The John Wallace Linton (JD Wetherspoon), Newport

Newport city centre's sole remaining branch of Wetherspoon's, this was apparently the first pub in Wales amongst the chain. It's a fairly typical version with walls painted cream and red. There is artwork on the right-hand wall and plenty of Newport County football flags around. There are fruit machines on the left-hand side and there are also 2 or 3 TVs. Refreshingly for a 'spoon's, most of the tables had been kept clear of glasses, plates and food detritus despite it being fairly busy. Toilets are also on the ground floor. Although how they get away with putting CCTV above the gents' urinals is beyond me. At the bar, regular beers are Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best & Sharp's Doom Bar. Guests were Lancaster Black, Hop Union Classic Gold, Burton Bridge Stairway To Heaven & Evan Evans Seascape. The cider was Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon. As Wetherspoon's go, it's fairly run of the mill. It is however in the Good Beer Guide. My Hop Union beer wasn't the best but was still acceptable.

Very standard Spoons by numbers near the station, nothing to see here

As noted below this is an old school Spoons with the old blue and gold plastic signage and consisting of a large square room with the bar on the left and typical fixtures and fittings. After I arrived here people started drifting back from the rugby match in Cardiff but they were a harmless and friendly enough crowd. The beer choice wasn't that great as after stripping out the JDW Trio Of Doom and ciders there was just the Shepherd Neame Todd the Axeman and Mumbles Oystermouth Stout. I went for the Todd the Axeman (£2.30) which was in very good nick. For me none of the Newport Spoons were much good but this and the Godfrey Morgan were the better of the (current) four.