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The Alfred Herring (JD Wetherspoon), Palmers Green, N13
N13
N13 5TT
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Alfred Herring (JD Wetherspoon)
A large shop conversion Spoons in an under-pubbed area. Not the most enticing frontage but inside is ok, typically furnished with traces of the 'library' style. The large main room is broken up by pillars, while there is a connected side area which presumably was the shop next door. It would have been relaxing, with noise generally muffled rather than echoing which can sometimes be the case, however the gym upstairs produced some annoying thumping sounds at intervals. Three guests beers were on from the autumn festival, no unable to tell what might be available normally.
On 21st October 2021
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Alfred Herring (JD Wetherspoon)
Not sure you could get any more identikit Spoons.
A shop conversion - so its lacking the sometimes architectural joy that JDW can provide.
Large open plan room. Long bar. You know the menu. You know the core range of beers.
Look a little closer here and there were two unexpected Dorset Brewing Company gems on offer. The durdle door was absolutely perfect and at £1.99 - a bargain of epic proportions in London. Justifies its inclusion in the 2021 GBG.
I took it my filthy table, hoping the glass wouldn't get stuck.
On 27th July 2021
- rating: 3
[User has posted 1338 recommendations about 1324 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Alfred Herring (JD Wetherspoon)
This is a modern looking shop converted Wetherspoons located just a short walk from Palmers Green station on the main road through the area. A large porch leads you into the sizable main room with the servery down the right hand wall. The bar has a regular counter and impressive double-height mirrored bar back but still has that recognisable Wetherspoons look to it. Two rows of pillars run through the centre of the room, hinting at some form of previous division, presumably into a number of separate retail units. The main area i carpeted and has high tables and stools through the centre and regular tables and chairs elsewhere, with some comfy looking banquettes around part of the perimeter including in a cosy dark wood panelled area to the rear which looked like one of the better spots to bag a seat in the pub, albeit in quite a dark corner. To the left there is a long, narrow side room, probably another former shop unit in the past. This room is also carpeted and has some nice half panelled walls, windows looking through to the main bar area and some plain mirrors and 'Spoons info boards on the walls. There is also a large, abstract sculpture in this room, set into a wall recess, which has no interpretive board to explain its significance, yet still remains arguably the most interesting feature of the pub. Lots of TV screens throughout the pub were showing a subtitled news channel.
The guest ale to regular ales ratio seemed a bit off here, with no less than six of the ten handpulls given over to regular 'Spoons options like Abbot Ale and Doom Bar, whilst he remaining four offered guest beers, although even then, one of these turned out to not actually be available, not that this was enough to encourage the staff to turn the clip around. I ended up with a pint of Trumans Attaboy, which seemed like very good value at just £2.15. It was in good shape too and served to me by a fairly friendly barmaid on this moderately busy weekend afternoon.
Whilst this 'Spoons seemed to have a few nice spots in which to settle down over a pint or two, there wasn't really a great deal here to get excited about. The cheap, well kept beer was a plus and there aren't too many other serious contenders in the immediate area, but I have the feeling this is the sort of place that I will have forgotten about in a few months time.
On 13th January 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Alfred Herring (JD Wetherspoon)
This is a typical shop conversion 'spoons. It has the usual furnishings crammed in; the usual cheap pub grub and beer; and the usual all day drinkers.
But it did provide us with a hot meal at a very reasonable price when we were in need of sustenance. Perhaps the most interesting thing (as in many 'spoons) was the stuff on the walls about the local area, from which we learn that Alfred Herring was a local man who won a VC towards the end of WWI and, unlike so many other VC winners in that war, survived to live a long life.
It's a standard 'spoons; and they're usually jolly useful when you need them.
On 9th January 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Alfred Herring (JD Wetherspoon)
A very standard 'spoons exterior confusingly with signs to the gym which occupies the space above and not something you associate with a typical 'spoons customer.However the interior is split into sections with the bar to the right,a raised side room with dining tables,seating booths opposite the bar and a collection of comfy chairs at the front giving a good view of the street scene.The interior is clean and tidy with none of the all day drinker issues that can bedevil the chain on my afternoon visit.
The 10 handpumps included just four regular ales on my trip (London Pride,Doom Bar,Ruddles Bitter and GK Abbott) while all the others were offering a good line up of guests and no "coming soon"clips ! This meant By the Horns Stiff Upper Lip,Celt Experience Cardiff Resin,Sambrooks Four Chimneys,Twickenham Black Eel,Hop Stuff Oatmeal Stout (decent nick) and an International festival ale I failed to note.Good to see some dark ales and a mix of styles and strengths so I would judge that given it's 2016 GBG listing this is a 'spoons that cares about the real ale it sells.Well done to the local team,I'm sure this must be the default place to drink in the shopping area of Palmers Green.
On 1st March 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2728 recommendations about 2728 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alesonly . left this review about The Alfred Herring (JD Wetherspoon)
Well this spoons has Improved big time since my last visit they must of swapped staff with southgate branch Ha Ha. I Tried three different Ales All were in good condition including Abbot. Service was quick had no problem with staff knowing who was next waiting like in a lot of spoons.
On 27th March 2015
- rating: 6
[User has posted 132 recommendations about 105 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Alfred Herring (JD Wetherspoon)
This is another pretty dismal shop conversion, at least in this case the above picture shows that fact!
There is a bank of 10 pumps, three of which were stocking the ubiquitous "Available Soon". I had a pint of Abbot at £2.49 which was in good nick. Also on offer were two relatively expensive Fuller's ales (ESB and Pride).
The service was efficient on this occasion.
On 17th May 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
BobOs . left this review about The Alfred Herring (JD Wetherspoon)
One of the better 'spoons if you pick your time right otherwise you'll wait an age to be served. On the downside - dippy staff and uncontrolled kids. Usual large range of well-kept ales and pre-packed frozen microwaved nosh of the chain. Used to come here often because it was smoke free long before the ban, like its counterpart at Weymouth.
On 11th July 2011
- rating: 5
[User has posted 370 recommendations about 355 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alesonly . left this review about The Alfred Herring (JD Wetherspoon)
I went in last night for a quick few pints it was early evening to see if its Improved since last year as there is now a new manager. It was very quiet so I got severed quick which makes a change by the sounds of things. this spoons has a very limited choice of Ales and seems too be aimed at the younger crowed there was only Four Ales on when I went in that was the usual Three Abbots Directors & Ruddles Plus one Guest Ale. I tried Abbots which was Passable but not perfect so next I tried The Directors which was absolute Rank took one gulp and left the rest. Beer quality certainly seems too have got worse. So I decided too leave and go too the New Crown instead.
On 19th March 2010
- rating: 4
[User has posted 132 recommendations about 105 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Alfred Herring (JD Wetherspoon)
Another Wetherspoons conversion of a couple of local shops into a standard fit high street 'spoons.
Full of families and local workers during the day and then the demographic changes to the local Palmers Green /Winchmore Hill youth in the evening.
I've always found the beer, food and service to be what you would expect of a big ‘spoons. Adequate but nothing special.
So in conclusion, as a spoons for a lunchtime pint and a reliable bite to eat I have always found it OK. But I usually find I don't have to spend too long in The Herring before I start yearning for a real pub experience and are our way for a brisk walk to The Woodman.
On 22nd June 2009
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]