The Water Gate (Lloyds No 1), Barnstaple

I'm surprised that Wetherspoon's can sustain two branches of their pubs in this market town, but like Quinno before me, I found this to be the better of the two, despite it being the other branch (Panniers) that features in the Good Beer Guide. The Water Gate is a Lloyds No. 1. It's quite a large place that stretches back to a large space towards the rear. But there were only a few folk, most older ones, rattling around inside. The usual real ales were on - Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best & Sharp's Doom Bar. 2 guest beers were Exmoor Gold & Dartmoor Jail Ale. I was quite impressed with the real cider range here - Healey's Flattler, Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon, Weston's Old Rosie, Thatcher's Cheddar Valley, Sandford Orchards The General & Broadoak Moonshine.

Much nicer and more atmosphere than its sister pub in town, felt like it might be a purchase of a former nightclub or similar (yes – research says it was a Litten Tree many moons ago). Nice décor; burgundy walls with a bit of lime green and some William Morris style wallpaper (well ok it doesn’t sound nice, but it works). This is a Lloyds version of Spoons with piped music and what looks like a dance floor with lights at the far end. Three cask available all Hunters brewery; I tried the Crispy Pig (NBSS 4), Pheasant Plucker (3) and swerved the Rucker. Seven ciders in addition – you’re in the Wezzcuntry ere. Quite decent overall, though I was here on a quiet Tuesday night; Friday and Saturday might be more of an ordeal… 6.5

This one is a Lloyds number one where with the external signage they are not shy about letting people know it. On the face of it as you enter it seems like a fairly standard square room but it extends back a long way to the right where the Lloyds Disaster Area can be found with the dance floor and all the other paraphernalia that make any late evening weekend visit a complete ordeal. The bar is in the front area and I counted nine hand pumps which had the JDW Trio Of Doom with Doom Bore doubled, a GT Ales beer, Wadworth Green Beacon 3 Bolt, two available soon and a Bru Red Ale. I went for the International Green Beacon beer which happily didn't taste much like a Wadworth beer. Generally it's the norm for Lloyds bars to have poor beer choices and this one was no exception but overall it's better than many of them.