The Britannia Inn (JD Wetherspoon), Milehouse, Plymouth

Impressive-looking Spoons atop a hill and cut adrift by a busy eight lane junction. As mentioned elsewhere, this was a pub prior to Timbo getting his paws on it (fact fans –was built by the grandfather of Captain Scott of The Antarctic fame). Not necessarily an obvious location for a JDW until you realise it’s only a few minutes from Plymouth Argyle’s ground which guarantees it 25-30 ram-packed days a year. By paying no attention to the fixture list I managed to visit a couple of hours prior to kick-off and the place was inevitably full of Janners. Didn’t get much chance to look around as a result but it had a bit more homely character than the regular Wethers. Ale-wise there were the usual Spoons staples plus four guests and plenty of cider. I plumped for a Dartmoor Jail (NBSS 3) which perhaps inevitably came in a plastic glass. Not bad here, worth the walk.

The Britannia is an original pub perched on the top of a hill at a road junction close to Plymouth bus depot. Inside it has a wide central bar with areas spread around it. They have managed to retain the look and feel of an original pub rather than turn it into a generic JDW. There is the usual high seating around the bar with lower seating around it and an eating area for families to the left. I made two visits here, one on the way to Cornwall when the high seating area was packed and another on Saturday afternoon on the way back from Cornwall when the family area was packed. There are two sets of five hand pumps which had the JDW Trio of Doom with Ruddles doubled, Hanlons Firecracker doubled, Dartmoor Jail doubled, Hunters Black Jack and South Hams Daddies Real Sauce. I went for the Black Jack and on the Saturday, Daddies Real Sauce & Black Tor Devonshire Pale Ale all at £2.29 and all in first class condition. I thought this was a really good Spoons and easily the best one in the Plymouth area.

Official site of Britannia Inn (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Official site of Britannia Inn (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com