Yates, Hull

Pretty much what you'd expect from a Yates - a large circuit pub on two levels. The high-ceilinged room and large island bar is fair enough though, and there are some interesting glazed side rooms dating from its time as a bank; you could imagine being summoned to speak to the manager in one. The beers did seem in fair condition if a little pedestrian: Hobgoblin and Hobgoblin Gold with Doom Bar. Perhaps a bit run down since its Spoons days.

As noted below this is a bank conversion with an island bar and an upstairs area that I didn't look into. I made three visits here and on the Friday and Saturday evening they put notes on the tables telling you to clear off by 20:00 so they can remove the furniture. This is because it's a full blown Lloyds No 1 and all hell is let loose after the witching hour. I thought the pub was getting shabby, especially the toilets. On the plus side this is one of the few Spoons where the standard guest ale price is well under two quid (£1.75). I also got a cheap Curry Club (£5.99) here and made sure I had a pint of Devils Backbone with it which would have been £2.99. The bar has a set of five hand pumps plus a solitary one devoted to Doom Bore which had been discounted to £1.69 and still wasn't selling. On my first visit the five beers were Caledonian Seasoned Traveller IPA, Rooster's Fort Smith, Tom Woods Lincoln Gold, Yorkshire Heart Heartger Lager and Crystalbrew Summer Breeze. I went for the Fort Smith (£1.90) which was in good nick but the overall beer quality wasn't as good on subsequent days. It's not bad for a Lloyds but overall isn't that great.

Large Lloyds guise JDW in a grand old building, converted from a bank. Island bar, impressive ornate cornices and bosses plus mezzanine upper with skylight. Star of the show are the magnificent wrapped wood and glass snugs at the front which were former offices, we made sure to bag a seat in there with our breakfast (and a bonus point for having the Mexican sauce out as a condiment!). Understaffed on our morning visit and a long wait ensued but staff suitably apologetic at least. On the pumps - Saltaire Triple Choc (good nick), Revisionist Peat, Golden Sheep, Doom Bar, Adnams Explorer. We ended up back here late on for food and another Triple Choc, with the music pumping away it seemed like an odd venue. Really it’d do better as a proper Spoons. I’d do this one again though, best of the three JDWs in central Hull as an overall package.