The Water House, Durham

A pub of two halves - an imposing facade and front rooms, but much remodelled further back with seating areas up and down half flights of stairs. Ten handpumps, with a reasonable selection of beers including Cullercoats Jack the Devil (£1.75).

This Spoons looks great from the outside. However, the interior has well and truly had it's day as the place is scruffy. We sat at the front and I noticed that the upholstered chairs were filthy and walls grubby. My arm was sticking to the table as it hadn't been wiped for a good few hours. I stuck it out and finished my beer, as it was from the Northumberland Brewery, which is one of my favourite breweries. Hopefully the next time I call the place will be refurbed.

This wasn't a bad Wetherspoons, and the coal effect fires make it more welcoming than most, and it does feature in the 2012 Good Beer Guide. The latest beer festival was in full flow, but there was prompt service and a good selection of ales available. Not far from the bus station and within the main shopping shopping area it is worth including on any pub crawls of the city.