please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Last October, the local rivers - Sow and Penk - burst their banks, near this pub.
And caused serious flooding/water damage - and the pub has been closed since.
Remedial and refurbishment works have been ongoing - with the latest scheduled reopening date, in early May.
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Bog standard JDW in a very pleasant setting, service was fine when I visited, close enough to station.
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One of my favourite Spoons conversions of an old cinema, turned into a 3-level pub, with high ceiling and very airy feel. Plenty of real ales, including local Slaters.
Suffers from the same staffing formula applied to all Spoons which is that available staff reduce the busier the pub gets, meaning waits of 10 minutes to get a pint and people getting served out of turn. Feel like suggesting a deli counter machine with now serving, or post office booths with barman number 2 please. And those wanting mocha-latte-skinny-cappuchinos which take 3 minutes to make should automatically go to the back of the queue.
Nevertheless still an outstanding conversion, if you are prepared to wait for your pint.
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Paid this 'spoons a quick visit yesterday whilst changing trains at Stafford. It should only be about a 5-6 minute walk from the station. But in the snow and ice, it took a little longer. That left us with just 10 minutes for a swift half. We then proceeded to wait 10 minutes to be served with the one barmaid taking food orders and making coffees and teas, whilst serving people out of order. Finally a manager came out and served us,leaving us to down the halves as we walked straight for the exit. Beers on were Greene King Abbot & Ruddles Best, Marstons Pedigree, Slaters Arctic & Top Totty, Tring Brookman's & Belhaven St Andrews Ale. There were no real ciders or perries. The building itself is an old cinema and the interior is as large and impressive as you'd expect. Shame Wetherspoons just can't seem to get service levels up to a decent enough standard.
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Its a Wetherspoons. Good ones are like hen's teeth but this isn't too bad
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its wetherspoons does exactly what it says on the tin, good ales.
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superb wetherspoons opened its doors back in 1997 and is a 1914 converted cinema,the service was the quickest i have had at jdw in a long time and the TEN handpumps of festival ales were just �2.05 a throw,8/10
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One of the best ever JDW I have ever been in.
10 hand pumps 9 for ale and one for cider
2 x Ruddles �1.29 (in sale usualy �1.70) ALL oher beers are sold @ �2.15 a pint
2 x Abbott 2 x Marstons Pedigree 3 for the guests.
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It's a 'spoons, no getting away from it, but one of the best of the breed that I've been in, went for a quick meal at the start of the night and ended up stopping three hours.
Average food, six ales available on the night, tried a selection and all were fine. Bar service good even as the pace got frantic.
Good place to start the evening if you're out early.
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First-class cinema conversion, with a large airy interior having good lighting to make the most of the rich decoration and film memorabilia set about the walls. The seating steps down several levels as you get closer to the bar, and this avoids a cavernous feel. There is also a patio area outside. Beer-wise, there are 10 handpumps, and even though three were 'available soon' there was still a reasonable selection of real ales. My pint of Stone the Crows from the local Lymestone Brewery was excellent value at �1.95, and went well with my cheap and cheerful lunch which was served quickly. Well worth a visit.
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One of the better Wetherspoons. The building has been immaculately restored, and the conversion to pub has been done imaginatively. Several different levels / types of seating available, plus little nooks and crannies in the former entrance area. Usually about 4 to 5 real ales available - always well kept. On curry nights the curries are always excellent - just ask Dennis !!
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As others have said, an impressive location in this former cinema: JDW have managed to keep it looking recognisably like a cinema which is good. A decent range of ales on my most recent visit, but I've always found the service here to be pretty average. Still, this is better than some of the immediately surrounding pubs.
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As you enter towards the bar, the building is quite spectacular. Although a JDW, the beer was excellent and was at the right temperature. Six ales on - I had Hanck Oermann's Flying Dutchman and Marston's Old Boss - both superb pints.
Entertainment was provided by the local Constabulary which very thoughtfully sent seven officers - two of them armed - and three paramedics to look after a lady who was having a fit (and we wonder why we pay so much tax).
Didn't try the food so can't comment, but I do agree with earlier posters that the service was poor - mostly untrained staff, though there was one barman on who knew what he was doing.
If you're in Stafford, this pub os well worth a visit.
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I used to watch films here. When I returned to my home town for a visit, I saw...Wetherspoons!!! They've dona a good job, kept original fittings, but food was naff.
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Former cinema. Lovely architecture. Unfortunately now a pub.
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It stinks, literally of sewers. The staff are lousy and badly trained, and know it but don�t seem to care. The toilets are out of order every other week, sadly, you'd have to be pissed to go in there and then its ok for a cheap red bull. It�s such a shame as it�s a stunning building. No smoking section is the most stupid place and the food is appalling. Similar to a burger van that sells beer at the fair, but has a ceiling like the Sistine chapel.
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This is a typical Wetherspoons pub, some people like them, some people don't. Cheap drinks & food, steady custom throughout the day. Busy evenings from Thursday till Saturday. Obviously no music. It can be a bit of a struggle to get served on busy nights, but pesistantly waving a �10 note in the air often works. Occasionally this pub smells a bit like a sewer, this is due to the river outside I believe. Just something to be aware of, I'm assured it's not the clientele!!! :) Most people go here for their pre-Chicago Rock drinks.
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Picture house:
I had lunch there the other day and it was vile! Bad presentation, Service was slow! my friends meal came and i had to wait a further five to six minutes for mine! it was old lettice and over fryed scampi. I mean frying some thing isnt exactly difficult!!!!!!
And no atmosphere. Sorry by i advise never to go there!!!!!!
Frank - 20 Oct 2004 18:30 |
