JD Wetherspoon has made a name for itself as one of the most well-known pub chains across the UK, with 10 pubs in Wiltshire alone.

While the chain may have a way to go before it receives its first Michelin star, it is a popular choice for many locals wanting a cheap and accessible pint or bite to eat.

Out of the 10 Spoons pubs in Wiltshire, we’ve ranked the very best and the worst based on what you’ve said about them on Tripadvisor.

Pubs which have received the same scores have been ranked by the percentage of reviews that were in the ‘Excellent category’.

Swindon Advertiser: Wiltshire has 10 Wetherspoons pubs, three of which are located in Swindon.Wiltshire has 10 Wetherspoons pubs, three of which are located in Swindon. (Image: Wetho Wanderers)

The best and worst Wetherspoons pubs in Wiltshire

  1. The Bear - Melksham

Address: 3 Bath Road, Melksham, SN12 6LL

Tripadvisor score: 3.5/5 (from 311 reviews)

'Excellent' reviews: 95 (30.5% of all reviews)

The Bear is Melksham’s only Wetherspoons and is the highest ranked in all of Wiltshire.

The former coaching inn and posting house has been a long-time feature of Bath Road and is believed to have become a pub in the later 1900s.

“Probably one of the nicest places to go for lunch with a friend. Staff are always welcoming and the food comes with no complaints,” wrote one reviewer.

 2.  The Bell - Amesbury

Address: 13-15 Salisbury Street, Amesbury, SP4 7AW

Tripadvisor score: 3.5/5 (from 506 reviews)

'Excellent' reviews: 129 (25.5 per cent of all reviews)

At a close second behind The Bear with almost nothing between them, is The Bell in Amesbury.

Dating back more than 100 years, The Bell has served pints generations of locals long before it was taken over by JD Wetherspoon.

While not all customers love the place, 129 of them sang the pub’s praises on Tripadvisor reviews, calling it: “Very professional. Staff are courteous and kind and always happy to serve.”

3. The Bath Arms - Warminster

Address: 41 Market Place, Warminster, BA12 9AZ

Tripadvisor score: 3.5/5 (from 387 reviews)

'Excellent' reviews: 95 (24.5 per cent of all reviews)

In third place is The Bath Arms in Warminster – the highest-ranked of Wiltshire’s Wetherspoon hotels.

The grade-II listed three-storey building was formally known as the Bath Arms Hotel and is one of the town’s three surviving 18th-century inns.

“An enjoyable evening spent in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere,” said one reviewer, while others praised the pub’s proximity to Longleat.

4. The Silk Mercer - Devizes

Address: St John’s Street, Devizes, SN10 1BL

Tripadvisor score: 3.5/5 (from 331 reviews)

'Excellent' reviews: 72 (21.8 per cent of all reviews)

This pub, located just off Market Place, sits in an 18th-century building formerly home to London Draper’s Warehouse until the early 2000s and was named after the silk mercers of St John’s Street.

“I dropped in with the grandkids for breakfast on our way home from a week spent locally,” said one reviewer.

“Service was quick, everything was cooked fine and as you would expect, prices very reasonable.”

5. The Savoy - Swindon

Address: 38-40 Regent Street, Swindon, SN1 1JL

Tripadvisor score: 3.5/5 (from 228 reviews)

'Excellent' reviews: 69 (30.3 per cent of all reviews)

The best Wetherspoon pub of three in Swindon, and ranked as a comfy middle overall, The Savoy on Regent Street was formerly a cinema.

The site showed the first-ever recorded film shown in Swindon, so has a particularly special history in the town.

Reviews of the pub are mixed, but many have praised the location as perfect for a quick and affordable bit to eat before seeing a show at the Wyvern Theatre.

6. The Albany Palace - Trowbridge

Address: 1 Park Road, Trowbridge, BA14 8AQ

Tripadvisor score: 3/5 (from 150 reviews)

'Excellent' reviews: 34 (22.7 per cent of all reviews)

Trowbridge’s Albany Palace may not have the same prestige as Buckingham Palace, but it’s certainly not doing too badly, ranking 6 out of 10 for Wetherspoons in Wiltshire.

The Spoons sits on the site of a former roller-skating rink, which later became Albany Ward’s Picture Palace and Skating Rink in 1910.

“The staff work very hard to keep the place running smoothly. It’s cheap food and drink, what else do you want?” one reviewer summed up.

7. The Dockle Farmhouse - Swindon

Address: 2 Bridge End Road, Swindon

Tripadvisor score: 3/5 (from 435 reviews)

'Excellent' reviews: 93 (21.4 per cent of all reviews)

The unusually named Dockle Farmhouse in Swindon has received mixed reviews but it certainly has an atmosphere – whether you love it or hate it.

“This place is one of the best pubs I’ve been to in all of the world. The atmosphere is one of the best I’ve ever seen reminds me of Wembley at times,” said one very enthusiastic reviewer.

8. The Bridge House - Chippenham

Address: Borough Parade, Chippenham, SN15 3WL

Tripadvisor score: 3/5 (from 286 reviews)

'Excellent' reviews: 48 (16.8 per cent of all reviews)

Chippenham’s only Wetherspoon pub officially ranks in the bottom three in Wiltshire Tripadvisor reviews.

The pub is named after the first house to be built on the High Street side of Town Bridge which was demolished in the 1950s.

One reviewer said: “Great value. Will definitely return again, mainly because of the staff,” while others described it as “poor, even for a Spoons.”

9. The King’s Head Inn - Salisbury

Address: 1 Bridge Street, Salisbury, SP1 2ND

Tripadvisor score: 3/5 (from 606 reviews)

'Excellent' reviews: 98 (16.2 per cent of all reviews)

The King’s Head Inn in Salisbury is another of Wetherspoon hotel-pubs, but is ranked second worst in the county.

The site has served as an inn since the 15th century and still has the same name.

The pub has been described by TripAdvisor reviewers as both ‘dreadful’ and ‘a nice find’.

10. The Sir Daniel Arms - Swindon

Address: 1-2 Fleet Street, Swindon, SN1 1RQ

Tripadvisor score: 3/5 (from 211 reviews)

'Excellent' reviews: 29 (13.7 per cent of all reviews)

The Sir Daniel Arms is officially the lowest-ranked Wetherspoon pub not just in Swindon, but all of Wiltshire.

The building is one of the more modern of the Wiltshire Wetherspoon sites and is named after Sir Daniel Gooch who proposed that the Great Western Railway Works should be built in Swindon.

With only 29 ‘excellent’ reviews, many Tripadvisor reviewers have been less than impressed by this establishment.

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “ Our three pubs, The Sir Daniel Arms (Swindon),  The King’s Head (Salisbury) and The Bridge House (Chippenham) have been established in their respective areas for many years.

“They are extremely popular with people of all ages. The pubs are an important part of their town’s social scene and are well-managed.

“TripAdvisor is based on some individual reviews and is not representative of the tens of thousands of customers who frequent the pubs each year.”