A NEW Wetherspoons pub could soon open at one of the UK’s oldest train stations – on the old site of a major UK attraction.
The pub chain has revealed plans to open in the former site of the London Dungeon.
A new Wetherspoons pub is set to open at one of London’s oldest train stations[/caption]
The Sun Wharf will replace the former London Dungeon site, which moved in 2013[/caption]
The old London Dungeon site opened in 1974[/caption]
Called The Sun Wharf, the new pub would open in the arches under London Bridge station.
The location was once home to the London Dungeon until 2013, before it moved to its new location nearby on the South Bank.
Having first opened in 1974, it originally opened with just historical waxworks, before evolving into theatrical shows you could walk through including events such as the Fire of London and Jack the Ripper.
After being bought by what would become Merlin Entertainments in 1992, London Dungeon moved locations after 39 years, with the rebuild costing £20million and now welcomes more than 700,000 people a year.
If the Wetherspoons pub is given the go-ahead for the location, it would open seven days a week, from 6:30am until 12:30am.
The planning application, submitted on September 11, is yet to be confirmed.
However, the location has remained empty due to it being hard to let, according to Network Rail.
Back in 2017, they submitted to the local council: “The residual premises provide a very poor quality environment.
“The former user (London Dungeon) was somewhat unusual in so far as the poor quality environment was its main attraction.
“NR Commercial Property has been unable to identify other potential D2 users willing to lease the residual space in its current state.”
An official opening date is yet to be confirmed.
It would be the second Wetherspoons to open near London Bridge, joining the The Pommelers Rest at Tower Bridge.
London Bridge station is the oldest London railway terminus that is still running, having opened in 1836.
Now, it welcomes around 140,000 passengers a day, making it one of the busiest in the city.
As well has having underground services including the Northern and Jubilee lines, it also connects travellers to central London and destinations across Kent via overground services.
But it isn’t the only Wetherspoons pub to have recently opened at a UK train station.
London Dungeon moved in 2013 to South Bank[/caption]
The Lion and The Unicorn opened underneath Waterloo train station in London earlier this month.
It is one of the biggest pubs that Wetherspoons has opened to date.
The Sun’s Laura McGuire was one of the first to go down, saying: “Overall the pub had a more modern feel to it compared to other more historic locations as it’s situated in The Sidings, which was built on the grounds of the former Eurostar Terminal.
“I have to say the view from this location is not spectacular, and if you’re not facing a window you are just going to have a view of the Sidings shopping centre.
“But considering it is just a minutes run from the hundreds of trains departing from Waterloo Station it is hard to complain.”
The largest Wetherspoons pub is found in Ramsgate, right next to the beach.
How can I save money at Wetherspoons?
FREE refills – Buy a £1.50 tea, coffee or hot chocolate and you can get free refills. The deal is available all day, every day.
Check a map – Prices can vary from one location the next, even those close to each other.
So if you’re planning a pint at a Spoons, it’s worth popping in nearby pubs to see if you’re settling in at the cheapest.
Choose your day – Each night the pub chain runs certain food theme nights.
For instance, every Thursday night is curry club, where diners can get a main meal and a drink for a set price cheaper than usual.
Pick-up vouchers – Students can often pick up voucher books in their local near universities, which offer discounts on food and drink, so keep your eyes peeled.
Get appy – The Wetherspoons app allows you to order and pay for your drink and food from your table – but you don’t need to be in the pub to use it.
Taking full advantage of this, cheeky customers have used social media to ask their friends and family to order them drinks. The app is free to download on the App Store or Google Play.
Check the date – Every year, Spoons holds its Tax Equality Day to highlight the benefits of a permanently reduced tax bill for the pub industry.
It usually takes place in September, and last year it fell on Thursday, September 14.
As well as its 12-day Real Ale Festival every Autumn, Wetherspoons also holds a Spring Festival.
Also in Kent is the beautiful Samuel Peto – here’s what we thought when we visited.
And we’ve rounded up some of the most beautiful Wetherspoons in the country.
The Wetherspoons will be the first for London Bridge station[/caption]
