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The Parchment Makers (JD Wetherspoon), Havant
Havant
PO9 1HE
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about The Parchment Makers (JD Wetherspoon)
Located at the end of Havant’s main retail district, the Parchment Makers is a rather unusual Wetherspoons housed in a very shallow but endlessly wide building. The servery is centrally located along the back wall, featuring a dark wood counter with the typical polished stone top and a smart, mirrored bar back. Opposite the bar, high tables and chairs dominate, with more conventional seating options extending to either side through long, carpeted spaces, supported by large metal-clad pillars that run the length of the room. Banquette booths along the sides are framed by window partitioning painted in a bold blue, matching the slightly quirky colour scheme found throughout the pub. Traditional Wetherspoons features, such as local history boards and old photographs, are present, along with a couple of large mural-sized images and bookcases filled with old hardbacks. Several TV screens, mostly to the right, showed muted live football, while decorative lintels bore what initially appeared to be generic quotes but actually referenced the town’s parchment-making history.
The cask ale range was solid, with three regulars and three guests doubled across two banks of six. I tried the Stonehenge Danish Dynamite, which was well kept. Service was friendly and attentive; the barman even topped up my pint without prompting, just as I was about to accept a borderline short measure from a lively line. As with most 'spoons, the place was rammed on a Saturday lunchtime, and despite plenty of seating throughout the pub, finding a free chair was a complete nightmare.
This pub made a better impression than many Wetherspoons, helped by the decent service and an interesting historical theme that the pub played up to very well. It's obviously not a radical departure from the chain's tried and tested formula, but I felt there was enough here that folk who aren't fans of standard shop-style 'Spoons might well come around to this one.
Date of visit: 4th January 2025
On 28th April 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3350 recommendations about 3350 pubs]
Mild Drinker left this review about The Parchment Makers (JD Wetherspoon)
An unusually long and narrow Spoons located just next to the bus station. Hand pulls aplenty, there is a small courtyard at the side for the smokers. It was fairly busy on my Sunday morning visit. Not a bad Spoons overall.
On 2nd February 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 103 recommendations about 103 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Parchment Makers (JD Wetherspoon)
Peculiarly long and narrow Wetherspoon's running along the ground floor of a long and narrow office building. The interior has a slight feel of a battleship, with steel effect pillars, and odd phrases apparently from the WW1 armistice on the ceiling for no discernible reason. Small patio at the back. the manager semed to be enthusiastic about his beers and had a good range, including some milds (as it was May).
On 15th May 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3641 recommendations about 3576 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Parchment Makers (JD Wetherspoon)
This is an incredibly long and narrow Spoons. It's probably not as large as it seems at first glance because it is so narrow. It's an old school one with the dark blue and gold signage and fairly typical fixtures and fittings from the turn of the century. There is a narrow patio along one side which just has a wall separating it from the Bus Station. It was busy on my early Thursday afternoon visit. It gets brownie points for the toilets being at ground level.
The twelve hand pumps had one available soon , the JDW Trio Of Doom doubled up, Adnam's Broadside, King Frigate, Banks's Alpha 5 IPA, Burton Bridge Top Dog Stout and Irving Iron Duke IPA. I went for the Irving beer (£2.65) a brewery I don't recall seeing before which was in good nick.
Despite being busy and a bit chaotic I thought this one was OK.
On 1st July 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 The Parchment Makers (JD Wetherspoon)
Much larger 'spoons than you would expect from the size of the town, especially since it is located away from the centre beyond the bus station. Usual furniture and decor in a range of seating areas. Rather dull selection of just seven real ales from two banks of six handpumps, with Black Stallion from Arundel (£2.20) being the only one of much interest.
On 7th June 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Michael Wright left this review about The Parchment Makers (JD Wetherspoon)
Typical JDW, long and cavernous, I went in lunchtime, the place was full of office workers eating lunch, only a few spare tables, but they were uncleared dirty ones
I left without sampling anything, so no rating from this visit
On 19th March 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 526 recommendations about 382 pubs]