CAMRA - bought and sold for Spoonsie gold?

[london calling]

That's true of any pub though. Has the Nags Head won our branch Pub of the Year for the last five years because it's the (literal) local of some of the committee? I would say no, of course not - though we are looking at sensible ways to increase the gross amount of votes cast amongst the shortlisted five. But perhaps some people might well say it's a contributory factor.

I think I see where you're coming from now.

five years in a row? Surely after 3 wins they should be left out for a year to give an incentive to other pubs. Local Camra pub status can give a boost to a pub and often leads to increased turnover and extra handpumps.

[london calling]

Without Wetherspoon pubs a lot of towns would have little beer choice. Although I rarely use them I am not surprised they have so many entries in the GBG.i have noticed in the past when I did use them that the beer quality and choice varies from one pub to the next.

[Quinno]

five years in a row? Surely after 3 wins they should be left out for a year to give an incentive to other pubs. Local Camra pub status can give a boost to a pub and often leads to increased turnover and extra handpumps.

The best is the best. We have a fundamental dislike of excluding a pub because it's 'too good' - it's the benchmark.

[Aqualung]

Without Wetherspoon pubs a lot of towns would have little beer choice. Although I rarely use them I am not surprised they have so many entries in the GBG.i have noticed in the past when I did use them that the beer quality and choice varies from one pub to the next.

To be honest, I think it also varies from week to week!

[Aqualung]

The best is the best. We have a fundamental dislike of excluding a pub because it's 'too good' - it's the benchmark.

I totally agree, however I have had an impression formed over many years that some pubs just get reselected year after year without any real justification. The Nag's Head is clearly a beer shrine, and if I had the funds for a jolly to Reading it would be my first priority.

[Aqualung]

After today's expedition I have to admit that I do have a lot of sympathy with the OP's point of view.
I visited five Spoons today, three of which are GBG listed and the only really completely acceptable pint was in a non-GBG one.

I have had a lot of indifferent Spoons pints recently, and I can only come up with three possible reasons:-

1) The beer isn't being allowed to settle until it is clear.

2) The beer lines aren't being given a proper clean often enough, or maybe I've been getting the first pint after the beer has been in the chilled lines overnight.

3) The cask has been delivered to the cellar after spending an excessive time in a hot place.

Before the anti-Spoons brigade start shouting "I told you so", I would like to point out that these problems are something that can potentially affect any pub.

I have no idea how Spoons get their deliveries nowadays, but the fact is if they are receiving casks that have been lying in hot sunshine, kept overnight in a hot lorry or just being left in sunshine awaiting shifting to the cellar then it will ruin the cask.

[Mobyduck]

Before the anti-Spoons brigade start shouting "I told you so", I would like to point out that these problems are something that can potentially affect any pub.

I would never stoop so low ,
But in all seriousness it takes a pretty elite pub not to suffer these problems, i think even then they can but they have the wherewithall to deal with it immediatley and lose the problem, I dont put JDW in this bracket.

[Farway]

One nice touch with JDW is the option of a small,free, sample before you buy

I took advantage of this today, and saved £2.19, I forget the brew, but it was rank, so opted for alternative