The Crown Rivers (JD Wetherspoon), Hounslow

This is an airside Wetherspoons bar in Heathrow’s Terminal 5, but if you’re expecting the same sort of Wetherspoons experience you might be used to in pubs up and down the country, think again. The ‘pub’ is split into two distinctly separate areas, with the bar on one side, with a limited amount of, mostly high stool, seating clustered into a compact, well defined space. On the other side of the walkway is the formal dining area with table service and a strict seating policy – don’t just grab a table here without expecting to be uprooted and put at the back of a queue. The menu won’t be familiar either, with fewer options available and a slightly, but only slightly – this is Wetherspoons after all, more upmarket feel to it. I tried a panini and couldn’t believe it when it was presented on a dark slate with a side salad. The place was doing a brisk trade and the waiting staff were struggling to keep things running smoothly. With queues for tables building up, I decided to finish my pint quickly as I didn’t feel comfortable taking up a table on my own. The pub apparently takes its name from two royal rivers which were diverted when Heathrow was first built, before being diverted a second time prior to the construction of Terminal 5. I was looking forward to a good farewell pint of ale before jetting off for a few weeks, but found myself faced with three fairly uninspiring options – Wells Bombardier, Greene King Abbot Ale and Wychwood Hobgoblin. Clips for Fullers London Pride and Adnams Broadside indicated that they would be on soon. My pint of Hobgoblin was in reasonable condition, but had to be purchased after standing in a supermarket style queue, which seems to be an airport-only pub phenomenon. I was fairly disappointed with this one, but the fact of the matter is that there really isn’t much else worth doing in this terminal and it’s by far the best option for a drink that I could find.