Mabel's Tavern, WC1

Since my last review some 11 years ago now Mabels Tavern has become our defacto goto pub when our teams are playing in the early kick off European mid-week games. It gives the advantages of a sports pub but in the skin of a normal city boozer. Yes, there are quite a few screens dotted about the place, including a couple in the tucked away seating areas which can be pre booked if there is enough of you, which gives the advantage that the pub can show multiple parallel games, meaning that they can show your team even if it’s not on the lead Sky channel. But the screens are always muted, and the pub is always lively with the after-work crowd who are just in for a drink, so it’s easy to ignore the screens if you are not interested. And there is usually a reliable selection of Sheps ales available, always kept in good nick. Now there’s no reason for us Spurs supporters to visit this season, but our West Ham supporting mate insisted we met up at a pub where he could watch his beloved ‘Ammers in action so here we came. Fortunately for the rest of us all five hand pumps were in operation with the usual Spitfire Bishops Finger and Master Brew alongside Whitstable Bay and the seasonal Late Red. As we were here for the session we stayed on the Whitstable Bay and Late Red, both of which went down well throughout the evening. And on a personal note, this is another of my favourite pubs with a North London post code where I am guaranteed not to bump into Tris.

My first visit for 10 years, having come here to drown my sorrows after Luton Town lost a play-off final in 2012 to a goal that was about two metres offside, as I explained to the lass who was serving on this occasion. Luckily she was a football fan herself, so knew what I was talking about. A mentioned below, there has been a substantial refurbishment in the intervening years, but the place looks and feels the better for it. I wish I could say the same for Shepherd Neame beers, which I remember enjoying in the early 1980s but now find fairly unpleasant. But "à chacun son goût", so someone must like them, and they are kept in very good condition here. This is a good place to come with time to kill before a train from any of the three railway stations nearby, or as good a place as any to watch your team get battered 7-0, in my case.