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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Andrew Robinson & Tim Hanlon

Wetherspoons super couple 'bag' 321 pubs including worst 'with swearing women'

A couple have told how they enjoy "bagging new Wetherspoons" by travelling to see new parts of the UK as they celebrate notching up their 321st pub.

Phil and Julie Fox hit the milestone on Tuesday when they popped in for a pint at a 'Spoons in King's Lynn, Norfolk.

Father-of-five Phil, a 74-year-old from Rastrick, Brighouse, said visiting the 321st pub was a "special day", reported YorkshireLive.

"Number 321 has a nice ring to it. We are staying near here for a late winter break," he said while they are already planning plenty more Wetherspoon pubs to visit.

"We are off to London in June and have plans to bag a few 'Spoons south of the river including one called Fox on the Hill," Phil continued.

The couple have said they enjoy going to new Wetherspoons and visiting parts of the country (Phil Fox)

"We just enjoy bagging 'Spoons, visiting bits of England we've never been to.

"Did you know King's Lynn has its very own leaning tower ?"

Phil says he enjoys visiting Wetherspoon pubs as he loves geography, beer and value-for-money grub.

He visited his first in Richmond, North Yorkshire, back in in 2004, and hasn't looked back since.

In 2020 they visited The Imperial in Exeter, a former hotel with a barrel-vaulted conservatory space, described as "absolutely wonderful" by Phil.

He and Julie are also fans of the strangely-named The Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, a former courthouse and police station in Keswick, Cumbria.

They admit that some of the Wetherspoons have been "rough" (Phil Fox)

Phil, a retired production worker, is also fond of The Admiral Collingwood, named after Nelson's second-in-command at the battle of Trafalgar, which is situated in Ilfracombe, Devon, and features a 'rooftop garden' bar with sea views.

As well as his favourites he admits that one or two 'Spoons pubs have been a bit on the 'rough' side, including one near Rochdale where Phil says "we had to shout over women using the 'F' word. We sat right at the back."

He says that his family accepts that he and Julie have a 'strange' pastime.

"I think our family just accept that we have a strange but good hobby," he said.

"When we go anywhere they love the fact that seven or eight of us, including grandchildren, can eat for less than £50."

Phil says he has another big ambition, aside from visiting more Wetherspoon pubs in the future.

"We have one ambition. One day we hope we may see ourselves in the house magazine that 'Spoons publish," he said.

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