The Edward Wylie (JD Wetherspoon), Glasgow

Large open plan spoons usual deals and selection.

Very large, three-room layout with the incongruous industrial ventilation system being the only feature of note inside the converted ground floor of the Scottish Legal Life building (but note the fine exterior clock). Only four of the six handpumps were operational, but at least my pint of the hoppy New Beginnings from Williams Bros Brewing was in good condition and excellent value at £1.99. Quiet on a Sunday afternoon.

This large Wetherspoons is housed in the former Scottish Legal Life Assurance building of which the pub’s namesake was the designer. It certainly doesn’t rank among the more interesting ‘Spoons with very little character on display. The interior is modern, spacious and open plan with low ceilings containing exposed air conditioning pipes. It lacks any degree of intimacy apart from a screened off lounge section with some modern bookcases and a sofa bit centred on a fireplace. There isn’t even a particularly extensive ale range with 6 hand pumps containing just 2 standard ales and 2 guests when I was there and the other pumps either unused or bearing the teasing “available soon” clip. Even the most hardened ‘Spoons fan will probably accept that this is little more than a functional branch of the chain and whilst it isn’t the worst one in town, it should probably be filed under “emergency use only”.