The Playhouse (JD Wetherspoon), Colchester

The Playhouse is a large Wetherspoons in and old, erm, playhouse theatre. The big island bar in the centre of the pub is stocked with standard and premium keg products and I counted four banks of six hand pumps. Many of the ales were doubled or even trebled up, but there was still a good selection. There is sunken seating down the sides of the pub and the main open plan seating area is found at the rear in the old stalls. My work colleagues visiting from overseas were fascinated by the cardboard cut-outs of famous people up in the circle. We ate here and, as usual for a Spoons, the food was excellent value. My only gripe was the service which was slow and twice I had to wait for staff members to stop gossiping before I was served. If they had so much time on their hands you would have thought they would at least attempt to clear some of the tables.

Impressive former theatre / cinema / bingo hall, restored to something like its original glory by 'spoons in 1994. Various different seating / dining areas in the previous foyer, offices, stalls and up on the stage, with the central island bar in between. Some amusement can also be found when looking at the cardboard figures up on the former circle. Not a bad (if fully duplicated) selection of real ales from the four banks of six handpumps, from which the Loddon Hocus Pocus old ale (£1.99) went well with my fish and chips.