The Last Plantagenet (JD Wetherspoon), Leicester

The Last Plantagenet page at the Wetherspoon site - www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk

The Last Plantagenet page at the Wetherspoon site - www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk

The distinction between 'street drinking' and being in a pub gets a little blurred here at times. Distinctly varied clientele - I once had the unique experience of walking past a woman urinating in the street outside. Can't recommend - if you want a Wetherspoons in Leicester go to the Highcross on High Street instead.

Rocked up in need of a point whilst waiting for my travel connection up north. Stroll in, notice that one half of the bar is busy, the other deserted. Go up to the deserted part of the bar to grab my beer and a bit of food. Oh Lord what a mistake. The reason it was deserted was because the trainee barman (let's call him Goon), was Eastern European and had absolutely no idea what he was doing, and appeared to have no-one shadowing him. Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem with overseas bar staff, sometimes they are better than Brits. But they need to be trained properly and have a basic grasp of pub-English. This fellah was woefully short of both. Let's have a look at the facts: 1. Asked for a Mocha for the missus. After going through a range of variations of the word 'coffee', off he went to ask someone what a Mocha is. 2. Goon reappears and I ask for a half of one of the guest ales. Goon disappears to ask the manager what a half was and where it was on the till. Then he couldn't undo the the lock properly to release the handpull so said that it was off. The temptation to reach over the bar and unlock it for him was immense, but I probably would have been chucked out. So I thought I'd persevere and asked for a half of the next one along, which I noticed was unlocked. The half eventually appeared, with a bigger head on it than James Harries - explaining the concept of the 'top-up' was excruciating. 3. Time to ask for food, not looking forward to this, but I was in too deep and also the queue at the other bar had got bigger. The Pikey Platter (2 for 6.99) being the obvious option for two people. I pointed at the menu and picked out the two I wanted, which he rang through at full price. So cue another trip to find someone to correct it. 4. Rang through by someone else in the end, then I paid. Goon took the money and then wandered off, oblivious to a) my receipt for the food, and b) the Mocha (remember that?). Managed to get someone else over to produce the receipt and go and make the Mocha. Whilst waiting, I looked at the receipt and saw that my half had been rung through as a pint. After having a second half to compensate I eventually got back to my seat 15 minutes after I went to the bar. 5. The food arrived and the chips were undercooked and cold. This place is a shambles, managed by day-releasers from the funny farm. Giving a kid with pidgin English and no obvious bar skills a shift unsupervised and untrained makes the mind boggle. Don't bother with this place, forget the beer range and 'value', they don't give a toss about the customer. Pay a premium and go to the Criterion, Vaults or Derby and Rutland. It really is worth it. Possibly the worst experience I've ever had in a pub.