The Wilfred Wood (JD Wetherspoon), Stockport

The Wilfred Wood is a Spoons with a bar counter up the right-hand wall. In amongst the standard and premium keg are two banks of five hand pumps that were drawing Ruddles, Doom Bar, GK Abbot Ale, Wainwright, Phoenix Brewery’s Arizona, Titanic’s Plum Porter, Brightside’s Nano Blonde and Buxton Brewery’s Monsal Mild. I went for a pint of Plum Porter which was on top form, so I stayed for a second pint. The pub itself isn’t that interesting, just a sea of standard tables up the centre and some booths up the left-hand wall. The open plan interior is broken up by a couple of supporting pillars, upon one of them was a television with rolling BBC News. The thing that stuck in my mind the most were the friendly bar staff, one of whom was actually walking around the pub asking people if they’d finished and whether they’d like their table cleared. I’ve never witnessed such customer service in a JDW before! Worth a look for the service and beer.

Routine 'spoons housed in the ground floor of a dull office block, with the usual dark interior once you get away from the front and rear windows (although there is a patio beer garden at the back too). Limited selection from the two banks of five handpumps: Ruddles, Abbot, Beartown Bruins Ruin and Dark Side of the Moose from Purple Moose (£2.15).

This is a typical JDW shop conversion, but very nicely done. Lots of booths plus some comfy chairs in the window. Reasonably quiet on my Friday, early afternoon visit. Only 3 guest ales on the bar alongside the usual suspects though. My pint was in good nick. This is a very solid JDW. As it's close to the station I'll happily call in again when I walk the other way up London Road on my next trip out.

The Wilfred Wood is an obvious shop conversion but it's slightly better executed than some earlier outlets. It's a rectangular room with the bar on the right and a patio at the rear. There is a lot of dark wood used and the furnishings are a bit better than average. I came here on a Tuesday afternoon when it was fairly quiet so had no trouble getting served and the tables were clear. The bar has ten hand pumps which had the JDW Trio Of Doom with the GK beers doubled, two unused, Wincle Burke's Special, Peerless Langton Spin and Arundel Black Stallion. I went for the Wincle beer (£2.29) which was excellent. I thought this was a decent Spoons.

By-the-numbers Wetherspoons.