No two Wetherspoons are made equal. Whilst the brand is consistently famous for its cheap beers and breakfasts, sticky tables and dusty carpets, some pubs offer just a little more character and pizzaz.
Fans of the cheap pub franchise have taken to social media to wax lyrical about one of the “best looking” Spoons in the country, landing on The Wallaw in Blyth in Northumberland as the best of the best. The UK's most famous pub chain, Spoons has branches in many towns and cities and, as many of them are packed out for Euro 2024, the Blyth bar has been singled out for particular praise, thanks to its stunning backdrop. Getting its name from the former cinema that once stood in its place, before closing in 2004, The Wellaw opened its doors in 2013 and has been a popular haunt for locals and coast visitors ever since.
The boosted interest in the pub is down to a post in a Facebook group called We Love Wetherspoons, after some uploaded photos of its stunning entrance hall and then the pièce de résistance, the authentic old school cinema style backdrop behind the main bar, which customers can look up and admire while ordering their drinks, ChronicleLive reports.
Commenting on the pictures and sharing their experiences, one of the group's 14,600 members wrote: "It is one of the best. I was enthralled when it first opened as most of the Art Decor fixtures and fittings were preserved. The ladies' toilets were amazing too." A second responded: "Marvellous place one of my all time favourites - it's that entrance," as another, reacting to the same post, commented: "Fantastic looking place. Saw Star Wars there about 1977ish. Had a few drinks in there when I moved into Blyth for 5 years. Love how they've kept the projector and other features"
Another person who wanted to share the love pointed out a similar Wetherspoons in Edinburgh, they said: “This is my local spoons, also in Edinburgh there is another art deco cinema Wetherspoons The Caley Picture House. It's lovely in there too.” Whilst someone else shared their love for another art deco Wetherspoons in the UK and said: “In Whitstable, there’s a ‘Spoons there called ‘Peter Cushing’ which is a converted cinema and that’s quite impressive.”
There was good news for Wetherspoons regulars in the North East last week, with the release of the top 10 cheapest Spoons pints in the UK. Joint second on the list went to another South Yorkshire pub and Washington's Sir William de Wessyngton, with both of their average coming in at £3.23. Just behind in bronze medal position is The Harry Clasper in Whickham, with an average of £3.24 a pint. There are also places in the top 10 for Byker's The High Main, with an average of £3.28 a pint and The Stanley Jefferson in Bishop Auckland, which came in at £3.32.