The Captain Alexander - JD Wetherspoon

You're heading down James Street towards the waterfront, and The Captain Alexander sits right there—a traditional pub that's been pulling pints for decades. It's got that comfortable, no-nonsense Wetherspoon vibe: brass fittings, dark wood, and enough regulars nursing their breakfast pints to make you feel like you've stumbled into something real. The menu's predictable (nachos, fish and chips, all-day breakfasts), but that's sort of the point—you know what you're getting. Real ales rotate through, prices stay honest at around £1.50 a pint during happy hour, and it's the kind of place where you can sit for three hours with a book or meet mates before heading to the waterfront.