Here’s the most beautiful Wetherspoons pub in London
SAY WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT WETHERSPOONS…
I tend to find putting my morals in the cupboard for the sake of a trip there works out fairly well. Sure, founder Tim Martin’s political views may have cleared liberals out of his pubs quicker than Theresa May’s moves emptied the dancefloor, but it would take a hell of a lot of admin to only eat and drink in places we morally agree with, and I’m terrible at admin. So let’s just accept that Spoons can serve a function even if we disagree with the owner’s politics, can we? That’d be lovely, thanks.
The Wetherspoons pub with the best vibe
WHAT’S THE VIBE?
Now you’re on board, I’d like to introduce you to The Crosse Keys, one of the vibiest Wetherspoons pubs in the country. ‘Vibey’ and ‘Spoons’ are linguistic equals in the same way ‘G-force’ and ‘Ford Fiesta’ are, but this Spoons is different.
The pub occupies a former trading floor dating to the 1910s. It has quadruple height ceilings, an impressive dome, and lovely green marble pillars. It is enormous and stately. It feels on so many levels like you shouldn’t be having a pint there, that having a pint there is an illicit activity, like we’ve broken into somewhere very posh indeed — a fancy office lobby, perhaps — to come and neck cheapo beers after work.
This feeling is especially apparent on a Thursday or Friday when the whole building is rammed with workers. On the one hand, you feel like the mob has descended upon a professional banking environment, but then you remember this was a trading floor and would have been ten times more raucous back then (the former HSBC headquarters was opened in 1913; it turned into a Wetherspoons in 1999).
Even on busy nights you can nearly always find a table because of the sheer size of the place. Don’t forget to check the rooms at the back: with their coffered walls and dramatic paintings, the feel of the bank is even more intensely retained.
WHAT TO ORDER
We’re fans of Curry Club on Thursdays and the drinks are all, you know, fine. The back bar is stocked with the biggest brands so while you may not find the most inspiring new cocktails, the quality is at least reliable.
There’s no point pretending you won’t veer into a Wetherspoons at one point or another so it may as well be this one. C’mon, just admit it, you’ll feel much better.
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