Great Spoon of Ilford (JD Wetherspoon), Ilford

A very well maintained 90s Victoriana Spoons, long and narrow interior (well-lit, unusually) with more booths than Tony Blair's in-laws. Nice rear garden with lively locals who were a good laugh. A switched-on barman with good line in craic and a solid pint of Brains Gold for £1.84 (NBSS 3.5) with my Timbo Token. Wasn’t expecting much but came away impressed. 7.5

Wetherspoon's outlet on the main drag through Ilford that stretches a fair way back from the road to an outdoor drinking area at the rear. With no other windows, other than the front and the rear, it all feels a little gloomy inside. This is another Wetherspoon's branch which no longer stocks a real cider. In fact, the foreign barman looked very confused when I asked him if they stocked a real cider and started pointed to some industrial rubbish on keg. The usual Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best & Sharp's Doom Bar were all on. 3 guests were Titanic Plum Porter, Bedlam Benchmark & Nethergate Augustinian. My Augustinian was in decent condition and a bonus was the availability of black pudding with my breakfast. Despite it still being Sunday morning, the pub's other customers were primarily elderly drinkers and people moving between fruit machines. I could only see one other group having breakfasts. The layout is typical 'spoons with booths and bookcases down one side and open plan areas across the middle and to the rear.

A large Wetherspoon's that had a good range of real ales with the Six Point Righteous being in good form. As previously mentioned I have also found that Fullers beers are always dearer. This could be just the greed of Fullers.