The Metropolitan Bar (JD Wetherspoon), Baker Street, NW1

First visit to this one in a long while and it had a few things going for it on the day. Needed to be close to Baker Street tube and this couldn’t be closer. The small unassuming entrance is the definition of entering a Tardis and the huge internal room spreads over the top of the station. An interesting bar room that as Aqualung reported below, the official Spoons line would have you believe was the Metropolitan Railway's Company Headquarters in the 1930’s. A colleague with more knowledge on this area than me says it was a high end restaurant called Chiltern Court which closed in the mid 70’s and If you ever watch the documentary ’MetroLand’ with John Betjeman it features at the start. At some point the building was also used as the recruitment centre for London Underground, but that could have been in the space above, that were offices before they were turned into posh flats. Then it was closed for decades, so good on Tim Martin and Spoons for getting it open as a pub. In that respect It also benefits from spacious toilets that can be accessed without having to go into the bar ( noted for future use). 12 Ale pumps with only two of the members of the Trilogy of Doom taking up three, although Doombar wasted another. But with Thornbridge Jaipur and Titanic Plum Porter alongside interesting offerings from Portobello Brewery, Twickenham Fine Ales and Sambrooks, the line up wasn’t too shabby. And the Titanic Plum Porter at under £4.50 is not to be sniffed at in NW1. My colleague also commented that it is a favourite at the weekends for the out of town football supporter hoards when their team is playing a London club, and it gets overrun by posh twats ( his description not mine) at close of play on a Lords Test match due to its relatively short distance from St Johns Wood. None of that for me on a relaxing late Tuesday lunchtime and we experienced decent service levels ( good emphasis on table clearing and wiping) and the Plum Porter was very decent, and the decor is very pleasant to stare at whilst drinking it.

Not Spoons’s best effort, though it was probably quite impressive in its original form as a restaurant. The building is impressive, but the business isn’t. The staff were less than impressive, the other customers a bit weird, the atmosphere distinctly lacking. The gaming machines were off, the TV was showing sports. The ales on draught were the usual trio plus Exmoor Gold, Peloton and Freestyle from Sambrooks, Jaipur and Buckingham Best. No real ciders available, but there was the usual array of keg and bottled stuff. The beer was its saving grace.

A huge Spoons lacking in any ambiance, usual suspect beers with the exception of Saltaire Aquila served in fair condition.

Official site of The Metropolitan Bar (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Official site of The Metropolitan Bar (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com