When you dine at a JD Wetherspoon pub, let’s not beat around the bush, you pretty much know what you are going to get.
A standard menu, a cheap tipple, fancy plates and a magazine upset with how ‘woke’ the world now is. Some of those things I’m onboard with more than others.
But one thing which has always fascinated me (okay, ‘fascinated’ might be stretching it but at least caused mild interest) is the difference between a traditional JD Wetherspoon pub and Tim Martin’s Lloyds No.1 Bars. Let’s be honest, the two venues have many more things alike than different but the one overriding thing you noticed is, of course, the music.
Perhaps the music might not be the kind of thing which makes my Spotify playlist but it does at least off a little more atmosphere. Our visit came ahead of me reviewing Duran Duran at the nearby First Direct Arena and, judging by the 80s neon, big hair and shoulder pads, others had the same idea about the cheap pint and quick no fuss food.
The Lloyds visit actually even made me feel a little nostalgic, as when I first embarked on my career in journalism I moved from Manchester, where I grew up, to Trowbridge, somewhere I’d never heard of, in Wiltshire, and the small sedate town’s Lloyds was often a haven in my early 20s. Oh, how I miss The Albany Palace…well, not that much but you get the idea.
And presumably, aiming at that more youthful market, one I can no longer claim to be in, is why the Hedley Verity is a Lloyds rather than a Spoons. The addition of music potentially making it a little more ‘edgy’ (again, a term I use loosely) and appealing to those attending the nearby uni as well as a fine pre-drinking spot for anyone off to the arena wanting to get into the spirit.
We ordered on the JD Wetherspoon app, and the food was as speedy as you can say the word ‘ping’. That was all absolutely ideal, given the quick in-and-out nature of our visit, but the issue arose when it took between 15 to 20 minutes to receive our drinks.
So long was the delay, I genuinely thought I’d messed up and ordered to the wrong table. That was not the case and a good five minutes or so after our meals arrived we finally had our drinks.
Obviously, the app caters for lazy people like me but given it is supposed to be there for convenience that was a little too long to wait. It is worth noting, we weren’t the only table in that situation, judging by the frustration of those nearby. Lesson learnt, order at the bar on the next pre-gig visit to the Hedley Verity. As it actually wasn’t that busy.
To eat, we had a mix of pizza, curry and sides. To be honest, you don’t need to know much about the food. It was Spoons food which adequately served its purpose.
As for the differences, between a Spoons and a Lloyds, it is a little like when Japan changed the red circle on its national flag to a slightly different shade of red. But, that said, a little bit of music is always a winner.
Now, if perhaps more can have Sky Sports, quite a rare thing, like the Spoons they have across the border beside Old Trafford. Although, it might see those pint prices popping up.
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The bill
- Margherita pizza - £8.49
- Simple chicken jalfrezi - £7.51
- Chicken bites - £5.81
- Bowl of chips - £4.03
- Pepsi - £1.85
- Pint of Thatcher's Gold - £3.71
Total: £28.05
The Hedley Verity, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS1 3HQ
You can find out more about the venue and its offers by visiting the JD Wetherspoon website.
To find out the latest food and drink news in our city you can visit our Best in Leeds homepage. There you will also find a guide to great things to do in Leeds.
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