Moon in the Square (JD Wetherspoon), Bournemouth

My first visit here for about 25 years and it hasn't changed much! Standard Spoons with the usual trio plus 5 guests. My pint of Quiver was pretty good but the Christmas beer I chose next was decidedly average! The place was very busy but the service was good. Worth calling in.

This is one of the few remaining Spoons I've been to before but haven't reviewed here. It opened in 1994 and I came here a few years later on a Saturday night but all I can remember was it being hopelessly rammed and having bouncers on the door. On an October Thursday afternoon it had plenty of trade. It's been well described below but I completely missed the upstairs bar. Downstairs the ten hand pumps had two unused, the JDW Trio Of Doom, London Pride and four festival ales. I went for the Tring Warrior Queen (£2.69) which was in good nick but on the expensive side for a JDW. The food clubs were also dearer here and with the Steak Club at £9.99 the most expensive I've noticed. It's a typical old school town centre Spoons and not one of their better ones.

A typical JDW conversion of an old department store, so a very large room on different levels with no architctural merit whatsoever. The clientele seems to consist of loads of pensioners and also families with very young children. The usual scrote level seems to be lower than average. This is probably because it's in Bournemouth. All the usual JDW suspects on the bar and only 2 guests, however the pint I had was in good nick. Too many kids in for my liking tough.

This former department store consists of several levels of flooring and a small outside seating terrace overlooking the park, the raised area at the rear being a bit quieter than the other areas, possibly due to the unusually large percentage of clientele using walking sticks and crutches who are unable or unwilling to climb that far. There is an interesting stained glass ceiling at the back, but otherwise it is of little architectural merit. The standard mute TV screens and gaming machines are dotted around, the WiFi works intermittently depending on where you’re sitting. A tribe of unruly children seemed to dominate the space, some playing football between the tables, others simply coming in to use the toilets. The staff here were better than in many JDWs, friendly and professional, and in one case, even smiling. There were only 5 ales on – I had Lymehouse ‘Stonecutter’, a light beer in very good condition. It’s not bad for a pub of this type in a busy town centre, somewhere decent to while away the time while the wife terrorises the nearby shops.

Bright and cheery (recently refurbed?) JDW with a large acreage over two levels (it’s former department store). Interior was noticeably bright for a Spoons. Décor items of note were the nice downlights at the bar and moon motifs in the woodwork. Downside was the fairly staid guest ale range (only three of genuine interest…did I miss more upstairs?). My choice, Elgoods Bitter, was fair if a bit watery. Not bad, though I suspect it’s horrific on a Friday and Saturday when the stag and hen crown descend.

Very large 'spoons housed in a former department store, with a split-level main bar (ten handpumps) plus an upstairs bar (five more). Standard furniture and decor. Reasonable selection of real ale, including a decent Robinsons Hoptimus Prime (£2.49).