The Red Lion (JD Wetherspoon), Crawley

Very busy airside bar in Gatwick's North Terminal. The main bar area is separated from a much larger seating area by a walkway. I bypassed the main seating area to take a look at the pumpclips at the bar to see if I fancied a drink whilst waiting for a flight. The usual Sharp's Doom Bar & Ruddles Best were on, along with 3 guest beers which appeared to be part of a Wetherspoon's festival. The 3 were Twickenham Autumn Red, Hogs Back Citrus & Hook Norton Off the Hook. Returning to a podium at the entrance to the main seating area, we had to wait a few minutes to be seated and were led to a high table towards the edge of the bar area. We were informed that ordering was by the app. Although I later saw others ordering at the bar, which I wish I had done. My first choice was the Citrus, which tasted nothing of the sort. I then ordered the Off the Hook, which looked and tasted exactly the same. I'm almost 100% sure that I ended up with 2 halves of the Hook Norton beer. A fairly soulless place where the staff clearly get the orders wrong and drinks are overpriced for the captive audience. 3 guest beers was a good sign, but unfortunately the positives ended there.

I have been through the North Terminal a few times recently and I am yet to see the end of the bar queue finish within the Red Lion’s boundary, which is marked by an unmissable neon sign. Thankfully the staff are switched on so the wait is no longer than five minutes. The bar is stocked with standard and premium keg products and I counted five cask ale hand pumps. The usual JDW food menu is in place, but unsurprisingly the prices are inflated compared to the high street. The atmosphere is non-existent, but people don’t generally go to the airport to have a few beers. I suppose I’ve been in worse.

North Terminal Spoons beyond public entry. Brilliantly gaudy signage greets you, a jumbo RED LION to be seen from the far end of the walkway. The bar upper is tile and wood with barrel ends jutting out. Cafe bar stylings in terms of furniture and decor. There is far too much seating squashed in making it a nightmare to get back and forth as people and their baggage get in the way. Also a large part of the place basically spills out onto the original concourse, so there’s little to no atmosphere. Five ales on from staid nationals - Pride, Caledonian Deuchars IPA, Hobgoblin, Doom Bar and Pedigree. Expensive by JDW standards, the Deuchars was £3.80 before discount and the Pride £4.20. Both of them were under-par, the Deuchars especially so, tasting of old tin cans. I didn’t, at least, encounter the appalling staff service levels that other reviews seem to have been blighted by. I have to admit I’d think twice before using this one again. At least it’s not Southampton airport bar, I suppose.