The Central Bar (JD Wetherspoon), Cardiff

Routine office-block 'spoons, closed to the city centre but in a quieter area than most of the others. Standard furniture and décor in the square(ish) bar, but benefiting on a hot, sunny day from the fully sliding windows at the front and a breeze through from to the open rear doors. Outdoor tables out on the pavement and in the rear patio beer garden. The usual Ruddles, Doom Bar and Abbot plus Jaipur, Woodforde's Wherry, Red Kite from Vale, Mad Squirrel Unity and the more local Jemima's Pitchfork from Glamorgan (£1.99) on the two banks of five handpumps.

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

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

Above average branch of Wetherspoon's just off one of Cardiff's main shopping drags. We didn't stay inside for long, as it was warm and crowded, instead preferring to take a table on the pavement at the front of the pub. Although, the interior looked pretty much like any 'spoon's. The usual real ales were on - Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best & Sharp's Doom Bar. Guest ales were Purple Moose Dark Side of the Moose, Ilkley Blonde, Evan Evans Warrior, Elgood's Cambridge Bitter & Mumbles Lifesaver. There was also a good selection of boxed ciders in the fridges - Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon, Weston's Old Rosie, Broadoak Moonshine & Abrahall's AM. In hindsight, this was probably the best pub we visited in Cardiff throughout the day, with a varied ale and cider range and competitive pricing. It just lacks any sort of character, as you would expect.