text:
Wetherspoons pubs are known for being cheap and cheerful, the chain are now in many towns in the UK. It was also one of the first pubs to ban smoking inside.
As a rule the Wetherspoon pubs are in old buildings, often used for a previous purpose like and old theatre or bank. Some have taken over existing pubs or other premises and there are a few that don't have much to offer in the way of décor. Whilst these older, converted pubs can look quite nice, generally these pubs can be quite lacking in atmosphere. As a rule they do not have music playing in the background although they increasingly have TV screens for sports/news coverage. They often also have fruit machines, at a low volume.
As mentioned Wetherspoons are cheap for drinks, and they often have promotions on particular drinks or offer certain free drinks with meals. They usually have a good selection of real ales available, and have their own Real Ale Festival. In my local Wetherspoons I paid £2.99 for a single vodka and diet coke, with the glass full of coke - no tiny glasses or splash of cola here. There house wines are also on tap - I still find this a bit strange and would prefer mine from a bottle!
Wetherspoons also have an extensive food menu - Burgers, steaks, curry, pasta, sandwiches, breakfasts (daytime) are all on offer. The menu usually states the calories per portion also. They also have theme nights and 'clubs'. For example, when I went last Monday, it was Mexican Monday and I could get a burrito and a drink for £6. They also do Curry Club, Steak Club and various other ones that involve a drink promotion too. If I am popping in at a weekend lunchtime or just want a quick bite I sometimes have their cheese and tomato toastie with a side of chips. Food comes quickly - it is ready prepared and just heated up, so you don't get to go have an ingredient removed if you don't like it.
I've usually found the staff to be friendly, very rarely have I seen a staff member being 'off' with a customer. The toilets are usually adequate. They are supposed to be checked hourly, but this doesn't always happen, particularly at peak times.
Wetherspoons normally wouldn't be my first choice when thinking of somewhere to eat. This is mainly due to my local one being very rundown, dirty and the food being a bit hit and miss. I have had very nice good in other pubs in the chain, so when my friend and I were wondering where to eat when out over the weekend, we decided to give Wetherspoons a go. The one we went to was The Bridge House in Belfast. The pub itself is located on Bedford Street, just across the road from the main entrance to the BBC Building. There is limited street parking close by, with 2 car parks less than 5 minutes walk away. The location is also handy for those using public transport - the Europa/Great Victoria Street bus/train stations are only a few minutes away.
The pub itself is big, over 2 split levels downstairs, with another seating area upstairs. The pub was very clean though, despite being very busy. We found a table and had a look through the menu. Each item on the menu had the calories in each displayed beside the item, which was slightly offputting, particularly since we thought some of the calories displayed seemed slightly excessive.
In Wetherspoons, it is self service ordering. You choose what you want and go to the bar and place your order. Your food is then brought to the table when it's ready. You can also help yourself to condiments and sauces which are usually located close to the bar. We finally decided what we wanted to order and made our way to the bar where immediately, a staff member was able to take my friends order, and someone else asked me if I was ready to order, so less than 1 minute from walking up to the bar and getting my drink - I was impressed. I had ordered a diet Pepsi and was given the opportunity to 'supersize' for an extra 30p, which I went for. This meant I got a pint of Pepsi for £1.95, which I thought was a good deal.
After a few minutes, our food arrived. I had ordered the southern fried chicken strips and chips. The presentation was lovely I had a pile of chicken strips, Jack Daniel's sauce and coleslaw, and about 10 chips? Considering the guideline calories for my meal was 1058, I was expecting slightly more than what I received. A lot of their meals have the option of chips for 50p extra - if that's all you get, it's hardly worth it. Maybe Wetherspoons are doing their bit for healthy eating by rationing the chips? Or maybe it's just that less chips = more profits? Thankfully I wasn't that hungry, so I wasn't too disappointed, but it did remind me of another reason why I usually avoid Wetherspoons, the portion sizes.
Wetherspoons are best known for cheap drinks and while I can't fault them on that score, the food is a slight letdown. I would go back, if I was looking for a snack, but I wouldn't go here again if I was looking for a whole meal. I can't fault the staff or the service, but I can get better food for cheaper elsewhere.
The Bridge House is open the following hours:
Mon - Thu: 8am to 12am
Fri - Sat: 8am to 1am
Sun: 8am to 12am
The address for the pub is
35-43 Bedford Street
County Antrim
Tel: 028 9072 7890
check out http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/home/pubs/the-bridge-house for further information
833 outlets
Opening Times:
Mon - Thu: 7am to 11pm
Fri - Sat: 7am to 12am
Sun: 7am to 11pm
- - -
I'm not one to sit on a fence when it comes to establishments that serve alcoholic beverages - usually it is a bar stool, or lodged in shaded corner, but Wetherspoons establishments genuinely are 'middle of the road' bars. There are no peculiarities such as a taxidermist showing-off their Golden Eagle art to bemused punters, so the eagle-eyed punters stare at the bird's 'hello-boys!' plastic taxidermist treats instead - Man-made, and made for man. The striving hoodlums obviously, out for the night, 'striving to be ducking n diving' when asked how their weeks been. 'Ducking n diving' is greeted with awe as it is deemed a legitimate occupation - something to aspire to; 'yeah man.' To be fair, I don't eavesdrop on these conversations, their vocals gatecrash your eardrums wherever you are in the bar - the 'out for the night punters' really do take-up their bar positions and loosen their vulgar tongues with lurid quips, usually ending off the sentence with the temerity term... 'darlin' or 'babe'- albeit, this is the language from the Milton Keynes 'ducking n divers and gutter-fitters of the drainage elite' - I, as a rule tend to leave these types of establishments before 8pm on the off-chance Wetherspoons morphs into a 'terrible' Witherspoons (1980s American boxer). Sixty six minutes is about as much I can stand in Wetherspoons, being part of the urine scented folk with 25% off trouser-leg-bottoms and flat-cap, whose eyes resemble a rabbit in the headlights, while glued to BBC News which is being played out on a fifty five inch TV monitor, mounted on every wall, all in symmetry, sub-text scrolling and up-to-date news images, flickering in unison - giving the impression of some video art installation experiment was taking place - where the punters are subjects, being viewed by a supremacy body, deciphering who's the shirkers and strivers. The unlikely strivers sit glued and gulp down their cheap Fosters as if they're animatedly programmed to do so. Who says men can't multi-task? I even saw these types talking and pointing while Leveson was on. I was accosted while at the bar, I kicked myself at making eye contact with a 'whino': "Whaah happensh to freeshom ov free-sh speash?" he blurted out - I answered back: "Er, well Wetherspoons adopts it" - "Exshactly" he spat out - he continued; "I couldsh doha bettersh job than theesh shlot" - I immediately responded; "Yeah, I'm surprised you're here and not sorting it all out, sire!" I smiled, and made a hasty exit after making my order of cod n chips times two, one black coffee, and a diet coke with one solitary cube of ice. The fee came to just over a tenner! A pledge for a mediocre meal was in order and as there was a picture of the offer as a poster I gambled it would come to the table as graphically promised. You're given a wooden spoon with a number on it corresponding to the table you're sat at, to eliminate confusion.
Architecturally, the Wetherspoons in the MK postal coded district imitated Dublin's Airport (Irish: Aerfort Bhaile Átha Cliath). Brazenly un-stuffy, a jumble of white beams, aluminum and reflective crone finishes; which fitted in perfectly on the concrete landscape of permanent MK scaffolding. Wetherspoons conveys the illusion of construction, just for the sake of it; the art of rejuvenation; an attempt to disentangled post modernism. 'Concrete cows, need I say more!' The floor interior was a repetitive pattern that looked as if it was devised from the architect's doodled napkin - A North Korean army of straight lines and squiffy ones, on mottled crimson; camouflaging any 'terrible' Witherspoon mishap, which had notoriously already happened or impending. The plates came to our table, expertly handled with an assured professionalism from staff members who know the drill and probably sleep-walk while holding hot plates. They show no pain, just reddened arms due to systematic pain and graft - an old-fashioned blood, sweat and tears striver, accompanied with the mandatory blue plaster, hiding her toils. A quick 'hello' and a 'thank you' were sufficient. No over-friendliness or profound waffle about the weather, asking if we were local, just a good basic service - social velleities is at a comfortable level. I'm different compared to most people who eat in these establishments - as I gauge on the number of meals dispatched from the kitchens whether the food is fresh or not rather than stating whether the staff were aesthetically pleasing or had the time spare to be overly friendly. A quick turn-over of food is a good indication that their system is efficient. Mediocre quality is acceptable. The cod was white, the batter was crisp without being cremated and the chips were chunky enough to help aid with construction, if they weren't light, and made of potato. A pathetic excuse of a salad looked insipid on the plate, not dissimilar to the Liberal Democrats 'ComRes Poll.' Worth complaining if the main event on the plates; naturally the poster had edited colour into the seduction package and if the food was a twenty pound note you'd have a valid case of false advertising. Then again who is idiotic enough to be seduced by a vision of graphically enhanced beauty especially of the culinary kind? I learned that lesson early on when I found that in the 1970s; 'Smash!' which was sachet potato in powder form didn't come with a talking tin alien made of woks. Whereby, 'as seen on TV' labels, duped a generation - 'wok no alien!'
Wetherspoons generally attracts clientele who're drunks, incontinent, or can't let a bargain go. If, you're all three Wetherspoons will welcome you with open arms - I fall in the latter category - albeit, I'm certainly not loyal - usually when I first step foot inside, immediately I'm reminded of the stale sweet stench and after forty six minutes I start fidgeting and by the hour, I'm ready to leave. When I do, it's a relief. This establishment is a far cry from the traditional British Public House - where converse is a centre-point to the community. Wetherspoons ethics is designed for binge-drinking. Average waiting time at the bar is ten seconds; you'll be eating inside ten minutes, post food order. The mandatory salad or 'garden pea' choice ticks the box for healthy eating. My quip of: "Oh, do Wetherspoons establishments have a garden?" falls on impotent staff, they're not programmed to facilitate wit, too busy being strivers. A pledge to pickle man-kind's livers, insulate their arteries and do it with quick and minimum fuss. Strange but, the place sounds busy, yet no actual converse is taking place apart from sporadic small-talk. Couples' stare into the abyss of the BBC News channel, all Wetherspoon bars seem to be a generic standard cat-walk for beverages, none of them portraying any distinctive personality traits. If, the whole bar sank into the ground, no-one would notice, till got up to get a refill. Yet if the monitors got turned off 'by accident' they'd be uproar of discontent. When I left, I was suitably full and the meal was suitably mediocre. Problem was once I left, I craved a cold Fosters to get rid of the film that resided in my mouth. Three stars.
A bit about the chain
Wetherspoons is a chain of pubs all around the UK there are hundreds of them. Each one is different they range from small, traditional pubs to large, modern, contemporary buildings, airport bars and even hotels.
I have never stayed in any of their hotel pubs but for future reference I just looked up The Briar Rose in Birmingham (I'm going there in a few weeks and havent booked a place yet) A family double for 2 adults and one child is coming up at £39 for the Thursday night ant £55 for the Friday night. It sounds and looks lovely but they always do on the websites so I can't comment. If we do choose to stay here I shall update as and when.
They are well known for low cost food and drink and you can find one in large towns and cities. I have visited the Victoria train station bar in London, the Gatwick airport bar, Liverpool airport, York Punch Bowl, York Postern Gate, Castleford Winter Seam, Manchester The Paramount and Leeds Beckett Bank. There are probably more that I can't remember.
Each one that I have visited has looked different both inside and out but the standard of food and drink remains the same. It is pub grub, it's not fine dining have no doubt about it but it is tasty, filling and best of all cheap.
The Menu
The menu is much the same in each of the Wetherspoons pubs, the menu has got much bigger in recent months, here is some of what they have to offer:
Breakfast - Full english, breakfast roll, pancakes and porridge. I only ever got scrambled egg on toast, thankfully it wasnt that awful scrambled egg you get with a skin on the top and water running out of it. It was about as ok as scrambled eggs get.
Starters - Nachos, sandwiches, salad, soup and fishcakes. I've tried the nachos which were tasty but I'm not too much into starters. My friends and I got a sharing platter before which was just what we wanted and surprisingly large. We just fancied something to nibble on whilst having a few pints there was wedges and chicken wings, onion rings, chips, chicken strips, wedges and mushrooms. Probably a couple of other things but it was a while ago. We all enjoyed it and it came with a couple of dips.
Mains - Gammon, egg and chips (not over adventurous but very nice), Carbonara with garlic bread (had lots of times beats many italian restaurants only beaten by frankie and benny's), scampi, chilli con carne, steak and chips, fish and chips (bigger portion than expected very nice), roast dinners, lasagne (standard lasagne), burgers and baked potatoes. There is much more it's quite an extensive menu these days. I was there a couple of weeks ago I got steak and kidney pudding which was on the small side but had a good bit of meat in it and was very nice, my friend had sweet chilli noodles (vegetarian) and really enjoyed them but again it was a bit on the small side.
Desserts - cheesecake, ice cream, fudge cake and apple pie or crumble with a choice of ice cream or custard.
There is also a childrens menu which also has quite a big variety on it in comparison to a lot of places there are pastas, roasts and chip dishes.
My friend is a vegetarian and used to avoid eating in pubs and tended to go to more restaurants due to the lack of vegetarian options but she was impressed with the range last time we went.
The menu is informative on what is suitable for vegetarians and vegans, it also contains calorie information and allergy advice.
Wetherspoons also do special offers and food nights. They were having tasting nights the week after we went last but unfortunately we didn't make it.
On Tuesdays they have steak nights, Thursday is curry night and Sunday has to be roast day!
The portions aren't huge but they are not so small that you'd still be hungry or want to complain about them. The price is good you'd get a nice meal for 5 or 6 pounds. The burger and chips with a pint is only 4.95.
I went with my mother and aunt and we got 3 meals a dessert and 2 bottles of wine for just over 20 pounds.
Another thing I liked was the prices were the same in the airport and rail station branches where often other hike them up.
They have a wide selection of drinks, lots of lager and ale choices, a good few wines and champagnes and they also do pitchers and glasses of cocktails. This summer a pitcher of pimms is only 5.99. Most pints are around £2.
Overall wetherspoons is good for everybody whether you just want something to eat, just want a drink or both. It is a family friendly pub too it would be good for the whole families early on although some of them get a bit rowdy if there's any big football matches on and the later the evening gets.
The only problem I ever had was at the Postern Gate Wetherspoons in York. The place is very large and has a big outdoor beer garden but it was quite busy when we went and we ended up sitting on high stools eating our dinner in between two tables of hen parties. The table was also near a door which wouldn't close on it's own so the food went cold and we just got sick of leaving the table to get up and close it. In a Wetherspoons this size there is no reason not to have a designated dining area up until a certain time, it was only 6pm. Also, they brought my peas and gravy out a good 7 or 8 minutes after the meal. On this occasion the place was extremely busy so I wouldn't let me put it off in the future.
If you haven't yet been to a Wetherspoons, find your nearest one and give it a bash with the peace of mind of knowing that even if it's not 10/10 it's not going to break the bank!
I first started going to Wetherspoons about 4 years ago when I was still underage; I used to go with my Mum and Grandparents for lunch when I wasn't at college. We went to a few in Surrey and the big one in the Marina in Brighton. Since turning 18, I haven't really been drinking in Wetherspoons much. They tend to be quite loud and rowdy - the unbelievably cheap drinks deals mean a lot of people end up getting very drunk and unpleasant. During the day, however, I really enjoy going for lunch with friends or family. It is child-friendly in certain sections and they do a great kids menu.
Back to the food, at Wetherspoons you walk in and find a table, you then order your food and drinks at the bar and the food will come out to you. Different branches have different serving times, but mostly food is served until 10pm. They serve breakfast (often from 7am till 12pm) and then the main menu. Their Sunday roasts are delicious! There is a choice of meats and a veggie option which is way nicer than most pubs nut roast and the plates come loaded with potatoes and vegetables and the roast includes a drink! They also do a burger night, a steak night and a curry night on different nights of the week with special deals on that type of meal.
First of all, I guess, is that it's cheap. Main meals start from £2.99! There are more expensive things on the menu, but they're usually all under £10. There are different deals on at different times which makes your food even cheaper. I am really astounded at how little lunch for four can cost.
The menu is very open and informative. I'm a vegetarian, my mother is on a diet and my friend cannot eat gluten and the menu clearly states what is suitable. On the website there is a great "What I can eat menu builder" so you can plan before you go. They make it clear that although items may have gluten free ingredients, they have been prepared in a kitchen that handles gluten - the same with nuts. They have a lot of low calorie and low fat options that are clearly labelled and for the rest of the meals there are nutritional information sheets available sometimes in the restaurant (or failing that they are all online).
They make a big point of being ethical and sustainable when sourcing their ingredients both on the menu and on the website. The source sustainable haddock, salmon and cod, dolphin-friendly tuna, free-range eggs, British farm assured potatoes and Beef and their coffee is rainforest-alliance-certified. As an environmentalist all this stuff is really important to me.
The staff are generally really friendly. I don't think I've ever had bad service. They seem to be happy to help if anything is wrong with the food or drinks. Because of the fast-paced environment, mistakes do happen, but it's never been a problem for too long because they sort it out efficiently.
The food is usually really quick. I've never waited an unacceptable time and if you're going to be in for a wait, they tell you at the bar beforehand which is good.
The food is mostly ready-made and frozen. You're not going to find the freshest ingredients. I don't believe the meals are so much cooked as prepared. I suspect there's a lot of microwaving involved! Because of this, it's more difficult to substitute things on the menu if you don't like one part of a meal. The staff are usually very helpful about it, but sometimes it just can't be done.
I have been in many times and been told they are out of certain items. They have so many meals on the menu that I guess there just isn't enough room to store huge amounts of each thing.
So far the only organic item on the menu is the tomato soup. I understand, though, that prices may go up if they started making everything organic!
At very busy times you can be stood waiting for a table to become free and then while you are seated, there may be people standing waiting for your table. This makes it feel a bit rushed and pressured and there is no time for the staff to clean the table before you sit down. Wetherspoons can get very very busy so I tend to only go to the smaller, quieter ones in the suburbs of London.
Overall I would avoid Wetherspoons in the evening, but I love going there for a cheap bite for lunch. Don't expect silver service or high quality food - it's cheap and cheerful and if you go in understanding this you'll have a great time.
Wetherspoons is a large pub chain in the UK selling a menu of generally reasonably priced food and drinks all day.
There are two local to me in my home town Stafford, The Butlers Bell, a newly refurbished pub with an outdoor seating area and The Picture House, a large Wetherspoons in the centre of town which used to be a cinema.
There are Wetherspoons in practically every town, and all feature the same menu, with slight variations depending on ingredients available.
--The Menu--
The menu is quite varied and the food is generally reasonably priced. I find the food varies in quality from pub to pub, for instance I had the veggie burger and chips in Manchester and Stafford and the one in Manchester was tastier. However, there are some great deals on including beer and a burger for £4.99 or soft drink and a burger for £3.99.
There are deals on the menu such as two mains for £7.50, though you have to want to pick two from this limited selection.
They also run various specials throughout the week - Thursday night is curry night.
The drinks menu is varied and features a choice of quite sickly cocktails on an offer of two pitchers for £12.
--Personal experience including meals I have tried & rated--
My friend and I go fairly regularly for an inexpensive pub meal. It's also a popular destination on nights out for drinks with their selection of 2 for £12 cocktail pitchers and deals on drinks and a good meeting point in Stafford, as the Picture House is central in the pub sprawl of the main night life area. It's also a nice place to watch the football when it's on.
The Butler's Bell was recently converted into a Wetherspoons and is one of the "posher" Wetherspoons I have encountered!
Food Ratings
Dip selection: Really tasty - good for nibbles if you're not too hungry and want to soak up the alcohol! Featuring tzatsiki, roasted veggies, toasted flatbread, salsa & houmous.
Nachos - huge plate of sharing nachos with melted cheese, jalapenos, guacamole & salsa. I think this is slightly overpriced for what you can get from Subway for half the price, but still, a large portion of Mexican style nibbles!
Cheesey garlic bread - This has become a favourite, it is perfectly garlicy, oily, cheesey - two slices of garlic bread hot from the oven.
Chips: Standard portion of oven chips, nice as a side - bear in mind some things come with chips already so you won't need to order separately!
Onion rings: Moreish, tasty.
Sweet Chilli Noodles - Think these are slightly overpriced for what you get, but they are nice.
Veggie Burger - Always a winner with me, not the most tasty veggie burger I have ever tasted, but a reasonably tasty burger in a fresh bread bun with a yummy salsa dip and a side of chips. This is on a drinks offer with £3.99 with a soft drink or £4.99 with a beer, and a beer compliments it perfectly! You cannot beat a beer and a burger some days!
Cheese & Tomato Panini - This was a fairly average sandwich I thought for £4.99! Cheese was cheddar cheese and the bread was okay. Comes with a side salad.
Veggie roast with vegetables - This lentil, mushroom, pumpkin seed & mozzarella roast was delicious. Comes with gravy, usually vegetables but mine came with really nice peas and roast potatoes, the whole thing was really nice. Well worth the money.
Veggie curry & rice - This was reeeeally spicy, but I didn't notice as I had had a few drinks by this point! But overall a really nice curry and a substantial portion for the money too. You can get varying degrees of spicy.
My non-veggie friend has steak & chips which she loves, though these are hit and miss with quality.
She also likes the ham, eggs & chips and this is pretty reasonably priced.
Chocolate Fudge Cake with ice cream - This is always a winner with the chocoholic I am, hot melted cake with sweet vanilla scoops of ice cream.
Maple Syrup, pancakes & ice cream - Another delectable dessert, three medium sized pancakes with maple syrup and you can choose fruit compotes too.
Cocktail Ratings:
- Blue Lagoon - Quite sickly
- Purple Rain - Equally so
- Sex on the beach - Quite tasty
- Margarita - Okay, a bit sour
I can't remember the others, but I remember Sex on the Beach being pretty nice!
Shots in Spoons come quite expensive, though you can get interesting selections of the less alcoholic version including "Fruit Salad tray" with caramel vodka (mmmm), and a collection of Sourz type drinks which for those of you who don't know are "softer" shots with less alcohol content. They also offer a two for £5 jagerbomb/glitterbomb/various other types of bomb offer, so with these variations and fun drinks they are quite a nice way to start your night out.
Various ciders, beers, lagers & wines are available, ciders and nice bottled lagers come to around £3 a bottle so aren't cheap. Pints are around £2 and wine is best value by the bottle.
Compared with other pubs in my town, they are definitely one of the best priced for drinks out.
Other features include (usually) a beer garden, the ones at Stafford are quite nice, a rather addictive pub quiz machine - beware of these - they become quite compulsive, and various betting machines which I have never really wanted to play. They can cater for a lot of people as they are usually quite large pubs, generalising here, and food has always come pretty quickly for me - I have never had any major complaints with service.
I noticed that for people that ordered a small glass of wine, you literally get just a few sips - it did not look worth the money, I would recommend getting a bottle between a few of you of the "Private Bin" cheapo Shiraz if you are going for a bargain!! It is only the name that may have the potential to put you off ;) It's an okay drink, but not for wine connoisseurs.
I don't personally like cheap white wine, so wouldn't venture there. I have had the rose before and it was nice.
Great affordable pub meals, quality of meal varies but generally very good, fast service, nice drinks too, sociable atmosphere but they don't have a music license!
A large variety of ages and people go here, so it is by no means restricted to the young or old, there are often families eating out here and groups of friends, so it is a popular destination for an affordable pub meal. Recommended! Four stars for the lack of music license, and occasionally very average dinner.
The pub is cheap but the bouncers are power hungry and usually spoil the night by kicking out people on their second drink.
My advice is to stay clear of this place. Better to pay a little extra for a better time. An example of how poor the place is when i went i to the gents i stopped and searching by three bouncers for drugs!!! On what grounds?? Also when going out for a cig there is no guarantee of getting back in.
The bouncers think its ok to maul people and its only a matter of time before criminal charges will be brought against some of them.
Really rude and nasty door staff here. cant stress this enough. Best to walk round the corner to the wig and pen. lloyds up the road is also ok if funds are low. I hope the place closes down on two streets and be replaced with a decent place.
I'm a tee-totaler (apart from the very, very occassional rum and coke which happens about 3 times a year when I'm feeling flush!) but like to socialise with my friends or pop into a pub for lunch or dinner when I'm out and about so have experienced quite a few Wetherspoon pubs.
I know that some pub purists like my boyfriend don't particularly enjoy chain pubs and prefer the atmosphere of an independent boozer but chain pubs like Wetherspoon obviously have a buying power that the independent places could never compare with and therefore can offer drinks and food at a more affordable price. Another thing that I like about Wetherspoon pubs is that they try, whenever possible, to buy buildings that have character in a town that might otherwise be left to go derelict eg. one of their pubs was built inside an old, disused theatre, I believe, they have a pub in Glasgow built in an unused bank and they have some pubs built in disused churches, for example. It would probably be easier and cheaper for them to knock up new, made for purpose buildings rather than converting older buildings but I really like the fact that they commit to trying to protect these characterful, older buildings that are part of a community. Wetherspoon pubs are also generally based round a theme associated with the area which again, I think, is a really nice touch and there are usually pictures and information framed and on the wall telling people more information about the local heritage of the area.
They also have a policy of not playing music which for some people might be a downside but I enjoy the fact that you know you can go into a Wetherspoon pub at the weekend and actually be able to have a conversation instead of screaming over loud music.
Drinks are cheap, as I say, due to the large buying power of the chain and compared to other places can be much cheaper. My boyfriend loves foreign beers, particularly Leffe, and a bottle can be bought in Wetherspoons for less than £3 whereas in other pubs in Glasgow the same bottle costs over £5. Similarly a single rum and coke (or should I say Pepsi, as that is what Wetherspoon pubs serve) costs less than £3 depending on the brand of rum whereas again, you can pay £5 for a rum and coke in some Glasgow pubs. Wetherspoon also supports real ales and always has some ales on tap but also has frequent real ale festivals where more ales are available and you can try smaller, taster glasses of them. CAMRA (the campaign for real ales) supports Wetherspoon due to this and again, it is wonderful to see a large pub chain making a conscious effort to support brewing as without such a thing a lot of these ales would have a much more limited audience.
Food is also served until 10pm each evening. A breakfast menu exists which serves all sorts from hot filled rolls, to full fry ups. Recently even eggs benedict has been introduced! The main menu serves standard pub fayre and often has special offers advertised in the pub on leaflets on the tables such as beer and a burger for a lower price than is on the menu. Prices are fairly reasonable and there are also special nights such as Steak night on a Tuesday and Curry night on a Thursday where specific meals are available for cheaper than usual and with a wider selection than usual (although the main menu is also available for those who don't fancy a steak or a curry). The food is obviously not of the highest standard but you wouldn't expect that from pub grub, especially due to the price. It is, however, of reasonable standard and will fill a hole and the range is large enough that there is something for everyone. A children's menu is also available and kids are welcome in the family section until 8pm, I believe. Wetherspoon strives to keep the kids menu interesting to kids but also as nutritionally balanced as they can and gives money to charity when certain kids meals are bought which is, again, a nice touch.
Another thing that is great about Wetherspoon pubs is that they publish the nutritional content of their meals online in a fully searchable database. This is ideal for those watching their figures or people with specific dietary requirements such as gluten intolerance as they can pop on here and have a look at what is available and even input a specific calorie amount if they want to see what is available for around or below that.
Wetherspoon frequently publishes a magazine which can often be found on pub tables and flicking through it can be interesting. They seem to really celebrate their pubs and staff with frequent parties for pub birthdays and support and articles about staff who have raised money for charity in various ways.
Wetherspoon is so wide-spread now that you can find one in most towns and cities and I will definately continue to support the one in my town. All Wetherspoon pubs seem to attract a broad range of people from the older men to the teenagers and all the way through the mums out with kids or the people going out after work. It is nice to know that you'll always fit in in a Wetherspoon pub as with some other pubs you find yourself walking in and feeling instantly out of place if it ends up being an old man type of boozer or a local's place or worse, a place full of troublemakers! I really recommend Wetherspoon pubs to everyone!
I use Wetherspoons on many occasions during the week, mostly for breakfast.
The deals are great. You pay somewhere between 1.89 and 2.00 and you get a choice of drink (coffee/tea/orange juice) and also something to eat. I tend to stick with Porridge as that's what goes down best but you can also choose from Vegetarian Sausage, Sausage, Bacon or Fried Egg roll. Fruit yogurt is also an option for those with low calorie preferences.
They have recently taken out the coffee card option so you no longer get one free after you have bought five, but they also reduced the price.
Pancakes are also an option but are slightly more expensive if you have them with bacon, but roughly the same price without. You get three and they come with maple syrup or fruit compote. The down side of them is that they do not come with a free drink.
I think its fair to say, that on occasion, Wetherspoons gets some bad press. The chain of pubs has a reputation of being very cheap and cheerful, and I think some people have got the impression that the food is of a poor quality.
I myself, stayed away from the place for the longest time, and its only recently that I have been giving them a try again. I live in Sheffield, and there are at least 5 branches of Wetherspoons in the city if not more. The branch that I have been visiting recently is The Benjamin Huntsman, which is located on Cambridge Street right in the middle of the city centre.
The pub itself is very spacious, with nice décor and clean, tidy facilities. I always find Wetherspoons to be a little dark, and this branch is no exception, apart from that little quibble, I actually think the branch looks very attractive. This pub apparently has an outside terrace area, but I haven't actually been out there, so I can't really comment on that.
Now onto the food, which I haven't always been a huge fan of in the past. Me and my boyfriend have been going in mostly for breakfast, which has been super tasty. The breakfast menu isn't overly extensive, but it has all the traditional favourites on there, along with some more unusual items. I've tried the big breakfast, which was gorgeous. The food tasted really fresh, and was well prepared. They also serve the American staple of a pancake stack, with maple syrup and bacon with looks really good. The prices are of course extremely reasonable, with a large breakfast being around £4.00 or so, and you really do get a lot for your money!
Some people were commenting about the lack of healthy options on the menu, but I'm not sure this is entirely true. One of the things I really like about Wetherspoons is that the amount of calories for each dish is stated on the menu, I think this is a great idea! You can pick the dish that best suits your dietary requirements.
I know the pub frequently has special offers on, such as the Steak and Curry club, so you really can find some great bargain meals at these pubs.
Ultimately, I would definitely recommend Wetherspoons for a cheap, decent meal.
I have worked in a 'wetherspoon' pub for the past 6 years. It was only ment to be for a few months after leaving 6th form (untill i found a proper job) but i ended up staying. I am a Shift Leader, which means i can lead shifts (in place of a manager). I am responsible for looking after the cash and staff when i am on shift and can open and close the pub (bank the money at the end of the night/ lock up ect..) . I used to work 50 hours a week but since having my two children i only work 3-4 days a week.
As a shift leader i am on £6.65 an hour!! This is not a lot of money considering the early starts (5 am at one point) and late finishes (1am on a week night and 2am on a weekend). Myself and the rest of my team work REALLY hard!! Bar staff are on minimum wage! and we have to put up with some truely rude// drunk customers and have to put up with a lot of abuse. This all sounds rather bad, but i do honestly enjoy my job on the whole. The staff have a good relationship with the locals and are professional with new faces. The food is cheap and good quality. The drink is generally cheaper than in most other pubs. My managers have been very flexible allowing me to come back 3-4 days a week following my maternity leave (and my days change every week). I think people should give wetherspoons and their hard working staff a break!
With around five pubs going bust a week in the U.K., mostly because of the smoking ban, the news that Punch Taverns are starting to sell off their pubs to bring in cash suggest a big pub chain will soon collapse. It looks like the pubs that do food and attract a good mixed demographic will be the only groups to survive the downturn and so that puts Wetherspoons in a good place right now, their profits up 7% in the recession. There have always been too many pubs in my hometown of Northampton and the dice are being shaken and Wetherspoons are winning out here too, very much the pioneers of non smoking pubs as far back as the mid-nineties. Food being eaten at every pub is a little irritating but as long as they are proper pubs at night we can still enjoy them. Northampton has five Wetherspoon's pubs that I have been of late and so able to comment. One presume they are all the same, pricewise.
No 8 St Peters Square
I don't frequent this one much as it's a 100% gastro pub by day for shoppers and a warm- up bar for clubbers at weekends, situated right next to the towns biggest nightclub, Lava & Ignite (I'm not sure its called that now), which holds over 1000 people at capacity. As a kid many of you will recall the final pub before the club where the ones with jeans and trainers in your group would have to slope of home knowing they would never get past the thick-necked bouncers, a journey that would lead to the snog at 5 minutes to two that made your weekend. I hate clubs and dancing and usually wore jeans to avoid such the tiresome expensive event of 'clubbing'.
The pub is a multi layered job with more brass than a gypsy scrap yard, a sweeping bar the size of the bow of a cruise ship fully laden with a young bar staff, although taking just as long to get a drink at night as the lads serve the pretty girls first. There are NO smoking areas and the heavies don't like you smoking outside. It's very busy Saturday night as the lads cram their way to the bar to move on to the club and as the crowd is a conventional nightclub demographic and so looking to get off with girls, the testosterone can be high and so the suggestion of the ruck always there in these drinking bottlenecks. I haven't been there in a while at night time but suspect it's still the same.
Daytime it's very much the shopper's pub where mostly working-class families clatter their way through a gammon meal for £2,99 before returning to the large nearby Argos store and St James shopping area that holds all the big superstores like B&Q and Comet. The turnaround on tables is quick and the staff helpful. Prices range for the £2.99 specials to the £8 steak meals. Kids menus are perfunctory.
Lloyds Bar
Abington Street
Sitting atop the main high street in Northampton its food by day and younger drinkers at the weekend for this one. As it's the first pub that the young lads that don't tuck their pastel coloured shirts in hit after drinking all the way up the Wellingboro Road - the towns main western approach road that is packed full with lads pubs - it can be a noisy and competitive bar. So if you don't have sharp elbows it's not for you. There is a bar upstairs so try that if you don't like queuing or nervous you won't get served quickly enough and so let your mates or girlfriend down in someway by being crap at the bar. The drinks are expensive for a true Wetherspoons at night and the music straight from 'Now that's what I call Trance Music 35'. The girls are pretty but not my type.
By day its supposed to be a food pub but judging by the clientele it looks more like a retirement club for incapacity benefit claimants...old men in shiny leather jackets and trilby hats drinking their last years away as if a flaming comet is about to hit the earth, clearly ejected from their various working-men's clubs locally. There is an outside area upstairs for a quick fag although sucking a whole ciggie in five minutes can't be healthy. Maybe that's why the government bought in the smoking ban so you smoke more fags and so the treasury take goes up. I do find it odd that you can't smoke in a pub that is one big vice, drinking far worse for us than any quick smoke. What maybe happening is they want us to be healthier in general so to move the NHS over to private healthcare and so we can get some sort of health insurance cover.
The Goose on Two Streets
Fish Street
Town Centre
The Goose is right smack bang in the town centre and Northampton is right smack bang in the centre of England and so this is as generic as it gets as far as the modern English pub goes. The food menu is basic and the prices are likewise, between £3.99 and £7.99, some great lunch time deals knocking about for the working week clientele. With plenty of big TVs running Sky News and bar staff buzzing around at least you get served quickly.
It's a big opaque building with a journey to the toilets that reminds me of the old ABC cinemas when you had to go up two sets of stairs, along a passage way, down some stairs, behind the kitchens, and back up some stairs, by the time you got back to your mates ready to go for another pee.
At night there's a good mix of punters although mostly young and getting tipsy over doing nay interacting, pretty girls falling off stilettos, not so pretty girls trying to squeeze into the same heels and pencil skirts. It's not leery though and we are all there to worship Wetherspoons infamous cheap beer (and it is) deals and so a good vibe. If anything does kick off the bouncers sweep in like black helicopters and the punters leave like torpedos into the bins. Wetherspoons do everything with economy.
The Moon on the Square
6-8 The Parade
Market Square
If the homeless are not sucking on a two litre bottle of White Lightning in the afternoon in the local parks they are usually in here, mixing in with a right load of deadbeats. In the summer it looks like skid row outside the pub on the small gaggle of metallic tables.
Its plonked next to the now closed down Chicago Rock Café situated on the towns historic Market Square and the pub was the warm up pub for that crowd at the weekend. But the sign fell off the Chicago rock and it was closed, the clientele now going to Edwards across the road, one of those late night bar/clubs.
To be fair the moon pioneered non smoking drinking and was smoke and loud music free as far back as 1995. Back then the clientele was mixed and it did draw in people who didn't like smoke and loud music, but now that's the norm its rougher by night, polyester and tattoos plentiful, for both girls and boys, the drinking of a pint as macho art for both. By day it does good food business as its eating areas are spread across the pub and they do have more intimate areas if you don't want to be bumped by the drinkers when you're chewing the full English. Its not for posh people though.
I think it is safe to say, no matter where you go in this country you will find a Wetherspoons pub.
**The Pubs**
All Wetherspoon Pubs vary in the way that they are decorated and the atmosphere that they have. Some may feel like you local pub, where you always see the same people stood by the bar or sat in a specific seat, where other pubs seem to be more classy and have more of a restaurant feel.
**The Food**
The pubs serve food from first thing in the morning until around 10pm, depending on which pub it is. Wetherspoons are well known for serving decent food at cheap prices. For example, sausage chips and beans will put you back around £2.99 in most of their pubs.
Also, Wetherspoons run a range of different food clubs. These include steak club, curry club and sunday club. These clubs run on specific nights and give you a great discount on your food. For example, curry night is on a Thursday and for £5.99 you receive a curry and a drink. If there are two of you, pay £14.99 and you will receive 2 currys, a bottle of wine and a range of side dishes. Great value!!
**The Drinks**
As well as serving cheap food, Wetherspoons serve a huge range of drinks, again, at great prices. I am a big fan of Sailor Jerry rum and would usually pay around £3 for a single with Coke. But in Wetherspoons a single Sailor Jerry and Coke is £1.69.
You can also pick up quite a few drinks in these pubs which you may not be able to find in others, recently they have started to stock a range of ciders which I have never seen before. And they are always introducing new drinks, such as Desperados, a beer with a shot of Tequila in it.
**The Staff**
Everytime I have visisted a Wetherspoons pub, the staff have been incredible. You are always greeted with a friendly face and the staff could not do more to help you.
Also, I have friends which work in these pubs and know that each member of staff goes through a strict training programme to ensure that they know how to mix different drinks, how to prepare the food and the value of great customer service in this company.
**LLoyds No1**
Wetherspoons also run a branch of pubs named LLoyds No1, these pubs are pretty much the same as Wetherspoons in the day, with a pub atmosphere and your regulars. However, after a specific time the pub turns into a club, where the music is turned up and the lights turned off. These provide that great Wetherspoons atmosphere, with the great staff and cheap drinks, but allow you to have a fun night out.
**Wetherspoons Hotels**
Wetherspoons also have a handful of hotels scattered around the country, with the hotel attached to the pub.
I will be staying in Birmingham's Briar Rose hotel next week and will definately be reviewing it when I return, so keep checking for that if you are interested.
Wetherspoons is always my choice of pub when going for lunch or a quite drink, and if I want a great night out I will visit my local Lloyds No1.
We now have 10 Wetherspoons around Nottingham, I definately have my favourites and there are 2 that I will always avoid. Having so many pubs scattered around is great as it means, no matter where I am in the city, I will find a Wetherspoons somewhere to enjoy a drink.
Wetherspoons is definately the best pub chain around nowdays and seems to be taking over the country. Aslong as these high standards remain throughout each pub, I will not complain!
If you are after a cheap drink then this is the place to go!
I have wondered on a number of occasions how this chain manage to sell drinks at the cheap prices that they do and still make a profit!!!
They have a variety of ales which can change from week to week, so if you are a keen bitter drinker then it is ideal to experiment with different pints.
I have noticed that they have started selling cheaper named spirits, they use to sell Smirnoff Vodka and now it has changed to a name I have never heard of before! But if it tastes the same who cares!!
I have been to a few Wetherspoons over the years and they can be a huge difference in the kind of pub, I have found the city based tend to be more upmarket whereas the branches located in smaller towns tend to be occupied by your lower market unemployed customers who just need a cheap drink!
The staff are always well presented and polite and have never been unsatisfied with the service I have received.
The decor seems to be similar in most of the pubs and fell like it could do with a bit of an upgrade as it can look a bit outdated!
The food is quite simply you pay for what you get! Its not a fantastic meal but it is ok and at the prices they charge you can't really complain!!! I have never had a bad meal but I have also never had a really good meal! I would have something off the menu if I was having a snack but would go elsewhere if I was purposely gong out for a meal.
J D Wetherspoons has been part of British high streets for over 30 years. The pub chain is based on a number of core principles that the organisation at least attempts to meet - low prices, cask ale, long hours and a comfortable friendly environment for its customers.
One of the things that sets Wetherspoons aside from its locally based pub competitors is the lack of music - one of the things that allows Wetherspoons to deliver such low prices to its customers is its decision to not pay for a music license.
At the end of 2009, there was 743 Wetherspoons in the UK, so chances are you will always be relatively close to a Wetherspoons pub! If you are after a drink, Wetherspoons is a great place to go. As mentioned, the fact that the chain does not pay for music licenses amongst other things mean that there is a wide, varied selection of all of the drinks you are used to drinking at your local pub, at a fraction of the price! The pub usually has a friendly atmosphere, plenty of seating and a number of fruit/slot machines as well as 'Itbox' quiz machines; some of the chains pubs also allow its customer free access to todays papers as well as muted television coverage of the BBC or Sky news channel. The pub also sells coffee and tea, crisps, fresh juice, and a wide variety of soft drinks. With all of the entertainment options and wide variety of cheap drinks considered, it is easy to see why Wetherspoons is such a popular chain!
The problem comes with the chains food. On the face of it, its a wide selection of tasty and decent quality food for a low price. However, a closer look shows you what this bargain food is made of. Despite the fact that Wetherspoons "works closely" with the Food Standards Association to make sure its food is of a high standard, the low quality of their foods is absolutely disgusting. Below are some examples of this:
Bacon Carbonara (pasta) - Over 55grams of fat and over 155% of your RDA of salt.
The Gourmet Beef Burger - 1828 calories and an unbelievable 104.4 grams of fat, which is 149.1% of the recommended daily allowance of fat for someone who exercises for 30 minutes a day! Thats more fat than two KFC 'Fully Loaded' meals!
Large Breakfast with Black Pudding - 131.3% of your RDA of fat and 120% of your saturated fat RDA, and 190% of your salt allowance for one day!
Large Mixed Grill - 168.4% RDA of fat and a ridiculous 210.5% of your saturated fat - thats over two days worth of heart clogging saturated fat in one meal!
There is in fact, over ten meals that will offer over 175% of both your daily allowances of saturated fat and salt in one meal!
This is just some of the examples of the shocking quality of the food that Wetherspoons offer. Their food may be delicious and available at a low price - but you are not only just paying with your money your paying with your heart. This is a pub that offers food for kids, dont forget!
Wetherspoons is great for a cheap drink and a nice break from a days shopping, but I urge you to look closely at their nutritional information before purchasing any food - its really surprising just how bad it is! Enjoy a pint or two, but go somewhere else for your food! Your heart will thank you!


text:
Debt Management Plan
What is a Debt Management Plan?
A Debt Management Plan is a solution that helps people get back in control of their finances and repay debts at a rate they can afford.
Debt Management Plans are popular with people who are struggling with multiple repayments because it helps them to simplify their finances by consolidating debt repayments into one Plan – making debt easier to manage.
Why choose a Debt Management Plan?
Lower monthly repayments
A Debt Management Plan can help you lower your monthly repayments so that they are more affordable for you. We will take care of all the arrangements for you – including negotiations with your lenders.
What you need to know
Repayment Period
The time it takes to repay your debts depends on how much debt you have and how much you can afford to repay each month. It is worth noting that as you will repaying your debts at a lower rate than you originally agreed with your lenders, your credit rating will be affected in the medium term.
Interest & charges could be frozen
We will request that interest and charges are frozen – we can do this in 93% of debts managed through Debt Management Plans.
If interest and charges are not frozen
We will do all we can to get these charges stopped. If lenders do not freeze interest and charges this could lead to an increase in the period over which you repay your debts and the amount to be repaid.
Reduce lender contact
We will speak to your lenders for you so you don't have to. Once lenders know we are managing your debts for you, they tend to contact us instead – helping to reduce the amount of direct contact you have with your lenders.
If lenders continue to contact you
We cannot guarantee that lenders will stop contacting you completely, but we will do all we can to help reduce this contact. Simply tell your lenders to contact us and we'll deal with them for you.
Clear your unsecured debts
By maintaining your affordable monthly repayment plan you can look forward to clearing all unsecured debts included in the Debt Management Plan.
To find out more about which debts can be included in a Plan, click here.
Cannot write off debt
Lenders will not write off debts included in a Debt Management Plan, but those lenders who agree to the Plan will let you clear your debts at a rate you can afford.
How a Debt Management Plan works…
Call us for a no-obligation financial review
If you're interested in resolving your debts with a Debt Management Plan, call us for your no-obligation financial review. This helps us to learn more about your debts and level of income & expenditure.
Once we have this information, we will be able to work out if:
- A Debt Management Plan is the best solution for you
- How much you can realistically afford to repay each month
We'll negotiate with your lenders on your behalf
While we are setting up your Plan, we'll let your lenders know that we are working on your behalf. We will then negotiate a lower repayment rate for you and take care of all the arrangements.
Lenders do not have to accept a reduced payment plan, however many years of experience have taught us that most lenders welcome a responsible repayment plan with lower payments based on what you can realistically afford.
We'll request that interest and charges are frozen
Lenders do not have to freeze interest and charges on your debts, but we will do all we can to get them stopped for you. In 93% of debts we manage, we are successful in getting interest and charges frozen. If you have payday loan debts, we can successfully freeze 94% of interest and charges.
We'll advise lenders to contact us instead of you
To help relieve any pressure you may be feeling, we will ask your lenders to contact us from now on. Once they know that we are managing your debts for you they will often start to contact us but if you do still receive any letters or phone calls, please don't ignore them. Simply ask your lenders to contact us and we'll take care of their queries so you don't have to.
We'll distribute payments to your lenders every month
Once we have your Plan in place you simply make one monthly payment to us and we will distribute payment to your lenders.
We'll provide on-going help and support until you clear your unsecured debts
From your initial enquiry right through to when you clear your debts, we're with you every step of the way and you will have your own Account Manager to help you adapt to the Plan.
We'll keep you up-to-date on all the progress you've made during your Plan and you'll also have access to a secure customer log-in centre where you can check on payments.
Whenever you need advice or support, our friendly team is only a phone call away.
Is a Debt Management Plan right for me?
If you're struggling with debt repayments and are worried about how your finances are affecting your life, a Debt Management Plan could be the right solution for you.
With lower monthly debt repayments and all arrangements taken care of on your behalf, a Debt Management Plan could help you to get back in control of your money and on a path towards a future free from unsecured debts.
If you…
- Have two or more lines of unsecured debts (e.g. credit cards, personal loans, catalogue accounts, payday loans)
- Have debts of £1,000 or more
- Are struggling to make repayments
- Have proof of income
Call our friendly team and ask for a no-obligation Financial Review to find out if a Debt Management Plan is the best option for you.
You don't have to struggle with debt alone – life's better with our experts on your side.
What you need to know about a Debt Management Plans…
To help you understand more about the Debt Management Plan process we have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions. If you can't find the answer to your question here or would like to know more, please call our friendly team; and we will be happy to answer your questions…
DMP FAQs - NEW
Will lenders accept a reduced offer of payment?
If you are struggling to repay your debts, we will contact your lenders, explain your situation to them and propose a new repayment plan that is based on what you can afford.
In our experience, lenders will be happy to see that you are making efforts to repay your debts and are more likely to accept a reduced offer of payment.
Over the years we have built up excellent relationships with over 3,500 lenders – putting us in a great position to negotiate on your behalf.
Will lenders stop contacting me completely?
We will contact all your lenders and let them know that we are now managing your debts on your behalf and ask them to contact us instead of you.
We cannot guarantee that lenders will stop contacting you completely as all lenders are required by law to send out arrears notices and statements every 3 to 6 months – but we will do all we can to reduce the amount of direct contact you have with them.
In many cases lenders will choose to contact us once they know that we're managing your debts for you, but if they contact you after your Plan has been arranged, don't ignore their letters or calls. Simply ask them to contact us and we'll handle their queries so you don't have to.
Will interest and charges be frozen?
Lenders are not required by law to freeze interest and charges if you are repaying what you owe through a Debt Management Plan. However, we will do all we can to get these charges stopped.
When we arrange the repayment plan with your lenders we will also request that interest and charges are frozen and we are successful in this in 93% of debts we manage.
Could I receive Default Notices on my debts?
As you will not be repaying your debts at the rate you originally agreed with your lenders, they can issue a Default Notice against you because you have not maintained your original credit agreement. Default Notices can only be issued if you have reached 3 months of arrears. Legally, this allows your lenders to pass your accounts to a third party collections agency. Any Default Notice will remain on your credit file for six years.
If you do receive a Default Notice after you've started a Debt Management Plan, please forward it on to us and we will deal with this on your behalf.
Will my credit rating be affected?
If you have already struggled to make repayments on time or have missed them altogether, your credit rating may already be affected.
With a Debt Management Plan your credit rating will be affected in the medium term because you will not be repaying your debts at the rate you originally agreed with your lenders.
It is also worth noting that if you have been issued a Default Notice at any point (including within the Debt Management Plan), this will remain on your credit record for six years from the date the Notice was issued.
Can I take out a Debt Management Plan if I already have a CCJ?
Yes. You can even use the Plan to make payments towards any existing CCJs that you have. Just make sure that we know exactly what your current situation is before commencing with a Debt Management Plan.
How do you work out repayment plans?
We will complete a no obligation financial review with you to ensure all payments towards living expenses, rent / mortgage and household bills have been taken into account and you have enough money to pay for these every month.
The money that is left – your disposable income – is what we will use to calculate an affordable repayment plan for you. If you are happy with this and decide to enter into a Debt Management Plan, we can then begin negotiations with your lenders.
What debts can I include in a Debt Management Plan?
Only unsecured debts can be included in a Debt Management Plan, this means debts that are not secured against your property or something you own. We will always ensure that you have sufficient money to maintain payments towards your secured debts.
Types of debt included in a Debt Management Plan are:
- Personal loans
- Payday loans
- Store cards
- Credit cards
- Catalogue accounts
- Bank overdrafts
In some circumstances…
- Rent arrears (from previous properties or current housing association property)
- Mortgage arrears
- Council Tax Arrears from previous properties
- Council Tax Arrears from previous years in your current property
Types of debt excluded from a Debt Management Plan are:
- Ongoing Mortgage repayments
- Social funds and crisis loans
- Hire purchase loans (e.g. car loans)
- Secured loans
- Utility bills
- Student loans (Taken out after 1997)
- Child maintenance
- TV licence
What's the difference between unsecured and secured debts?
A secured debt is a debt secured against a property or asset that you own. Typical secured debts will be a mortgage, hire purchase loans or homeowner loans.
If you fail to maintain payments towards a secured debt the asset to which the credit was secured could be repossessed. For example, if you don't keep up with the mortgage, your home could be repossessed and sold by the lender to get their money back.
An unsecured debt is any debt not secured against a property or asset, such as a bank overdraft, a personal loan, a credit card or store card.
Is a Debt Management Plan a loan?
No, a Debt Management Plan is not a loan. We neither lend you money nor pay off your debts.
Your payment plan is a solution that allows you to repay your lenders at a monthly rate you can afford. If you do not make payments into the Plan, we cannot make payments to your lenders.
Do I have to be credit checked to qualify for a Debt Management Plan?
No. Since we do not lend you any money, we do not need to credit check you.
Do I have to be in full time employment to qualify for a Debt Management Plan?
No – we will carry out a financial review to find out if a Debt Management Plan is the right solution for you. This review is what the decision is based on, not whether you are in full time employment, self employed or working part time.
Our financial reviews are under no obligation, so if you're interested in finding out whether a Debt Management Plan would be the best way for you to deal with your debts, please contact us; we'll be happy to help.
Do I have to be a homeowner to get debt help?
No, you do not have to be a homeowner to qualify for debt help. It makes no difference whether you are a tenant, a homeowner or even still living with your parents – simply call us to find out what help is available to you.
Do I have to tell my partner if I take out a repayment plan?
We would advise that you tell your partner – especially if your partner's income has to be taken into account to support the Plan.
Can lenders still take legal action to recover debts?
Lenders are not legally required to stop further action when you enter into a Debt Management Plan; however many lenders will not take formal legal action to recover the debt as they are receiving regular monthly repayments based on what you can afford to pay through the Debt Management Plan.
Being part of a structured repayment plan will also show your lenders that you are making every effort possible to clear your debts.
If you get a letter regarding further debt recovery action, please contact us straightaway and we will do all we can to help.
How long does a Debt Management Plan last?
It really depends on how much debt you have and how much you can realistically afford to repay each month.
As you will be repaying your debts at a lower rate than what you originally agreed with your lenders, it will take you longer to clear what you owe – but you will have the reassurance of repaying your debts at a rate you can afford.
One of the most appealing aspects of Debt Management Plans is the flexibility of the solution. If your circumstances change in the future and you want to increase repayments and clear your debt in a shorter amount of time, you can.
How much do Baines & Ernst charge for providing the Debt Management Plan service?
We charge a Set Up Fee of £240, but to make this affordable for you, we will spread the cost over the first 6 to 24 months depending on your individual circumstances.
Your Set Up Fee covers the following:
- Drafting a bespoke payment plan
- Creation of a Debt Management Plan pack
- Initial communication with your lenders to let them know of our involvement
- Negotiations with lenders either in writing or by telephone
- Calculation and issue of reduced payment proposals
- Preparation of the financial statement
- Setting up regular payments to your lenders
- Allocation of a Personal Account Manager
Monthly Service Fee
Your monthly Service Fee is equivalent to 20% of your monthly payment, subject to a minimum of £40 and a maximum of £100. The Service Fee covers the ongoing work we do to ensure the Plan runs smoothly and you are provided with all the support you need.
Rest assured all your other household expenses will be accounted for before your Debt Management Plan repayment is calculated.
You can learn more about our fee structure here.
Over the lifetime of your Debt Management Plan we will:
- Review and act on lender correspondence we receive on your behalf
- Update your Debt Management Plan to deal with any debts that have been transferred to debt collection companies and negotiate with them
- Continue to distribute the agreed payments to your lenders
- Prepare and send to you your regular payment advice documents
- Update your Debt Management Plan to take account of any change in your circumstances and renegotiate your payments to lenders if necessary
- Safeguard your money in a protected client account whilst we hold it
- Provide an online statement and payment facility
What if my circumstances change after I have started a Debt Management Plan?
If your circumstances change in the future, please contact us straight away so that we can assess your situation and ensure that your repayments are still suitable. Depending on your financial circumstances, we may feel that you would benefit from an alternative solution, such as an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) or Debt Relief Order.
Alternatively, if you need advice on dealing with personal insolvency or information on going bankrupt, we can help you there too.
Is there a cooling off period?
There is a cooling off period of 14 calendar days from when the forms are signed and returned to us, in which you can cancel the Debt Management Plan. You can cancel in writing and any fees paid will be refunded.
You can also cancel after this period but any fees paid would be retained.
Can I cancel a Debt Management Plan?
Yes. You can cancel the Plan at any time and for any reason by sending us written notice – either by post, fax or email. Click here to find our contact details.
Will I incur fees if I cancel a Debt Management Plan?
No, you will not be charged for cancelling a Debt Management Plan with Baines & Ernst. Simply speak to a member of the team if you wish to cancel.
At the start of your Plan there is a cooling off period of 14 calendar days from when the forms are signed and returned to us in which you can cancel the Debt Management Plan. Any money you paid to us will be refunded (minus the monies already distributed to your lenders).
Can I read your full terms and conditions?
Yes, to read our full terms and conditions, click here.
Are there other types of debt solutions available?
There are a number of solutions available that can help people deal with their debts such as:
Individual Voluntary Arrangements – freeze interest and charges, write off debt typically at the end of 5 years, stop lender contact – restrictions apply – Click here for more details.
Protected Trust Deeds – freeze interest and charges, write off debt typically at the end of 4 years and stop lender contact. Only available to people living in Scotland – restrictions apply – Click here for more details.
Debt Relief Order – if you are on a low income and have little assets, you could qualify for a Debt Relief Order and become free from unsecured debts in 12 months – restrictions apply – Click here for more details.
Bankruptcy – if you cannot afford to repay your debts, you could apply for Bankruptcy and become free from unsecured debts in as little as 12 months – restrictions apply – Click here for more details.
How do I contact Baines & Ernst?
Getting in touch with us is easy – simply call us on the number at the top of the screen or complete the enquiry form and a member of our team will call you back.
If you are an existing customer and would like the Baines & Ernst Customer Services Team number, please visit our contact us page.
Insolvency Service guide
You can download the free guide from The Insolvency Service. 'In Debt? Dealing With Your Creditors' which provides an overview to dealing with debt and the debt solutions that may be available to you.
Alternatively, if you're in Northern Ireland, you could look at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investments 'In debt? Dealing with Creditors' guide, here. Residents of Scotland can also look at the Scottish Government's 'Debt Advice and Information Package' guide here.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Carboplatin and Bevacizumab for Recurrent Ependymoma
This study is currently recruiting participants.
Verified August 21, 2017 by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) ( National Cancer Institute (NCI) )
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) ( National Cancer Institute (NCI) )
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: February 11, 2011
Last updated: August 31, 2017
Last verified: August 21, 2017
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
No Study Results Posted on ClinicalTrials.gov for this Study
|Study Status:
|This study is currently recruiting participants.
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|July 1, 2020
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|July 1, 2018 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)


text:
Palo Alto Networks has brought a technology to market that is reshaping the network security landscape. Our ability to protect enterprises is only limited by our ability to reach out to them and help them understand what we can do. That's where you come in. We are growing our Inside Sale team and are looking for proven top performers to join us in driving through our next wave of success. If you are a sales professional that takes pride in always being at the top of your game and would like to put that passion to work at a company of all-stars we would like to hear from you.
|Dallas, TX
United States
|Web Site:
|2130 Gold Street
Suite 200
Alviso, CA 95002
United States
Support Palo Alto Networks with Social Media services
Find more Corporate Sales Representative jobs


text:
By directing the exterior lighting we reduce light pollution to the surrounding environment.
Windows provide natural light and reduce the use of electricity.
High performance window glazing saves energy by maximizing the library's heating and cooling systems.
We've reduced the amount of water we use by 60% with the installation of efficient landscape irrigation systems.
We selected native and adapted plants that are well-suited to our climate, and require less water than traditional ground covers such as grass.
We use roofing and exterior paving materials that reduce the heat island effect (thermal gradient differences between developed and natural areas). This minimizes our impact on the microclimate and on wildlife habitat.
Our landscaped bioswales remove silt and pollution from stormwater runoff.
A living roof with native species plantings reduces the library's carbon footprint by reducing heat island effects and capturing rain water.
High performance lighting fixtures use less electricity and need to be replaced less frequently.
Zero chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-based refrigerants are used in the building's heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems.
You can because this wood composite is made without formaldehyde (which gives off harmful fumes that can cause breathing problems).
The paints, adhesives and sealants in this building contain only low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC), reducing odorous or harmful indoor air contaminants.
Windows that open allow for natural ventilation, improve indoor air quality and eliminate the need for artificial air conditioning.
Efficient fixtures such as low-flow faucets reduce water usage by 40%.
Recycled materials are used throughout the building's interior.
We use regionally sourced and rapidly renewable materials, such as Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood.
The floor you're standing on is elevated above electrical and data cables so we can easily rearrange furniture or equipment without replacing the floor, which saves resources.


text:
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was infuriated that NHLPA chief Donald Fehr would suggest that a labor deal was close to being done last Thursday before talks quickly broke down. That pointed reaction was not lost on CBC hockey analyst Don Cherry, who said has never seen the NHL boss like that.
"I'm not saying he was crying or anything, but he actually had water on the side of his eyes, he was so mad," Cherry told Brady and Lang on Sportsnet 590 The Fan on Monday. "I've never seen him like that, and I know him personally. I think it's going to get personal right now. I think they have to hold him back a little bit and he's going to have to bite his lip a little bit because I think it's getting personal right now. But I still say they'll be playing in January."
While there are rumblings of talks resuming sometime this week, nothing has been set yet. Meanwhile, Cherry said it might be worth it for the players' union to put a secret ballot to its membership to gauge where the majority of players are at in the process. Otherwise, the rank-and-file players may never speak their mind when the league's biggest stars, who are making the most money, are the biggest voices in the process.
"You would be nailed to the cross if you ever stood up and said, 'Let's accept the owners' suggestion and contract,'" Cherry said. " … What's the harm in a secret ballot? If it comes out 100 percent reject, OK, now you know where you stand."
So if the commissioner doesn't think a deal is close, it's hard to think we're in the final stages of negotiations. However, as last week showed, when Tuesday and Wednesday produced talks that indicated major movement toward a deal, anything is possible as long as the parties find a way to say yes. Cherry thinks they can get it done.


text:
Texas: Denton County cool-season forage field day set April 1
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Denton County and the Denton County Extension Agriculture Committee will hold a cool-season forage field day from 5-8 p.m. at Rancho De La Roca, located on 2459 Blackjack Road West, Aubrey.
The event will begin in the field on the north side of Farm-to-Market Road 428, between Blackjack Road and the Green Belt Corridor at 5 p.m., said Brandon Boughen, AgriLife Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources in Denton County.
Dr. Jason Banta, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist in Overton, will discuss the pros and cons of utilizing cool-season forages in cattle operations, Boughen said.
Registration will be $15, and include educational materials and a light meal. Those wishing to attend should RSVP by calling Pamela Hill at 940-349-2894 by March 31, he said.
"When properly utilized, cool-season forages can save cattle producers the time and cost associated with extensive hay use," Boughen said. "The results of our cool-season ryegrass demonstration will be used as a teaching tool to help producers understand the dynamics of forage, whether they are grasses or legumes."
For more information contact Boughen or Hill at 940-349-2894.
Texas Ag Forum to feature overview of 2014 Farm Bill
Discussion of the 2014 Farm Bill will take center stage at the Texas Ag Forum, scheduled April 10 at the Hilton Austin Airport, 9515 Hotel Drive, in Austin.
The event will bring together producers, commodity and farm organization leaders from across the state, said Dr. Joe Outlaw, co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University and a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist.
"The 2014 Farm Bill significantly changed the farm program safety net," he said. "The new law provides producers with a number of choices for both commodity programs and crop insurance. We will take the opportunity to discuss these changes and provide insight on how the new farm programs will work for Texas producers. In short, the conference will focus on what the impacts will be."
The forum will feature presentations from policy makers, university experts and farm-group representatives. Presenters and topics are:
• Judith Canales, state executive director for U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency in Texas, "Implementing the 2014 Farm Bill."
• Outlaw, "Commodity Title Overview and Explaining the Crop Policy Decision Aid."
• Bart Fischer, chief economist for the House Agriculture Committee, "An Insider's Perspective on the 2014 Farm Bill."
• Dr. Patrick "Pat" Westhoff, director, Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute, University of Missouri-Columbia, "Sector Level Analysis of the 2014 Farm Bill."
• Dr. Doug Steele, director, AgriLife Extension, "Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the 2014 Farm Bill."
• Dr. D. Scott Brown, assistant research professor, department of agricultural and applied economics, University of Missouri-Columbia, "A Dairy Perspective on the 2014 Farm Bill."
• Dr. Gary Adams, vice president, economics and policy analysis, National Cotton Council, "Cotton and the 2014 Farm Bill."
• Dr. Mechel S. "Mickey" Paggi, director of the Center for Agricultural Business in the department of agricultural economics, California State University-Fresno, "Fruits and Vegetables and the 2014 Farm Bill."
Advanced registration is $125 through the Texas Agricultural Cooperative Council, 1210 San Antonio St., Suite 101, Austin, Texas 78701. To register, call 512-450-0555 and ask for Gloria Johnson. Same-day registration is $150.
The Texas Ag Forum is as an association of agricultural leaders and representatives from across the Texas food and fiber system. It was founded more than 20 years ago to provide a forum for open and public discussion of the problems and emerging issues in agriculture. It is a stakeholder-driven program in partnership with AgriLife Extension.
Agricultural law blog serves as educational resource for Texas landowners, producers
Tiffany Dowell, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service economist and agricultural law specialist in College Station, has seen her Texas Agriculture Law Blog continue to gain popularity due to timely topics addressing issues affecting landowners across the Lone Star State.
The law blog can be found online at http://agrilife.org/texasaglaw/ . It features a number of different topics, including updates on current ag-related litigation and events, information about basic laws in Texas, and information on specific legal issues such as pipeline easements and leasing.
In January, the blog had more than 2,100 visitors. The source serves not only farmers and ranchers, but Texas landowners as well, she said.
Site visitors can access information online or sign up for email subscriptions receiving the latest information as soon as it's posted to the site.
Dowell also incorporates questions she receives via email and telephone calls and, while respecting confidentiality, shares those questions and answers with readers.
Some of the most recent topics Dowell has addressed in the blog include:
• Underground trespassing. Earlier this month, the Texas Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could determine whether Texas recognizes underground trespassing. This case involved a landowner drilling an injection well used to dispose of wastewater 1 mile underground, which then crossed over property lines to a rice farmer's neighboring land. The case could have major impacts on the oil and gas industry and landowner rights. The Texas Supreme Court is currently considering the case and no decision has been issued.
• Interaction of rights between surface owners and mineral owners. Dowell has addressed what rights the surface owner has in the event the minerals have been leased and an oil company wants to drill on the land.
Other topics Dowell has previously addressed include eminent domain and water law.
"Water law continues to be a hot topic," Dowell said. "This along with pasture leases is what I've been doing a lot of presentations on across the state."
Prior to joining AgriLife Extension in 2013, Dowell was an associate attorney with the law firm of Peifer, Hanson and Mullins in Albuquerque, N.M. She received her law degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law and bachelor of science in agribusiness from Oklahoma State University.
WUD Dairy Leader Program accepting applications until April 4
April 4, 2014 is the deadline to apply for Western United Dairymen's highly successful California Dairy Leaders Program. Designed to train the next generation of California's dairy leaders, the leadership program consists of several sessions devoted to developing a better understanding of the economic, legislative, marketing, and environmental issues facing the industry. Eligible participants must be ac-tively involved in milk production, be able to spend the necessary time in class, as well as studying resource materials, and be able to commit to visits to locations such as Sacramento and Washington DC. Visit WUD's website: www.westernuniteddairymen.com to download an application packet.
The year-long program kicks off in the spring. Topics include environmental issues, the state and federal legislative process, dairy pricing and economics, biotechnological developments, marketing and promotion, and public relations skills. Participants will develop and enhance their leadership skills through communication, business etiquette, negotiation skills, time management, and team building work-shops. Instruction will be provided by recognized experts in their field.
Enrollment will be limited to ensure one-on-one instruction. Applications will also be accepted from individuals in allied industries. Only a single allied member may be selected for the program in any given year. The program enrollment fee and letters of recommendation are to be submitted with the application. Further information is available by contacting WUD at (209) 527-6453.
California: Spring Dairy Seminar to be held in Eureka
Humboldt/Del Norte County UC Cooperative Extension along with Western United Dairymen, NRCS and FSA, will hold a Spring Dairy Seminar on Monday, March 31 at the Humboldt County Agriculture Center. The event begins at 10:00 a.m. and includes brief information regarding disaster assistance and FSA loan program updates. Before concluding at noon, guests will also be provided with Water Board updates from Melissa Lema of WUD, and others. The program is offered free of charge to dairy producers in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties.
For questions or comments, contact Melissa Lema, WUD field rep, at 707-779-2214 or email email@example.com.
WUD: Maldonado calls for immigration reform
Former Lt. Governor and Senate Agriculture Committee chairman Sen. Abel Maldonado made an impassioned plea for immigration reform along with a warning about the disappearance of mid-size farming operation in his keynote remarks at WUD's recent annual convention. Speaking not far from his family farming operation in Santa Maria, Maldonado, a Republican, chided congressional lawmakers for their inability to gain traction on immigration reform, stress-ing the need for temporary worker permits. "It's embarrassing how they can't come together on anything," he said.
Maldonado pointed out that the Senate has passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill but the House leadership has refused to take action. "DC is completely broken," he lamented. "Democrats and Republicans can come together to pass a bill in the Senate but the House is not holding up its end of the bargain. Shame on all of us!"
Maldonado explained how his father came to the U.S. from Mexico "to work, not to moan and complain. I have not seen anyone come over here just to get on social services. People come here for opportunity and to make a better life for their family." Maldonado told the luncheon audience how he, as the eldest son of immigrant Mexican-American farm workers, helped his family run a small family farm, where they grew strawberries. After Maldonado graduated from Santa Maria High School, his family used their earnings from the farm to send him to Cal Poly, where he majored in Crop Science. He brought his college experience back to his family's farm and helped his family grow the half-acre strawberry farm into a 6,000-acre farm, employing 250 people, with produce shipped around the world. Maldonado stressed the importance of WUD members educating federal and state legislators. "When times are rough, it is important to kick it up a notch for your organization," he said. "Bring legislators to the ranch. It is really important for you to educate these folks moving forward."
Maldonado pointed out that he was a champion for the open-primary concept and that he believes it is having an impact. "When I introduced the open primary bill, I wanted to achieve three things – I wanted to attract candidates who were open-minded, reasonable and pragmatic. That is what's lacking in Sacramento and DC – people who want to make tough decisions and move forward." He said he remains optimistic that the open primary system will help boost moderate legislators.
He lamented the trend toward bigger and bigger farming operations. "The mid-sized grower doesn't exist anymore. I want that mid-sized farmer who was there when I was growing my business. It seems like those small banks are not there anymore either," he noted.
Maldonado was nominated by then Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in November, 2009 as Lieutenant Governor to fill the vacancy created by John Garamendi's election to the United States House of Representatives. A State Senator from 2004 until his appointment as Lieutenant Governor, Maldonado ran unsuccessfully for California State Controller in 2006. He represented a swing district in the Senate and is considered a moderate. Prior to serving in the State Senate, Maldonado was a member of the California State Assembly and Mayor and City Councilmember of Santa Maria. Maldonado was defeated in the 2010 lieutenant governor election by Democrat Gavin Newsom of San Francisco and recently announced his withdrawal from the Governor's race.
Arizona counties eligible for drought relief
Farmers and ranchers in 11 Arizona counties can seek USDA financial relief from the impact of the intense drought. With this federal designation, farm operators and ranchers in Apache, Coconino, Greenlee, Mohave, Navajo and Yavapai counties – and neighboring counties of Cochise, Gila, Graham, LaPaz and Maricopa – are eligible to apply for low-interest emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency (FSA). The other four counties – Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz and Yuma – were eligible starting on Feb. 27.
"This announcement is great news for Arizona farmers. The extreme drought creates a host of issues for our agricultural partners including significant land damage and financial losses," said Jack Peterson, Interim Director for the Arizona Department of Agriculture. "No matter what the weather forecast is, we have a significant hill to climb to emerge from this drought."
With the disaster designation, the USDA found that agricultural production losses in the counties were sufficient to warrant federal assistance. Eligible farm operators in the affected areas have eight months to apply for low-interest emergency loans from the FSA, at which time the agency will determine whether damages and production losses are sufficient to warrant the funding.


text:
#ASCO Early detection of pancreatic cancer using PAM4 as a biomarker
"Researchers have developed a novel immunoassay for detecting early-stage pancreatic cancer that identifies and quantifies blood levels of the PAM4 protein – a unique antigen present in almost 90 percent of pancreatic cancers and precancers."
Wow, that little snippet from the ASCO press releases from the Gastrointestinal symposium in Florida woke me up while sipping coffee this morning!
The reason is that pancreatic cancer is an insidious disease and most patients are diagnosed late, usually in stage IV when there is little that can be done to successfully attentuate the cancer. For years, researchers have struggled with ways of detecting the cancer earlier when treatments are more likely to be effective without confusing cancer from pancreatitis.


text:
And for historical purposes, here's the original photo of this recipe (from 2007!) It wasn't horrible, but not great either, don't you agree?
Chicken and Asparagus with Three Cheeses
(Makes 4 servings, recipe created by Kalyn)
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and each cut lengthwise into two pieces
2 - 3 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 lb. fresh asparagus
1 cup chicken stock, simmered to reduce to 3/4 cup
1/2 cup sour cream (regular or light, but not fat-free)
3 oz. soft goat cheese (The kind that comes in a log.)
3 T Parmesan cheese
1/4 - 1/2 cup finely grated sharp cheddar (I used white cheddar)
Trim all visible fat and membrane from chicken breasts and cut each one in half lengthwise. Season chicken with poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper, then heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and brown the chicken until it's lightly browned on both sides. (The chicken will cook more in the oven so it doesn't need to be cooked completely through at this point; don't overcook.) Put the browned chicken pieces into the casserole dish.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This recipe would be great for low-carb or low-glycemic diets. It's a bit high in fat for the South Beach Diet, but you could use light sour cream and low-fat cheese if you prefer, and I would eat this for an occasional treat for South Beach, even for phase one.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Nutritional Information?
More Tasty Ideas with Asparagus:
Asparagus with Cream Sauce ~ CopyKat Recipes
Baked Eggs and Asparagus with Parmesan ~ Kalyn's Kitchen
Asparagus and Chicken in Peanut Sauce ~ Lauren Kelly Nutrition
Crustless Breakfast Tarts with Asparagus and Goat Cheese ~ Kalyn's Kitchen
30 Minute Roasted Asparagus and Cod with Rustic Tomato Sauce ~ Country Cleaver


text:
Knile Davis fractured his fibula against Colts
Posted by Josh Alper on January 8, 2014, 8:48 AM EST
Getty Images
The Chiefs saw a series of players exit their 45-44 loss to the Colts with injuries last Saturday and coach Andy Reid offered updates on their conditions on Tuesday.
Running back Knile Davis appears to be the cause for the most concern as Kansas Citys offseason gets underway. Davis fractured his left fibula when he was injured in the second half while also spraining his knee, an injury that Reid said on 810 Sports, via the Kansas City Star, scared the heck out of the running back.
Reid also said that Davis will be fine, but its unclear whether hell be able to take part in the teams offseason program. If he isnt, that might help another back make a bid to make the team if the Chiefs decide to move on from third-stringer Cyrus Gray.
The Chiefs also confirmed that linebacker Justin Houston has a knee sprain and bone bruise and announced that wide receiver Dwayne Bowe had a minor foot sprain. Running back Jamaal Charles, cornerback Brandon Flowers and wide receiver Donnie Avery all suffered concussions and, per Reid, are all improving while going through concussion testing.


text:
Determination of HIV-1 Production by the Prostate
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|HIV Infections
|Study Type:
|Official Title:
|Determination of HIV-1 Production by the Prostate
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|July 1997
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|April 2001
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|Child, Adult, Senior
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
HIV positive male.
Willing and able to participate on study.
Age greater than or equal to 18 years.
Stable antiretroviral therapy for the preceding 4 weeks and judged likely to remain on stable therapy for the study.
Patients with a history of vasectomy or orchiectomy may be admitted to the study, but the data obtained from those patients will be analyzed separately on a pilot basis.
Able to provide informed consent.
Clinically stable.
No clinical or laboratory evidence of bacterial prostatitis.
No clinical or laboratory evidence of genito-urinary tract infection.
No history of prostatectomy.
Absolute neutrophil count greater than 500/ul.
Platelets greater than 50,000.
Patient must not have had treatment within the prior 8 weeks with anti-androgens or estrogens. Stable therapy with anabolic steroids will be allowed.
Patient must not have localized or systemic disease which would, in the opinion of the investigator(s), render the patient at risk following prostatic massage and/or the donation of semen.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00001584
|United States, Maryland
|National Cancer Institute (NCI)
|Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00001584 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|November 3, 1999
|Last Updated:
|March 3, 2008
Keywords provided by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC):
Sanctuary Sites
Sexual Transmission
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
HIV Infections
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017