The Thomas Drummond (JD Wetherspoon), Fleetwood

This branch of Wetherspoon's looks quite large from the outside, but feels much smaller when inside. The layout is very cluttered, with far too many high tables with stools between the entrance and the bar, making access to the bar particularly difficult. It felt a little like an obstacle course to overcome. If all of the tables were taken, I'm sure it would feel very crowded. As it was, the pub was fairly empty with just a handful of customers, some about to tuck into late night meals. The usual 'spoon's beers were on - Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best & Sharp's Doom Bar. Guest beers were Hawkshead Lakeland Gold, Phoenix Arizona, Rudgate Ruby Mild, Marston's Old Empire & Elgood's Cambridge Bitter. The cider was Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon. Fleetwood can be a bit dead of an evening and I don't think this pub's location, tucked away on a side street off the main drag, particularly helps its cause. Possibly the quietest Wetherspoon's I've ever been in for that time of the evening (after 10pm).

Curious brick building, formerly a Sunday school, with a tall multi-coloured window in the hall-like far end (the effect of which is somewhat spoiled inside by the insertion of a false ceiling). Apart from that, though, the interior is lighter than expected despite the minimal window areas in the other partly opened-out rooms. Standard mix of furniture, but there are some interesting local-history displays. Reasonable selection of real ales from eight of nine handpumps, including Moorhouse's Blonde Witch and Reedley Hallows Beer o' Clock, but I went for the seasonal Inveralmond Fortingale (just £1.99).

Official site of The Thomas Drummond (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Official site of The Thomas Drummond (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com