[News] Wetherspoons

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Mr Putdown

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2004
2,901
Christchurch
I have.
https://beerinsider.com/the-bad-from-the-good-old-days/

I’m confused.

You suggested that the ‘re-use’ of wasted beer didn’t happen so I pointed out the use of autovac systems in pubs, assuming that you weren’t aware of them but now you say you do and post a link about the not so good old days.

They are still out there, landlords can still buy them and they are still recycling wasted beer back to the consumers glass.

https://rlbs.ltd.uk/auto-vac-tray-auto-bak-economiser-complete-with-nrv-pipe.html
 




Me and my Monkey

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Nov 3, 2015
3,460
Indeed, there are some decent 'Spoons scattered about serving nice food.

Some beardies seeking Badgers Plop Nut Roast Special Ale can do as they see fit,. I shall be making use of such amenities tomorrow in the capital.

Me too! Shameless.
 


PILTDOWN MAN

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 15, 2004
19,595
Hurst Green
I’m confused.

You suggested that the ‘re-use’ of wasted beer didn’t happen so I pointed out the use of autovac systems in pubs, assuming that you weren’t aware of them but now you say you do and post a link about the not so good old days.

They are still out there, landlords can still buy them and they are still recycling wasted beer back to the consumers glass.

https://rlbs.ltd.uk/auto-vac-tray-auto-bak-economiser-complete-with-nrv-pipe.html

I am aware of the old days but those practices are not widely used now and as I stated you are supposed to be licensed to do it.

Sure you buy the equipment like you can buy magnets to put on your lines to reduce yeast (utter rubbish) and auto clean systems. Not a single one would be endorsed by a main brewery.

I spend my working life as a quality manager to a major brewery and see all manner of poor cellarmanship. Love being told by some old soak of a landlord that they’ve been in the trade for umpteen years there’s nothing they don’t know about beer. Sadly many haven’t got a clue.

As one head brewer said to me, he cares for his brew, sources the best ingredients, quality checks constantly, stores it correctly then it gets sent into trade and is served by idiots. It’s a huge issue in the trade as a beer quality is determined often by the end user and something the brewery has little control over apart from having someone like me spending my time educating the trade from technicians to consumers.
 


Mr Putdown

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2004
2,901
Christchurch
I am aware of the old days but those practices are not widely used now and as I stated you are supposed to be licensed to do it.

Sure you buy the equipment like you can buy magnets to put on your lines to reduce yeast (utter rubbish) and auto clean systems. Not a single one would be endorsed by a main brewery.

I spend my working life as a quality manager to a major brewery and see all manner of poor cellarmanship. Love being told by some old soak of a landlord that they’ve been in the trade for umpteen years there’s nothing they don’t know about beer. Sadly many haven’t got a clue.

As one head brewer said to me, he cares for his brew, sources the best ingredients, quality checks constantly, stores it correctly then it gets sent into trade and is served by idiots. It’s a huge issue in the trade as a beer quality is determined often by the end user and something the brewery has little control over apart from having someone like me spending my time educating the trade from technicians to consumers.

Thanks for clarifying your point, I get where you’re coming from now.

Purely from personal experience, their continued use seems to be more prevalent in pubs up north. Does that match your experience?
 


Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
56,097
Faversham
Isn't it a shame in this modern binary world, where disagreeing with someone's views means you have to boycott/cancel them.

Whatever happened to the old and beloved belief that whilst I may disagree with you, I'll defend your right to have your own views.

In my world, even I do/don't, like/dislike, agree/disagree with Tim Martin personally, I will still enjoy his nice pubs with good surroundings and good quality beer at excellent prices. I am not one for cutting my nose off to spite my face.

Very fair.

Personally (and I have posted this before) I won't use Spoons in Faversham because the only time I went, when I was aged around 50 and my mate around 65, we go threatened 'outside' by three separate groups of cretins in the space of an hour. It is where the worst scum of Faversham drink and is uniquely placed in a town otherwise full of fantastic (but more pricy, I imagine) pubs.

But if you happen to have a nice Spoons near you and it sells beer you like and food you like, fill your boots. Why not? I think my view on this has probably changed. I suspect that, if anything, Martin's profile has reduced his clientele and income so he can gob off as much as he likes as far as I'm concerned.
 




jcdenton08

Offended Liver Sausage
NSC Patron
Oct 17, 2008
14,500
Very fair.

Personally (and I have posted this before) I won't use Spoons in Faversham because the only time I went, when I was aged around 50 and my mate around 65, we go threatened 'outside' by three separate groups of cretins in the space of an hour. It is where the worst scum of Faversham drink and is uniquely placed in a town otherwise full of fantastic (but more pricy, I imagine) pubs.

But if you happen to have a nice Spoons near you and it sells beer you like and food you like, fill your boots. Why not? I think my view on this has probably changed. I suspect that, if anything, Martin's profile has reduced his clientele and income so he can gob off as much as he likes as far as I'm concerned.

In other words, each to their own, which is basically what I've been saying this whole time. I add one additional detail - don't spread disinformation about microwaves, and out of date beer. These myths have been repeatedly disproven.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,683
The Fatherland
In other words, each to their own, which is basically what I've been saying this whole time. I add one additional detail - don't spread disinformation about microwaves, and out of date beer. These myths have been repeatedly disproven.

How do they prepare all their ready made frozen meals then?
 


jcdenton08

Offended Liver Sausage
NSC Patron
Oct 17, 2008
14,500
How do they prepare all their ready made frozen meals then?

How do they prepare all their ready made frozen meals then?

Depends on the meal. Often they come in parts, some fresh, some frozen - each requiring a different method of preparation. They use microwaves, as do all restaurants to varying degrees. But this image of a bank of microwaves and nothing else is simply untrue. They use grills, friers, pizza ovens and every appliance you'd find in a high end restaurant.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/wetherspoons-chef-debunks-common-myth-226655

I appreciate you aren't going to budge on this, but anybody else reading who wants the truth might be interested. Consider me the Snopes of NSC.
 




Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
56,097
Faversham
In other words, each to their own, which is basically what I've been saying this whole time. I add one additional detail - don't spread disinformation about microwaves, and out of date beer. These myths have been repeatedly disproven.

I wouldn't dream of it! :lolol:
 


Screaming J

He'll put a spell on you
Jul 13, 2004
2,403
Exiled from the South Country
Depends on the meal. Often they come in parts, some fresh, some frozen - each requiring a different method of preparation. They use microwaves, as do all restaurants to varying degrees. But this image of a bank of microwaves and nothing else is simply untrue. They use grills, friers, pizza ovens and every appliance you'd find in a high end restaurant.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/wetherspoons-chef-debunks-common-myth-226655

I appreciate you aren't going to budge on this, but anybody else reading who wants the truth might be interested. Consider me the Snopes of NSC.

As someone who's son works 2 days a week at the local 'Spoons in St Helens I can confirm this is true. He is autistic and part of his obsessions at the moment is kitchen equipment. He could quote you make, model number and whatever for all the various bits of equipment in their kitchen, and there is far more than microwaves.

I'd always choose an independent pub over a 'Spoons I'd I know/can find one; but wouldn't avoid all of them in principle, despite my poor opinion of both Tim Martin's opinions and his hairdressing decisions.

They are just like most pubs for me. You can generally tell whether you'll be comfortable in there when you first go in just from the vibe. Are the carpets sticky? How many of the clientele look dodgy or completely blootered? And this would apply to 'Spoons or any other pubs.
 


arfer guinness

Well-known member
Feb 15, 2007
351
I clearly never said that.

That Weatherspoons was frequented by very ill local alcoholics attracted by low prices. The same way betting shops have positioned themselves accordingly.

Look down on them ? I've put homeless people in taxis, told the driver to take them to a shelter and paid the fair.

I have no problem - have you ?

You stated "They've lived off alcoholics struggling to get by on benefits for years. Followed by you walk past it." this being the reason you won't go in. Very commendable that you pay for a taxi for a homeless person. However, when I went to a Muhammad Ali exhibition a few years ago there was a statement that read "when you do good for others and tell people, you're doing it for the wrong reason." Could be worth remembering rather than bragging.
 




clapham_gull

Legacy Fan
Aug 20, 2003
25,876
You stated "They've lived off alcoholics struggling to get by on benefits for years. Followed by you walk past it." this being the reason you won't go in. Very commendable that you pay for a taxi for a homeless person. However, when I went to a Muhammad Ali exhibition a few years ago there was a statement that read "when you do good for others and tell people, you're doing it for the wrong reason." Could be worth remembering rather than bragging.

Silly old fool, still misquoting and straight on ignore. I suggest you do the same.
 


dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Mar 27, 2013
55,530
Burgess Hill
Depends on the meal. Often they come in parts, some fresh, some frozen - each requiring a different method of preparation. They use microwaves, as do all restaurants to varying degrees. But this image of a bank of microwaves and nothing else is simply untrue. They use grills, friers, pizza ovens and every appliance you'd find in a high end restaurant.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/wetherspoons-chef-debunks-common-myth-226655

I appreciate you aren't going to budge on this, but anybody else reading who wants the truth might be interested. Consider me the Snopes of NSC.

They definitely don’t microwave their fried eggs. They utterly **** them up in a pan.
 


The Antikythera Mechanism

The oldest known computer
NSC Patron
Aug 7, 2003
8,085
Occasionally go to the Wetherspoons in Fleet for breakfast. To their credit they always get the poached eggs spot on, which a lot of cafes / restaurants find difficult to do.
 




Hugo Rune

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 23, 2012
23,674
Brighton
Occasionally go to the Wetherspoons in Fleet for breakfast. To their credit they always get the poached eggs spot on, which a lot of cafes / restaurants find difficult to do.

Their poached eggs come in blister packs I believe so it’s just reheating rather than the whole poaching process but they get supreme consistency as a result.

And for those raising an eyebrow at poached eggs from blister packs, they are so good that the difference in quality between a freshly poached egg is very small indeed.
 


Boroseagull

Well-known member
Aug 23, 2003
2,148
Alhaurin de la Torre
For those interested and not too appalled to watch, Channel 5 showed a programme on how the business works. It is actually very interesting to watch. Catch up with it if you can on My5.
 








Weststander

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2011
69,264
Withdean area
For those interested and not too appalled to watch, Channel 5 showed a programme on how the business works. It is actually very interesting to watch. Catch up with it if you can on My5.

I watched that a couple of years back. A light look at the business, talking to ex-employees.

It wasn’t damning at all and dispelled a few negative myths.
 


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