The Palladium (JD Wetherspoon), Llandudno

Another excellent conversion by JDW from the Palladium theatre. As you enter at the front there are quite a few steps down into what I assume was once the stalls. There's a similarly raised area at the rear. The whole place is very impressive and beautifully restored. There were 3 guests alongside the usual JDW suspects and the two pints I had were both in excellent condition. Friendly, efficient bar staff and when we ordered food this was also quickly and efficiently delivered. I think the management have this place sorted. Well done guys. A must visit when in Llandudno.

This is an impressive and sympathetic JDW conversion of The Palladium theatre built in 1920. Now Grade 2 listed, the building was restored by Wetherspoons after being carved up into a cinema and bingo hall several years earlier. The upper circles, complete with seats, remain above the entrance where there are a couple of striking Ionic columns. The boxes along the side wall and above the long slightly curved bar are nowadays inhabited by illuminated photographs of theatregoers in the dress of the day which together with the subdued lighting invoke an atmosphere of ghostly history. The ornate ceiling has been preserved as has some original tiled flooring. The building is perhaps best viewed from the galleried area at the rear which leads to the toilets as the scale and grandeur are most evident from here. The building aside, this is a Wetherspoons with all the usual trappings, serried rows of small tables fill the lower centre area, food and drinks offers are heavily advertised, although it was pleasing to see that the current Festival beers qualified as the inclusive drink. There were four, maybe five festival/guest ales on, and I personally found the service to be efficient and friendly. It is a 'spoons, but a must visit in my book to see the splendidly restored interior.

Currently covered in scaffolding but I did get a few internal photos, although it was a bit dark and they may not have come out too well. Unfortunately the impressive interior wasn’t matched by the beers. I was looking forward to trying a few local beers but all they seemed to have was Rampart from the Bragdy Conwy Brewery. It was in good nick but apart from that I could have been in any other Wetherspoons. Not as touristy as I thought it might be given it’s history and interior. You can still see the balconies and circle from the old theatre (unless they reproduced the whole thing) and at each side there are lit up images of the posh people sitting in their boxes.

Fairly typical large Wetherspoons in old theatre. Perhaps a bit dark, but otherwise as expected.

Official pages of the Palladium - www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk

Official pages of the Palladium - www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk