Wetherspoons - London Victoria Station

A reader tweets:

“Dave y u alwayz at wetherspons victoria lolz”

Actually a reader didn't tweet that. But if somebody was to contact me from the internet I imagine that's what it would look like, if newspaper coverage is anything to go by. I love when newspapers decide to quote Twitter users in a story. Nothing destroys a credible piece faster. Twitter quotes usually crop up in stories about some poor 15 year old who has been stabbed in Arsehole Estates. After the serious comment from the police and experts, there's always a bit on the “flood of tributes on Twitter and Facebook.” This usually means the paper gets to quote gems along the lines of “U woz a dog m8 piece” - @HairyKnockers or “ur ded u mong Rip” - @BITCHESLEAVE. And so it goes. Social media is an amazing tool, bringing people and cultures from all over the world in one medium, allowing you to discover things you may never have learnt from TV or radio, or even a book. But sadly it's also highlighting just how many idiots there are out there.

The "glorious" Weatherspoons Victoria "Bar & Cafe." There's a barmaid who works here who  looks like Rhianna. I think it is her on her day off but others disagree.

But I digress. To answer the fictional readers original question, I'm often at the Wetherspoons Victoria as it's where I wait for The Lovely Jemma to be delivered from leafy South London (or Kent as it's more commonly known.) It's also where I go to cry into a pint when she has to take the train back. As I've mentioned in previous posts, the Wetherspoons Victoria isn't a bad place. The atmosphere is non existent but as it's a station pub it's unlikely anybody is going to have a session there. However the beer is well kept and there's plenty on. The Wetherspoons Ale & Cider Fesitval started on the 5^th October so there was a good selection on when I popped in on Saturday, and on Sunday for the aforementioned weeping.

The Wetherspoons festival has around 40 ales with five from our American cousins, highlighting the recent interest in American craft beers. I tried a pint of “Eclipse” from the Bend Brewery in Oregon. This was a tasty dark ale with a nice roasted chocolate taste. Probably a bit much for a session but it was certainly a pleasant ale. I also tried a pint of Belhaven “St Andrews Ale” a perfectly fine if a little dull copper ale with a hint of sweetness. Finally there was the St Austell “Proper Black.” According to its description in the festival guide this ale is designed to confound the senses. It certainly did but not in a good way. A black IPA, the aroma was very much of a light hoppy golden ale, with a strong citrus aroma. The initial taste was also very much of a light IPA, with a burst of fruity hops. This then made way for the taste of a mild – a mocha flavour that got stronger with the finish. To be honest the two very different flavours didn't blend particularly well. It wasn't undrinkable but it's not a pint I would go for again.

Nachos were ordered, always a gamble in a Wetherspoons. You can't be sure if they'll be fairly respectable, or a plate of stale Doritos which somebody has accidentally spilt some sour cream on to. Luckily they turned out to be OK. We also had a read through the Wetherspoons magazine, which is always worth a chuckle. Amongst the usual letters of old men complaining about the barstaff being too noisy putting glasses into the dishwasher, we came across this heartwarming article about an employee and his brave challenge for charity:

A mighty challenge indeed.

Sixty Babybels in two hours?! He'll never do it. That's an entire Babybel every two minutes!! And those Babybel wrappers can be so difficult to unwrap, just adding to the time! Oh who am I kidding this is the worst charity challenge I've ever seen. If he failed, and judging by the “attempted” in the headline I think he did, I hope he got fired for being supremely incompetent. I once ate ten Jaffa Cakes in a minute and no sick kids benefited from that debacle. Still he does look very pleased with himself in the photo with his tray of cheeses, and he did raise £130, so maybe I'm being a little harsh. But isn't being mean to people I don't know the whole point of the internet?

Until next time.