Winter Gardens (JD Wetherspoon), Harrogate

Winter Gardens is an impressive open plan L-shaped Wetherspoons in a converted Victorian Royal Baths structure with a grand double staircase entrance and curved glass panelled ceiling. High tables run the length of the bar counter from the main entrance and standard tables and chairs are found in the rear. The bar supports three banks of five hand pumps that were drawing the usual three suspects alongside Theakston’s Old Peculiar, Daleside’s Winter Gardens, Rudgate’s Astrid Summer, Ilkley’s Blonde, Sharp’s Sea Fury, Saltaire’s Best and Salamander Brewing’s Python Porter. The usual keg is available, as is an extensive gin menu. My visit was early doors on a recent Friday so I took advantage of the very reasonably priced full English. This is a decent Spoons well worthy of a visit.

An imposing and impressive 'spoons,with two entrances either end of a very grand space,the far exit is up a carved stone staircase with an ornate entrance building. The interior decor and furniture is classic 'spoons but the fetures are worth spotting.The L shaped bar didn't have enough staff ,so serving took some time and an informal queue formed. The ales are split among three sets of handpumps,the trio of doom are repeated on two sets leaving guests on my trip of Daleside Blonde,Rudgate Astrid Summer,Ilkley Blonde,Saltaire Best,Sharps Sea Fury,Salamander Python Porter (soon ran out) and Theakstons Old Peculier (NBSS 3.5).Decent enough options and worthy of a visit to see the features and sup some cheap ale.

Official site of Winter Gardens (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

Official site of Winter Gardens (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

A rather magnificent Spoons as previously described. Apart from the architecture two points of special note were the nice sunny outdoor area at the rear and the presence of a good range of Yorkshire ales alongside the usual stuff. I noted Ossett White Rat, Daleside Monkey Wrench and Old Legover, Goose Eye Pommies Revenge and Theakstons Old Peculier at least. It was pretty busy on a weekday lunchtime however the staff were doing a remarkably good job and earned a bonus point.

As Noted below this is a grand old building which was rammed on my Saturday afternoon visit. Miraculously a small table became available so I grabbed it. It's been more than well described below but I can see the point about it being a huge barn and the furnishings are generally fairly standard and crammed in. The fifteen hand pumps had three unused, the two GK beers and Moorhouse Black Cat Mild with the remaining nine being festival ales. I went for the Brewsters Seventh Heaven and the Adnams Tally Ho which were both at the festival price of £2.69. The standard guest ale price here is £2.79 making it expensive for the North and even the South. I liked this one but would almost certainly have enjoyed it more on a weekday afternoon. It's GBG 2018 listed.

Nice enough Spoons with a well spread out selection of ales. Had no problem getting served and will no doubt return.

I can see why some people may like this large Wetherspoons & its certainly a good use of a grand building, but these are the Spoons I personally don't like, a vast open space with high ceilings, filled with standard Wetherspoons furniture that do it no justice and akin to the cinema conversions they have done. A souless echoey space that has a large bar with nowhere near enough staff.

For all those drab shop converted Wetherspoons pubs seen up and down the UK, there is always the occasional gem to make you forgive and forget. Set in Harrogate's former Winter Gardens - part of the Royal Baths complex - this must be one of the chain's most spectacular houses, and that sense of awe is apparent from the moment you step off Parliament Street and through the entrance porch. On this side of the pub, you find yourself in a relatively small seating area with lots of comfy chairs under some grand stone arches and decorative woodwork features. A magnificent curved stone staircase leads you down from here into the huge main bar area, past some fine stone pillar balustrades which were draped with French and Chinese flags for some undiscernible reason. Padded banquette and standard seating is arranged in abundance either side of the staircase, underneath a remarkably high skylit roof. Moving into the centre of the room, there is an incredibly large L-shaped space centred around the bar, which sees a modern counter run down the left hand side with an unusual bar back fitted with a sail-shaped canopy. High tables and stools stand directly opposite and there is additional seating towards the rear, under some nice old posters advertising Harrogate as a holiday destination. The room is mostly covered in dark wood panels, whilst the decorative ceiling is a real sight to behold and some of the tables have built in lamps which I don't think I've seen in a 'Spoons before. Large patterned windows on the back wall look out to a pleasant rear courtyard. The fifteen hand pumps are spread along the length of the bar counter, so it takes a while to figure out exactly what is available. A good proportion were dispensing guest ales on this visit and I opted for a pint of Purity Rivet which the surly barman took an eternity to serve to me, having decided to stop midway through pouring to chat with another customer. Sadly the beer wasn't worth the wait and was easily the worse pint of the 30 plus pubs visited in my three days in North Yorkshire. One bad pint doesn't necessarily make a bad pub though and I was more than happy sat here reading my paper, admiring the surroundings and soaking up the atmosphere. This is undoubtedly a jewel in the Wetherspoons crown and might very well convert even the most ardent 'Spoons-sceptics.

Agree with Quinno, a well deserving nine awarded by me too. Apart from the magnificent space Spoons have acquired, their choice of ales on our visit were all very tempting. I went for the Evans Evans Golden Hop, a well balanced 4% good session ale, which kept me frequenting the bar for another, whilst Mrs Ale enjoyed the Lymestone Stone Cutter. The service in here was efficient and friendly, in spite of the amount of thirsty customers around the bar areas.