I have been in twice since it opened - once to try it out, second time to see whether the first time was a fluke - it wasn't. It was pretty terrible both times. Slow, poor service and the usual processed Wetherspoons rubbish - the exact reason I never eat in the other Wetherspoons (Picture House). I thought (wrongly it would seem) that as we already have a standard Wetherspoons in the town the Butlers Bell would offer something different - it doesn't seem to, it is just another Wetherspoons.
I preferred it far more when it was Apres - it had a nicer atmosphere and their pizzas were to die for and it wasn't all that expensive, no more expensive than it is now and yet the place is always rammed now.
The only thing it has going for it is it has a good range of local ales - that isn't enough to get me back in though as you can also get good local ale at town centre places like The Sun, Rose and Crown, Joxers and hopefully the "new look" Pie and Ale House that doesn't seem to now have the Pie bit. All those places are vastly superior as drinking establishments.
To sum up - The food is nothing special, the place is crammed as they have shoved as many tables in as they possibly could, it is noisy and seems little different from the Wetherspoons we already have. I won't be back, too busy supporting local business rather than identi-kit, faceless chains.