Wetherspoon Glasgow Airport Landside -A Cosy Place. (Wetherspoons (The Sand Piper, Glasgow Airport))

Member Name: Machair1

Product:	Wetherspoons (The Sand Piper, Glasgow Airport)
Date:	08/09/09 (82 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Inexpensive

Disadvantages: Food- just basic pub grub.

I love Glasgow Airport, and was quite happy with all the facilities they had prior to the massive revamping that has been going on now, since the dreadful bombing incident which occurred there in June 2007.

I was actually lucky because we should have been in the airport the day it happened, and would have been sitting in Café Nero, where we always wait, by the International Arrivals, but had decided to drive to Scotland instead that day. That was a very close call, and so now I do welcome the increased security measures, and the new layout and rebuilding of the airport which is ongoing.

Part of this re- development has been the building of a new Wetherspoon pub called "The Sandpiper" which is land side adjacent to the check in desks. Opened in October 2008 this is a real asset to the hungry and thirsty traveller on a budget. It opens at 4am and staggers on until the last flight of the evening.

The pub was named after the Common Snipe and the Jack Snipe, which are both birds seen regularly on a local nature reserve called "Paisley Moss", which actually lies within the airport boundaries about 10 minutes from the terminals.

This is, yes, just another Wetherspoons, and to be honest I can't say I really love them, but at the airport there is often quite a wait for us as we often fly up to Glasgow from London, and then have a wait between our connecting flight to Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides. I don't mind as long as where we go is quiet, in fact I often book the business lounges in London, as certainly at Gatwick in particular, the communal areas are very busy indeed. Glasgow however has some quiet nooks and Wetherspoons is certainly one to try.

The décor of the pub is old worldy, with a great little hideaway in the corner which has old books on shelves, and a cosy settee to snuggle into.

The menu is a standard Wetherspoon offering, and they have an "All day Breakfast" as well as many lunchtimes snacks, such as a good selection of baked potatoes, as well as more elaborate main courses such as "Sweet Potato, Chickpea & Spinach Curry", or "British Beef & Abbot Ale pie". It's pub food for sure and at good prices, the baked potatoes are very reasonable. We had two coffees and two baked potatoes with cheese and beans and a salad and it was only £11.

Alcoholic Drinks are sensibly priced too, and certainly affordable, and there are some scrumptious desserts.

I am always really delighted to see a selection of herbs teas to choose from there, and have enjoyed many of these including camomile and peppermint.

Each time we have visited this establishment we have been greeted with a smile and have been served promptly and kindly. The food is not special, it's basic pub grub, and a lot of it certainly emerges from the caverns of the microwave, but it is a good choice for a quiet pre check in drink, or for relaxing before going through to security if you have arrived early.

We have also eaten here if we have landed and are staying at one of the airport hotels as it is certainly much cheaper.

I am also impressed to see organic dishes and free range ingredients appearing on the menus, as well as their use of 100% Rainforest-Alliance-certified coffee.

With the redeveloped security at the airport you have to keep your wits about you though and watch the screens, because it takes a good ½ hour just to pass through security, even to flights destined for domestic routes so leave a lot of time.

I think this has been a real asset for travellers and somewhere I enjoy passing an hour, it rarely gets busy, and it allows you to sit and read, or chat, in comfortable surroundings without breaking the bank.

Summary: A good place if you are on a budget.