A town centre Wetherspoons pub has reopened after months of refurbishment - and Romford Recorder readers think it looks "exactly the same".
The Moon & Stars, in South Street, opened on Tuesday (October 22) with more customer space and "major" structural changes, according to a JD Wetherspoon spokesperson.
However, most readers seem to think it "looks the same as 15 years ago".
Mick Ford commented on Facebook: "Only popped in for a quick pint but other than some LED ceiling lights which make it look a bit brighter, not sure that’s a good thing, it looked exactly like it did before it closed."
READ MORE: See inside revamped Romford Wetherspoons The Moon & Stars
Another reader, Jade Louise Gabriel, added: "They've literally moved tables around to make some space."
Others said that the Wetherspoon pub has at least had a "fix up and a bit of paint".
A big sticking point for most was that the flooring appeared to be the same.
While Wetherspoons' carpets are infamous - there is a Facebook group dedicated to their "appreciation" with 14,000 members - Recorder readers were not impressed by the Moon & Stars carpet.
One reader said the pub still has the "same old sticky carpet", while another commented that the chain "didn't even bother changing or cleaning the filthy carpet".
A spokesperson for JD Wetherspoon told the Recorder that new carpets were put in as part of the refurbishment in 2019, which cost around £2 million.
The chain previously told this paper that a key part of this refurbishment involved structural works, which have resolved "a number of persistent leaks".
Several of the pillars in the customer area have also had their width reduced to "increase the number of covers".
Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin said: "The Moon and Stars has always been a very popular pub.
"We’re sorry for the inconvenience to customers in closing twice, but old buildings sometimes require substantial investment of this sort.
"We’re confident that the pub now looks great and that it will be a valuable asset to Romford."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here