The main town centre pub from this chain in the busy commercial centre of Darlington. This pub is in a narrow shopping street and is entirely on the ground floor. The look and style is familiar with carpets and a darker wood paneling and furniture (uniform tables and chairs). The bar is on the right hand side of the near square room and offers two rows of ale pumps with a good selection. There’s a platform area to the left as you walk in which also has an open fire in an attractive stone fireplace. There’s a smoker’s area towards the rear but the doors here are not draft proof so don’t sit in this area if you don’t want to feel like you’re sitting in a pre-2005 pub.

Unsurprisingly, this is one of the cheapest bars I’ve ever been to in England. There’s about 8 beers available on cask. The most expensive one was a whopping £2.09 a pint. Otherwise, there’s not much else to note. It’s a pretty cavernous place. As with other ’spoonies, it attracts a drunken, elderly clientele. There’s not much to do in Darlington, you might as well stop in here (or, you know, get the hell out of town).

Wetherspoons pub on Skinnergate, wide range of 11 cask ales on tap and a cider. Traditional type pub interior, cheap JDW prices and food, regular beer festivals.