The William Stead (JD Wetherspoon), Darlington

Backstreet Spoons in what looks like a fairly modern building grafted onto something much older. A relatively straightforward long and shallow interior divided by a display case with a slightly more desirable room off right. Five guest cask; my Hawkshead Pale was showing its age (NBSS 2). Named after someone who drowned in the Titanic so you have a ready-made gag if your beer is watery.

The lesser known of Darlington’s two ‘spoons as it’s tucked away in a back street on the edge of the town centre. None the less a classic spoons, with the standard 5+5 pulls topped and tailed as usual on the rear counter and typical furnishings. It benefits from a really good newsprint patterned carpet so I’m guessing Mr Stead was a newpaper man not the similarly named John Stead, hero of the Avengers TV series. Upstairs has a keg only bar and the toilets, otherwise nothing outstanding in décor etc.

Visited July 19 and had 2 Daleside beers, Monkey Wrench and Old Legover.

Average Spoon's in a thoroughly modernised old building, containing one long rectangular room with a bar running its length. At the end is a small covered patio. It seems to have a relatively calm and pleasant atmosphere, at least during the daytime but the beer range was a bit limited, with Pennine Hair of the Dog and Amber Necker as guests alongside the usual Abbot, Ruddles and Doom Bar.

Not as good as Tanners Hall but OK as a Spoons, I suppose. Worth dropping in for a pint.