The Unicorn (JD Wetherspoon), Altrincham

this is a more intimate than average Spoons pub, a small room with a lot of atmosphere and some lively characters drinking the afternoon away. Not one of their better interiors though, the decor makes it feel a bit like the bar area of a Premier Inn. My Peerless Stout was in excellent nick. on the face of it, this should be a pretty crap Spoons but I actually warmed to it as a nice contrast to the upmarket bars that dominate Alty and the locals were suitably salt of the earth. I was particularly amused by the very jolly couple next to me knocking back pints of Leffe at a worrying pace!

The Unicorn is a Wetherspoons that was busy with large groups of drunk college kids when I visited early on Wednesday evening. The bar, that runs along the left wall, faces high tables and stools that sit by floor to ceiling windows. More seating is found at the front and rear of the pub and the toilets are located downstairs. The neutral décor and open plan seating blend to make a very unremarkable bar. Standard and premium keg is available from the bar that also supports two banks of five hand pumps. Food is also available, including meal deals. I was planning to eat here but the din from the shouting kids was too much.

A Spoons housed in the ground floor of an office block that is so unbelievably dull the best feature is the patio - which offers superb views of the local traffic and a chance to taste their exhaust fumes. The interior is a single room mainly in wood and purple, with many a painting that looks out of focus. TVs showing news and sport, silently, without any music. Service was functional, the usual mixed clientele, the usual food for Mrs Soup. Beer: the usual with a couple of guests - I had a Moorhouse Blonde Witch, which was ok. Not the best.

Official site of The Unicorn (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

As noted below this is a modern JDW set on the ground floor of an office block. It's a wide room with the bar at the rear and fairly typical fixtures and fittings. Although there are two sets of five hand pumps the beer choice was average with the two GK beers, Coach House Blonde and Moorhouse Pride Of Pendle doubled. This left a cider from the July festival which was in the fridge anyway and Robinsons Yippee IPA. I went for the Yippee IPA (£2.45) which was a pedestrian beer but OK. However, the price tag makes it expensive for a Northern suburban Spoons. All in all I thought this one was quite average.

Official site of The Unicorn (JD Wetherspoon) - www.jdwetherspoon.com

A modern purpose built 'spoons in an office development, two elevations to the street are fully glazed letting in more natural light than you tend to get with the brand's usual conversions. Otherwise little to add to the regular JDW formula, apart from that the welcome and service was genuine, friendly and with a smile. The usual mixed seating, a 70's style swirly carpet, downstairs toilets. Two banks of pumps, regulars plus four festival beers. The pub's own Unicorn house ale is brewed by Coach House of Manchester. A small area of outdoor seating facing the street outside.