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The Hatchet Inn (JD Wetherspoon), Newbury
Newbury
RG14 5BD
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Quinno _ left this review about The Hatchet Inn (JD Wetherspoon)
First visit since the Chinese plague and delighted to see it doing well. The guest cask are lined up on the first serving area with labelling for 'local beer', 'amber beer', 'strong beer' and 'dark beer' - something for everyone. My pints of Theako OP were in good shape (NBSS 3.5-4) and a steal at £2.05 a pint once the Timbo Token was applied. They were also flying out. Plenty in for a Tuesday night with a nice atmosphere. This is one of the best Spoons going, gets the cask right with a nice pubby atmosphere to supplement.
November 2018
Continues to do well here with the ale and the general levels of service. Latest visit found a good pint of Windsor & Eton as well as a rather nice pizza (we in Reading still await the pizza oven!). It really is one of the better Spoons and if they were all run and equipped as well as this one, perhaps the company might have a slightly better image. Rated 8
September 2015
An excellent Rambsury Kennet here the other week. Packed-out in stark contrast to its sister pub the Diamond Tap and it’s dreadful beers down the road. Upped by a point due to consistently good ale quality. Rated 8
April 2014
A quick revisit last night. Busy, when everywhere else I saw nearby (including the other Spoons, oddly) was quiet though given the poor stock of pubs here perhaps unsurprising. Two of the guests not on, leaving three of interest plus the usual standards. My Celt Dark was extremely good. WiFi failed to connect. One of Spoons better efforts though the management needs better attention. Rated 7
June 2013
Previously the Berkshire Tavern. This was taken over, ripped-out and re-opened as a Wetherspoons in 2011. They’ve done a rather nice job of it too. It’s a bit dark inside though some skylights at the rear help. The décor is done fairly well with some partitions helping break things up a bit. Paintings of past royalty hang on the walls and there’s a nicely done sun-trap patio courtyard. The fire at the front looked like it might actually get lit. Some armchairs were in that area and I took a seat there overlooking the market square which was pleasant. Eight ales on the go with a decent guest selection and only one off. My Wild Weather Sundowner was in good shape and the staff were a fairly pleasant, well-drilled bunch. Not bad at all. Rated 7
On 3rd October 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Hatchet Inn (JD Wetherspoon)
The Hatchett Inn is a large Wetherspoons with a snug to the left of the entrance adjacent to the bar that runs up the left wall. This bar faces an very large open plan seating area that is broken up by a few supporting pillars and a step up to the seating furthest from the bar. Towards the rear are more tables in a narrow section and there is another seating area along the left wall. The pub opens up at the rear to more seating, including some high backed booths. Outside the front of the pub is a rectangular seating area in the Market Place and out the back is a large patio with seating, some of which is covered.
The aforementioned bar is split half way along by an exposed brick pillar and there is a bank of four handpumps on both sides. During a recent Wednesday visit the front four were drawing Bowman Ales’ Quiver, Blindmans Brewery’s Golden Spring, Inveralmond Lia Fail and Loadon Brewery’s Hoppit. The back four were drawing GK Abbot Ale, Sharp’s Doom Bar, GK Ruddles and Hoppit, for a second time. There is also a standard and premium keg range alongside the usual JDW food menu. The service was polite and although this pub is large it is broken up enough to not feel like a drinking warehouse. No problem returning here.
On 23rd June 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Hatchet Inn (JD Wetherspoon)
With 15-20 minutes to spare before catching a bus from the bus station behind the pub, there was just enough time to knock back a quick pint at this Wetherspoon's, which was a return visit for me.
The queue on arrival was a bit disheartening. But it soon moved and we were served promptly.
The three standard Wetherspoon's ales were on - Greene King Abbot, Ruddles Best & Sharp's Doom Bar. Guests were Skinner's Betty Stogs, Adnams Broadside, Wychwood Hobgoblin & Twickenham Daisy Cutter. I opted for a Black Dragon cider. Handy enough place and one of the better drinking options in Newbury.
On 4th August 2020
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Hatchet Inn (JD Wetherspoon)
I found this to be one of the better of the JDW chain, adequately described below, four usual suspect beers on plus four Locales, my Loddon Summer Snowflake was nice enough. A large outside seating area is available to the rear.There are worse places in Newbury.
On 5th June 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Hatchet Inn (JD Wetherspoon)
This is actually one of their hotels which may explain why it was fairly busy before 10:00 on a Saturday morning. The town market was also in full swing outside.
As mentioned below it's a long room with the bar on the left and split into several smaller areas. It struck me as being rather plusher than normal but with the standard guest ale price being £2.79 it ought to be.
There are only eight hand pumps here but with none of the usual shenanigans to make a rubbish choice look better. Beers available were the JDW Trio Of Doom, Ramsbury Deer Stalker, Hanlon's Stormstay, Mauldon's Cuckoo, West Berks Mr Chubb and Wild Weather Black Night. I went for the Stormstay (£2.95) which was in good nick.
The only gripe I had about this place apart from being an expensive JDW was the fact that there were some propaganda sheets around the place extolling Tim Martin's view that leaving the EU would be a good thing. I really don't think that JDW pubs, their website or their house magazine are an appropriate place for political propaganda. Pubs and Politics or Religion make a poisonous cocktail.
On 24th May 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Hatchet Inn (JD Wetherspoon)
Wetherspoons in main square, nicely presented, whilst opened out there are pillars and some brick/wall breaking up the space & a number of seats at the windows looking over the square. Standard fittings & dark wood panels around.
7 well kept real ales, though the service could do with quickening up, though not the worst ever at a Wetherspoons.
All round nice place
On 28th April 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Hatchet Inn (JD Wetherspoon)
As reported this is by far the better of the two Wetherspoons in Newbury, in fact its a superior spoons retaining some traces of a former elegance - whither actually retained or imported. The counter is to the left and is split halfway by a residual wall, counter to the normal JDW practice the interesting and mundane beers are mixed on the two sets of five pulls so check both ends. It looks like all the formally separate rooms have had their walls pierced rather than removed so there is still the feel of separate rooms, carefully chosen furniture enhances this. I'm not sure why there's a photo of 1960/70s telly person Jack Hargreaves on one wall.
On 22nd April 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3269 recommendations about 2978 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Peter Rydings left this review about The Hatchet Inn (JD Wetherspoon)
Sat outside in the back nice wetherspoons but it costs more to drink in this one than the other wetherspoons 200 yards up the road told because it has accommodation thats why
On 5th August 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 948 recommendations about 917 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about Berkshire Tavern
Open and now called The Hatchet Inn (JD Wetherspoon)
On 1st August 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about Berkshire Tavern
Closed and undergoing renovation summer 2010
On 7th July 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3269 recommendations about 2978 pubs]