The Captain Flinders (JD Wetherspoon), NW1

Small and fairly new Spoons right by Euston station. Well described below. We had a pint of Granny Wouldn't Like It from Wolf Brewery which was fine. Handy if you a little time to kill waiting for a train but there are better options nearby.

I had half an hour to kill on a recent midweek afternoon while waiting for my train at Euston so I decided to tick off the Captain Flinders, which is a very small Wetherspoons that has been open now for about a year. Through the central tiled entrance are high tables across the front windows and then high and standard tables sit either side of the central walkway that runs to the serving counter across the rear. Five of the six hand pumps were in operation drawing the usual three plus East London Brewing’s Cowcatcher and Burton bridge’s Santi Freeze. The service wasn’t the most welcoming, but this was my first trip to London in a while so expect it was just the usual capital charm. The disabled toilets to the left of the counter were spotless, and very welcome before embarking on the next leg of my journey.

As a regular user of Euston station, I've been aware of the opening of this branch of Wetherspoon's for some time. However, I've often checked their app and found no particular beers that interest me and also a lack of ciders. However earlier today after an aborted train journey from Euston due to the storm, we returned to the station and with few other venues open at 9am in the morning, we were obliged to try the Captain Flinders. Once again this morning, the Wetherspoon's app didn't reveal anything too promising on the beer and cider front. Regular beers are Sharp's Doom Bar & Greene King Abbot & IPA. Guests shown on the app were Sambrook's Wandle & Powerhouse Porter. However, we arrived to find a third guest- Twickenham Cinnamon Swirl Stout and also a cider in a box in the fridge - Weston's Old Rosie. Neither had been available on the app, which proves that you should never trust it. I was happy to try both, along with the porter. These premises used to be a seedy lap dancing club, a place we used to pass by on the way to breakfast before catching a train. These days, this branch of 'spoon's is one of their smaller ones, with a single room and downstairs toilets. The gents seemed far too small for the volume of customers on our Saturday morning visit. Just a couple of cubicles in the gents means queues at peak times. Being so close to the station, the pub inevitable attracts football fans such as ourselves, coming too and from games on matchdays. There were at least 6 different teams represented during our visit, with all getting on happily, both eating and drinking. Even a visit from the special branch couldn't find anything untoward. However, I suspect things can turn sour at times. Nevertheless I was pleasantly surprised by this branch, but will still probably only call in on irregular occasions, despite my regular visits to Euston station. Unfortunately there are still far better pickings, not only in the vicinity, but in the plethora of destinations that Euston offers.

This is a surprisingly small, brand new branch of the Wetherspoons chain, conveniently located next to Euston station. A sloping, bare boarded floor leads from the entrance to the servery, which occupies most of the rear wall. Carpeted seating areas can be found either side of this walkway and have been filled with efficiently arranged tables and chairs, whilst some high stools run around drinking shelves attached to sections of partitioning wall, with more high stools in the space opposite the bar and down the left-hand wall. The pub is a little plain, even by Wetherspoons standards, with the most striking features being the likes of the modern wood panelled walls and a few bits of smart tiling, especially to the left, where the tiles surround a set of bold paintings. Quotes from a biography of Matthew Flinders have been painted along the ceiling beams, alongside some fancy modern light fixtures. The bar has a counter with the same panelling as the rest of the pub, a modern metal frame gantry and basic mirrored bar back. The place wasn't too busy on my post-work visit, which was a surprise considering how packed the nearby St Pancras branch can get at the same time of day. TV screens were showing some sort of muted sports channel but I couldn't see which channel or sport was being broadcast from my vantage point. They had two of the regular 'Spoons ales on handpull along with four guest beers. I tried the Mauldons Black Adder at a rather expensive by 'Spoons' standards, £4.68 a pint. It was in excellent shape though and served to me by the prompt, if rather gruff, bar team. This is a bit of a strange place, feeling much more like an old school 'Spoons than anything they've opened this decade, but its location was obviously the primary motivation for operating here and I imagine it'll do a solid trade as a result I was happy with my excellent pint but would probably plump for the Barrel Vault at St Pancras if I wanted a 'Spoons stop in this part of town. Date of visit - 12th June 2024

The brand newest Spoons in the estate, opening in early January 2024. As others have mentioned, it is really rather small for the brand and is more toping shed than drinking barn, the tables are rammed-in to the extent a battery hen would go on strike. Décor is JDW middle ground, with some teak effect panelling and the usual pub carpet. Of genuine interest is the wall to the left which displays polychromatic (had to look that up) tiles with paintings depicting an odd mix of Renaissance and travel scenes. I assume that the Watford Wizard thought that most punters in here would be quick turnover train travellers; well if so he got that wrong as at least 50% looked like they were settled in for the afternoon, with the classic codger collective having already made themselves comfortable (with one fast asleep), joined by a smattering of students and some bunking workers (me). I could only ID three people who were definitely travelling. Perhaps due to the small size there were just four ales featuring a solitary guest, an excellent drop of Wimbledon Norma (NBSS 3.5) at prices that were close to par with their airport outlets, pleased that I could give my Timbo Token over. I was initially disappointed by this one and was expecting something much bigger and grander. But the quality of the cask and the pubby atmosphere made me feel a bit more disposed to it after a while.

Not much to add to the comprehensive summaries of this new JDW venue. Rammed on my arrival just now at 7pm and nothing but the three “staples” as not even the TW NL (or anything remotely good) was on offer. Selected the Ruddles (nothing wrong with it) and supped up quite quickly as the noise was insufferable in a pub with a lower ceiling than any property I have ever owned. Most noise emanating by a party of what looked like estate agents celebrating the sale of their first maisonette of the year with what ever fizzy wine stuff JDW sells these days. Unlikely to return as many better offerings, as most know, nearby.