Wetherspoons (JD Wetherspoon), Leeds

Standard JDW within the station concourse which makes it handy when waiting for a train or as a meet up point when everyone is arriving by train, as we were. No outstanding features at all. I ordered a rather tired pint of Keltek Trevithicks Revenge and was charged £2.67. Very expensive for a JDW, but it was still packed at 11:45 on a Friday lunchtime. A decent meeting place, but nothing to recommend it otherwise.

Quite a mixed bag of reviews which I guess reflects staff and management turnover in a company like JDW, anyway here's my two-penny worth. A small JDW located at the end of the Art Deco corridor in Leeds station it has entrances from outside and from the corridor. There are some seats and tables outside in the corridor to watch the world going by. The bar itself is long and thin with a curved glass wall on the outside front. The usual light wood furniture arranged for eating takes up one end with more high tables and chairs down the middle. There are two banks of five handpumps and I was glad to see nothing doubled up and no coming soon beers, there was also a good mix of strengths and light / dark beers although the quality was merely adequate. Three T-bars and some smaller fonts take care of the keggist needs. Although busy even mid morning on a Friday the staff were coping reasonably well and the tables were cleared fairly quickly too. A couple of bandits, screens and usefully two train describers are dotted about the place.

A fairly standard Wetherspoons but very handy for the station as it is in part of the Art Deco. Portion of the station. Have used on numerous times and the ales and food up to the usual Wetherspoons standard.

Yet another Wetherspoons pub offering a wide range of quality well kept hand pulled ales at reasonable prices, served at just about the right temperature. There are not many other pubs around this area that can offer the same. Most other pubs charge silly rip off prices. I have always found the staff to be welcoming and sociable. I don’t normally eat out but by what I have seen the food trade looks busy. In the afternoons when other local pubs are empty this place is busy, that should tell you something.

The best thing going for this bland, uninspiring ‘spoons is its position in the rather grand old part of Leeds station. Otherwise it’s business as usual. The interior is a curved wedge shape that feels quite light and airy, thanks to the outer wall being largely composed of glass panels. There’s the common JDW feature of a central spine of high tables and chairs, with traditional seating and the dining area near the main entrance. There’s further seating on the concourse itself, as well as a patio area next to the station’s drop-off zone. I’ve found the atmosphere to be very variable over the years. It can be quite relaxed, at off peak times, but not when commuters rub shoulders with vertical drinkers out on the lash. Occasionally, there’s been an almost palpable tension in the place. (Local word has it that the place is also best avoided when United are playing at home.) However, to be fair, it was merely lively and friendly during this visit. Nine hand pumps were on the go and the Rooster’s ‘YPA’ would have been perfectly acceptable had it not been served far too cold. (A common criticism of ‘spoons I find.) Service tends to be merely functional and rather offhand, as it was on this occasion. In short, it’s fine as a place to fire down a quickie before catching a train, otherwise there are several much better alternatives within a few minutes walk of the station. Even the ‘quickie’ excuse has been challenged by the arrival of The Brewery Tap nearby.

Typical Spoons fare with outside drinking & smoking area. Tables also available on the station concourse. On my visit a lack of staff left tables cluttered and service on the slow side.