The Lord Palmerston (Lloyds No 1 Bar), Southsea

As you walk into this Wetherspoon's it gives the impression that it is a small pub but it opens out at the back. Most of the ales on tap were local and the one's I tried were in good form.

An average JDW with a higher than average number of dossers in the way of the bar, some of whom clearly didn't understand a polite request to move. The staff were highly inefficient. Eight ales on, I had Itchen Valley Pure Gold which was in decent condition. Nothing special, just another JDW

Lord Palmerston, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century and I take it they named the pub after him because of his Navy connections with the Isle of Wight. This expensive conversion of the former 'Chicago Rock Cafe' is Wetherspoons' second Lloyds No.1 branded pub on Portsea Island. Offering a higher degree of comfort than most JDW houses. Southsea has a vibrant social scene with numerous bars and eateries so the competition from the low prices offered in this hostelry are somewhat negated in this area of the City. It's a tidy pub with the standard 'curry restaurant' carpet and over-the-top lighting that you expect in a 'Spoons'. Normal array of local real ales at £1.85 and two pumps with "coming soon" notices (why bother?). A labyrinth of a pub awaits you. Me and my friend 'The Cosham connoisseur' left this pub and went next door to 'The Slug & Lettuce' because although they were showing the Six Nations Rugby they had decided not to have the sound on and only subtitles! We thought we'd got it wrong but this was confirmed as true by one of the knowledgeable punters in the other pub and we were glad to have switched our beer futures as they didn't have a 'deaf and dumb telly'.