Sir Titus Salt, Bradford

It really is superb value, and I speak as someone who has a friend this stingy...

On the night before my wedding ten years ago, 12 of us had a three-course Italian meal with wine and beer and, when it came to settling up, the management who knew of my forthcoming nuptials very kindly said just call it £10 each'.

My stingy friend replied: "If I'd known they were going to say that, I'd have had two starters."

And it's not just value. Wetherspoons is fast gaining a reputation for serving quality ales. The Sir Titus Salt on Morley Street has a very prestigious Cask Marque, awarded by Cask Marque, the independent industry assessor of the quality of cask-conditioned, hand-pulled ales.

If that isn't recommendation enough, Wetherspoons pubs are rarely empty and generally contain the kind of beer lovers who sport tap-room tans.

So I was quite looking forward to meeting the T&A Faith Matters editor, Reverend Geoff Reid, for a pint of real ale and a spot of lunch at the Sir Titus Salt, named somewhat ironically after the Victorian philanthropist who banned public drinking houses from the streets of Saltaire as he wanted his workforce to remain sober and healthy.

A former public baths, the Sir Titus Salt has an impressive interior with a circular balcony overlooking a room with a centrepiece fireplace, booths for those seeking a bit of privacy and a non-smoking room.

It was fairly full when we arrived and this was a Monday lunchtime with a vibrant atmosphere.

I tried a pint of Elgood's Double Swan as I studied the menu while Geoff sampled half a Young's Special, total cost of both drinks being just £2.39. Both were pleasant light beers and full of flavour.

After a recent cricket match report described me as a very wide mid-on' I have been trying to lose weight, and I promised Mrs McGinley that I would definitely be looking at the jacket potato menu.

So obviously I chose ham and eggs with chips while a recent addition to the menu chicken, ham and leek pie caught Geoff's eye.

So far so good, but things went downhill when I ordered and paid for the food only to be told there would be a 45-minute delay.

As neither of us was in a particular rush, we opted to sit out the wait, but it might have been a different story had we needed to be back at work for a set time. It wasn't 45 minutes anyway, more like 30, and it gave us the chance to sample another half of bitter each, Geoff enjoying a Brains SA while I tried the Greene King Triumph. Again, both perfect light lunchtime beers.

While the beers were excellent, the food was functional. My ham was perfect, lean and tasty, with a couple of fried eggs. The chips' were more French fries' anaemic skinny bits of limp potato.

Geoff's pie looked appealing and there was plenty of it. It was worth the effort, with a decent amount of meat,'' he said. It was served with the same sad chips as mine and some dismal-looking carrots plus a bit of broccoli.

As the pie was £5.79 (the ham and eggs were £4.49), a bit of better garnish might have made it good value. Instead it rankled that a tasty pie was let down by a below-par support cast.

Wetherspoons has an extensive and varied menu with special theme nights throughout the week such as the curry club and even if you're not into real ale, it has an impressive range of lagers which includes three Polish ones and wines.

The ideal place for a beer-sampling session, but I would certainly think twice about eating there again.

What we ate: Main course, Ham and eggs - £4.49, chicken, ham and leek pie - £5.79. Two and a half pints of beer - £3.99. Total cost £14.27 Verdict: Food - two stars; service - two stars; tmosphere - three stars; value for money - three stars.

• Our writers comment on what they find during a single visit. They accept standards vary from day to day. In the interest of fairness, they do not reveal their identities, and they pay for their meals in full. Each venue is judged against other restaurants of a similar type.