The Hope Tap - JD Wetherspoon

You'll walk past this place a hundred times on Friar Street before properly clocking what's inside - and that would be a mistake. The Victorian grandeur of this former post office building is properly impressive, with soaring ceilings and original architectural details that put most Reading boozers to shame. The usual Wetherspoons formula applies: decent beer selection, reliable grub, and prices that won't leave you weeping into your pint. What sets The Hope Tap apart is the space itself - those ornate ceiling details and period features make your morning fry-up or evening pint feel a bit more special than your average 'Spoons. It's bang in the town centre, so perfect for meeting mates before heading elsewhere, or settling in for a proper session when everywhere else is charging London prices.