The Penny Black (JD Wetherspoon), Bicester

The Penny Black is a long and narrow Wetherspoons with raised seating to the right of the entrance and standard furniture to the left. The serving counter runs up the left facing high tables up the centre and a couple of shell booths and a long table to the right. A large, and seemingly out of place, double fireplace with gladiator helmets atop the mantlepiece sits on the left wall after the counter and more seating extends all the way to the rear. I enquired about the fireplace but was faced with a vacant look from the barmaid who thought I was mental. The counter supports two banks of six hand pumps that were doubled up with the usual three suspects plus Hop Union Brewery’s Moose River, London Pride and Gwynty Y Ddraig Black Dragon cider. A run-of-the-mill Spoons, does its job.

Very straight forward Spoons including the under staffing and hassled staff, not a pleasant experience

Fairly bland branch of Wetherspoon's that used to be the town's main post office. As usual, the interior stretches back quite a way. The ale selection is probably the best in Bicester. But there was nothing that particularly inspired me. The standard selection of Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best & Sharp's Doom Bar was supplemented by Adnams Ghost Ship, Ringwood Forty Niner, Exmoor Gold & Woodforde's Admiral's Reserve. With no dark beers and no real cider, I decided not to use my 50p CAMRA voucher and instead plumped for a half of the Forty Niner. Waiting staff offered to take my order, given I generally have problems using the Wetherspoon's app. But for the first time ever, I successfully managed to order and pay for a drink using their app. I've still no idea why it wouldn't work before, as I followed the same procedure as always! Within moments, my Forty Niner had appeared on the bar frustratingly close to me. It took significantly longer for it to make its way to my table. Nevertheless, a moment of joy that the app had finally worked for me!

Long narrow Spoons converted from the old post office building. It’s a pretty good conversion with white and battleship grey shades inside and the rear section had a nice arched ceiling. There’s some random medieval touches including helmets above the fake inglenook - I assumed philately would have been the dominant theme?! To the rear is a decent patio garden, past what appeared to be an unofficial creche replete with small children lounging around on the floor. 12 pumps with six ales on. Three guests in the form of Three Castles (not great), Lees Moonraker and Arundel Stronghold (good). Kerfuffle at the bar as the tubby barmaid (a speciality here) charged for three pints rather than just the two. So-so, overall. 5.5

This Spoons is a conversion from a Post and Sorting Office that despite opening in the 1990s isn't too stereotypical from that era. It's a long narrow room with a raised area at the front on the right and a wooden floor in the central bar area. The toilets are at ground level which is a bonus. The bar has two sets of six hand pumps which had the JDW Trio Of Doom with Ruddles and Doom Bore as well as Grafton Blondie doubled up and five festival beers. I went for the Everard's Pitch Black and Greene King Old Crafty Hen both at the festival price of £2.45 and both in excellent condition. I thought this was a decent Spoons.

Elongated bar with various seating areas, housed in quite a grand former Post Office building. Reasonably well lit, including some small roof lights. Patio beer garden around the rear entrance. Not a bad selection from 12 handpumps, even allowing for a couple of duplicates, including a decent pint of Whitepark Nightjar porter at just £2.35.

Its a SPOONS there either good or bad this one in between had a good pint of Butcombe gold like all chains the food is the same in all of them nice beer garden but worth a visit

Last visit was Christmas when "back at the folks". Without being too cruel the decore was getting tired and the beer was a bit sub standard although I only tried a couple so may have been unlucky. May have improved since and is a usful stop off in Sheep St during shopping expeditions if the "urge for ale" suddenly strikes and provides all you expect of a JD house.