The Flying Horse (JD Wetherspoon), Crawley

Visited 22/03/26. Visited previously 20/11/19. Cask here was usuals of Abbot, GK IPA and Doom Bar plus the Driftwood spring brown ale from Fyne Ales, the Exam Room Tears maple pecan stout from Stu Brew, the Read the Room from the Good Word Brewery, the Canongate Best Bitter from Stewart Brewing, the Orange Wheat Grand Cru from the Green Jack Brewing Co and the elderflower Blonde from Saltaire Brewery. Keg options as usual of Angelo Poretti, Stella, Bud Light, K1664, Leffe Blonde, Budweiser, Corona, Coors, Thatchers Gold, Carling, Stowford Press, Guinness, BrewDog Punk IPA, Mad Squirrel Sumo APA, Seven Brothers Easy IPA, Carlsberg, dark fruits SP, Worthington CF. L shaped Spoons, airside in the South Terminal with the bar counter down the left-hand wall in the front part of the venue. There is a wide tile skirt in front of the bar counter and round the corner beyond the far end of the bar counter. The rest of the venue is modern bare boarded, and seating is via densely packed regular and tall tables in the middle floor space with some booth tables around the right-hand side with a fill in turquoise leather banquette serving regular tables for a section of that wall in the front part of the venue. Some booth tables along the rear wall to the left-hand side and plenty of regular tables and chairs in this corner also. No background music and the screens were showing the Man City v Arsenal game absent commentary. There was way more drinking patrons and less eating patrons here than the Spoons landside in this terminal.

Pretty good airport Spoons in the South Terminal, past security. Named after the racecourse that was here prior to the airport. Looks to have been recently done-up, and to a high standard as well. It’s long and narrow but there is plenty of space plus there’s a skylight which helps bounce some light off the attractive copper leaf ceiling. Also liked the little copper tanks above the ‘craft beer’ bit at the bar. Three non-standard ales in Exmoor Hold, Dark Star Hophead and Oakham Citra (NBSS 3). Much more expensive than your regular high street Spoons but cheap in comparison to offerings elsewhere in the airport and they also take the CAMRA 50p vouchers so effectively you are drinking your pint for a normal ‘pub’ price, can’t knock that really. Good service too, a cut above the norm; we had three separate enquiries by different staff as to whether everything was good. An enjoyable start to my holiday and it’s worth making time to get a pint in before your flight based on this visit. Score based on context – a worthy 7.