The Briggate (JD Wetherspoon), Leeds

Tardis like spoons, the outside is a narrow 1930s building with a largish garden area to the front. On entering you become confused as the counter isn’t visible, it’s at the back on the right somewhere. I know a trip to a spoons toilet is a journey to Narnia but should a trip to the counter be the same? I think it’s a conspiracy to make us use the app. Anyhoo; usual spoons furnishings and decor, no biographies of famous locals, perhaps there aren’t any. Usual beer range with a 6+6 hand pull set up topped and tailed by keg T-bars and triples. The unholy trinity was complemented by Leeds Pale, Acorn Yorkshire Pride and Adnams Old Ale on this occasion, duplicated on both sets. The toilets are upstairs but I’m not sure I’d be able to find them again, I only just found my way out.

Modern 'spoons, set back from the road a bit by a front patio garden, but the narrow frontage belies a vastly bigger drinking / dining emporium behind. Very busy early in the evening, although the bar in the rear hall was operating very efficiently. Standard furniture and decor throughout, but with a fair sprinkling of local history photographs, etc. Good selection of real ales, ciders and a perry from the two banks of six handpumps, but I went for the 'new' Joshua Tetley No 3 Pale Ale (£ 2.15) which proved to be a splendid accompaniment to the Friday fish and chips offer.

West Yorkshire's newest Spoons opened during the Spring of 2017 in the old Liberal club. As noted below the small looking exterior leads to a huge open plan room that zigzags its way to the bar and as is the fashion with newer Spoons, the open kitchen. The room has a low ceiling and is rather dark. There are also lots of tables and chairs outside on a paved patio. It was very busy on my early Tuesday evening visit but there were enough staff to make the service quick. Although the bar has twelve hand pumps the choice was average as there were three ciders and the JDW Trio Of Doom was doubled up. This left Ossett Sorachi Sunset, Acorn Gorlovka and the International Hook Norton Cathcarts Xtra Pale Ale. I went for the Gorlovka (£2.49) which was excellent. It's not a bad Spoons, it's a shame the beer choice wasn't wider.

Official site of The Briggate (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Official site of The Briggate (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com