Wetherspoons, Birmingham

This is a very basic JDW and may as well have been in an airport for all the atmosphere that it has. It's just a partitioned off area in a shopping mall with a bit of a patio area. I often end up walking through Paradise Place when I'm in Birmingham and I also often pop in here to see what's on the bar. Sadly the answer is often "not very much of interest" and then I continue walking. Every so often I do see an interesting beer and the quality is usually pretty good. There's also a quiz machine near the entrance that entices the people who don't know what they're doing to have a go, so I often find that my pint is free. Not worth a visit if you're not passing anyway though.

Small and fairly basic JDW that acts as more of a cafe than pub, what with it being tacked onto the shopping arcade. Interior has a dual mocha colour scheme with the usual Spoons fixtures and fittings. There’s a basic patio garden and least a decent amount of natural light inside. A very limited selection of ales by Wetherspoon’s usual standards, my ale from Warwickshire wasn't up to much (flat). Serves a purpose but not one I’d imagine myself being in again given the Figure of Eight isn’t too far away. As mentioned below, if they couldn’t even be bothered to think up a name for the place then what does that tell you?

Smallish and usually busy bar in a small shopping mall linking the city centre with Broad Street, but particularly crowded when visited during the 'Frankfurt' Christmas Market. Cramped interior, with seating supplemented by a few patio tables outside. Six of the eight handpumps were on, including a decent pint of the seasonal Elf Esteem from Caledonian Brewery (£2.35). Overall, very ordinary.