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Commercial Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
Bristol
BS1 1HT
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Commercial Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
This is a pretty good Wetherspoons conversion of a former gentlemen's club built in 1811 to accommodate the worthy merchants of Bristol. Grecian in appearance from the front with symmetrical columns, a pub is the last thing the building looks like as you approach. Inside, the bar is to the rear of the large high-ceilinged front room, were there is a large and ornate circular rooflight with statue figures in relief around the circumference. Large boards line the walls in here, listing the former Presidents and treasurers of the club. Portraits of former patrons fill in the gaps, with the likes of Isambard Kingdom Brunel amongst their number.
To the rear another more sedate room also has a feature rooflight; there are various potted histories and newspaper clips pertaining to the building in here. To the side of here a narrower space links back round behind the bar area providing further seating.
There were a decent range of guest beers on here (I reckoned on seven) and the service was refreshingly swift and friendly. Very good indeed especially for a 'spoons.
On 20th February 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 836 recommendations about 827 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
I L left this review about Commercial Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
The standard ex bank type Wetherspoons conversion with a big central U shaped bar and further rooms towards the rear. A pretty good selection of ales from the region available but this place does get busy in the evening along with the other usual chain bars surrounding it in this pedestrianised bit of old Bristol.
On 6th August 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 278 recommendations about 275 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about Commercial Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
As others have said, this is an very impressive building with a high ceiling topped off with a glass dome surrounded by statues. The colours are a bit garish, but overall it’s a pleasant enough pub, although this was the first ‘Spoons to open in Bristol and it is starting to show it’s age a bit.
There’s one very large central room, plus a smaller bar off to the rear. This is pretty nondescript and doesn’t really have much in the way of an ambience. There’s also a small rectangular room behind the bar, but it’s quite narrow and is used as a corridor for people on their way to the loos.
Usual impressive selection of beers on tap, which on this occasion were Headless Huntsman, Rudgate Brewery’s Battle Axe, Ruddles Best, Yachtsman, Wickwar’s BOB, Directors, Abbot and Otter’s Head. Ciders were Old Rascal, Thatcher’s Gold, Blackthorn and Strongbow.
On 15th October 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 858 recommendations about 836 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Commercial Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
This is another pub where Wetherspoons have taken a fine old building and kept it in use as a pub, in this case the former Bristol Commercial Rooms, which was a meeting place for the city's merchants, since the early 1800’s.
A lot of the interior has been retained being a huge high-ceilinged hall, with large portraits of the said famous wealthy merchants of Bristol decorating the walls. It’s a central island horseshoe as mentioned below bar area and then there is an additional dining area to the rear.
Fairly busy on my Satuday lunchtime visit and the usual issues with service you get in a large spoons when busy and the large open plan space means it’s a noisy place for a pint, but the Bath Ale I had was perfectly fine and full marks to Wetherspoons for retaining another fine old building in use.
On 5th September 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 866 recommendations about 847 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Clive Thompson left this review about Commercial Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
Strange building this, the front bar had a 70's orange and yellow colour scheme a bit out of keeping with the usual JDW décor. It was only when we got to the back rooms that it felt like a Spoons, albeit a rather tired and beaten up one.
On 11th October 2009
- rating: 5
[User has posted 629 recommendations about 593 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Commercial Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
A fine old building, but it looks very tatty inside (including some of the customers). Very busy, but surely they could employ a few more staff to deal with the queues on each side of the horseshoe-shaped bar and the stuff lying about everywhere on uncleared tables? My original intention had been to get a curry and a pint with the good-value Thursday night offer, but on the basis that the kitchin might operate with a similar level of customer 'care' I decided to give that a miss and try my luck elsewhere after a quick pint of Black Pearl (a decent-enough dark stout from the Wooden Hand Brewery in Cornwall).
On 10th October 2009
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2294 recommendations about 2294 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Commercial Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
A stunning Wetherspoons by the historic Corn Exchange that serves up a wide variety of ales - the two I had were pretty good last visit. The interior, which once was spick-and-span, is now in serious need of some TLC. It's also started to attract some dubious punters - there was a scrap outside on a Saturday afternoon a couple of months back when I was last there - never what you want to see, especially in a big tourist area. Still worth a visit for a beer but needs stronger management to get back to where it was a couple of years back. There are a number of quality pubs nearby now which have overtaken the place.
On 1st August 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1509 recommendations about 1505 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about Commercial Rooms
Fairly large Wetherspoon's selling a good range of real ales.Usual Wethernosh.
On 22nd October 2007
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1837 recommendations about 1823 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brian McCulloch left this review about Commercial Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
Still has a nice feel, a city pub within the old financial district that still has lots of space and a quite grand interior.
On 15th August 2006
- rating: 8
[User has posted 33 recommendations about 33 pubs]