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The Masque Haunt (JD Wetherspoon), Old Street, EC1
EC1
EC1V 9BP
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 5 of 10) see review guidelines
Quinno _ left this review about The Masque Haunt (JD Wetherspoon)
Arriving into London early on a Sunday and looking to move time on, I looked for the nearest Spoons. This wasn’t the best choice, unfortunately. Fairly gloomy and awkwardly laid out. My Chris Moose tasted suspiciously of Greene King IPA and was poor quality (NBSS 1.5). Some weird pricing at the bar with one of the more innocuous GK Xmas ales priced at over a fiver which I found exceptionally hard to believe; someone, I think, is playing fast and loose. A very poor JDW, has really slipped in the last 10 years.
July 2013
A classic JDW conversion (1994), this is a weird one due it being essentially a very long shallow room with a raised seating area. The vast amount of glass frontage can't compensate for a lack of natural light due to high surrounding buildings. Kitted out in the mid-90’s Spoons catalogue, this one appears to be a lot more looked-after (or simply has less damaging patrons) than most of that period’s output 20 years on. In fact it felt almost plush in places despite a particularly pungent ‘Wetherspoons whiff’. Twelve handpumps with a decent guest list (only one of which was off) including two from the nearby Hackney brewery, I tried a hefty abv Hackney IPA and it was in excellent shape; I was almost tempted to delay my onward march to the Wenlock for another. The barmaid perhaps should leave the comedy wind-ups for regulars (“we don’t sell that in halves, only in pints…ha haaaa”) - as a new visitor it was hardly welcoming. Despite her best efforts there was an unusually mixed clientèle, with professional drinkers from the local estates mixing with a number of fairly well-to-do young professionals and a smattering of students. Hardly a destination venue but if you’re in the area it’s worth popping in to see what’s on. I might well alight here again. Rated 6
On 19th February 2024
- rating: 3
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Tris C left this review about The Masque Haunt (JD Wetherspoon)
Date of visit: mid-2017.
We came here as a group at the time above. It is/was certainly home to a more drunken crowd than typically encountered in a 'spoons and the former William Blake next door was even worse. It's now though a branch of Sports Bar & Grill so I doubt it will have improved; the Old Fountain is across the way.
On 7th February 2024
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Masque Haunt (JD Wetherspoon)
By the numbers spoons with a long narrow split level interior. Does what it says on the tin.
On 22nd September 2017
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about The Masque Haunt (JD Wetherspoon)
Had a couple of breakfasts in here last week and used it as the last stop to the Travelodge down City Road. Didn't have any problems with service at any time and the beer was in order. Quite a reasonable Spoons.
On 19th January 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Masque Haunt (JD Wetherspoon)
very ordinary L-shaped Wetherspoons at the bottom of a very ordinary high rise building. Standard fittings, there is a big frontage to the main road. Usual understaffing/badly trained staff for the chain, but the beer quality is very good.
On 31st May 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Masque Haunt (JD Wetherspoon)
Very obviously a Wetherspoon pub from outside and inside. Long rectangular pub.Good fast service from a friendly barmaid.Guest beers were Dungarven -copper coast and my Salopian -hop twister.
On 25th September 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Masque Haunt (JD Wetherspoon)
The William Blake next door looked more of a Spoons than this one. The pubs interior was long and narrow and the deco was one of an early style Spoons. The pub also lacked atmosphere and the beer choice was at a minimal on this visit.
On 11th February 2015
- rating: 4
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Masque Haunt (JD Wetherspoon)
This is a long narrow Spoons at the bottom of an office block in Old Street. I used to work near here when it opened just before Xmas 1994 so know it quite well. It was very welcome at the time as the only decent options in the area were Fuller's, Shepherd Neame or the fledgling Wenlock Arms.
Judging by my Friday lunchtime visit the beer choice has gone downhill. Of the twelve pumps three were unused then GK IPA and London Pride were both doubled up. The remaining five had GK Abbot, Doom Bore, London Fields Black Path Porter, Hopstuff Fusilier and
Sambrook's Wandle. I went for the Hop Stuff Fusilier (£2.85) which was in good nick.
While I was supping my pint I noticed that quite close to me there were two of the most raucous members of the Spoons daytime brigade I have ever encountered. They were both loudly using industrial language and one of them was so drunk that they seemed about to keel over. I didn't stay long enough to see if these two women would be served another drink.
On 15th March 2014
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Masque Haunt (JD Wetherspoon)
The Masque Haunt is a typical looking Spoons that is situated quite close to Old Street tube station.
Once inside there was one long narrow room with the bar running down the left side,there were a few low tables and chairs to the front,with tall tables and chairs in two rows along the bar area,there was a seperate raised area to the rear.
There were two banks of 6 pums on the bar,but the choice of beers was a bit dissapointing with GK iPA and London Pride doubled up,there was another pump with so much writing and flags on it i gave up trying to see what strength it was,the other beers i noted were Ringwood Old Thumper and Apache IPA,i had a drink of Adnams Ghost Ship which was a nice drink but too strong for my liking at 10am.
The pub was almost empty with only two other customers in,i was the only person drinking beer.
I quite like drinking in Spoons early morning, especially when they are quiet like this one was.
A very enjoyable 15 minutes watching the world go by.
Pub visited 19/2/2014
On 19th February 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Masque Haunt (JD Wetherspoon)
A classic JDW conversion, this is a weird one due it being essentially a very long shallow room with a raised seating area. The vast amount of glass frontage can't compensate for a lack of natural light due to high surrounding buildings. Kitted out in the mid-90’s Spoons catalogue, this one appears to be a lot more looked-after (or simply has less damaging patrons) than most of that period’s output 20 years on. In fact it felt almost plush in places despite a particularly pungent ‘Wetherspoons whiff’. Twelve handpumps with a decent guest list (only one of which was off) including two from the nearby Hackney brewery, I tried a hefty abv Hackney IPA and it was in excellent shape; I was almost tempted to delay my onward march to the Wenlock for another. The barmaid perhaps should leave the comedy wind-ups for regulars (“we don’t sell that in halves, only in pints…ha haaaa”) - as a new visitor it was hardly welcoming. Despite her best efforts there was an unusually mixed clientèle, with professional drinkers from the local estates mixing with a number of fairly well-to-do young professionals and a smattering of students. Hardly a destination venue but if you’re in the area it’s worth popping in to see what’s on. I might well alight here again.
On 4th July 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]