The Gary Cooper - JD Wetherspoon — Restaurant in England

UNBELIEVABLE BEER PRICES!

I visited the Gary Cooper Wetherspoons with a friend on Saturday night, and we were both surprised at how cheap the beer was. My friend drank pints of San Miguel all evening, while I tried a range of ales and craft beers, all on draught.

My friend works in London, and told me the £5.54 we paid for our first 2 pints, with mine only £2.19; was exceptionally good value, as a pint of San Miguel on its own would be £6.50 in London.

We both ate: I had the Ultimate American burger with chips, plus a bowl of spicy chicken wings, while my friend had an 8oz Sirloin steak with chips. No complaints. Our food arrived promptly, was hot and tasty, with our beer coming soon after we ordered the combination, a pint of beer included with each main meal.

WHY DON'T MORE CUSTOMERS USE THE APP?

We used the Wetherspoons App all evening, without any problems, and we were always served promptly. We observed the bar was always busy with some people queueing patiently behind others. This obviously means they either weren't aware of the App or didn't know how much simpler it makes everything. Why stand at the bar getting frustrated as you wait to be served, when you can order everything from the comfort of where you're sitting?

All drinks and meals are listed and up-to-date with what's in stock on the App. So, you never need go to the bar with your group's order, only to be told something isn't available, and then have to go back to your friends to choose an alternative.

I've had the App on my phone since I stayed at a Wetherspoons hotel in Tewkesbury last year, and learned how easy it makes ordering food and drinks. Seeing so many customers still going up to wait at the bar, perhaps if Wetherspoons gave them a basic leaflet at the bar showing how to use the App, more customers would use it.

Anyway, we had a lovely evening and I tried a few favourite beers: BrewDog Punk IPA and Leffe Blonde, as well as a couple of blonde ales both priced at only £2.19.

The Gary Cooper in Dunstable is well and truly established as a firm favourite in the town twenty years...

‘I see you standing like greyhounds in the slips, Straining upon the start. The game’s afoot: Follow your spirit, and upon this charge Cry “God for Harry, England, and Saint George!”’ Is this Henry V’s famous rallying cry in William Shakespeare’s play named for the eponymous king or is it the forever aphorism of the deferential Gary Cooper’s patron trying to get a word in at the bar. Now, this comparison might be slight exaggeration on the waiting times and complexities surrounding ordering on a busy night in the lovable ‘Spoons’, however there is some truth to it. It is hard to grumble when it is £2 for a pint of your choosing but when the beverages and surroundings are, well let’s say ‘less than avant-garde’ one might argue there could be quicker service. Without resulting to Machiavellian tactics and an apathetic attitude to ones fellow ‘punters’, there lies no alternative to a long wait. However I might add that the wait is quick in comparison to other establishments but I just feel it could be quicker in this type of bar. Overall the experience is something else to behold, adequately comfortable seating inside, friendly workers, fun and charming atmosphere and of course the crème de la crème being the cheap drinks. As far as I can deduce, there are only two downsides. One is the entropy of the seating shortage on busier nights. Two is the ominous feeling like there might be a somewhat unwelcomed vivisection from one of the more rowdy customers after a no doubt superfluous verbal (leading to a physical) altercation. It is a thoroughly enjoyable night out. After sampling a wide range of affordable cocktails, beers and other such drinks, I can then go home, rejoice in my experience, delve into my Veronica Mars DVD boxsets and paddle the pink canoe to my heart’s content.

Yours...

I have delayed writing my review for over 24 hours to be sure I am being fair. We popped in here for food on sunday lunchtime, 1hr 45m before the pantomime at the theatre behind. The building is light and airy and the atmosphere was vibrant and bustling. We were served very quickly by Laura T who was cheerful, friendly and efficient. She made sure that we had everything we wanted and knew how to work the coffee machine. 25 minutes later, a very abrupt lady came over asking if we had ordered food. She then informed us that there would be an extra 40 minute wait for our food. Without being rude, I replied "Oh we can't wait that long, due to having pantomime tickets, could I possibly get a refund, please?" She literally screamed at me, "No, it's not my fault!!!" No, it's the fault of whoever did the rotas and didn't put enough staff in! (I never blamed her in any way) I then went to the bar to ask for a refund and again she screamed at me that it wasn't her fault because she had only just started. I managed to grab the Duty Manager, Rich W, as he walked past and he couldn't have been more understanding. He instantly refunded me the whole bill, including drinks and was very apologetic. It was a nice place, with mainly pleasant front of house staff but the service on the day we visited was not as it should have been. The rude lady was wearing a non uniform blouse, so wasn't 'just' floor staff, she was higher up so should've been better trained. All in all, I would visit again if I was in the area (I live 135 miles away though, so won't be too soon!) as the other staff and the atmosphere outweighed...