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Burton upon Trent – Lord Burton (JD Wetherspoon)

A few years ago, my friend Nathan and I tried to get into this JD Wetherspoon but it was too full, so we visited most of the other pubs in the town instead. Last month, Richard and I were in the town and we decided to make a quick visit.

Using the pub’s own history to explain the name:

“This pub is named after the first Lord Burton, Michael Arthur Bass, a member of the famous brewing family whose company has its headquarters in Burton.”

I think it would be a fair comment to say that the venue was struggling just a little to maintain order and the door staff were certainly challenged. It probably wouldn’t be much of a stretch to suggest that the door staff couldn’t really take control, there was smoking inside and drug use, which isn’t really where JD Wetherspoon would probably want to be. And, at the same time, on a Saturday night, the delivery turns up.

But, I like a pub with a bit of vibrancy, it all adds to the excitement and I don’t think any customers were ever in danger in the sense of a pub that is unsafe, there were just a few licensing issues for the venue to deal with.

Most of the rear of the pub’s carpet looked like this, with menus, glasses, napkins and food lying on the floor. The team members didn’t get chance to clear it during our visit.

This was the cleanest piece of carpet that I could find for my obligatory carpet photo.

We were initially seated at the rear, but it was quite loud (and as someone who has run a venue that was effectively a nightclub, I set the bar at a reasonable level here) so we decided to move when our drinks arrived.

After fifteen minutes our drinks hadn’t arrived, so I went to recover them from the bar. The team members here were doing a really decent job, they were friendly, working hard and I think just short-staffed. I didn’t query the wait, but a helpful team member said they had a lot of away fans in after football.

The beer is the Auld Acquaintance from Loch Lomond Brewery, hoppy, light and inoffensive.

This is the home of brewing after all…. (the town, not the pub).

The front of the pub was quieter and after a while we got a seat. We had decided that there was a micro-pub nearby that needed our attention, but it was much calmer down this end. Although they didn’t have any tables where everyone was downing wine from the bottle at this end of the pub, so I was tempted to go back.

Anyway, back to reviews as I like reading them, with this venue towards the lower end of the scale for the chain.

“Absolutely awful 😖 asked 4 times to get the table cleaned!!!! When the food arrived I asked again for it to be cleaned before they put the food down….he wiped half of it and slammed the plates down…won’t be going back”

There are tens of reviews like this, but I like a bit of staff attitude to add to the mix.

“Awful experience, had a great time until Nicola left us with a very bitter taste in our mouths (and not just from the mushy peas). Two groups of our friends sat on separate tables and ordered each other food. When the waiter came out she asked us to “stop prating about” and that we were “messing up their orders” however we all ate the food and caused no trouble. We sent it to celebrate our lovely friends birthday to treat him and were told that they will take both tables away from us if we carry on, how dare we treat our friends? This is awful customer service and completely unacceptable from Nicola. She then took the cutlery away from us when we had payed for the food, ordered it to a table when we couldn’t even eat it. We had to go and ask at the bar for some. I think this is appalling customer service and shall be going to the crossing or the prince of brewers from now on.”

Let me guess, they were sending each other milk and peas….. No excuse to treat team members like this by ordering food to each other’s tables and then confusion when the team members are annoyed.

“Because we put our hands up (next to be served) the young girl clearly didn’t like it and made us walk to her.”

Seems reasonable to me.

The pub is on the chain’s cheapest price band and I remember from the choice of venues in the town that they must have a lot of competition which would explain that. I suspect it would have been a rather more relaxed visit if we had popped in earlier, but I do like a bit of drama. We were pleased that we had gone to an Indian to eat though before, it was all much busier than I had expected.

February 25, 2026
200 Years Ago in Norfolk : Highwaymen at Forehoe Wood

200 years ago there was a lot of crime in Norfolk and until 1823, there were 200 different crimes that could lead to execution if found guilty. The policy didn’t work and so was scrapped in 1823 to start to allow more prison sentences rather than executions. This wave of liberalism didn’t please everyone.

The newspaper reported this serious crime:

“On Saturday evening as Mr. Caddiwold, of Kimberley, was returning home from our market, he was stopped and robbed near the Forehoe Wood by three men, who to accomplish their diabolical object, fixed a rope across the road, and as soon as Mr. C. came in contact with it, one of the villains jumped up behind his gig and passed over Mr. C.’s head a piece of wood, with a joint in the middle, so as to form a gripe, in the shape of a pair of compasses; between which the robber held his head so fast that he was unable to stir, and at the same time demanded his money. Mr. C. alarmed at being thus suddenly placed in a situation where it was impossible for him either to escape or resist, begged to be let at liberty, and said he would give them what money he had. Upon which, another of the fellows who was standing at the horse’s head, called out “let a little looser,” which being done, Mr. C. gave them his pocket book, containing five pounds, and was then suffered to proceed home.—These daring villains made an attempt the same evening to stop Mr. J. Smith, of Kimberley, in the same way, but the rope fortunately was placed rather too high, and caught his hat, which flew off, and he escaped.—A man has been taken into custody, in whose possession this new invented apparatus was found, and has since been discharged.”

The incident took place at Forehoe Wood which is on the Norwich Road towards Kimberley, near to Carleton Forehoe. This area had seen incidents similar to this from the 1780s and so there must have been some terror for those travelling in this area.

February 25, 2026
200 Years Ago in Norwich : Norfolk Lunatic Asylum Complaints

And back to 200 years ago this week in Norwich….

“NORFOLK LUNATIC ASYLUM : The Visiting Justices of this Establishment have long had reason to complain that several of the PATIENTS sent to the Asylum have been, at the time of their removal, in a state of dangerous Illness, and some of them actually in a Dying condition, who have not survived their admission but a very few days; and a case has recently occurred where a Female Lunatic was removed from a considerable distance, in the last stage of Disease, who died within two days after her reception into the House, the Visiting Justices therefore think it incumbent upon them to caution Overseers against these unjustifiable proceedings in future, as upon a repetition of such conduct legal measures will be resorted to for the punishment of the Offenders.

Dated this 28th day of February, 1826.

W. SIMPSON,
Treasurer of the Asylum.”

And here’s the early welfare state system in action, where money has been raised to look after those with mental health issues at an asylum, but local parishes have been sending whoever they can to stop them being a problem to them.

The overseers in these parishes were tasked with managing the poor laws, although there wasn’t a great deal of money around and there was already some tension about who should be funding this. And there were extreme financial pressures as unemployment was rising, populations were rising and suffering was increasing. The joining together of parishes to provide workhouses was a handy way of hiding poverty, but I can imagine the keenness of the overseers to use the county asylum as a way of removing people from their parish.

I’ve posted numerous times before about just how bad mental health must have been at this time, they were very regular articles in the press in the 1820s about suicide and self-harm, but in the main, there must have been a lot of people struggling that had nowhere to go for help.

As an aside, the building is what became known as St. Andrew’s Hospital, although it opened in May 1814 as the Norfolk County Asylum. It remained in use as a mental health facility, later becoming part of the NHS in the 1940s, but closed in the 1990s following a move towards care in the community.

February 25, 2026
Morley – Seven Hills Micro-Pub

Catching up now with my visits from mid-January when I walked to Morley to investigate the pub arrangements there. This pub is situated in a little collection of mostly micro-pubs and it was worth the relatively lengthy meander from the hotel to visit.

The cask options. There was a friendly atmosphere when I entered, even though I nearly knocked the staff member out when opening the door, but that’s a different story.

The keg options and for the relatively small size of the venue, there was plenty of choice.

The interior of the pub and I was fortunate to get a seat, it was the only table that was free. It’s got plenty of atmosphere and it was all rather refined and welcoming.

Some of the past beers and it’s clear they’ve gone through a fair few over the years.

The beer fridge and it’s always good to see some variety in can and bottle form.

My first half pint was the Morocco Ale from Daleside Brewery, a spiced quite punchy beer with plenty of flavour.

My second half pint was the Westend IPA from Ilkley Brewery Co, which was slightly piney, dank and interesting.

The venue is well reviewed online and it’s this mix of on-trend micro-pub alongside a traditional interior. It’s been used as a micro-pub since 2021 having previously been left effectively derelict for around fifteen years. It’s a marvellous example of how a building can be brought back into use and it seemed like a very competently run micro-pub.

February 24, 2026
200 Years Ago in Great Yarmouth : Shakespeare Tavern for Let

In the Norwich Mercury 200 years ago this week, it was advertised that the Shakespeare Tavern in Great Yarmouth was for let.

The advert read:

“THAT Old-established PUBLIC-HOUSE, in full trade, with a newly-erected Liquor Shop in front, respectably fitted up, and most pleasantly situated at the bottom of King-street, near the Market-place, Great Yarmouth, known by the Sign of the Shakspeare Tavern. The annual expences are very small. Any person commanding about £150 can take every necessary wanted in the House, including Stock and two very excellent full-sized Billiard Tables complete.

Letters (post-paid, only) will be attended to.—
Address to S. S. the present occupier, who has lived on the premises going for three years, and is about to take another situation”

The SS referred to here was Samuel Smith, although I don’t know where he went from here. The pub had opened in around 1800, but it closed in the mid 1860s and was turned into a shop.

February 24, 2026
Norwich – Anglia Square and the Former Barclays Bank Goes

More demolition at Anglia Square, the former Barclays Bank was demolished yesterday. It closed a few years ago and has been used as a supermarket more recently, but it’s all coming down quickly now.

February 24, 2026
Norwich – Bar Billiards Singles Tournament

I might be out of this year’s competition, but I felt the need to go and watch Zak play at the Cottage yesterday. And, it was against Mick, which knocked me out of last year’s tournament, but I no longer hold a grudge about that…..

After some masterful refereeing from me, which was mainly because that was the only person that was getting a seat, Zak managed to win 2-1 in a very close game. It was also a lot busier than this photo suggests, there was quite a crowd towards the end.

And, to no doubt entirely surprise and delight everyone, Pete has suggested some “Table Treks on Tour” expeditions around the country. And, this time, with more snack content because I feel that’s what the series was crying out for.

Incidentally, the refereeing was top notch. And thanks to Zak for driving me to the White Lion afterwards where I managed some more of my unique refereeing where I could be ruder without the confines of it being a proper tournament game.

February 24, 2026
200 Years Ago in Norwich : Sale of Anchor Inn on Surrey Street

And another in my meanderings into newspapers from 200 years ago…. In February 1826, the Anchor Inn on Surrey Street was for sale at a public auction held at the Swan Inn in the city.

The auction listing said:

“An excellent freehold public house called the Anchor, with a cottage adjoining, in the parish of St. Stephen in Norwich with a frontage of thirty feet on the best side of Surrey Street. At the back of the house is a wash-house and a large yard and garden, well adapted for building.

This is now in the occupation of Messrs. Finch, Brewers and their under-tenant Robert Ramsey, and the Widow Tee. Land tax £2 2s. 0d.”

There’s the Anchor, although all of this on the north of Surrey Street has been trashed by the generic buildings (this one now known as Rosso) put up by Norwich Union and so nothing remains. It was located pretty much opposite the current entrance to the bus station.

The pub itself continued trading until 1913, having later been taken over by Steward & Patteson Brewery, although the building itself survived until after the Second World War. I think there’s only one photo surviving of the entrance to Anchor Yard, named after the pub, which is at http://georgeplunkett.co.uk/Norwich/S/Surrey%20St%2018%20to%2020%20[1027]%201936-06-14.jpg. I assume that’s the former pub building in the photo, although this photo is from 1936, so twenty years after the pub closed.

February 23, 2026
Leeds – Beckett’s Bank (JD Wetherspoon)

I have written about this pub before when I visited in 2021, but I’m not going to let that stop me from writing about it again. I was in Leeds again in the middle of January 2026 because of an LDWA meeting and I’ll add that I visited a number of independent craft beer and Good Beer Guide listed pubs at the same time.

I won’t repeat the history of the venue as I wrote about that in my last post, but, it was formerly a bank and that’s what they named it after.

The sausage, chips and beans was just £7.05 including the large bottle of Elvis Juice from Brewdog, so it’s hard to complain about the value being offered here.

I perched myself upstairs in the hope of some Hogarthian (of the William Hogarth type) debacle happening down below. Nothing of that nature occurred.

And my now obligatory carpet photo. Yes, I know that I need to get out more. Once again into the reviews section as I always like the treasures that this can uncover. The reviews for the venue are towards the higher end of the scoring for a JD Wetherspoon pub, so all seems generally well.

“Staff served meals however no drinks, I had to tell 4 Staff members about the drinks and even then I had to go downstairs and collect while my meal was going cold.”

In fairness, this happened with my meal. The food arrived just five minutes after ordering, which is slightly ridiculous really, whereas the drink took eight minutes. It plays havoc with my trying to take photos for Untappd. And, yes, I know there’s more to the world than Untappd.

“I ordered the Shawarma Chicken Topped Chips via the Wetherspoons app. The menu said the dish included sauces, but nowhere did it say the sauces would be drizzled all over the food. I couldn’t eat it and asked for it to be replaced or refunded — the manager refused and blamed me for not asking beforehand, despite there being no option to do so on the app. I also selected a straw for my drink in the app, but staff told me they don’t have any straws at all. I contacted customer services, and after a few dismissive replies, they told me they were closing the complaint — without addressing my key points.”

I do feel a little sorry for the manager, having to throw away food because of queries like this after the food is delivered must be quite painful. Although perhaps JD Wetherspoon might just have to relent and show photos of every single dish in the app for those who don’t want to ask at the bar….

“Wall decor with a biography on ‘Cuthbert Brodrick’ led us to believe this was the pub we were in since that was one of the close by options according to our location. We had no menus to tell us otherwise. When our drinks did not came, we went to the bar and asked about them, and we were told that the pub had never received our order, so we showed them the app. They explained that we had ordered to the wrong place and that, despite the misleading decor, they would not refund or replace the drinks.

Normally, I’d agree that selecting the correct location is the individual’s responsibility, but the decor directly in our eyeline matched with the name of an option on the app. Since each location of Wetherspoons has unique decor based on the location’s history, and further due to the inavailability of menus to confirm the location, we certainly felt that weren’t totally to be blame. When I contacted customer services, I asked only for acknowledgement that the decor was misleading, but the company refused to say as much and closed the matter. Wetherspoons does NOT value its customers – we have, like many, been going since our teens for both food and drink – but over £15, I will never go to any of their locations again, and I suggest you don’t, either.”

Much as I think the ordering system is actually really robust with all of its multiple warnings about location, the pubs are only a three minute walk away from each other so I think I would have rushed to the other one to try and salvage my food and drink….

“We ordered some chicken bites, we ate them but were vod. We only ate as was starving and waited 45 minutes for the food. My partner ran to the toilet 15 min after eating and was sick and spent 25 mins on the toilet. I told a female manager and she said, what do you want me to do. You can’t get food poisoning that quick . She was dismissive, rude and had a bad attitude”

That would be bloody fast food poisoning to be fair to the manager….

“Was told by security I couldn’t take my chicken bites outside (I understand alcohol. But chicken bites). Why dont I leave my food unguarded in a spoons (That is a great idea). At worst, you will come back to no food. Well, I guess I won’t be going back. Staff were nice, but security lets it down. I would not recommend when security is at the door. Btw the chicken bites are nice.”

I like this review as they’ve left 5 stars for the food.

Anyway, I digress once again. Everything else was good with the pub, it was clean, seemingly well managed and I was happy with the value for money. And with that, I felt the need to go to a craft beer bar for balance.

February 23, 2026
200 Years Ago in Norwich : Retreat for Insane People

On my series of articles from Norwich newspapers of 200 years ago, there was an advertisement posted by two surgeons, Mills and Nichols, in the Norwich Mercury in February 1825. They were planning to open an asylum for “insane people” on Mile End Road, which is just off Newmarket Road in the city. They were intending to charge 40 guineas a year for treatment based on that from the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in France.

What interests me about this pair, and this is another rabbit hole I’ll likely get lost in at some point, is that later in 1826 they opened their dissecting rooms in what I assume were premises nearby. This is in the period before bodies could legally be acquired in any number, so until the 1832 Anatomy Act, they were mainly sourced by body-snatchers. And on this, I can only suspect that Mills and Nichols were sourcing bodies in such a fashion. I will endeavour to find out more…..

February 23, 2026