The Rochester Castle (JD Wetherspoon), Stoke Newington, N16

This is a large Wetherspoons that was pretty busy with a mixed crowd when I visited on Saturday afternoon. There are plenty of tables which all have three or four menus on them advertising cheap food and drinks and there were lots of people eating, I did visit around lunchtime. There is a large skylight in the ceiling in the centre of the pub and a large conservatory has been added to the rear of the pub so it is quite a bright pub. There is also some more seating out the back that was mostly being used by smokers. I counted nine hand pumps with at least four guest beers and Marcle cider available alongside Pedigree and Ruddles. After a small wait at the bar I was served a decent pint of Guinness which I enjoyed whilst trying to read the lips of the news reader on one of the two muted plasma screens. I can understand muted sport as the sound isn’t that important, but muted news? This place is ok for a Spoons and the fact that it is open until midnight everyday and 1am on Fridays and Saturdays is a bonus, but I’m not sure of the sort of crowd attracted late at night.