the toilet, and I’d have to be desperate. I’d rather go without food than give that Brexit supporting bastard any of my money

beautiful Old buildings? 😂my local Wetherspoons! 🙄

The drinks are trash?

They're bog standard drinks that all pubs do

Lagers - from Fosters to Morretti
Ale - Brewdog and up
Gins - Tanqueray, Bombay, Gordon's and Sipsmith

....etc etc.

Slag it off all you want, but not the drink selection because it's comparable to every other pub. Independent or otherwise.

The "cocktails" are wank, sure. But if you're ordering a "cocktail" in a 'Spoons you've gone to the wrong place. And I've had just as bad "cocktails" in so called cocktail bars.

I'll never drink another one tbf.

The owner treated his staff appallingly during Covid

Ah there we go. No he didn't. He told his staff there were plenty of jobs at Tesco if they wanted to take them but that their jobs would still be there for them after if they wanted them. And that was said before the government announced the furlough scheme and nobody knew what was happening

Ah you should see the one in Keswick. That's beautiful.

It's an old jail, including the cells if I recall correctly.

The one in Harrogate is like the titanic ballroom!!

They are really strict about underage drinking in my experience

Oops typo mistake,
i ment to say weatherspoons preserves Uk olde worlde well cherished pubs heritage ect , may it continues cheers to that.

Wetherspoons are great, however much of a prat the owner is. I often treat myself to breakfast there when working from home and fancying a change of scenery. Free refills on coffee and reasonably priced breakfast rolls and muffins, can't beat it.

I also sing to myself on the way to the tune of Breakfast at Tiffanys "and I said, what about, Breakfast at Wetherspoons...", but I probably shouldn't tell you that.

This is my fav so far on my travels . . .

The Harrogate one is beautiful and a few in London are gorgeous

I have been in some awesome weatherspoons, ones in really cool buildings that have a lot of interesting history, but I wouldn't go near my local as it's awful and I believe was in the news in the past six months as one of the worst in the country 🤣

I agree that some are lovely @JustFrustrated but the sweeping statement that they all are is just wrong. I give you my daughter’s local Wetherspoons in Manchester.

I spent a lot of my youth in this one, am old theatre, such a cool building! (Colchester, Essex).
Edit to add that those are cardboard cut outs up top!

Where is this? Some of them are amazing. The one in a prison sounds cool too

Not a fan of what they did during lockdown but there are some lovely "Spoons" around that aren't full of day time drinkers and drama. We have one locally that we go to for brunch on Sundays and really enjoy it (not sure what it's like on a Saturday night but...!)

That one is in Exeter @sparepantsandtoothbrush

agree the app is so good for when you're alone and want to order without either carting all your stuff to the bar or worry about leaving it. They were one of the first businesses to start using one, way before Covid. I always used to go to a spoons for an evening meal and then breakfast when I had to travel for work - as you say because it's family friendly it feels safer than your average pub, warm, cheap, free internet....ideal.

While most of the food is just reheated that's the same for much more expensive pub chains/restaurants too, and the pizzas are freshly cooked and lovely!

Agree there's a huge difference between the 'nice' ones and the not so nice ones though!

I think some people on this thread need to go to a few more spoons

The floors are sticky, they have that beery/sicky smell, they are often cold. The food is okay for the price but its definitely fast food style. After about 5pm they are full of groups of lads being knobs. The sausages on the breakfast are shite. The staff are most definitely not always friendly and the owner is a twat

You know what your getting, the buildings can be lovely but it's not a great experience going to spoons.