The Central Bar (JD Wetherspoon), Cardiff

Above average branch of Wetherspoon's just off one of Cardiff's main shopping drags. We didn't stay inside for long, as it was warm and crowded, instead preferring to take a table on the pavement at the front of the pub. Although, the interior looked pretty much like any 'spoon's. The usual real ales were on - Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best & Sharp's Doom Bar. Guest ales were Purple Moose Dark Side of the Moose, Ilkley Blonde, Evan Evans Warrior, Elgood's Cambridge Bitter & Mumbles Lifesaver. There was also a good selection of boxed ciders in the fridges - Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon, Weston's Old Rosie, Broadoak Moonshine & Abrahall's AM. In hindsight, this was probably the best pub we visited in Cardiff throughout the day, with a varied ale and cider range and competitive pricing. It just lacks any sort of character, as you would expect.

A good solid Spoons with a reasonable selection of beers and far enough off 'the circuit' to avoid the worst excesses. No surprises and firmly in the 'does what is says on the tin' camp.

This is a smaller Spoons than normal for a city centre but does have an upstairs area that I didn't look into. It's on their list of pubs up for sale but I didn't see any sale signs outside, possibly because it's leasehold. The downstairs area is a roughly square room with fairly typical furnishings. It was doing a fair trade on a Wednesday evening and the staff seemed to be working really well. The bar has two sets of five hand pumps which had one unused, the JDW Trio Of Doom with Abbot and Doom Bore doubled up, two ciders, Glamorgan Welsh Pale and Hook Norton Old Hooky. I went for the Old Hooky (£2.25) which was in good nick. For me the only thing that let this place down was the poor selection of beer but apart from that it was a pleasant and well run Spoons. It's miles better than their hideous Lloyds outlet nearby.

The Central Bar is named after the Central Congregational Chapel that was built on this site in 1901.All the usual fixtures and fittings on show and although a two tiered pub found the place on the small side with an average cask selection. On reflection thought this one my least favourable Wetherspoons of the 8 I visited on my Cardiff weekend.

Official pages of the Central Bar - www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk

Official pages of the Central Bar - www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk