The Shrewsbury Hotel (JD Wetherspoon), Shrewsbury

This is one of the JDW hotels and was fairly quiet on my Wednesday evening visit. It's a long bar with various areas surrounding it. The bar has two banks of 5 hand pumps but GK IPA, Abbot and Sharp's Doom Bore were all doubled up. This left Milestone Classic Dark Mild, Exe Valley Shephard's Crook, Salopian Gold and Beartwon Black Bear. I went for the Milestone Mild (£2.35) which was in excellent condition. It's interesting to note that the price differential between the two Shrewsbury Spoons and other pubs is a lot less than I'm used to in London Suburbs and the South, under a pound rather than almost always over a pound. I preferred this one to the modern place over the road but I don't think either are that brilliant.

Large JDW ‘lodge’ by the Welsh Bridge with some outside seating taking advantage of a partial view (though it’s mainly traffic in the eyeline). Multi-area’d inside with different painted walls in each one. Chaotic understaffed bars (a pillar divides) with a mish-mash of people queuing and others simply sauntering up and getting served before others. As the staff didn’t really seem to give a hoot I decided to use the dark arts of bar skills to sneakily get ahead by going to a quiet corner and flagging down an errant barmaid like a stranded motorist would the AA. Not really worth the effort as my Beer Studio Dark Side was merely average and came replete with a dirty glass. Food was at least quick out though the standard was poor, no butter on the jacket potato. Pretty unsatisfactory all round and I’d advise to avoid this one and do the Montgomery Tower if you are unshakeably committed to Spooning it up in town.

Quite an elegant ‘spoons and Wetherlodge, housed in a neoclassical styled building beside Welsh bridge. Internally divided into a number of spaces the front areas having a bit of counter each, which would be challenging for the normal type of 'spoons staff but those on when I was there were really excellent, even treating a rather confused elderly man with care and respect (no not me). It was quiet at the time of course. A pretty standard arrangement of 5+5 hand pumps plus the usual T bar of kegs and wines. Beer quality was also pretty good. The dark panelled walls and ceilings were getting a fresh coat of paint in a lighter shade so it might be a little brighter inside in future.