The Company Row (JD Wetherspoon), Consett

Well positioned close to the bus Terminus and on the edge of the shopping centre. A fairly featureless Spoons consisting of one large room with the bar positioned down the left hand side. Service at the bar was good and the tables were kept clean and tidy. Two banks of 5 pumps Abbott, Doombar, Ruddles Maxim Brewery etc. We went for the Tyne Bank Castle Gold, £2 a pint.

We were here on Saturday morning for breakfast and a swift drink, prior to a visit to the Beamish Museum. As has been said, this is a new build and not the usual Wetherspoon re-use of an old shop, cinema, theatre or the like. As such, it feels much brighter than many and unusually it had toilets on the same floor as the bar. Breakfast was good value as always. The standard Wetherspoon's ales were on - Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best & Sharp's Doom Bar. Guests were Maxim Double Maxim, Big Lamp Prince Bishop Ale & Allendale Wolf. The cider was Cock Eyed Monkey Mango. Easily the best option in what seems to be a fairly depressing town centre.

Spacious new-build 'spoons, with the long rectangular bar housed under a high sloping roof and plenty of window space, with the only darker spaces being the slightly raised smaller seating / dining areas at each end of the main 'barn'. Usual furniture and decor, and not much in the way of local interest panels either. However, the real ale selection from the two banks of five handpumps was slightly better than expected, with beers from Maxim, Firebrick, Allendale and Lamp Light from Big Lamp (£1.89) noted.

Official site of The Company Row (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com