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Beer of the Week (w/e 15th June 2025) with Thuck Phat
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Detail Pages
The Hope Tap (JD Wetherspoon), Reading
Reading
RG1 1EP
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about The Hope Tap (JD Wetherspoon)
Located on Reading’s main binge drinking strip, the Hope Tap is a large, shop-converted Wetherspoons with a familiar layout that balances functional design with modest traditional features. The main servery runs along the right-hand wall, while the largest seating area extends down the left, offering a mix of booths, banquettes, and regular tables and chairs. There are more high tables through the middle and a small front alcove with etched glass screens creating some semi-private booths. The interior is decorated with a mix of dark wood panelling, pale upper walls adorned with paintings, local history boards, and assorted modern knick-knacks. Several large TVs were present but turned off during a quiet Saturday afternoon visit, giving the place a slightly subdued feel.
Three regular cask ales and six guests were available, with a pint of Loddon Hullabaloo setting me back just £2.63. The barmaid was cheerful and welcoming, contributing to the pleasant atmosphere. The pub wasn't overly busy, but the service was smooth and friendly and my pint was in decent nick and went down pretty well.
I found this to be a fairly run-of-the-mill 'Spoons with a few points of minor interest, but nothing much that you can't find in pubs like this up and down the country. I appreciated a broader ale range than usual, including a few local options, and felt the service was a notch ort two above the chain's usual standards, but it's not really somewhere that's going to get the pulse racing and with plenty of strong options elsewhere, is perhaps more likely to be somewhere to call by in passing rather than making an effort to visit.
Date of visit: 11th January 2025
On 7th May 2025
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3361 recommendations about 3361 pubs]
Mild Drinker left this review about The Hope Tap (JD Wetherspoon)
Pretty standard Spoons. Always difficult to get a seat in here as it's always rammed. The Back of Beyond the other end of town is my preferred choice. Always seems to be plenty of staff on hand. Not the best Spoons by a long shot.
On 8th February 2025
- rating: 6
[User has posted 108 recommendations about 108 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Hope Tap (JD Wetherspoon)
Little in the way of progress. It's getting really desperate in here now.
October 2014
The least inspiring of the town's Spoons - very functional dark brown rectangular room, decorated from the Spoons 1997 catalogue with a faint whiff of despair added. The wait at the bar is often over 5 minutes at busy times and the place is usually understaffed as a standard feature. I've walked out of here a few times before now. Tim really needs to throw some money at this one.
On 28th February 2023
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 5594 recommendations about 5575 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Hope Tap (JD Wetherspoon)
Absolutely typical town centre Spoon's. Seemed quite well-run, if rather unexceptional, but a reliable place for a pint or three.
On 23rd June 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3680 recommendations about 3615 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Peter Mills left this review about The Hope Tap (JD Wetherspoon)
Cheap and cheerfull as most "Spoons" pubs are. Nice enough place will use again.
On 4th August 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 30 recommendations about 24 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Hope Tap (JD Wetherspoon)
This is a typical old school Spoons as described below consisting of a long low ceilinged room with typical furnishings. There seemed to be a daytime brigade contingent on a Saturday afternoon.
Although there are two banks of six hand pumps the beer choice was poor with two not on, IPA, Abbot & Doom Bore doubled up, the pathetic One Is 90 and Hobgoblin leaving just Sharp's Atlantic or Loddon's Reading Dark. I went for the Reading Dark which was in good nick. Maybe I was lucky but I didn't have any real problems with this place but thought it was a fairly average JDW.
On 24th May 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Hope Tap (JD Wetherspoon)
All roads in Reading seem to lead here. I ended up not finding the Greyfriars, finding the Gateway shut at 10pm on a Monday and coming back here.
So - an average pint of Foddens. Not had it before but it was uninspiring. Then had a large Talisker. For £3.75.
Tried to do the maths to see if it would be as cheap for me to fill a bottle as buy one in the supermarket.
On 23rd May 2015
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1613 recommendations about 1590 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Hope Tap (JD Wetherspoon)
Didn't stay very long in here. A pretty run of the mill Spoons, so just had a quick half of Exmoor Gold before moving on to the Monk's Retreat at the opposite end of the street. The ale selection in here was good with plenty of choice.
On 22nd July 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3684 recommendations about 3684 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Hope Tap (JD Wetherspoon)
A pretty standard Wetherspoons, open plan with plenty of seating,the beer range was generally usual suspect stuff and a couple of Christmas themed beers, I spotted something a little different so gave it a go, Single Hop Saaz by Marstons ,the quality was unfortunately not great,not bad enough to return to the bar, or so I thought on my first taste,but ended up leaving half of it and wished I had.Nothing remarkable to recommend as a pub and not a place I'm likely to revisit.
On 10th December 2012
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2183 recommendations about 2150 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Hope Tap (JD Wetherspoon)
Run-of-the-mill 'spoons housed in a modern building of no distinction. Rectangular bar, with a dark interior. Patio beer garden to the rear. On the plus side, there was a decent selection of beers from the 12 handpumps, and my pint of Exmoor Fox (£2.09) was in good form.
On 19th November 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8733 recommendations about 8733 pubs]