The Compton Arms, N1

This proper pub was a bit of a find in an area full of gastro pubs and trendy bars. It is a Greene King pub and if memory serves me correctly there were three of their ales on along with a guest beer. I had a nice couple of pints of Guinness which were well served by a very amiable barman who was engaging in conversation with all whom approached the bar. There is a TV which shows Sky Sports and it can get very busy when a match is on, but the crowd seemed very jovial and there wasn’t a lager swilling yob in sight. There is a well kept decked garden out the back which has a few picnic tables and a covered area for us smokers to duck under when it’s raining. I would recommend this pub to others.

Probably the most visually appealing of all the pubs in the immediate area with a village feel to it although being a Greene King pub takes off a bit of the gloss. The quaint interior is fairly compact and navigating around the bar can be a bit of an ordeal when it is busy (and the pub usually is). The walls have several interesting old photos of the area (spot the Hope & Anchor in its previous guise as Rackstraws) and a selection of pump clips from the various guest ales. The low beams have plenty of slogans bigging up Greene King which may cause a few ripples among the breweries many detractors. Finding a seat can be tricky. There is a small room to the rear that looks twice the size thanks to a large mirror on the rear wall a but you will inevitably find yourself in the small decked, partly covered patio garden if you need any space. There are generally 2 standard Greene King Ales (IPA and Abbott) plus a seasonal Greene King (currently Royal London) and a “proper” guest (currently Everards Tiger). The major downside is the exorbitant prices. The guest ale last night cost a whopping £3.50 a pint (a Greene King guest ale at that!) and for that reason alone I can't see myself hanging around in the future which is a shame as I have often made the Compton my default pub for the area. Should I return I think I will be supping my pint very slowly.