The Gordon Highlander (JD Wetherspoon), Inverurie

A fairly unlikely Spoons located in this small Scottish town (a former cinema and nightclub). Inside is the late 2000's ‘dark wood panelling and red walls’ catalogue vintage. Split interior to break up the space, via bookcases and dividers. Four guest ales on alongside a lot of cider. Mine was lacklustre, so much so I even forgot to note what it was. Ate here and the Wetherchef did us fine. As mentioned below, this place is actually named after the steam train rather than the regiment, as evidenced by the pictures and the spinning wheel (which was spinning!) however the regiment do get a look-in, with a very arresting Gordon Highlanders jumbo frieze on the way to the toilets. A shame about the beer but otherwise this was a pretty decent JDW. 6.5

This JDW is named after a steam loco rather than the army regiment and the rear of the pub holds a couple of paintings of it. This loco doesn't have a face on the boiler door as it has no connection with Gordon The Big Engine in the Thomas The Tank Engine books. As noted below it is a former night club and cinema. I suspect the original cinema building has been extended as it isn't all that obvious that it was one. Inside it's a roughly square room where the lack of natural light is exacerbated by walls and ceiling painted red. The room is divided by a book case and there is a further room off to the right. The bar is on the left and has chandeliers above it. There are two sets of five hand pumps which were all doubled up with one available soon, Young's Special, Doom Bore, Deuchars IPA and Inveralmond Clydesdale IPA. I went for the Young's Special (£2.29) as an ironic gesture after spending over eight hours travelling here from London and it was in good nick. It was also served in a stupid dimple mug but I got caught out several times by that in this area. I thought this was a reasonable Spoons especially for Scotland and probably deserves its place in the 2018 GBG.