Wetherspoons, West Hampstead  

Given that this is a Wetherspoon pub located in a late 1990s shopping/entertainment centre, this really isn't so bad. Although it is to damn with faint praise to say so, this is the better of the two pubs in the O2 centre (given that the other is a Walkabout, this is perhaps to damn with very faint praise indeed.) The old pedantic Wetherspoon rule of no music' is ignored here, and, while you are unlikely to hear any outstanding or breathtaking tunes as a matter of course, it does liven up the atmosphere considerably, as do the floor-to-ceiling windows along one whole, curved side of the pub. (It's a pity, then, that the view, of Finchley Road and the Midland Main Line is not all that.) The clientele are young and old, perhaps reflecting the strange lack of decent pubs nearby, and the place seems well run, efficient and friendly enough, albeit a bit, inevitably, corporate. There were an astonishing number of real ales (was it eight in all? or ten?) , generally good ones on the hand pumps on our last visit. Not sure it's a place you'd go far out of your way to visit, necessarily, but we think this Wetherspoon is possibly good for more than just a pre- or post-cinema pint.

reviewed:
06/06/2005

pub features:(click on an icon to see an explanation)

real ale - regular guest beers

separate dining area

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