The Mile Castle

You'll do a double-take walking into this grand Victorian banking hall – all ornate ceiling work and marble columns that dwarf the usual Spoons crowd nursing their £2 pints. The sheer scale of the place means it rarely feels packed, even when it's rammed with pre-match punters and office workers grabbing cheap lunch deals. The building does most of the heavy lifting here, but credit where it's due – the staff keep things moving despite the chaos, and you can actually have a conversation without shouting. Sure, it's still a Wetherspoons with all that entails, but when you're paying these prices in the city centre, you learn to appreciate the little victories. The curry club still slaps, and finding a decent table is never the nightmare it should be.