TUCKING into a gourmet steak as I watch the lights twinkle below the high glass ceiling, I could be forgiven for thinking I am dining inside a Michelin-starred restaurant.
But I am actually having lunch at ‘Britain’s poshest Wetherspoons,’ where a pint costs less than £2, a fancy cocktail is a mere £3.99 and a meal for two sets you back just over a tenner.
The Corn Exchange in Bury St Edmunds has been praised by pub lovers, who have been blown away by its marble bar, jaw-dropping domed glass ceiling... and its attractively-priced menu.
A team from the Sun visited the Suffolk landmark and found it is so popular that it is hard to get a table as dozens of regulars cram inside, even midweek.
Once seated, I was astonished to learn that a ‘gourmet steak’ with a glass of Shiraz red wine would only set me back £15.11.
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By comparison, a similar meal at a top London restaurant like Gaucho would cost an eye watering £38 – more than double the price.
To celebrate, I ordered a bottle of prosecco for £15.13, an Espresso Martini for £3.99 and chocolate fudge cake dessert for £5.69.
My entire bill came to £39.92, which wouldn’t be enough to cover the tip at some top restaurants.
And even those on a tighter budget would have plenty of options as a burger meal with a soft drink is a snip at £5.86 and a curry with a glass of wine is £9.64 on Thursdays.
Grade 1 listed building
It is no wonder that the Corn Exchange maintains a jovial hum throughout the afternoon, despite the cost-of-living crisis forcing record numbers of pubs to shut.
Property lawyer John Garred, 63, has lunch at the Spoons, which is on the top floor of a grade I listed 19th century building, at least once a week.
Sitting next to a roaring fire with his assistant Linda Nunn, 49, he said: “I normally come for Thursday Curry Club, which I think is fantastic and good value for money.
“I don’t really eat anywhere else.
“As you can see, it’s a nice building. I think it’s the most historic and most attractive Spoons there is.
“I do feel lucky. We like the town and buildings like this and we’ve been coming to this pub for about five years.
“I’d never really been in a JD Wetherspoons pub before I came here. I have been to the one in Enfield years ago but I don’t remember what it was like.
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“The wine here is lovely, the Shiraz is really nice. I don’t have more than two glasses as I have to work, but sometimes I would like to stay here all afternoon.
“I would say it is Britain’s poshest Wetherspoons. It has a beautiful ceiling and you can see the clouds and the blue sky through the glass roof.
“I wouldn’t call it a restaurant but it’s a friendly pub and all the staff are lovely and the service is great.
“I feel comfortable here as I know what I’m getting and I know how much I am paying for it.”
Linda added: “We were just saying, you get all types of different people in here and that’s really nice.”
Celebrity link
The Corn Exchange was designed by Ellis & Woodward and built by Lot Jackaman at a cost of £7,000, £1million in today's money.
It stands on the site of The Shambles, or market, and first opened for business in July 1862.
The name heralds from the fact it was originally used for corn sales on Wednesdays but, in later years, it hosted bands and roller skating enthusiasts.
Wetherspoons began refurbishing the building in 2011 but ensured that the majority of the original features were preserved.
The exterior, which features towering Grecian columns, remains largely untouched.
Retired butcher Cyril Frankum, 82, regularly visits the pub to sip one of the 16 different beers on offer, with a pint of Greene King IPA costing £1.88.
We were happy when it became a Spoons because it was underused before. We are all taxpayers and having it used commercially saves us a bit of money
Alan Armer
He said: “The history of this place is amazing. You only have to walk up the stairs and see. I remember coming up here when I was 13 or 14.
“You still have the old benches where they sold the wool and at weekends they would have roller skating. You would have roller hockey teams and everything. I used to play roller hockey and we would compete in Suffolk.
“You get what you pay for and I don’t know if I would come for a meal here three times a week but the beer is good."
His drinking buddy, retired general manager John Brunskill, 73, added: “You come up here for a drink and to meet people – it’s how we met.
“When I was a young lad, I would come up to this building to watch bands play and ELO played here in their early days when Roy Wood was with them.
“The bar used to be at the back and he came over to chat to us and he bought me a beer.”
Retired ranger Alan Armer, 73, said: “We were happy when it became a Spoons because it was underused before. We are all taxpayers and having it used commercially saves us a bit of money.
“It’s also somewhere to come out and meet people for a beer in the centre of town. If you are a senior citizen you can have a government recommended number of units.”
Laughing, he added: “My only complaint is that I think they should offer a discount for senior citizens as we are a very vulnerable group.
“But you have a good mix of ages here and there’s no trouble. It’s one of the best pubs around and if you call having a knife and fork with your meal posh, then yes it is.”
Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “The Corn Exchange is an extremely popular Wetherspoon pub.
“Customers love the architecture and ambience of the pub and we can see why many would call it the poshest Wetherspoon in the UK.”
