It’s not everyday you get to experience something new at a Wetherspoon’s pub.

The cheap-as-chips chain is renowned for its easy on the pocket drinks and even easier on the pocket meals if you opt for one of the array of deals that bombard you from behind the bar or at your table.

And that’s normally about it.

But the watering hole has just held a beer festival selling ales and ciders from microbreweries across the UK and further afield and on the day Pubspy visited the Sir Julian Huxley such delights as Banana Bread Beer, Titantic’s Tug Light Ale and Jamaica Stout were on draught.

Which is just as well as a trip to Selsdon can leave you feeling parched – the reason being pubs are few and far between.

That’s why the Sir Julian Huxley, named after the first director-general of Unesco and one of the main backers of Selsdon Wood Nature Reserve no less, stands out.

Inside it’s a fairly typical chain pub with chairs and tables dotted around, a big screen showing the news headlines and some random pieces of art, not forgetting a few token photos and words explaining the link to Sir Julian.

It’s reasonably busy, even for a mid-afternoon, with a mix of punters passing through the door.

But that doesn't account for the queue at the bar where the staff seem more preoccupied with discussing the forthcoming nuptials between Wills and Kate and the bank holiday than serving customers.

Having finally been served I plonked myself down in a quiet corner to survey the boozer and await my food – which arrived in double-quick time, if only the same could be said about the beer.

The Sir Julian is a vast, open plan bar with plenty of seating, a conservatory-style area and a beer garden out back.

It welcomes families – by chance I ended up in the family area – which was largely empty.

Maybe it was the decor, which is a bit tatty round the edges, that led people to sit elsewhere.

The leather seat cushions were ripped and some of the tables had not been cleared of empties.

A trip to the toilets was no better. Having negotiated the stairs, which could be tricky after a few drinks, I found two of the loos were out of order, one had drawings on the tiles and the carpet was torn in places.

With its prime high street location the Sir Julian clearly doesn't have to do much to get punters through its doors – but it needs a bit of time and attention to detail if it wants to keep them coming back.

The Sir Julian Huxley, Addington Road, Selsdon

How the pub rates out of five:

Décor: XX Big, open plan pub with plenty of seating. It's clean but there are obvious signs of wear and tear.

Drinks: XXXX Plenty of ales, lagers and ciders.

Atmosphere: XX It was fairly sedate but is probably different on a Friday or Saturday night.

Price: XXXX Pint of Thatcher's Gold cider was £2.65, while a pint of Stella was £3.10.

Staff : XX Bit slow on service.