Wetherspoons – Hertfordshire
As I bored everyone with here, my travel has meant that I’ve managed to visit a lot of JD Wetherspoons over the years. So in an attempt to remember them all, I’ve decided to try and write about them. As explained elsewhere, other perfectly good pubs are also available and of course should be visited 🙂
There are nineteen JD Wetherspoon outlets in Hertfordshire, and two which have closed. I’ve visited four of the nineteen open pubs and neither of the closed two. So, a really half-arsed effort so far for Hertfordshire….
Figures: (which are more for me than to interest anyone else):
Number visited : 4/19 (open pubs) 0/2 (closed pubs)
Favourite pub in county : Moon and Cross
Admiral Byng (Potters Bar) – Not visited
Angel Vaults (Hitchin) – Not visited
Colombia Press (Watford) – Not visited
[Closed] Cross Keys (St. Albans) – Not visited, but it was originally opened by the company in 2006. The pub was sold by Wetherspoons in 2012, when it became a little surplus to requirements following the opening of the Waterend Barn. The building is now a Bill’s Restaurant.
Crown (Berkhamsted) – Not visited
Full House (Hemel Hempstead) – Not visited
Harpsfield Hall (Hitchin) – Not visited
Hart & Spool (Borehamwood) – Not visited
King James (Cheshunt) – I’ve visited here recently, so just as easy to point to my blog post about the pub.
Manor House (Royston) – Not visited
Moon and Cross (Waltham Cross) – I’ve visited here recently, so here’s the blog post.
Moon Under Water (Watford) – Not visited
Pennsylvanian (Rickmansworth) – William Penn lived nearby to where this pub now stands, and he was the founder of Pennsylvania, which is one of my favourite states in the US. I was mildly disappointed when the company said earlier in 2019 that this was one of the pubs that they were selling, although it still appears to be part of the chain at the moment.
Looking at Wetherspoons, I was pleased to note this review, “Was asked to either tone down my baby grandson who was being a bit vocal at the time or leave”. I’m one of those people who is very understanding of children making noise (well, sort of), but continuing to be a “bit vocal” isn’t very fair on neighbouring tables…. And another customer rushed to leave a 1/5 review, despite apparently walking out, complaining that the “short, dumpy female” serving hadn’t served her in turn. The pub is perhaps lucky if a customer with that willingness to mock staff has gone elsewhere….
It’s been a few years since I’ve visited this pub, but I liked it, although it seems that it is probably in need a refurbishment now, although if Wetherspoons do keep it, perhaps that will take place.
Port Jackson (Bishop’s Stortford) – Not visited
Six Templars (Hertford) – Not visited
Standard Bearer (Stevenage) – Not visited
Standing Order (Stevenage) – Not visited
Star (Hoddesdon) – Not visited
Three Magnets (Letchworth) – Not visited
Waterend Barn (St. Albans) – This is quite literally a barn of a place, with plenty of seating space across what is actually two former barns, one from the sixteenth century and the other from the seventeenth century. The interior is modern, albeit within an historic setting, and it’s a spacious and comfortable environment. Judging from the reviews, the standards here appear to be relatively high, although there are always some exceptions to the positivity…..
“Was having a byl of wine on Sunday, got told I have to finish it outside and then while still drinking have asked to use a toilet. Security guy advised me that it’s only ladies allowed to use it and guys can go round the corner and sort it out outside?”
The pub didn’t deny that this took place, so I’m with the customer, that’s not great….
“There was a lady on a table opposite who was awfully loud, and she felt it necessary to broadcast to half of the pub that she needed to use the toilet, and then called over to me and my family to watch her drink so that she could go out for a smoke, which I thought was pretty rude”
I’m not sure that it’s rude to ask someone to look after your drink, but each to their own…. I like characters like in the pub though, the awfully loud ones can often be quite entertaining when they’re doing their broadcasting.
“The bar has a one drink minimum rule per person after waiting half an hour to get anything.”
I’m not sure I understood this review, surely every bar has a one drink minimum rule per person? Otherwise it’d just be going over there for a chat with the bar staff.
[Closed] Wetherspoons (South Oxhey) – Not visited and not one of the most interesting names for a pub that JD Wetherspoon could have picked….
