The Hatchet Inn (JD Wetherspoon), Newbury

Official site of The Hatchet Inn (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Official site of The Hatchet Inn (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

The Hatchett Inn is a large Wetherspoons with a snug to the left of the entrance adjacent to the bar that runs up the left wall. This bar faces an very large open plan seating area that is broken up by a few supporting pillars and a step up to the seating furthest from the bar. Towards the rear are more tables in a narrow section and there is another seating area along the left wall. The pub opens up at the rear to more seating, including some high backed booths. Outside the front of the pub is a rectangular seating area in the Market Place and out the back is a large patio with seating, some of which is covered. The aforementioned bar is split half way along by an exposed brick pillar and there is a bank of four handpumps on both sides. During a recent Wednesday visit the front four were drawing Bowman Ales’ Quiver, Blindmans Brewery’s Golden Spring, Inveralmond Lia Fail and Loadon Brewery’s Hoppit. The back four were drawing GK Abbot Ale, Sharp’s Doom Bar, GK Ruddles and Hoppit, for a second time. There is also a standard and premium keg range alongside the usual JDW food menu. The service was polite and although this pub is large it is broken up enough to not feel like a drinking warehouse. No problem returning here.

With 15-20 minutes to spare before catching a bus from the bus station behind the pub, there was just enough time to knock back a quick pint at this Wetherspoon's, which was a return visit for me. The queue on arrival was a bit disheartening. But it soon moved and we were served promptly. The three standard Wetherspoon's ales were on - Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best & Sharp's Doom Bar. Guests were Skinner's Betty Stogs, Adnams Broadside, Wychwood Hobgoblin & Twickenham Daisy Cutter. I opted for a Black Dragon cider. Handy enough place and one of the better drinking options in Newbury.

This is actually one of their hotels which may explain why it was fairly busy before 10:00 on a Saturday morning. The town market was also in full swing outside. As mentioned below it's a long room with the bar on the left and split into several smaller areas. It struck me as being rather plusher than normal but with the standard guest ale price being £2.79 it ought to be. There are only eight hand pumps here but with none of the usual shenanigans to make a rubbish choice look better. Beers available were the JDW Trio Of Doom, Ramsbury Deer Stalker, Hanlon's Stormstay, Mauldon's Cuckoo, West Berks Mr Chubb and Wild Weather Black Night. I went for the Stormstay (£2.95) which was in good nick. The only gripe I had about this place apart from being an expensive JDW was the fact that there were some propaganda sheets around the place extolling Tim Martin's view that leaving the EU would be a good thing. I really don't think that JDW pubs, their website or their house magazine are an appropriate place for political propaganda. Pubs and Politics or Religion make a poisonous cocktail.

Wetherspoons in main square, nicely presented, whilst opened out there are pillars and some brick/wall breaking up the space & a number of seats at the windows looking over the square. Standard fittings & dark wood panels around. 7 well kept real ales, though the service could do with quickening up, though not the worst ever at a Wetherspoons. All round nice place

As reported this is by far the better of the two Wetherspoons in Newbury, in fact its a superior spoons retaining some traces of a former elegance - whither actually retained or imported. The counter is to the left and is split halfway by a residual wall, counter to the normal JDW practice the interesting and mundane beers are mixed on the two sets of five pulls so check both ends. It looks like all the formally separate rooms have had their walls pierced rather than removed so there is still the feel of separate rooms, carefully chosen furniture enhances this. I'm not sure why there's a photo of 1960/70s telly person Jack Hargreaves on one wall.