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The Counting House (JD Wetherspoon), Glasgow
Glasgow
G1 2DH
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Counting House (JD Wetherspoon)
The Counting House is a Wetherspoons in a grand old city building with a large misshapen island bar over which an impressive dome sits. In amongst the standard and premium keg are two banks of six hand pumps. These were drawing Belhaven’s 80 Shilling, Sharp’s Doom Bar and Sea Fury, GK Abbot Ale, Harviestoun’s Bitter & Twisted and Schiehallion, Kelburn’s Dark Moor and Red Smiddy alongside Heather Ale’s Fraoch. It wasn’t overly busy when I visited on a recent midweek evening, but the service was unnecessarily slow.
On 26th November 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Counting House (JD Wetherspoon)
Large and imposing banking building at George Square,this 'spoons has a noteable feature above the island bar,a huge cupola.I thought that was the highlight,as the rest of the interior is crammed with somewhat worn and sticky numbered dining tables,there are sections to the sides but Friday 3pm it was packed and the bar staff inefficient and untrained.
Unless you have the app,you will have to walk around to see what the real ale options are.Besides the regular horror shows,the guests on my visit included Thornbridge Jaipur IPA,Oakham Green Devil IPA,Brains Revered James and Salopian Darwin Origin (NBSS 3.5),which were decent options save the "Brains".The pubs and bars in the city centre can be pricey,so this 'spoons with it's keen pricing will always be popular and architecturally this is the best of several 'sppons in the centre.Worth a visit,but can be uncomfotably busy.
On 6th March 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Counting House (JD Wetherspoon)
The destination Wetherspoons in town as far interiors go, this is a lovely bank conversion (formerly RBS) in an Italian Renaissance style. Admire the jumbo central island bar situated below a huge glass cupola, a boon for natural light. Also note the statues holding things, dotted around the ceiling as well as lots of old paintings. If you can grab a seat in the right spot there are nice views of the City Chambers to be had. Unusually for Spoons there’s a hidden snug situated in the old vaults – I managed to sneak in for a quick gander before it was cordoned off for a bunch of shaven meatheads to take over (I wonder if the room was bugged by Starthclyde Polis?). All sounds too good to be true, and indeed so; despite the sea of handpumps the cask range was limited and one of the two genuine guests, Strathaven Ebony, was somewhat tart (NBSS 1.5), and also served in a pint pot which I don’t think has ever happened in a Spoons before! Mixed bag, but worth it for the interior – maybe stick to bottles, however. On a better day, this’d be looking at an 8+ score… 6.5
On 2nd March 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Counting House (JD Wetherspoon)
This Spoons certainly has an impressive interior and I was quite in awe of the Central dome and life size sculptures. The pub was busy on our Tuesday evening visit and was mostly the younger crowd. Lots of handpumps in here, comprising of the usual suspects, plus three from Stewart's Edinburgh Gold, Pentland IPA snd Radical World. Then Lancaster Brewery IPA, Broughton Glasgow Cross IPA and Adnam's Old Ale.
On 9th November 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Counting House (JD Wetherspoon)
I generally found Glasgow’s numerous branches of the Wetherspoons chain to be highly forgettable places, but the Counting House is the one clear example that well and truly bucks that trend. Set inside a former Royal Bank of Scotland property on George Square, this is a magnificent Italian renaissance building that has thankfully been given a new lease of life and thereby opened up to the public. You enter into a very large main room with a long, angular peninsula bar emerging from the right hand wall. The counter runs in something approximating a horseshoe shape and there is a nice dark wood, mirrored bar back with an old Jura whisky barrel as a centrepiece. The barrel has been opened out to create a display unit which now houses the pub’s whisky range. The room is dominated by an enormous central cupola above the servery, with etched glass panes around the edge and a large central decorative feature. Life-size statues of various women, including Lady Justice, run underneath the dome and beneath these there are a series of sturdy pillars topped with intricate gold capitals. It’s a spectacular sight and far beyond anything else the city’s ‘Spoons can offer up. High tables and stools can be found around all four sides of the room, including in the prime spots under the front windows with nice views out across the square. Sensible seating has sadly been marginalised into two side rooms, which are quite cosy compared to the vast main room and are generally carpeted and partly panelled. Elsewhere, decor includes large portraits of what I assume were important merchants, as well as various historical documents relating to the building’s time as a bank.
I popped in here bright and early for breakfast, so wasn’t really in the right mood to get stuck into the beer, but they certainly had an impressive range, with nine guest ales all seemingly in action alongside three ‘Spoons regulars. My breakfast was pretty good and the staff seemed friendly enough.
For me, this is easily the pick of central Glasgow’s many ‘Spoons, although I didn’t quite make it to all of them. Anyone with an interest in period architecture would likely enjoy a visit here to enjoy the marvellous cupola and the sensitive conversion and whilst doing so, it would be churlish not to also enjoy a pint of one of those guest ales!
On 27th April 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Counting House (JD Wetherspoon)
This is a bank conversion that has been more than well described below. It was busy on my Wednesday evening visit. The service here was not that great as they seemed to be short staffed for a large island bar.
Although there are eighteen hand pumps the net choice after stripping out duplicates and unused pumps was just the Scottish JDW Trio Of Doom, Adnam's Broadside, Wadworth Swordfish, Butcombe Rare Breed, Inveralmond Thrappledouser and Jaw Surf. I went for the Surf which was so cloudy I sent it back and had to wait several minutes for the staff to respond. I replaced it with the Wadworth Swordfish which although in good nick was a typically dull concoction from the Devizes brewer.
This may be a grand building but on my visit it was a pretty rubbish Spoons.
On 18th May 2017
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Peter Rydings left this review about The Counting House (JD Wetherspoon)
Called in on Thursday 7th of Feb nice place typical spoons in an old back had a good couple of pints of calidonian bitter.
If you had said 30 years ago a fine old building like this was going to be a pub you would have got some funny looks. not the first time we have been in and it wont be the last when were up here
On 15th February 2013
- rating: 9
[User has posted 948 recommendations about 917 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Counting House (JD Wetherspoon)
A large ornate wetherspoons in a former bank. Located on the corner of george square & close to queen street station.
On 22nd November 2012
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Counting House (JD Wetherspoon)
First-rate conversion of a substantial former banking hall. Large bar, located under a fine domed ceiling, with most of the seating provided in various grand side rooms around the periphery. Plenty of decorative features to admire, plus historical information on display in several places. 18 handpumps in total, but even allowable for a few duplicates and 'available soon's, there was an excellent choice of real ale on offer (e.g. VIP from Falkirk's Tryst Brewery, £2.30). Overall, well worth seeking out on any visit to central Glasgow.
On 4th February 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Counting House (JD Wetherspoon)
I think it’s fair to say that the Counting House is the crowing glory of Glasgow’s numerous ‘Spoons outlets and, architecturally, certainly ranks among the best in the country. Situated on the edge of George Square, it was originally built in 1870 and was previously a branch of the Bank of Scotland.
The central main bar is housed under a spectacular glazed rotunda with a series of stauettes propping up an elaborate and ornate ceiling. A series of rooms around the edges all have ornate touches, portraits of Scottish heroes, displays (including a particularly interesting one on the development of bank notes) and city photos of yesteryear.
The huge T-shaped bar must have the longest service counter in Glasgow, if not, the country although it also takes up a fair chunk of floor space. Luckily, on my 2 or 3 visits it was well manned and service was quite efficient no matter how busy. Of the 18 hand pumps, 11 were in use with a good selection of standard ‘Spoons regulars and several guests including 4 local ales from Kelburn (Red Smiddy, Cart Noir, Pivo Estivo and Dark Moor). I also ate here on a couple of occasions and had no complaints.
Maybe it was just the opulent surrounds, but the customer base also seemed far more civilized and mature than I found in the other branches and quite frankly, after a visit here, the other ‘Spoons in town feel all like distinctly poor relations so if you only do one, make it this one.
On 4th January 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]