The Boot Inn (JD Wetherspoon), Burnley

This is the better of the two Wether's with a lot more character and a more colourful set of customers on this afternoon visit. A reasonable selection of 6 guest ales. I thought it felt like a traditional pub than most Wether's.

Used to be the old Yates Wine lodge not changed much same bottler coolers very low down but at least we got served her not like the other spoons clean and tidy

Large building opened out to form a split-level 'L'-shaped layout with a range of seating areas. Usual furniture and decor, but otherwise still retaining much of its original pub character. Rear patio beer garden plus a few small tables on the front pavement. Nine of the ten handpumps were on when I visited, including a nice pint of Lytham Stout at the splendid price of £1.79.

The Boot is unusual for a Spoons in that while there's plenty of character externally, it hasn't all been stripped away internally. It looks as though the original large, curving wooden bar has been kept and there are various other 'individual' touches which mark this out a cut above the normal Spoons drinking barn. Ales on were Goose Eye Chinook and Pommies Revenge, Abbot, Moorehouse Pendle Witches Brew, Naylors Kravenbrau, Bridgehouse Morland Bitter and Ruddles Best. A fair selection but as with so many of the chain, we couldn't find anything which warranted a second. A fair fallback in Burnley if you need it.

Wetherspoons have revived an old pub,so hats off to them.The internal decor tries to retain a Victorian pub feel but the furniture and menus everywhere is unmistakenly 'spoons.However the wooden bar back and photos of Burnley in it's heyday do add some character to what is essentially an open plan interior on different levels. It makes it into the 2012 GBG on the strength of it's ten handpumps which were offering a wide selection of Locales,with only two handpumps taken up by the obligatory GK Abbott and Ruddles Best.There was even room for an Old Rosie cider. Ale quality was fine but dozy service didn't give a good first impression.However at least it was open on a Monday evening unlike two other GBG listed pubs,The Ministry of Ale and Bridge Beir Huis.Had they been opened,I am not sure this review would have occurred,despite this being an above average part of Tim's empire.

Official page of The Boot Inn - www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk

Official page of The Boot Inn - www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk

This pub is reopening on the 12/6/09 as a Wetherspoons pub and reverting back to it's original name The Boot.