The Dolphin & Anchor (JD Wetherspoon), Chichester

We tried visiting this city centre branch of Wetherspoon's on our last visit to Chichester on Christmas Eve, 2017. On that occasion, we walked in only to find an empty pub with staff not serving due to a flood (I believe that was in the cellar). Back again on a sunny Sunday afternoon, the pub was much more lively. It's a typically large Wetherspoon's with seating in various sections. Its bar stocks the usual 'spoon's staples - Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best & Sharp's Doom Bar with 4 not particularly local guest beers - Purity Mad Goose, Lancaster Black, Ringwood Old Thumper & Redemption Big Chief. There was no real cider that we could spot. This pub's location opposite the magnificent Chichester Cathedral and within easy reach of the city centre shopping area, along with its range of cheap real ales and mass-produced food will always draw the masses, but I found it below par by Wetherspoon standards.

Nice exterior but bog standard Spoons inside, a generally mediocre beer lineup was saved by Oakham JHB, It wasn't enough to make me want to return though.

Spoon's in a splendid Georgian building, but the interior is hampered by a central staircase so feels smaller and a bit poky. A fair range of mainly local ales alongside the usual offerings, otherwise pretty predictable.

This large 'spoons opposite the cathedral was packed on my Saturday morning visit but also pretty soulless. Long and quite dark in parts, the bar occupy’ s most of the right side of the pub as you enter and is pretty long. 12 hand pumps with 8 different ales and 1 real cider on. Being 6 Nations time, I choose a rugby inspired pint from Langham's Brewery Nice Try @ 4.5%, a decent & well kept pint. The pub was packed with barely any spare tables, most of the clientele were eating with not so many of the usual ‘spoons crowd in here on my visit. A fairly non descript review of a pub that didn’t do much for me.

This old hotel has been converted to a large relatively opulent single room Spoons as well described below. It was getting quite late on my visit so didn't get to note all the beers but did spot Dark Star Winter Meltdown & Revelation, Adnam's Rogue Brutal IPA, King Lost Kingdom, the usual 2 GK beers, Doom Bore and a Langham's beer. I went for the Adnam's Rogue Brutal IPA which not only was not in that good nick (cloudy) but unless I was overcharged was a ridiculous price for a small town Spoons, £3.19. They have two casks of this in my local Spoons so I know I will be drinking it there for £2.35. If I ever return to Chichester I will probably avoid coming here and the score is knocked right down for the poor expensive beer.

For me this was one of my better Wetherspoon experiences, and due to its position just down the road from our Travelodge accommodation, it was utilised for morning brecky and mid-afternoon beers, although we avoided it in the evening when like a lot of ‘Spoons it turns into a crèche for the local youth, and especially in a place like Chichester where the local council has kept any nightclubs from being opened in the town. Firstly it’s a former pub, being the original Dolphin & Anchor dating from 1910, when the two neighbouring separate Inns of the Dolphin and The Anchor were combined into one pub. And although the internal space is quite large by other Chichester pub standards, it’s not a cavernous soul less space like some of the Wetherspoons conversions can be. Secondly, the double aspect corner position with lots of windows, and the use of light wood and light colours makes this quite a bright and airy Wetherspoons. And last and most importantly the two banks of six pumps on the main bar on the right as you enter. were all going during my couple of visits and with only three given over to the usual house ales, this left plenty of choice on the others. These included a good range of locals including Langham’s Black Swallow and a couple from Ballards with the Best and Wassail on.