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Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 26th April 2026) with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
S Fowler & Co (JD Wetherspoon), Ryde
Ryde
PO33 2LF
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Peter Forster left this review about S Fowler & Co (JD Wetherspoon)
This used to be a large department store called Fowlers. Back in 1991 it spectacularly burnt down but was subsequently rebuilt and reopened. However it didn’t last long and after its closure was acquired by Weatherspoons. It is essentially one big drinking room with a couple of smaller areas upstairs and downstairs from the ground floor. There are a few booths to one side but the seating is mostly a mix of high and low tables with a few high chairs in the large shop windows overlooking the passenger flow up and down Union Street. Unfortunately busses regularly stop right outside blocking the view. A nice chrome staircase leads upstairs to the distant toilets. The place was packed out as usual. Since opening it has sucked the custom out of most of the other pubs in town. A mix of types and age groups. Bar staff were efficient but not particularly welcoming or talkative. At least there was no sign of the dreaded Spoons Queue that seems to be on the rise. A decent range of beers. I had a pint of Roosters Yankee pale ale at 4.3% and £2.35. Crisp, slightly biscuity, under hopped but probably okay for style (NBSS 3.5). Sadly this place sells some of the best beer in town but it isn’t somewhere to linger if you are on your own. In this sense it doesn’t fulfil the requirements for a proper pub but the inexpensive pint will always drag me back.
On 22nd April 2026
- rating: 6
[User has posted 52 recommendations about 52 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about S Fowler & Co (JD Wetherspoon)
Pretty standard medium-sized Wetherspoons with a bright, airy feel. A fair range of beers but disappointingly only one island brew on; condition fine though.
On 28th June 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3915 recommendations about 3848 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about S Fowler & Co (JD Wetherspoon)
On the suggestion of the local CAMRA branch this was named after the shop from which it was converted but the name Fowler is also one I recall from the early days of CAMRA. Mainly due to the efforts of Mr Fowler the Isle of Wight was one of the earliest branches to produce a local beer guide and hold annual beer festivals.
The pub itself is fairly unremarkable set on two floors with typical fixtures and fittings.
The bar has two sets of six hand pumps which had two unused, two Available Soon, the JDW Trio Of Doom, Goddard's Fuggle Dee Dum, Swannay Dark Munro, Three Castles Heritage and Sambrook's Junction. I went for the Fuggle Dee Dum (£2.55) which was in good nick and also had a pint of the keg Oakham Green Devil (£3.49).
Despite being GBG 2017 listed I thought this was a fairly average JDW.
On 17th October 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about S Fowler & Co (JD Wetherspoon)
Modern-style 'spoons housed behind two deceptively old-fashioned retained shop-fronts, with a rigorously enforced children's area at first-floor level above the main bar. A reasonable selection of nine real ales and ciders was available from two banks of six handpumps, but with only one local offering (Goddards Scrumdiggity) which seems unadventurous.
On 9th July 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 9119 recommendations about 9119 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about S Fowler & Co (JD Wetherspoon)
Rather average bight Wetherspoons serving some local beer, but taher uninspiring
On 23rd June 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1598 recommendations about 1575 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about Fowlers
Not much of a pub, just the usual Wetherspoon fare but at least on most of my visits there always seems to be a fair selection of real ales on.
On 22nd September 2007
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]