The Lord Arthur Lee (JD Wetherspoon), Fareham

Housed in a grotty-looking early 70's building, this Spoons doesn't promise much but thankfully the interior is clean and tidy if rather blandly decorated in light grey and powder blue (though the jazzy moquette-style carpet is worthy of note). This is a shop conversion so it gets a bit gloomy further back, very atypical JDW. Three guest ales alongside a surprisingly large amount of ciders on handpump. My Loddon Bamboozle was in good nick (NBSS 3.5) and topped-up without asking by a professional, mature barmaid. In terms of a Fareham Spoons-off I preferred the Crown as a pub but this one had the ales. So honours even, both are decent in their own way. 6.5

Fairly standard 'Spoon's in a modern shop building, which doesn't make for much character but it does feel well-kept and efficiently-run. The range of beers is fair and seemed in good order. Handy for the bus station just round the corner.