It wasn’t so long ago that News Shopper wrote about a breast feeding mum who was asked to cover up at The Furze Wren and a big ol’ internet debate kicked off as to whether breastfeeding is offensive (it’s not).

A little bit of me hoped there would be a bit of drama to spice up my visit, but all I was greeted with was the feeding of the five thousand.

Finding a table during the lunchtime rush was a significant mission.

The place resembled a great school dining hall, though rather than teenage goths and chavs in untidy uniform there were workers in hi-vis and lots of pensioners.

I was constantly having to shuffle my chair in to allow kindly old dears’ mothers to squeeze through.

This is more of an old-school Wetherspoons – sticky menus and a sense of chaos – but I still kind of liked it.

It’s an enormous communal-style room with tables packed in tightly, stools in front of the slot machines but it is clearly popular – not ever so snug but a decent respite from the shops.

As ever at a Wetherspoons, you’re pretty much guaranteed a good range of drinks and great prices. There were lots of ales, including Halloween specials, and a beer and burger costs just £7.09.

Such was the busyness, I didn’t hold out much hope for my lunch. I imagined hurried kitchen workers just tossing it at a plate.

But my burger arrived quickly. It was a bit dry and unloved but given the price and how busy the pub was, it was quite forgivable.

The highly-tested staff were pretty efficient and happy too, though the service was perhaps inevitably a little impersonal.

The Furze Wren, Broadway, Bexleyheath

How it rated:

Atmosphere ** Very busy but not enormously pleasant

Decor ** A bit drab

Staff *** Hurried but good

Food *** Adequate

Drink **** Nice range

Price ***** Unbeatable