The Smithy Fold (JD Wetherspoon), Glossop

Spoons housed in a towering former cotton mill, meaning that the ceiling is higher than most and thus helps to offset the relative lack of window area. Probably quite open in normal times, but the coronavirus screens leave nearly all tables on their own. A small patio garden can also be found to one side. Not too bad a selection of real ales from the two banks of five handpumps, including Goddard Fuggle Dee Dum (£2.15) and Redemption Urban Dusk plus the usual suspects of Ruddles, Doom Bar, Abbot and a cider.

A largeish JDW which is part of the Howard Town mill conversion along with a newish Travelodge and several food and retail outlets. It's very nicely done inside with several distinct areas on two levels. We called in for a couple before going to a wedding and the staff were pretty efficient and the beer was well kept, although the guest ale choice was a bit limited. Called in again for breakfast the following morning and the staff were very, very efficient. In fact it was one of the quickest served and best cooked of all the JDW breakfasts I've had. It was £1 more than the JDWs in Rochdale, Newcastle & Harrogate though. Overall I was quite impressed with the whole place.

This conversion of a cotton mill seemed fairly large for what looked to me like a smallish town. Inside it's a single large L shaped room where the sound rather echoes. The bar is on the left and there is a raised area to the immediate right. The ceiling looks like it was contracted out to Mr O'Reilly from Fawlty Towers as it looked unfinished to me. There's a balcony patio to the rear on the right that overlooks a car park. On a damp Tuesday afternoon it was fairly quiet. The bar has two sets of five hand pumps which had one available soon, Brewster's Aromantica, Kelham Island Pale Rider, Howard Town Longdendale Lights, Sharp's Atlantic, the JDW Trio Of Doom and two festival ciders which were in a fridge anyway. I went for the Pale Rider (£2.19) which was excellent. As I was thinking about leaving I noticed that the damp afternoon had turned into a deluge so I decided to try the four festival ciders (£2.75) I had not yet tried and have something to eat. This all went fine, after which the walk back to the station in the pouring rain wasn't so bad after all. Overall I thought this was a decent Spoons and would happily return.

Official site of Smithy Fold (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Official site of Smithy Fold (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

A large looking Wethers. Its not too bad inside and the beer selection was ok so I can't complain.