Wetherspoons to become a bit quieter?

Himdowntheroad, I agree re scratchy, smelly dogs. In the hot weather there were some very large, black, hot dogs staggering around the village. Why take them to the pub too? Are there more and more big dogs now? There were only a few in my youth. There seems to be too many. Some people have 2 or 3, which they can hardly handle. But I digress.. Spoons. Love it for the breakfast, when we are away. Can't always find one though. I ordered a Freedom breakfast, and added the words, Vegetarian and then Vegan. It still came back with bacon etc. If you want to donate, only carnivores can apparently. So, I asked for my Vegetarian breakfast. Say no more. You have eat meat (via a Freedom breakfast) to donate. Seems a bit wierd..Otherwise can recommend for free coffee and tea refills too.

Another Wetherspoons supporter here. I don't go there for fine dining, but when I'm in London (or any city really,) and just need to have a bite to eat, drink and sit down, they are reliable, good service and I love that you can order small plates of food.

YorkLady

There is a chain of pubs, Sam Smiths, where you are not allowed to use your phone at all. Texting, scrolling or calling. You will be asked to leave. Their aim is to encourage conversation between customers 😊

I belong to a London club where the only rules state, "No dress code, no phones." It's great. And no-one hogs a table fannying about on their computers either. Just not done.

As for 'Spoons - it's the one good thing I've heard Tim Martin say.

Silverlady, do you have hearing aids - if you do you should be able to cast your phone speaker directly into your aids, hugely beneficial. If not how about ear phones? If you can't hear people in pubs, and you don't have hearing aids, you might find them very useful. They can be adjusted for different environments. I've worn them for years and suggested to my husband that he may benefit, he was doubtful but now he has them he can't believe the positive difference they have made. Just a thought.

Himdowntheroad Sun 23-Aug-26 14:49:11

Casdon

I support the principle, I never understand why people need to put their caller on speakerphone when they are walking round the supermarket, or stood in the street taking a call, it’s intrusive to other people.

They're entitled and selfish.

I do not like your answer! How dare you assume that!

You obviously don't have a hearing deficit like me! I simply can't hear against background noise. Hence I have to have my mobile on speaker phone in supermarkets etc. I don't do so in a pub as I simply wouldn't hear the other person. I welcome the idea of quieter Wetherspoons because at he moment I can hear the people to my right and left if I turn to their direction and if I am lucky I can hear the person opposite me beyond that I can't make out what anyone else is saying.

I saw a lady with a pram and when I glanced into it was surprised to see quite a big dog sitting quietly in it. I ventured to say something and she told me her dog was very old and blind and couldn't walk more than a few steps but could still enjoy being taken out and smelling and feeling the fresh air. The dog indicated when.it wanted to go out in the.pram. I thought it was very good of her to make the effort and probably get some strange looks. I was having a little slow therapeutic walk myself in bereavement and ill health and she was so kind. It turned out we both had daughters with serious health problems too. It was a lovely passing encounter between two strangers. I was glad I had spoken to her. I have been the person disapproving in theory of the dog babies so I felt some shame.

The waitresses always croon over the dog.......stroke its mouth and head. Give it some doggy treats (which they always seems to supply). Then they bring your food over........I could vomit. No more do I frequent dog friendly places, and when I see someone giving their leftovers and plate to the dog.....well, I could have apoplexy!

Bluebelle, so upset to read your comments regarding the story of the old lady with the dog in a pram. There is an elderly lady who lives near me with her elderly dog and pushes him in a pram. The dog was in an accident and can no longer walk very far. By putting him in a pram, she can give him a short walk to the park and put him in to bring him back home. The pram also gives her security to walk with the pram as she suffers badly from arthritis.

Jaxjacky

Their hotel rooms are excellent too.

They are. I’ve never used them but friends often do.

Their hotel rooms are excellent too.

Thank you infoman for the latest Spoons update. Always good to kept up to date

Over the past 10 to 25 years. Our nation has been taken over by people with their fur baby,dogs. Shouting mobile phone users. And very loud people who can run off at mouth at the drop of a hat from a standing start.

No to mention massively loud in car music. Boom. Boom.

Is there a campaign for a quieter Britain?

If not someone should start one.

I agree with not allowing dogs in restaurants, but for reasons very different to most people.
I have a fully accredited ADUK Assistance dog who had 18 months intense training from the age of 8 week old before he was even matched up with me.
It is now up to me to make sure all that strict training is carried on. And that is why I don’t want my dog mixing with pet dogs and their owners with bad manners.
Mine has to go under the table and stay there until told otherwise. Mostly people don't even realise he’s there until I leave. And that is the way I want to keep it, so please, if you see a working dog please do not distract it by wanting to stroke it.

First of all.

Gracey I totally agree with you I don't get all the snobbishness about them. They're good value they're usually quite nice inside, and yes they always have lovely flowers outside. I used to one regularly before I moved to where I am now three years ago. I used to go every week. I used to meet an ex colleague for breakfast and we'd walk there and then another friend I used to see once a month we used to meet there and have lunch. I think it's a great idea that they don't allow dogs and don't allow people to use their phones on speaker which I think is extremely ignorant. Unfortunately lots of people do that on buses and trains and even at bus stops, which is infuriating. I think it's great that the owner supported Brexit too. I support anyone that's patriotic.

Sparky51

Hate wetherspoons..Horrible atmosphere..no kids.. no dogs..serving staff..miserable...but i have only been to 1!!!

I agree. I wouldn’t go to one if you paid me.

I never go there since they supported Brexit and I don't like their owner. Likewise Dyson.

We are very lucky to have two very well run Wetherspoons not too far away. They are very pleasant, and both have beautiful tubs of flowers and hanging baskets at the doorways and outside seating areas.
A friend suggested Wetherspoons for lunch a few years ago. I was horrified, but so pleasantly surprised by the visit.
Now for our regular get togethers we find one somewhere for the incredible value, freshly cooked food, and pleasant polite service.
We are surrounded by shoppers, lots of pensioner couples, men reading the papers, lots of single older men, students, office workers and often, groups of middle-aged women having a catch up. It's all very civilised, and usually busy.
I'll admit to being a Wetherspoons snob until a few years ago. I think they are much maligned.
Now, on our travels, Mr G and I often track down a Spoons for lunch or an early evening drink at the end of a long day out.
I'm a convert.

Wheniwasyourage

Sorry to hear that, Bukkie. I don't know when this Dog Friendly thing in eating places started, but I wish it would stop. While some dogs are well trained, others are not, and there are those owners who let their dogs lick the plates - yuck! What about people who are allergic to dogs? They can't use these places either.

We had coffee recently in a garden centre where dogs are not allowed in the restaurant, and when I thanked the waitress for that, she said that she agreed that dogs in eating areas are a bad idea, but said that they get a lot of stick from some customers about it.

Fully agree. I actively avoid any café, restaurant, pub or bar that is, so called, dog friendly.

I don't want to be eating near a dog that's scratching itself, smells, starts running round, barking whining etc.

Last year we had a team lunch at a garden centre that was dog friendly and I hated it.

One customer on a nearby table allowed her dog to sit and the table and then eat something of her plate, and poured some tea into the saucer and the dog lapped that up, whilst still sat at the table.

I also saw a waitress go to the dog and started stroking it. No idea if she washed her hands before dealing with the next customer.

I agree pubs with food should not allow dogs in.(only guide dogs of course).And am thinking a lot of older folk maybe pushing these 'prams for dogs' to help themselves with steadier walking rather than look as though they need a stick or crutch🤔So they dont look weak or vulnerable perhaps?

Casdon

I support the principle, I never understand why people need to put their caller on speakerphone when they are walking round the supermarket, or stood in the street taking a call, it’s intrusive to other people.

They're entitled and selfish.

But theyre already quiet?they dont have music playing and tv has no sound on😁

Totally agree about dogs in places where people are eating food - again with the exception of guide dogs of course.

Hate wetherspoons..Horrible atmosphere..no kids.. no dogs..serving staff..miserable...but i have only been to 1!!!

that sounds wonderful not loads of people have conversations over each other. when mobiles first came in a local tea room would not let you have mobiles in there at all. of course then it was just text and calls but believe me it was so nice to be in a quiet place!
i fail to see how Wetherspoons will enforce it they hardly seem to have enough bar and waiting staff as it is

I don't have an issue with people pushing dogs in pushchairs so long as they don't pudh them into pubs, cafés etc....