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The Regal (Lloyds No 1 Bar), Cambridge
Cambridge
CB2 3AR
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Steve C left this review about The Regal (Lloyds No 1 Bar)
The Regal is a massive Wetherspoons in an old cinema with art deco décor. There’s seating around the front entrance and the bar counter runs up the right-hand wall whilst facing a mix of high and standard tables as well as some booths that are dotted around. At the rear is a sunken open plan seating area that backs onto a small patio that feels more like a smoking section. A large mezzanine at the rear houses another bar counter, more booth seating and standard seating with a balcony the overlooks the bar and seating below. At the very rear is a small outside no smoking balcony that overlooks the patio garden below. In amongst the standard and premium keg are two banks of six hand pumps. The first bank was drawing the usual JDW three alongside Nethergate Brewery’s Hop Weaver, Purity Brewing’s Ubu and Coach House Brewing’s Blueberry. This selection was repeated on the upstairs bar counter. The second bank of six was also drawing the usual three alongside Otter Brewery’s Otter Bright, Salopian’s Golden Thread and Adnam’s Mosaic. The service was polite, but it was very quiet for a Spoons on a Saturday morning. Add the size into the mix and it felt quite empty, which surprised me because I thought it was one of the better Spoons.
On 9th April 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5267 recommendations about 5235 pubs]
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Regal (Lloyds No 1 Bar)
Fairly routine Lloyds No 1 conversion of a former cinema featuring an Art Deco frontage, with a low ceiling as you pass through the small seating areas by the entrance and the first part of the bar, then expanding into a much higher space housing the two main seating areas up and down half-flights of stairs (the former with another bar counter). Also has a patio beer garden at the back. On this visit, I found Greene King IPA, Doom Bar and Abbot plus Purity's Pure UBU, Nethergate Hop Weaver (£3.52) and Blueberry Classic Bitter from Coach House from the two banks of six handpumps.
On 8th April 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Regal (Lloyds No 1 Bar)
A converted cinema as the name and previous descriptions imply, low ceilinged at the Art Deco style roadside entrance eventually opening out behind. The old auditorium space is split over two slightly different floor levels and has an additional mezzanine floor. The counter is to the right with two banks of six and the usual kegs. Today the casks came from a range of middle size brewers, Rudgate, Oakham, Woodforde’s, Elgood and Shepherd Neame as well as the terrible trio and one from Marstons. The lighting is still “subdued” but at least you can see your way about and the toilets are on the ground floor at the back. Small rear patio as well. £2.79 price band.
On 25th July 2022
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3275 recommendations about 2982 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about The Regal (Lloyds No 1 Bar)
A huge JDW, previously a cinema, well described below Ales on were Ghost Ship, Doombar, Rye Mild, GK IPA, Trade Winds, Dark Side of the Moose, Wolf Brewery's Howler, Blindman's Mine Beer and Little Beer Corporation's Little Haka. There were some boxed ciders on as well, though I couldn't see how many. There was also the usual unlimited supply of coffee, but it isn't in the same league as Horton's so we stuck to the alcoholic drinks. The clientele were a comprehensively mixed bag ranging from students dressed up for a masquerade ball, through a bunch of drunk football fans, via a few Cambridge intellectuals to a rather inebriated wannabe soldier, still wearing a crumpled Poppy, who amused the bouncers while waiting for his taxi. The Stygian atmosphere made the range of beer in this final venue of our town crawl feel like an allowance, not a target, while it felt strange drinking ale in a pub whose name is an anagram of 'lager'.
On 1st December 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3288 recommendations about 3253 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Regal (Lloyds No 1 Bar)
Cavernous former cinema, very dark and dingy, split level on the ground floor presumably where the sloping area has been levelled, upper mezzanine, assume the once circle, there is another bar here untended on my visit. I had some collaboration Maori brew here, it was ok. Not sure what it is about some 'spoons where the punters form a queue in a line, have these people never been in a pub before? Naturally I ignored this arrangement. Decent if standard breakfast.
On 10th July 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Regal (Lloyds No 1 Bar)
This was our first port of call, after a lengthy walk from the station. The pub has 12 handpumps, which included the usual suspects and three guest. So we went for the Banks & Taylor Dragon Slayer. Certain areas around the pub are quite poorly lit, maybe this is to add some nostalgia to this former cinema.
On 9th March 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Regal (JD Wetherspoon)
Here's a piece of useless Spoons trivia, both of their Cambridge outlets are converted cinemas and both have a Greene King tied house right next door to them.
The Regal is a Lloyds No. 1 so transforms into a late night club on some evenings of the week. At around 10:00 in the morning on a Saturday it was surprisingly busy with people coming for breakfast. In addition to the barn like area downstairs there is also an upstairs area that I didn't investigate. I remember coming here about ten years ago on a relatively quiet weekday summer afternoon and finding the place to be quite light and airy but on a mid winter morning it all seemed a bit dark and worn.
The bar had two banks of six hand pumps with GK IPA & Abbot, Doom Bore, Brain's SA Gold and the rest an assortment from the Spoons Xmas list. I went for the SA Gold (£2.65) which was in reasonable nick but certainly wasn't Gold so I suspect it was Brain's SA wrongly clipped. Unsurprisingly given the central location this is a relatively expensive Spoons with many food items being around a quid dearer than other outlets and the standard guest ale being 66p dearer than their other Cambridge outlet. Rather strangely the large breakfast is 10p cheaper than the usual price.
I have to say I preferred the other Spoons (the Tivoli) to this one despite the more remote location.
On 22nd December 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about The Regal (JD Wetherspoon)
This is a corner Spoon's pub and eatery, with rear patio area. It is the former Regal cinema, built in 1937, and indeed, a cinema still operates above it (the Picture House). The pub has the art deco touches to the plain brick and upper central colonnade. Like the distinguished previous reviewers, i felt the heart of the interior had been ripped out - it is on three levels, with stairs at the back leading to a balcony area, or down into the pit! Other than little touches, like the cloakroom, it does feel a little distant from its original function. There is a sofa area at the entrance, though most is given over to the usual Spoon's tables and chairs. Flags hand from the balcony and the walls have the usual pictures and info boards - including some on the spy circle. The place is tidy, but there were few in at 10am. The service was OK and the food i had, fine enough. There was no music and the the silent TVs were showing the news. The decor is one of flowery wallpaper, mainly. Beer; usual tap stuff with Abbot, Ruddles and around 6 other real ales. Sadly, as i am not addicted, i would not break my no beer before 10.30AM rule, so I just had a coffee as it was 10.20am. Yes, i would return, but in this case it isn't because of the building.
On 20th February 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3067 recommendations about 3062 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Regal (JD Wetherspoon)
Built in 1937, this purpose built cinema was taken on by Wethersoons in 1999 and currently claims to be the largest pub in the country with a capacity to accommodate 1,300 people (not including the hundreds of Wetherspoon’s staff it would probably take to serve them all in a realistic time!).
As one would expect, the interior is quite cavernous but is also quite dingy which would suit a pit pony but punters arriving from the street daylight will need some time for eye adjustments. There are a couple of smaller intimate sections but it is generally quite open plan. There is a mezzanine floor but this was closed for my vist (Saturday breakfast time so hardly surprising). A large sunken area at the rear houses a dance floor and bandstand like section containing a circular light rig and overlooked by a DJ booth between the front and rear sections. There is also a small outdoor area at the rear. Unlike ‘Spoons other cinema/theatre conversions that I have come across, the Regal doesn’t really have that much character and you don’t get any real historic feel for its previous use.
The 10 hand pumps had a better selection of guest ales than I am used to seeing with the Lloyds 1 branches and to that end it serves its usual purpose although it is no competition for some of the city’s more specialized beer houses. For a breakfast pint it is fine although I suspect that when the sound is turned up and the city youth come out to play it is not a place for the 30 somethings plus. If nothing else though, you just have to say you’ve had a pint in the country’s biggest pub.
On 30th August 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Regal (JD Wetherspoon)
Formerly the Regal cinema, originally built in 1937 in Art Deco style and described at the time by attending film going audiences as a veritable palace, it later became an ABC Cinema until Wetherspoons turned it into a pub in 1999.
So from veritable palace to large soleless, characterless barn some 60 years later. I’m not sure how much of the original Cinema features were available when Tim’s Empire took it over, but only a decent looking frontage and some period glass in the bog doors is all that remains now and you get the impression that a great opportunity was missed when considering some of the other Picture and Theatre Houses where Wetherspoons have kept, and in some cases, brought back to life the period features.
As others have mentioned it is absolutely huge and on two levels. The ground floor is quite dark but a good feature is the outside drinking area out the back, again on two stories, which catches the afternoon sun. But you do have to share this with all the smokers and the view is drab offices and flats.
And like every other large ‘spoons its all here. All forms of human life can be seen throughout the day, with additional stag and hen parties on a Friday and Saturday evening, dodgy service levels (I found the upstairs bar a better bet for prompt service), standard Wetherspoons food fare, and a decent ale choice.
I utilised it a couple of times during the day over the weekend in Cambridge, and found it reliable for a pint and some promptly served ‘spoons scoff ,before moving on. And for anyone over 30 move on before 9.00PM you should.
As it is situated on the main Cambridge Party street, Doorman start working from 6.00PM checking ID’s and it stays open till gone 1.00AM on a weekend and when we went past around midnight the queue of youth (some who must have had fake ID’s IMHO)waiting to be ID checked, stretched a good 30 metres down the street.
On 1st June 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2116 recommendations about 1995 pubs]