The Up Steps Inn (JD Wetherspoon), Oldham

A small spoons in a fairly hideous new build, the inside is typically dark wood, metal balustrades, deco light fittings and upstairs toilets. Long and thin with the usual type of furnishings and indeed clientele, there are machines clustered at the bottom of the stairs, a screen or two and booths down one side. Two banks of six pulls but all doubled up so take out the unholy three and the choice was Phoenix Arizona, a Hook Norton dark beer I think from the recent beer festival and a Beartown Kodiak. All very typical, it was rammed on a Tuesday lunchtime but even so the staff left something to be desired. Plastic glasses only outside on the pavement seating area.

A decent old style Spoons with some decent looking timber panelled booths along the right hand side back wall. There was also further seating in the upstairs lounge area, which incorporated a part mezzanine area, so you could look at the punters downstairs at the bar area. The beers of interest were Phoenix Wobbly Bob, Moorhouse's Blonde Witch and Wolf Brewery Granny Wouldn't Like It.

Older-style 'spoons with an elongated, partly split-level layout, although quite well lit so lighter than some. Reasonable selection from the two banks of six handpumps, including a couple from Coach House, JW Lees Vanilla Cream and a pre festival appearance of Sudwerk Reeds Ale from Adnams (£2.31) plus the usual trio of Ruddles, Doom Bar and Abbot.

A surprisingly bijou Spoons. Victoriana fittings though not too heavy on the dark wood and it felt rather upmarket in here for a Wethers. Three guest cask IIRC, my choice of Peerless Oatmeal was a good one as it was in fine form (NBSS 4). Genuinely impressive JDW. 7.5

The Up Steps Inn is a long and thin Wetherspoons with a bar counter to the left of the entrance. In amongst the standard and premium keg are two banks of six handpumps. Ruddles, Sharp’s Doom Bar, GK Abbot Ale, Moorhouses Straw Dog and Blonde Witch, Rooster Brewing’s London Thunder and Red Rock and Titanic Iceberg were the cask options. The JDW food menu is available.