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Inside Wetherspoons’ brand new pub which is ‘off the beaten track’ and has a major pricing difference
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Wetherspoons has opened a new pub in London, but you may have to search to find it.
The Lion and The Unicorn is one of the biggest pubs the no-frills boozer has opened to date, and it is located beneath Waterloo train station in London.
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I decided to head down to the new location to check it out and see how it differed from other Spoons across the country.
Upon arrival, it was clear to see this pub was very bright and airy, unlike some other locations I had visited in the past.
The first thing I noticed was the carpet.
Frequenters of the budget haunt will know that every Spoon's has individually designed carpet to compliment the building.
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This pub was named after the historic The Lion And Unicorn Pavilion, a building which housed part of the Festival of Britain in 1951 on Southbank.
The event was used an opportunity to celebrate British achievements in the arts, architecture, science, technology and industrial design following WW2.
The brown and cream carpet spread across the pub was a nice nod to this, as it featured geometric symbols which were similar to the ones featured on the posters of the time.
But overall the pub had a more modern feel to it compared to other more historic locations as it's situated in The Sidings, which was built on the grounds of the former Eurostar Terminal.
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There were a handful of punters across the pub, and I even got a chance to speak to some die-hard Wetherspoons fans who queued up ahead of the opening at 7am.
Michael Allen, aged 65 from Dartford, has visited 709 locations and had this to say about the opening.
"Not as historic as the ones I prefer, such as the ones with bank conversions or cinema conversions."
Wetherspoons does have a number of locations in historic sites such as the The Caley Picture House, Edinburgh, which is a Grade II listed location and former cinema.
The Cross Keys in the City of London was built on the grounds of a former bank.
While, Dave Varley, 51 from Acton, who has visited 482 sites, said he had some minor concerns with the location of the pub.
"It is very spacious.. but my only gripe is that it is a little off the beaten track and a traveller could walk past and miss it.
"It could be better signposted," he said.
The shopping and leisure within the grounds of station only opened in 2022, and can be tricky to find.
It is located under platforms 20-24 in the station and you have to travel down a set of stairs to access the pub.
What's on the menu?
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One of the greatest treasures Wetherspoon's has to offer is its unlimited refills of tea and coffee, so I was pleased when I arrived to see the machine up and running for punters.
At £1.56 for all the tea and coffee you can possibly consume, you can not really go wrong, especially when other locations in Waterloo will charge you upwards of £3 for a hot drink.
However, if you are thinking of having a pint in this pub before heading off on your travels, you should be aware it is a bit more pricey than other locations.
A pint of Ruddles Best, which is usually the cheapest beer Wetherspoon's sells, will set you back £3.29.
It is a bit of a mark up, considering it can go for as cheap as £1.49 in other sites, however Spoon's across central London are known for being a bit more expensive than others outside of the capital.
I was very impressed with the drink selection as there was also a range of beers on draft too, including Doom Bar and Abbots.
You could even order a shot of Baby Guinness, but it would set you back £7.
Moving on to food, and the menu had something to cater for everyone taste, much like other locations.
A plate of fish and chips will set you back £12 or £13.63 if you want to add a drink.
It also runs all the offers a typical Spoon's does, including Curry Club which offers a a special deal on a curry and a drink every Thursday.
How can I save money at Wetherspoons?
FREE refills - Buy a £1.50 tea, coffee or hot chocolate and you can get free refills. The deal is available all day, every day.
Check a map - Prices can vary from one location the next, even those close to each other.
So if you're planning a pint at a Spoons, it's worth popping in nearby pubs to see if you're settling in at the cheapest.
Choose your day - Each night the pub chain runs certain food theme nights.
For instance, every Thursday night is curry club, where diners can get a main meal and a drink for a set price cheaper than usual.
Pick-up vouchers - Students can often pick up voucher books in their local near universities, which offer discounts on food and drink, so keep your eyes peeled.
Get appy - The Wetherspoons app allows you to order and pay for your drink and food from your table - but you don't need to be in the pub to use it.
Taking full advantage of this, cheeky customers have used social media to ask their friends and family to order them drinks. The app is free to download on the App Store or Google Play.
Check the date - Every year, Spoons holds its Tax Equality Day to highlight the benefits of a permanently reduced tax bill for the pub industry.
It usually takes place in September, and last year it fell on Thursday, September 14.
As well as its 12-day Real Ale Festival every Autumn, Wetherspoons also holds a Spring Festival.
You can also dine on a choice of three small plates for £18.98, which is quite pricey if you are not splitting the cost with a friend or partner.
To fully immerse myself in the experience I decided to order a pint of Guinness and a vegetarian full English breakfast.
If you ordered the same as me it would cost a total of £12.70.
How does it compare to other Wetherspoons?
Wetherspoons has over 900 locations across the UK, some in really scenic locations such as the Royal Victoria Pavilion, in Ramsgate.
I have to say the view from this location is not spectacular, and if you're not facing a window you are just going to have a view of the Sidings shopping centre.
But considering it is just a minutes run from the hundreds of trains departing from Waterloo Station it is hard to complain.
Another draw is the price, even though it is a bit more pricey than a typical Spoons on the high street, drinks are still cheaper than BrewDog which is also located in the train station.
The Punk IPA maker opened what is the thought to be the largest pub in the UK, giving cover to 1,775 people.
It features everything from a slide to co-working spaces.
However, the average price of a pint in the massive Punk IPA pub will set you back £7.10, so you could make a saving of around £3.81 if you head to the Spoons instead.
But the Lion and Unicorn pub spans 5,000 sq ft, while BrewDog spans 26,000 sq ft so it may get a bit crowed and if you are looking for more space it may be a better option.
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I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Guinness, and the freshness of the veggie food served at the pub.
If it was not 11:30am on a workday I would have happily finished my pint, and maybe had another.
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