The great pull of the Royal Victoria Pavilion pub is what you can see from it.

It offers splendid views of Ramsgate’s beach, harbour and seafront.

The upper floor terrace almost completely wraps around the building, giving near-360-degree opportunities for viewing.

From a distance, you can even see the London Array wind turbines in the Thames Estuary and the cliffs at Kingsdown near Deal.

A new survey saw the Harbour Parade pub ranked as the second highest-rated JD Wetherspoon in the UK.

That saw 58.48% of those taking part rating it as “excellent” - with some reviewers insisting it is in fact the very best in England.

But is it really that good? I went there on a sunny Sunday evening and I could see how people would pour over there during the summer and sit on that vast terrace.

There is certainly enough room. It is listed as the world’s biggest Wetherspoon pub at 11,000 square feet (1,022 square metres), with room for around 1,500 customers.

When I was there, the pub was not entirely full. We have had glorious sunny weather this month but it has been tempered by chilly evenings.

Not everybody is yet ready to come out to enjoy a summertime drink but no doubt the numbers will swell in the next few months.

I ate and drank on the upper floor and the handy thing is that there are large bars on both levels with, conveniently, lifts as well as grand staircases. connecting both floors.

No complaints about the service - the barman promptly took my order and the main course was brought over in 12 minutes.

Throughout the evening, I saw staff swiftly clearing tables, leaving the pub constantly spotless.

The vast venue also has a beachfront beer garden and expanded last December in a £750,000 refurbishment, making room for 100 more customers.

Wetherspoon opened inside the giant Grade-II listed building in 2017 following a £4.5 million revamp.

Designed by architect Stanley Davenport Adshead in 1903, the formerly derelict pavilion had stood empty for nine years before Tim Martin’s firm took over.

It was originally built as a concert and assembly hall but later became a nightclub and then a casino.

The survey by the organisation Captain Caz placed the Bishop Blaize in Manchester as the number one Spoons. It had a rating of 60.3% of reviews that classed it as excellent.

The Pavilion had 4,036 five-star reviews, with one commentator saying it was “the best Wetherspoons in England.”

They added: “Outside on the terrace you could be mistaken for being in the south of France. It's truly beautiful, the view out to sea and the harbour, food and drink always reasonably priced and staff pleasant.”

For me, it is the views from the terraces that give this place the ace hand over other branches I’ve used.

My regular Spoons, the Eight Bells in Dover, only has one narrow terrace at the front facing the Cannon Street precinct and the beautiful St Mary’s Church. It is certainly pleasant to sit there and watch the world go by - but unlike the Pavilion there is no other choice of view.

The Sir Norman Wisdom in Deal has a large beer garden at the back but all you see from there is a large Aldi store.

The Samuel Peto, in Folkestone, does not have any special outside viewing but this is made up for by its impressive interior. As a former Baptist church, it still has stained glass windows, arched doorways and enclosures once used by small groups of worshipers.

The building from the outside also looks highly impressive.

Wetherspoon is obviously onto a winning formula with its premises thriving while smaller local pubs continue to close at an alarming rate

The cheap alcohol and food keep its venues popular but there is also, in my view, the bonus of a no-music policy. It means customers can hear themselves and their friends talk instead of competing with blaring rock and pop.

The strategy with this company is to take and transform large premises, many of which had nothing to do with the hospitality trade.

The Sir Norman Wisdom was a Jobcentre, the Eight Bells was a Milletts clothes store, the Thomas Ingloldsby in Canterbury was a furniture shop and the Leading Light in Faversham was a Co-operative supermarket.

My rating of the Royal Victoria Pavilion (out of five stars)

Food: Good solid meal, perfectly tasty ****

Drink. As I was driving, I only had soft drinks and coffee - no complaints about the quality ****

Decor: Tastefully decorated with pictures of old scenes of Thanet. Also, there are portraits of famous faces such as the comedy writer Frank Muir, who was educated in Thanet, and Dad’s Army actor John Le Mesurier (Sgt Wilson) who lived in Ramsgate *****

Price: I had a double American burger and chips with a coffee and orange juice, adding up to £11.47. The dessert of a brownie and ice cream added another £5.48. Excellent value and the trademark low Wetherspoon price *****

Staff: They were always pretty busy, serving pints and cleaning tables *****

How to get to the Royal Victoria Pavilion

By public transport: The Loop bus service goes from Ramsgate railway station and comes to the harbour seven days a week, every right minutes to half an hour. The bus stops at the main parts of Thanet such as Broadstairs, Margate and Westwood Cross.

By road: Key routes like the A299 from Whitstable and the A256 from Dover take you to Ramsgate. Within the town, the way to the harbour and town centre is well signposted.

Parking: Spaces such as at the Marine Esplanade cost £1.30 an hour.