The Wicket Gate (JD Wetherspoon), Chester Le Street

Lloyds No 1 bar housed in a prominent modern building at the south end of Front Street. Various seating / dining areas around the island bar, with a semi-open kitchen at the far end. Dark furniture and only a limited amount of window space, but the decorative lighting helps a bit. Two banks of five handpumps, but with little duplication the choice was much better than expected, with two Firebrick beers - Blaydon Brick and Toon Broom (£2.15, a pair from Maxim and Phoenix Wobbly Bob in addition to Ruddles, Abbot and a couple of ciders.

This is an unashamed Lloyds No 1 that retains the external branding but didn't have any music playing before midday on a Friday. I'm guessing that as it looked a very modern building it's a purpose built Spoons. It's an open plan room with an island bar on the left and a large and very dominant Lloyds Disaster Area to the right with speakers, lights, glitter ball and idiot booth. Most people seemed to be in for a bite to eat on my morning visit. There are ten hand pumps in total with one unused, two ciders, GK Ruddles doubled, GK Abbot, Hadrian Border Secret Kingdom, Mordue IPA, Hobgoblin Gold and Sonnet 43 Aurora. I went for the Thistly Cross Cider which was great value at £2.49. It's not the worst Lloyds I've been to but wouldn't like to visit it on a Friday or Saturday night.

A large and trendy interior, with an oval shaped bar on the left of entrance. The main lounge is over on the right, with a central DJ booth. The deco in here was beiges and dark browns, wallpapered feature walls and chandeliers. Expected to see some cricket memorabilia and history of the cricket ground, but this was absent. There was some literature on the Lambton family who were the local estate owners. Ten handpumps with three repeated and four guest. Tyneside Blonde was my order on the day.