The Masque Haunt (JD Wetherspoon), Old Street, EC1

This is a long narrow Spoons at the bottom of an office block in Old Street. I used to work near here when it opened just before Xmas 1994 so know it quite well. It was very welcome at the time as the only decent options in the area were Fuller's, Shepherd Neame or the fledgling Wenlock Arms. Judging by my Friday lunchtime visit the beer choice has gone downhill. Of the twelve pumps three were unused then GK IPA and London Pride were both doubled up. The remaining five had GK Abbot, Doom Bore, London Fields Black Path Porter, Hopstuff Fusilier and Sambrook's Wandle. I went for the Hop Stuff Fusilier (£2.85) which was in good nick. While I was supping my pint I noticed that quite close to me there were two of the most raucous members of the Spoons daytime brigade I have ever encountered. They were both loudly using industrial language and one of them was so drunk that they seemed about to keel over. I didn't stay long enough to see if these two women would be served another drink.

The Masque Haunt is a typical looking Spoons that is situated quite close to Old Street tube station. Once inside there was one long narrow room with the bar running down the left side,there were a few low tables and chairs to the front,with tall tables and chairs in two rows along the bar area,there was a seperate raised area to the rear. There were two banks of 6 pums on the bar,but the choice of beers was a bit dissapointing with GK iPA and London Pride doubled up,there was another pump with so much writing and flags on it i gave up trying to see what strength it was,the other beers i noted were Ringwood Old Thumper and Apache IPA,i had a drink of Adnams Ghost Ship which was a nice drink but too strong for my liking at 10am. The pub was almost empty with only two other customers in,i was the only person drinking beer. I quite like drinking in Spoons early morning, especially when they are quiet like this one was. A very enjoyable 15 minutes watching the world go by. Pub visited 19/2/2014

This is a typical ‘spoons, but handily placed on the direct route from The Artillery Arms to the Old Fountain, thus providing an opportunity for my companions and I to offload our remaining CAMRA vouchers on the last day of their validity. It has a long frontage, and with little depth, that it seems a bit like drinking in a corrider. The beer selection wasn’t great (by ‘spoons’ standards) but we did enjoy a good pint of Itchen Valley Winchester Ale. This pub is not worth going out of your way to visit; but it’s a ‘spoons and does what it says on the tin – provide cheap beer and food.