The Postal Order (JD Wetherspoon), Blackburn

A very striking building but little of the period stylings survive inside, a long front-facer with stark lighting and a battery hen cage layout. Attractive jumbo arched windows but the décor in general felt a bit dowdy. My Three B’s Doff Cocker cask was somewhat long pour (NBSS 2.5). The unexplained postbox with dog and bone was a diverting feature – I presume it’s a link to the building’s previous use as a GPO. In most towns this one wouldn’t merit much attention but in Blackburn it’s a default. 5.5

A long thin spoons in a splendid deco building, a long long counter runs down the back wall, booth seating all down the opposite front wall and low tables in a row down the middle with a row of high ones between there and the counter, it has a raised area at one end and a cluster of machines at the other. An odd pump layout of 6+6 with three more in the middle serving the unholy trinity, the outer groups have the three plus a better choice, Wilde Child from the light side (Leeds) for me today, which was ok. Usual T-bars and solos in between the pulls. Geometric carpet for ‘spoons carpet collectors, tartan upholstery in the booths. A couple of secluded areas at one end, the toilets are upstairs of course. A serviceable spoons especially in a beer desert like Blackburn.