Hunters Hall (Lloyds No 1 Bar), Galashiels

A very typical Wetherspoons, standard set up, it is what it is. Right on main street, parking appears a little difficult

Being a typical J. D. Wetherspoon conversion, this commodious establishment had the customary impressive variety of beer, lager and cider fonts on the lengthy bar-top, including five hand pumps. Unfortunately, due to "a problem with the gas," none of them was actually working, so I was offered only bottled beer, which I declined. It was nevertheless busy, with people both eating and drinking, on the Friday night I called in. Obviously, the gas problem was a temporary one, so it would be unfair to mark it down on that basis and I'll rate it on the assumption that the draught beer was on.

From the outside this one looks like a converted church but inside it's a fairly typical JDW. It had previous owners other than the church so may have been a shop or something prior to them coming along. It's a Lloyds bar but there are no lights and no idiot booth so just the unbearable racket late on a Friday and Saturday. Inside it's a rectangular split level room with all low seats at the front, the bar area up some steps to the right and another low seating area behind that. As this has a wooden floor it seems likely that this becomes the Lloyds Disaster Area at the weekend. There is a small patio at the rear left and a couple of tables and chairs at the front. The bar has just five hand pumps which had one available soon, one unused, Broughton Hippopotamus IPA & Dark 'N' Cloudy and Abbot. I went for the two Broughton beers, the Hippopotamus wasn't that great but the dark one was OK. Both were £2.09. This isn't the greatest of Spoons but is probably the best bet in a poor town for real ale.

A former church with a split level interior. Some exposed stone walls in the upper level. 5 real ale taps.