62 The Bank

First of all, please let me make it clear that I have no axe to grind with J.D. Wetherspoon. I think that they have clearly identified a market niche and serve it well and efficiently.


So: on to 'The Bank' in Barnstaple: England's oldest borough.


Think of The Bank like this: a licensed restaurant with a 'J.D. Wetherspoon-style menu', except that the one at The Bank is more substantial in terms of diversity, quality and quantity.


Very busy ("Please wait to be seated") but good service and good food. Being a converted bank, they have kept the ancient timber panelling, which gives it a certain charm.


A very nice place to go for lunch if you are hungry and don't care about the calories.


I'd guess that you won't leave hungry, skint or unhappy.


And you will still be O.K. to go surfing, badger spotting, staghunting or whatever.


For more information - including menus: http://www.brend-hotels.co.uk/Restaurants/62TheBank.cfm

The Bank is a great place to go to if you are shopping and you fancy a nice lunch, it serves a good range of food at this time and is not too badly priced. The evening menu is more extensive but be warned it can get very busy,especially at christmas whre they do try to cram as many people in for office christmas parties as possible.
The service is good overall and it is clean and tidy.

We were here on a Thursday evening so it was not too busy.Not overly expensive and the food was very nice (fish cakes and Eton Mess for me and piri piri style chicken and a citrus brulee for my wife,followed by a liqueur coffee each and also a bottle of Peroni and a large glass of rose).The bill came in at around £60,. so granted its not cheap but it isn't a chain pub.
We both liked place and the waitress was attentive and friendly.

To add to chianticlassico. Agree with all of the above but worht going in for a coffee just to admire the stunning ceiling. If I remember rightly this is a Grade 1 listed building and the interior is beautiful.


Good food and buzzy atmosphere during the day and evening.