Whilst waiting for a delayed train, I decided to take a look at what TV titles were trending on social media. Aware of the fast turnaround documentaries Channel 5 do, I was intrigued by the amusing discussions going on about this documentary, which led to me picking up a Toby Jug.
View on the film:
Thankfully avoiding the easy chance to go for a sarcastic tone, the classy narration by John Thomson, director Simon Newton serves up, with whip-pans landing on going behind the scenes of the kitchens during rush hour, highlighting the professionalism of the staff when under pressure. Placing a focus on Wetherspoons, Newton does very well at highlighting the great restoration work that the company has done, in converting the likes of cinemas into pubs, whilst retaining as much of the original historical design of the buildings as possible.
Heated up for an hour, Newton struggles to avoid making the impression of everything being dragged out for the running time. This becomes most visible, in a bizarre sequence dedicated to the carpets of Wetherspoons (whose reputation for putting their toilets as far away from the centre of the pub, oddly gets no mention at all.)
Coming from a background of writing on cookery for the likes of the BBC, Philippa Davis takes a welcomed down to earth approach when reviewing the food from Toby Carvery and Wetherspoons, with Davis highlighting all the food being well cooked. Going out to try the food and the drink on site, Newton makes the rather unusual choice, of using what appears to be a hidden camera, to film Davis having a pint outside a Wetherspoons.
View on the film:
Thankfully avoiding the easy chance to go for a sarcastic tone, the classy narration by John Thomson, director Simon Newton serves up, with whip-pans landing on going behind the scenes of the kitchens during rush hour, highlighting the professionalism of the staff when under pressure. Placing a focus on Wetherspoons, Newton does very well at highlighting the great restoration work that the company has done, in converting the likes of cinemas into pubs, whilst retaining as much of the original historical design of the buildings as possible.
Heated up for an hour, Newton struggles to avoid making the impression of everything being dragged out for the running time. This becomes most visible, in a bizarre sequence dedicated to the carpets of Wetherspoons (whose reputation for putting their toilets as far away from the centre of the pub, oddly gets no mention at all.)
Coming from a background of writing on cookery for the likes of the BBC, Philippa Davis takes a welcomed down to earth approach when reviewing the food from Toby Carvery and Wetherspoons, with Davis highlighting all the food being well cooked. Going out to try the food and the drink on site, Newton makes the rather unusual choice, of using what appears to be a hidden camera, to film Davis having a pint outside a Wetherspoons.
