I WENT for a meal and a pint at a former Wetherspoon pub in Flintshire which is under new ownership - and found it much like its predecessor. 

The Market Cross, in Holywell, briefly closed its doors earlier this year after Wetherspoon sold it to a new owner. 

It was taken on by a Manchester-based company which specialises in taking over former Wetherspoon pubs. 

Lucas Jokiel, area manager for the company, pledged that it would be "very similar" to Wetherspoon - in terms of prices and products, and he wasn't wrong.

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I ordered a pint of Camden Hells lager (priced at £4.80). This is quite a bit dearer than your average pint in Wetherspoon. I was expecting it to be priced more around the £4.30 mark. 

I ordered the barbeque burger and a side of southern fried chicken strips. The meat on the burger was nice and tender, but the barbeque element consisted of sauce in a pot. The chips and onion rings were spot on, but the chicken strips were bland. 

However, I still really enjoyed the meal - which cost £14.60 in total. It's more than you'd pay in your average Wetherspoon, but still very reasonable in the current climate. 

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The furnishing of the pub remains very similar to what it was like when a Wetherspoon - and this includes its toilet facilities. The Market Cross won 'Loo of the Year' on a number of occasions, and its bathroom remains in an excellent condition. 

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The Market Cross sits within the heart of Holywell, and it would have been a huge blow to the town if it closed for good.

While prices may have increased under the new ownership, they are still perfectly reasonable.

The pub has very much retained its Wetherspoon feel, as the new owner pledged.