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The Central Bar (JD Wetherspoon), Shepherds Bush, W12
Shepherds Bush Green
W12
W12 8PH
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Central Bar (JD Wetherspoon)
This Wetherspoons pub, opposite Shepherd’s Bush tube station, is located on the first floor of the West 12 shopping centre which unfortunately leaves it feeling like one of their airport or train station bars. The interior comprises a single, roughly rectangular room with the bar counter running along most of the length of the left hand wall. On the right hand side, large windows give you a decent view out over the street and station below, making it imperative that you bag a table on that side of the room. Three rows of standard tables and chairs fill the space between servery and windows, although the room is a little wider at the front and extra seating is available here. Two very well screened, almost private, booths can be found at the rear of the room, but otherwise it’s all rather drab and clinical. TV screens were on showing the French Open tennis and the place was packed on a Friday evening, with lots of people eating from the standard ‘Spoons menu.
I counted twelve hand pumps at the bar, with five guest ales, one cider, one ‘Coming Soon’ clip and five ‘Spoons regulars. I tried a pint of Lee’s Game On, which unfortunately was more Game Off than on. The staff were very quick but had absolutely no idea who had been waiting the longest at the bar, so several customers were able to turn up at the bar and get served straight away whilst others stood there unattended to.
Shepherd’s Bush isn’t blessed with the greatest selection of pubs, so you would hope that a Wetherspoons would be a good failsafe for a decent pint. However, I found this to be a fairly depressing place to have a pint and will probably venture a little further afield in search of good beer the next time I’m round this way.
On 20th June 2012
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3387 recommendations about 3387 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The Central Bar (JD Wetherspoon)
Usual Wetherspoons stuff. Sorry picture is a bit dark, didn't use flash as place was crowded and it might have upset someone. Anyway, I liked the place, nice big windows on the world. Not sure if there is disabled access as it is on the 1st floor of a shopping centre and didn't notice any lifts.
On 9th January 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 759 recommendations about 721 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Central Bar (JD Wetherspoon)
Wetherspoons in a shopping centre - a vision of the UK's future urban hell? Maybe.
To be fair, this one isn't as bad as it could be. There's a decent view from the large, panoramic windows and the punters didn't seem too bad. The interior is a bit bland, but more kempt than many other Spoons and cleaner too.
Three guest ales were on, varying in quality from 'on the turn' to 'very good', with a distinctly 'average' inbetween. But what to do? Olga from the Volga rarely has a clue or cares, in my experience. Still, it's only 99p for a half, so it could be worse if you need a couple of beers before a gig at the Empire...
On 4th August 2008
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5992 recommendations about 5971 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Central Bar (Wetherspoons)
A souless Wetherspoon's pub in a shopping centre.It has nothing going for it.
On 9th April 2008
- rating: 2
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Central Bar (JD Wetherspoon)
A Wetherspoons in a Shopping Centre is probably several people's impression of hell and the Central Bar goes some way to making this image a real one. The large neon sign that blazes out of the front windows across the pointy end of the Green announces the pubs presence. To get in you need to go into the shopping mall and up the escalator and you could be forgiven for thinking that you were in an airport. The internal layout is rather uninspiring with little to focus on of any interest. The bar area can be a bit cramped – there are several pillars close to bar making it a squeeze when the bar is busy. It is rare that you will find a seat and on occasions, I have been turfed out of the half empty dining area because I was not eating despite there being nowhere else to go. On the plus side, you will find the usual good selection of Real Ales and usually a stout or a mild. All 10 pumps are usually operating and then there are the usual mix of mass market lagers and bottled beers from here, there and everywhere at knock down prices. They are Cask Marque accredited and I have never had any problem with the quality. Unfortunately the beers alone cannot disguise the fact that this is a rather soulless and uninteresting place to sit and have a drink or meal. It has its fair share of winos and gets busy if there is something on at the Empire. Unfortuantely, the lack of any other half decent pubs in the immediate area means you really have very little choice.
On 11th April 2007
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]