The King's Highway (JD Wetherspoon), Inverness

I only called in for a quick half but it seemed a dark and rather depressing sort of place. It perhaps wasn't helped by the exterior being clad in scafolding, perhaps they are brightening it up.

Previously The Cummings Hotel, this pub now represents all the very worst traits of JDW. The single large bar was dirty, and the tabletops were sticky. Combined with an unpleasant, pervasive stale smell, this meant we didn't eat here, a shame as (much as I hate to admit it) JDW's food has generally improved a lot over the last couple of years and it looked OK on other customers' plates. The lone barman was slow, unhelpful and didn't know much about the beers he sold. There was an element of discussion over the use of CAMRA vouchers. Four ales on, non of which was well kept or very enjoyable (I shan't embarrass the breweries concerned). The clientele were from the bottom end of the normal JDW population. Even with the CAMRA discount this isn't somewhere to which I shall rush back - once every five years is quite enough.