The Falcon (JD Wetherspoon), High Wycombe

Adequately described below, I found this to be a typical JDW with a slightly lower-than-average IQ among the locals. There was a large group of large females screaming in the outside patio area and what appeared to be a group of young males too stupid even to wear a hat in the comfy seating section. The three stock ales, Doombar, Ruddles and Abbot, were hidden away behind a pillar while the guests were more obvious – Hullabaloo, Bamboozle and Forbury Lion from Lodden, Rebellion’s Roasted Nuts, Steam Box Tunnel Vision and Hipster Min from Adnams. A safe bet in this part of the world.

This was once a Watney's pub called the Falcon Hotel. It must have been one of JDWs earliest moves away from the Greater London area having opened at the end of 1994. Despite being an original pub the external signage, fixtures & fittings and interior are all typical of Spoons from that era. It's a large room with a bar on the left and an area in the middle officially reserved for people eating, something I've never seen before in a Spoons. It was quite busy on my Friday lunchtime visit. The small group of hand pumps behind the pillar had the two GK beers and Doom Bore so that's definitely the best place for them. The bank of six further down the bar had Windsor & Eton Zinzan's Drop & Eton Boatman, White Park White Gold, Purity UBU, Butcombe Gold and Loddon Reading Bitter. I went for the Zinzan's Drop and Reading Bitter (£2.05). Both beers were in first class condition. I thought this was one of the better Spoons.