Wetherspoons (JD Wetherspoon), Metrocentre, Gateshead

This is set in a hideous out of town modern shopping centre so I had very low expectations for it. They haven't made a bad job of the interior with lots of dark wood, better furnishings than average and although the ceiling is a mess it has been well masked by the lighting. The biggest problem here is that the beer choice from the two sets of three hand pumps consists of the IPA version of the JDW Trio Of Doom and at a time when the Spring beer festival was in full swing. The IPA is £2.05 but the other two were £2.69 which is expensive for a JDW especially in the North East. The food is more expensive as well with the steak club being £9.99. I went for a bottle of Green Devil IPA (£3.49) which was 50p dearer than normal. As an everyday Spoons this is a complete waste of time and only avoids the score of shame because the interior isn't too bad.

Exactly what you would expect from a 'spoons located inside a major shopping mall, with all the ambience and charm of an airport bar. Having said that, it was well staffed on a busy Sunday afternoon. Bigger than it looks, with various seating areas plus a mezzanine (not visited). Pride, Abbot and Greene King IPA (£2.05) available from two banks of three handpumps, and amusingly the John Smiths Smooth was more expensive than any of the real ales.

Official pages of Wetherspoons - www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk

Official pages of Wetherspoons - www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk