Pair who've visited 500 Wetherspoons share favourite item

Phil, 77, and Julie Fox, 74, have been visiting Wetherspoons pubs since 2007 and have now visited their 500th pub in their quest to visit all 809 in the UK

A devoted couple of Wetherspoons enthusiasts have now sipped pints in an impressive 500th location - and named halloumi wraps as a major factor. Phil, 77, and Julie Fox, 74, set themselves a lofty goal over 15 years ago to partake in a drink at all 809 of the UK's 'spoons', having now ticked The William Adams in Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk off their list as number 500.

However, Phil, a retired newspaper production worker, has voiced concerns over the feasibility of achieving their ultimate challenge due to logistical hurdles; accessing six of the pubs demands travelling through airport departure lounges.

Hailing from Halifax, West Yorkshire, grandfather-of-seven Phil candidly said: "We nearly called it quits when we reached 500 but that wouldn't have lasted long."

Phil elaborated on the complications involved: "It's impossible to do it though because we would have to book holidays abroad, because there's two at Birmingham Airport."

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The trek to complete their Wetherspoon adventure is no small feat, according to Phil: "So it's a bit of a trek to go to Birmingham, just to fly to Spain for Wetherspoons."

Yet, to showcase their accomplishment to family members sceptical of their dedication, the couple resorted to crafting a homemade sign that read '500'.

The intrepid journey began back in 2007 during a reflective moment in their local 'spoon'. Originally aiming for an achievable target of visiting 100 of the chain's pubs, they soon surpassed their initial benchmark after realising they had already been to around 70.

Phil reminisced about the decision: "We ran out of conversation and we were staring at each other, so I asked her how many spoons we had been to."

The pair's passion for Wetherspoons led Phil to calculate their past patronage: "I worked out we had been in maybe 70, so we decided to do 100."

Julie and Phil have turned pub visiting into a part-time hobby, often planning trips around the UK to frequent different establishments, sometimes opting for a Wetherspoons Hotel stayover. On their ale-house adventures, they're also known to seek more economical accommodations like Travelodge or Premier Inn.

Phil shared: "We've stayed in the hotels, the ones we've stayed in are all quite nice. But we will often stay in a Travelodge or a Premier Inn because of the costs, they are always cheap. We did London last year, so we went to eight pubs that all have the word moon in the title, so that was a nice holiday."

Their journey to find the finest watering hole led them to The Stamford Post in Stamford, Lincs, which holds a special place as their preferred local.

He remarked: "We used to love the one in Keswick but we've got a new favourite. It's called the The Stamford Post - we've been there a few times and even visited a few days ago." It's an old newspaper office but it's really, really nice inside - they modernised it and everything."

Both Julie, who is retired from retail work, and Phil make a point of choosing distinctive beverages with each visit. Phil has developed a taste for IPA beers and appreciates their variety at Wetherspoons, while Julie tends to select lagers like San Miguel or Cruzcampo, although they both enjoy indulging in the halloumi wrap on the menu.

He explained: "There is a good selection of beers, I've drifted towards the IPAs and they always have them. You go into a lot of modern pubs and they just have lagers, but Wetherspoons come at a good price as well."

"The food is good and my wife likes a beer, but she likes San Miguel and Cruzcampo. They are always introducing new things onto the menu, they are introducing a load of Korean things now, like crunchy chicken with coconut rice. We try all the food - we love the halloumi wraps and they are a good price."