The Golden Lion, Watford

A tolerable backstreet local with a larger-than-life landlord. There are high tables across the front bar, a side room with lots of old prints and a partly-covered outside section. Just Doom Bar on handpump and nothing of any note on the keg taps. Leave it to the locals.

First time to poke my nose in this one since Saracens moved away from Watford many moons ago. Although there is a dartboard and a couple of screens dotted about this is no longer a sports bar but a fairly standard comfortable pub now called the Golden Lion. A single room wrapping around the L shaped bar with a nice outside drinking area to the back beyond a small glass covered conservatory area. Nice inoffensive decor with one wall being a montage of old black and white photos of Watford landmarks ( if that’s not an oxymoron). Three hand pumps on the bar but only one in operation with a fairly average London Pride. Another reverse clipped with Doombar and these seemed to be the permanent two ales. It’s an OK pub and decent enough by central Watford standards, but nothing to really make it stand out.

Druids has now been renamed the Golden Lion.

Sports orientated bar/ pub just to the north of the Watford inner ring road. Has an emphasis on Rugby with plenty of Rugby memorabilia on the walls and, as mentioned by Clive below, is the unofficial home of Saracens supporters on match days. Internally it is one room open plan space with the bar area to the front and an eating area to the back, which is made smaller by some fairly large tables. And then there is a decent sized decking area and garden out to the back. The bar supports two hand pumps, but these are usually only GK IPA and Bombardier , so the beer choice is not brilliant. But in my experience it’s a decent place to watch sport and for a pre and post match pint on football and rugby match days, when the crowds can be lively but never intimidating.

Sports orientated bar with the emphasis very much on rugby union with it being the (un)official home of Saracens supporters. Can get a bit lively at busy times but never threatening. Other times it's a haven of calm, almost to the extent that you wonder if it's OK to talk. Only a small bar, made smaller by the large tables they have installed. Fairly clean throughout and quite bright. Two hand pumps but only GK IPA and Bombardier on my last visit, I've also seen 6X on. Prices more expensive than average for the area.