Ritz (JD Wetherspoon), Lincoln

A large two-tier Spoons with some nice Art Deco touches in the brown-on-brown curved interior (was a theatre/cinema in its original incarnation and there are numerous signed photos from those who performed there). Unusually, there’s a dart board and a quiz on Wednesdays. Truly awful toilets though. Went for a Wytham Shield FAB which was in very good shape. Also noted Elgoods Porter and Cheeky Imp. Enough to warrant a stop. 6.5

Sprawling Spoons with steps up to the main area and then down a few to the bar. Decent selection of ales and the toilets are on the same floor as the rest of the pub, thank God.

Official site of Ritz (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Official site of Ritz (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Decent Wetherspoon conversion of an Art Deco former theatre / cinema, with a split-level interior containing quite a variety of different seating areas. Also has a small patio area to one side. Pretty decent selection of real ales from the two banks of six handpumps too, including three from Milestone - the 'house' Reel Ale, Dark Mild and Honey Porter (£1.03, half) - plus Roosters YPA as well as the likes of Ruddle's, Doom Bar and Abbot.

Going Back to 2000 this is the oldest of the three Lincoln Spoons. You enter into the foyer of the old cinema and the main pub area is down a few steps. This isn't the best of their numerous cinema conversions as there is a low ceiling so there is no real feel of being in an old cinema. It might be that the upper part is separately owned. The bar has two sets of five hand pumps which on my visit had the two GK beers, Doom Bore, Hobgoblin Gold, three festival ales available soon and four festival ales. I managed to find one I hadn't tried Tring Moloko (£1.85 festival price) which was a milk stout in superb condition. This was the best of the three Lincoln Spoons by a mile.

The Ritz is a large looking Spoons that was converted from an old cinema. Once inside the front area is at street level,the seating here is normal tables and chairs,the middle area is up a few steps,this area runs the width of the pub,the seating again normal tables and chairs,the bar is to the rear and down two steps,there is no seating in the bar area. There was a decent choice of real ales on the bar and all apart from the Spoons regulars seemed the be from Grafton Brewery,i had a drink of Grafton Jazz which was a decent drink on my early Saturday morning visit,the other Grafton beers noted were Frambois,Lady Julia and Sir Percival,i also noted a beer from Welbeck Abbey which i think was called Blanck Maynard,there was also a few usuall Spoons regulars. The pub was very busy with most people drinking beer or lagers. A decent pub to start my clear up of Lincolns pubs. Pub visited 1/8/2015