The Barrel Vault (JD Wetherspoon), N1

A reasonable modern station bar beneath the South Eastern platforms. The bar and front area are decorated with numerous overhead barrels, marking the original use of the station arches in housing ale brought down from Burton. Above the barrels is a nasty black neo-industrial ceiling. The side area extending back is in more of a typical Spoons style, with tables and booths. Good to see a nice selection of mainly London guest ales, and at £3.55 good value compared to other local hostelries. Certainly more useful than most of the retail outlets down here.

I didn't know this was a Spoons until Mrs Ale pointed it out, I have to say this outlet was very trendy and I especially liked the bar area with a cream coloured marble bar counter and the different types of timbers making up a concentric patterned bar front. This style of timber was also found in the dining section, the use of empty barrels was also of interest and made good reference to the history of what was once a barrel store. Two banks of six handpumps with the usual suspects, still we managed to spot a Bedlam Brewery Primo, which was decent enough and at a reasonable price. Glad we called early on Friday as it was rammed on Friday evening on our return train journey.

I turned up here at around 08:00 on a Saturday morning with a 10:00 train booked into Kent. It's a fairly ugly modern room with an attempt to conceal the unfinished looking ceiling with some wooden barrels. The room isn't that large for a JDW and is roughly L shaped with the bar on the left if you enter from the station complex. Alcohol was being served before 09:00, probably because of a station licence. There was a fair crowd in including people travelling and some Neandethal football supporters. There seemed to be an older Irish bloke in charge who was running a very tight ship. As expected prices are high here with guest ales at £3.55, unlimited coffee £1.75 and Punk IPA at £4.79. There is a cut down food menu with most items being a pound or two dearer than the average but not necessarily compared to their other Central London outlets. On the plus side during their first month they were holding a 150 beer festival which did have some good options. The bar has twelve hand pumps which had just one unused and Abbot with the rest being from the October festival. I went for the unlimited coffee this time. I thought this was pretty good for a station bar and will return for a festival beer one morning before the month is out prior to heading off to Wanstead. I would use it again if booked on a mid morning train into Kent but probably for the coffee.

Brand new Spoons well described below with a decent choice of beers as part of the latest festival. I can think of much worse places to kill time waiting for a train!