The Free Man (JD Wetherspoon), Nottingham

This is a fairly standard former Co-Op shop conversion. Inside it's a rectangular room with fairly typical furnishings that bends round to the left at the rear. The bar is on the right as you enter. It was quite busy on my Saturday afternoon visit with quite a few shouty mostly older blokes where some of them probably thought they looked "cool" in shorts but in fact looked completely ridiculous. Unusually I managed to find a low table right by the bar. There are ten hand pumps here which had one unused, one available soon, the JDW Trio Of Doom with the two GK beers doubled, Hobgoblin, Titanic Steerage and the same old Nottingham Brewery house beer. Luckily they had several festival ciders left so I had two of them (£2.85). I thought the beer choice here was poor but apart from that it seemed OK.

The Free man in a small Weatherspoon on Carlton that is housed in a former CO-OP. This is right next to where the Toby Jug used to stand before it was pulled down to build a Morrison’s so at least this high street overall hasn’t lost a pub. although a fairly newly built spoons I found the overall feel to the place slightly dated like a spoons of the late 90’s. As you enter the [pub is one medium sized oblong shaped room with the long bar running down the right hand side. The decor is the standard spoons type with carpets and many tables and chairs all over. The pub was also very dark on my visit that made it seem a little gloomy. There was not as many hand pulls in here as I am used to seeing in Weatherspoon’s. Some of the beers I noted on my visit were Arundel Black Stallion at £2.15 Homke Ales Maid Marian (£2.15) and Little John (Available soon) as well as Wadworths Swordfish and a couple I failed to note as well as the spoons regulars. The Stallion was kept nicely enough and went down ok while being on the lower end of Nottingham Spoons prices. Overall I found this to be a fairly basic spoons with not much character and an average selection of averagely kept beers. Not the worst spoons in the world and it was quite cosy and comfy but all round a bit run of the mill. Its ok passing for a swift beer or two but there are better examples of the brand.

Fairly modern 'spoons, with standard furniture and decor around an overall 'L'-shaped bar and seating areas. Ten handpumps, with a so-so selection including Nottingham Legend (£1.99).