'I went to Wetherspoons for Christmas dinner - but someone else ate it'

Robson McCallister headed to the Briar Rose, a Wetherspoons successful Birmingham, to effort retired its Christmas meal and helium has revealed however helium got much than helium bargained for

"I had nary thought however a turkey meal reappraisal astatine Wetherspoons would go," says writer Robson McCallister.

"It’s a fashionable concatenation which brings successful plentifulness of blessed characters - but I was hoping to debar a fight. Last year, Nathan had the honour of reviewing the Wetherspoons Christmas meal and a peculiar representation was disconnected the plate.

"Seeing a antheral dragged retired by his collar and aimlessly throwing punches, this incidental is not the champion practice of the Birmingham vacation spirit."

Given the task of doing a reappraisal for a Birmingham Wetherspoons this year, Robson said: "In the anticipation of uncovering festive joy, I managed to constrictive it down to 2 options. I could revisit the Square Peg and perchance locomotion into a world of drama, oregon I could popular into the Briar Rose - a pub I erstwhile awarded for having the champion Spoons toilets.

"Ultimately, I settled for the Briar Rose arsenic a erstwhile nutrient reappraisal representation popped into my caput to assistance sway the vote. With bully nutrient (and large toilets), I felt guaranteed to person a bully clip arsenic I approached the bustling pub connected a weekday evening. The bully clip had yet to start. I held the doorway unfastened for a radical that didn’t accidental 'thank you' and was elbowed by idiosyncratic much funny successful a portion than processing manners."

He writes for BirminghamLive: "Across the room, bare tables were scarce and hard to find. I noticed that couples were gathering successful the country waiting for an bare array similar hyenas anticipating dinner. It didn’t assistance that the pub’s lighting formed them into shadowy figures, adding to the visual. Whilst they were lurking, I nabbed a spot to debar a problem.

"Not a occupation were the prices either. I’m utilized to paying implicit £6 for Guinness successful Birmingham, but astatine Spoons a pint of the achromatic worldly costs £4.03. As I browsed the Christmas menu, the champion people of enactment was to usage the Wetherspoons app alternatively of going to the bar.

"With nary different tables free, and the hyenas successful eyeshot, I feared however a reappraisal would enactment if I had to devour a Christmas dinner lasting up. I went for the classical Christmas operation of a turkey meal and a acold pint. The meal included vegetables, potatoes, stuffing, pigs successful blankets, cranberry condiment and gravy. The combo outgo lone £13.52 which I thought was a cracker of a value.

"After little than 10 minutes of ordering, my repast arrived and I was acceptable to devour with a caller friend. Because arsenic I was waiting, a retired pensioner named John asked if helium could beryllium down astatine my table. When I accepted, his look was successful a authorities of surprise.

"He said that astir of the time, radical often said nary erstwhile helium asked successful the past. I had nary crushed to beryllium a Scrooge erstwhile a turkey meal and a pint were connected the way. As my Christmas meal was presented to maine connected the iconic Wetherspoons plate, John chipped successful with his ain review: “It looks lovely. Nice and ordinary. Reminds maine of a Sunday roast.”

"For me, the cranberry condiment and stuffing were the stars of the show, the condiment particularly providing a moreish dip. The turkey and vegetables were fine, thing spectacular. Although the turkey was doused successful gravy, I inactive felt it was lacking a spot successful flavour. But for some the terms and information size, I could person nary complaints.

"At this point, this usually would person been the clip erstwhile I would spell into much item astir my repast but thing was bothering me. After speaking to him, I could archer that John astir apt needed this repast much than I would. After I offered him my plate, helium revealed that helium hadn't eaten each day. As helium nibbled away, John had nary complaints, adding that it was 'a precise bully accepted meal'.

"In betwixt bites, we talked astir beingness with John's ain consecutive retired of a movie. Originally from London, helium has lived astir the world, including a spell moving successful Salt Lake City, Utah. After the extremity of each story, John kept apologising arsenic helium felt helium was bothering maine but it couldn’t person been further from the truth.

"He made my acquisition better, and successful return, I bought him a well-deserved lager and exchanged interaction details. This twelvemonth is simply a memorable clip for galore who consciousness the Christmas spirit. But for some, it tin beryllium peculiarly lonely. The adjacent clip you’re seated and idiosyncratic asks if they tin articulation you, springiness it a chance. You mightiness conscionable person your favourite repast of the week."