Wetherspoons

[Ian H]

I usually meet up with my mate about once a year in the Exeter St Davids branch. Very speedy service, order from your table, cheap food and drink, well organised security and a very good one-way system for C-19. I've never had a bad meal there and never had to complain about anything. It is massive though, but the tables are now well spaced so it's not really an issue. I've been in the city centre one before in Plymouth and it does get rammed.

You mean the Imperial in Exeter. That is a splendid venue. Food is edible if there's nowhere else to go (there are lots of v good eateries in the town). Of course, the clown himself lives not far away.

 

[Arrowfoot]

You got to grudgingly admire Tim Martin’s ruthlessness in business and his excellent grasp of a layperson’s mind. He refused to pay his staff and suppliers while other big and small pubs did. Has a knack for picking location and doing up iconic buildings that they become ready landmarks for meetings (branding). Operating model is a focus on efficiency and technology while never claiming to be purveyor of good food or even alcohol.

Master of brinkmanship when it comes to knowing his customers.

 

[palinurus]

I like that there's no music. I don't go in my local one much because I know other pubs, but if I'm travelling I know I can get a reasonable price vegan curry. I'd rather go to a 'spoons than a Samuel Smiths pub where someone might start grumbling if I want to read on my Kindle or phone while drinking (the only thing better than reading in pubs is drinking on trains)

 

[Blue Hills]

I like that there's no music. I don't go in my local one much because I know other pubs, but if I'm travelling I know I can get a reasonable price vegan curry. I'd rather go to a 'spoons than a Samuel Smiths pub where someone might start grumbling if I want to read on my Kindle or phone while drinking (the only thing better than reading in pubs is drinking on trains)

Why would anyone in any pub object to you reading? *Am intrigued. Agree with the drift of your post which I take to be that spoons tend to be easygoing and non judgemental while maintaining basic security. Basically the sort of places you can wander in and just be, no need to fit in with anything.
* My local spoons has a few readers, even a writer/playwright.

 

[bitsandbobs]

There's usually a better option, no? In the vicinity of the knight's templar, there's seven stars, cittie of yorke (sam smiths tho), old bank of england, melton mowbray, ye olde cheshire cheese, old nick....

 

[Venod]

As for shutting down the opposition isn't the pub trade in general going down the plug hole?

We seem to be bucking the trend here, there has always been a "healthy" pub trade in town and the prices were creeping up, Spoons opened and took a lot of trade, so other pubs had to bring down their prices, one old pub that shut down and became a clothes shop has reopened as a pub plus three more new bars in old shops, none of them as cheap as spoons but some decent beer, one of them Camra pub of the year.
We do have one pub that keeps opening and closing, its a Sam Smiths pub who tend to do their own thing.

 

[palinurus]

Why would anyone in any pub object to you reading?

I don't know if they are still doing this bullshit but Guardian Sam Smiths bans mobiles

Also I love swearing, so...

 

[palinurus]

Agree with the drift of your post which I take to be that spoons tend to be easygoing and non judgemental while maintaining basic security.

I'm not sure I caught the drift of my own post originally, but that's it- yes.

 

[BoldonLad]

Been in several, including South Shields and Wallsend. We know all the high spots.

The Company appears to pay its taxes, which is more than can be said for some.

 

[Adam4868]

Sam Smiths is my local....I like the no mobiles.But I'm not sure where the no reading comes from ? Unless you do all your reading on a phone.

 

[BoldonLad]

Why would anyone in any pub object to you reading? *Am intrigued. Agree with the drift of your post which I take to be that spoons tend to be easygoing and non judgemental while maintaining basic security. Basically the sort of places you can wander in and just be, no need to fit in with anything.
* My local spoons has a few readers, even a writer/playwright.

I know at least one pub (Samuel Smiths I think), in North Shields, which ban electronic devices (phones, tablets, e-readers).

 

[Adam4868]

I know at least one pub (Samuel Smiths I think), in North Shields, which ban electronic devices (phones, tablets, e-readers).

Yes same as my local,never thought of e readers etc...more likely to be the racing post in there though

 

[Pale Rider]

Not much love for Tim Martin on here.

I suppose he's committed that uniquely British offence - being a success.

Twice, in his case, making him a serial offender.

 

[winjim]

Been in several, including South Shields and Wallsend. We know all the high spots.

The Company appears to pay its taxes, which is more than can be said for some.

Well done Wetherspoons for doing the absolute bare farking minimum.

 

[BoldonLad]

Well done Wetherspoons for doing the absolute bare farking minimum.

I take it you are not a customer? Not sure why, but, that pleases me.