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The Society Rooms (JD Wetherspoon), Macclesfield
Macclesfield
SK11 7NA
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Old Boots left this review about The Society Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
A splendid Victorian building on the edge of the town centre built as the home of the Useful Knowledge Society. I wouldn’t argue with any of the comments made by previous reviewers, perhaps not being as harsh as some as I quite like quiet pubs, although it was fairly busy during my early morning visit for breakfast and beer. Slightly odd configuration as you enter through an arched short corridor with a raised area ahead and an odd shaped main bar to the left. There are further hidden areas tucked away beyond the counter, although not that hidden if you use the left hand front door. It’s the usual long counter with three groups of five pulls topped and tailed by the T-Bars and solos. The unholy trinity plus a few local ales are doubled up; Brightside, Coachouse and Titanic were represented. Unusual seating in that the lower area by the counter has the taller tables, while the raised areas, front and front left, have lower seating almost as segregated dining areas, there’s less cramming in of furniture as well. The machines are clustered on the middle of the main bar, oddly I didn’t notice any screens. Local interest and history boards on the walls plus some art much as expected. Toilets upstairs as usual and yes there are CCTV cameras in the gents, not I believe covering the urinals or stalls just a general view in each direction and there are signs warning you of the intrusion.
On 13th February 2025
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3648 recommendations about 3327 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Society Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
This pub will probably forever remain the quietest branch of Wetherspoons that I have ever visited, with less than a dozen customers in attendance on a cold January evening. That's not ideal in such a large open plan pub, which manages only a small degree of partitioning thanks to a row of huge pillars which separate the upper and lower levels and some of the rear bar area. The whole room is carpeted and has low wood panelled walls with plain and neutral shaded uppers that have been decorated with large paintings and some local information boards. Tables and chairs in a raised space to the front and in a side area to the left of the bar, make up the majority of the seating options, with high tables and chairs in rows opposite the servery, across the lower, rear level. A side room to the front left has tidy full height panelling and offers comfy banquettes beneath some arty design prints on the walls. The servery, which runs along the back wall, has an unusual back-lit, marble effect, panelled counter with a polished stone top, offset by a very dull modern bar back. There's a sizable patio seating area out the front and a car park too, although it might possibly be a paid one. A trip to the toilet saw a feature I'd not encountered in all my years of pub-going, namely CCTV cameras in the gents.
On the bar there were the three regular 'Spoons ales and no less than five guests, from which I tried a decent pint of Small World Twin Falls. The service was pleasant and prompt, but the 'you only had one job' award has to go to the microwave operative in the kitchen, who somehow managed to spectacularly undercook my chips.
It felt, on approach, that this was going to be quite a spectacular 'Spoons conversion but it ended up being a bit bland and with no other customers in, I felt like I was rattling around a pub far too big for its own good. I popped in again the following night, which was marginally busier, but with so many good pubs around town, maybe this place isn't particularly needed, other than to flesh out a crawl.
Date of visit - 16th January 2024
On 12th May 2024
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3361 recommendations about 3361 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The Society Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
The Society Rooms is a Wetherspoons with a bar counter on the rear wall that supports standard and premium keg as well as two banks of five hand pumps. During a recent Monday evening visit these were drawing Ruddles, Sharp’s Doom Bar, Mobberley’s Bunji, Beartown Brewery’s Kahuna, Acorn Brewery’s Blonde and Barnsley Gold, Purple Moose Brewery’s Whakahari, Lymestone’s Stone Age.
The open plan interior has a raised seating are to the right of the entrance and standard seating to the left where stairs lead up to the toilets. There is a gaming machine in the middle of the pub. The service was polite, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to revisit.
On 10th March 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 6133 recommendations about 6099 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Society Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
Attractive semi-gothic building. Spoonerised inside to blandness, bar the odd bit of wood panelling and trim. Five guest cask; my Saltaire Cascade had something wrong with it but I don't think it was the fault of the pub in this case (NBSS 1.5 - if it was more than a half I'd have moaned). Not the best visit, I struggled to find positives.
On 20th February 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5589 recommendations about 5570 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Society Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
I'm guessing that there's been a change of management here. The tables were clean, as was the floor, efficient staff and a decent range of ales on the bar. We'll probably call in next time we're in Macc and will probably visit for breakfast.
16/03/2018
A good looking building from the outside, but inside is a badly thought out mess. Small, half forgotten rooms and a narrow entrance area leave it looking somewhat muddled. Lots of crap on the tables and even more on the floor. So poor management as well. Not the most inventive selection of beers on the bar, but my pint was in very good nick, unlike the rest of the place.
On 24th January 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3296 recommendations about 3206 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Society Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
Well, this one wins the prize - previously held by an unfortunate visit to the County Hotel in Ashford - for the worst selection of real ales from a Wetherspoons, especially for one with three banks of five handpumps. The 'choice', for what it's worth, was Doom Bar (£1.99), and that was it. Really (although I later found out, talking to the duty manager, that the place was due to close for a few days for the bar to be replaced, so I will take this into account when giving it a rating). Apart from that, the semi-modern interior benefits from a high ceiling and plenty of window areas, plus a few benches out on the front pavement.
On 5th July 2021
- rating: 5
[User has posted 8733 recommendations about 8733 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Sam Hodgkinson left this review about The Society Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
Typical wetherspoons - ales are well kept and food is fast and cheap. Attracts your day drinkers who are content in the corner, but attracts your 18 year olds who are feral and have run of the place.
On 12th June 2021
- rating: 5
[User has posted 12 recommendations about 12 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Society Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
I turned up here on a Tuesday afternoon to find it fairly quiet. The beer choice probably wasn't as good as the previous visit which seems to be par for the course in most JDWs nowadays. I went for a Beartown Kodak Gold which was rank so it was replaced with a Salopian Lemon Dream (£2.15). This was in good nick but the Kodak Gold clip wasn't turned. Later I thought I would try a Black Dragon cider which had a clip on one of the pumps. This turned out not to be on and despite my protests the clip remained on show. I haven't mentioned any other beers as for all I know they could all have been off! Score reduced from 7 to 3 for their deceit and as they also started blasting out the World Cup.
Original Review January 2015
This is a large Spoons that is a conversion of two old buildings, a Technical School and an old vicarage that later became a school.
Inside it's one big room that has an area to the left that winds round to a window overlooking the main road. It has all the usual Spoons furnishings. The bar is at the far side of the room and hosts three banks of five hand pumps on which several beers were doubled up. I noticed the usual two GK Beers, Doom Bore, Bombardier, Caledonian Great Scot, Coach House Burns Auld Sleekit, Butcombe Bitter, Wibbler's Polar Beer and Wincle Heritage.
I went for the Wincle Heritage and Coach House Burns Auld Sleekit (both £2.15) both of which were in good nick. This is a decent enough Spoons that also provided a fine large breakfast. One minus point is that the toilets are at the top of a long steep staircase, but that's not new for a Spoons.
On 6th July 2018
- rating: 3
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Society Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
A large Victorian building,formerly a college,with very high ceilings but an internal refurb which is now looking tacky.There is a raised area to the right of the entrance,there is a non descript carpet ,few interesting wall decorations and the usual tired looking furniture.The bar at the rear of the building was understaffed although Macc punters do seem to queue for service,while the 15 handpumps had the trio of doom (GK Abbott,Ruddles Best and Doom Bar) double or treble clipped.Besides a cider that meant guests from CW Bombardier,GK Old Speckled Hen,Tiger,Butcombe Gold ,Wychwood Hobgoblin Gold and a fair Jennings Hopcommotion.
An uninspiring ale range in uninspiring surroundings,I will leave it to the all day drinkers in future.
On 4th August 2017
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2971 recommendations about 2971 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Society Rooms (JD Wetherspoon)
Quite liked this Spoons, housed in a very attractive building. The interior was well kept and I especially liked the grand sweeping staircase, with oak handrail. There was also a theme throughout dedicated to William Morris designs, with examples of prints and textiles. We enjoyed the Phoenix White Monk and one of their international ales, whilst seated in an oak panelled section of the pub.
On 6th August 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3684 recommendations about 3684 pubs]