The Thomas Botfield (JD Wetherspoon), Telford

A quick one in here awaiting a pick-up. Shopping centre JDW that is a devil to find unless you know your way around the complex (in short, it’s out the back, over the walkway). Burnt orange interior with some jumbo circular light fittings. Three, IIRC, guest ales and my Ludlow Best was in decent order (NBSS 3). Expected worse, to be honest.

Rather hidden away from the Telford Centre shopping centre and adjoining entertainment complex, but I suppose that it needs to be in one of the outer units so that it can adopt its own opening times. Anyway, the square main bar area and a smaller side seating / dining area are exactly what you would expect in such a setting, but the outdoor patio seating area must be a bonus in the better weather. Thankfully, I found the usual trio of Ruddles, Doom Bar and Abbot supplemented on the six handpumps by Dark Tide porter from Greene King's Future Brewers programme and a couple from the beer festival selection: Brouwerij de Bock Germain and Leikeim's Chocolate Ale (£2.63). Pleasantly busy on a Saturday lunchtime, and with several interesting beers worth trying, I found this 'spoons better than I was expecting.

The Thomas Botfield is an open plan Wetherspoons with a bar counter up the right-hand wall that faces high tables and some gaming machines before a long double sided banquette with tables either side. Further left is a raised seating area and some booths run along the rear wall. At a glance the carpet looked threadbare, but closer inspection revealed that it just has an awful pattern. The standard television is in situ with rolling BBC News. Along with the standard and premium keg there are six hand pumps that were drawing Ruddles, Sharp’s Doom Bar, GK Abbot Ale, Limestone’s Ein Stein and Burton Bridge’s Festival Ale. In an area of very slim pickings this is probably the best choice without walking for some time.