I’m a Wetherspoons superfan and I’ve spent £20k visiting every pub – now I’ll cruise around Ireland to finish quest
ONE Brit has spent more than £20,000 visiting every Wetherspoons in the UK and is going on a cruise to Ireland next week to finish the job.
David Bingham, 60, from Burton, Staffs, made it his mission to visit every pub in the Wetherspoons chain.
He has so far ticked off all in the UK except one at Gatwick airport, and will continue his journey to the remaining nine in Ireland.
On Sunday, May 21 he and his partner Una Cooper will embark on a 10-day Norwegian Cruise Line excursion around Ireland.
The cruise, costing £1,088 each, will take them to Waterford and then up the West coast of Ireland.
They will spend two nights in Dublin, which is home to most of Ireland’s Wetherspoons.
Although his partner Una doesn’t drink and is, according to David “not really a pub person”, she loves to travel and often accompanies him on his trips.
They did a British Isles cruise last year, which docked in Belfast.
He told the Sun Online: “My partner went to the giants causeway, and I went to the 3 Wetherspoons pubs.”
He said: “There’s never a dull moment. It’s a great way to see the country.”
They usually take public transport, and have even used a hovercraft to get to the pubs on the Isle of Wight.
Once, David and Una flew from Heathrow to Manchester at the cost of £69 each in order to visit the airport’s pub, before getting the train straight back.
He even booked a flight to Poland – which he didn’t take – to get through security to the airport Wetherspoons.
Some pubs he has only visited for two minutes.
The retired forklift driver was inspired to take on the challenge when partner Una, 63, bought him a Wetherspoon directory.
It comes after The Sun reported Alan and Agnes Forbes who visited 700 Wetherspoons in six years.
David said: “I’ve tried to do most of it by public transport but some of them you have to drive to.
He spent three years on his trek to all the Spoons, travelling up to 2,000 miles a month.
He ticked the final pubs off with a burst of 46 in four days in Scotland, celebrating with a pint of San Miguel and a bottle of Heineken.
He said: “I love Wetherspoons because of the incredible buildings they are in — many of them are old fire stations, post offices and other beautiful sites. Spoons saves these buildings.
His favourite Spoons are the Royal Victoria Pavilion in Ramsgate, Kent; The Corn Exchange in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk; the Winter Gardens in Harrogate; plus the Caley Picture House in Edinburgh.