The Old Bell, Enfield

Presumably originally a two room pub going by the two front doors, but now internally one square space with the bar centrally in the middle. The Old Bell is a good local Enfield pub for a music night on Fridays and Saturdays when it hosts mainly cover bands performing on the small stage area housed to the front right of the bar. It is generally a welcoming place with usually a older crowd (as most of the cover bands booked tend to be more rock than pop ), and although some can be colourful I’ve usually found the local crowd to be welcoming. Forthcoming acts can be found on the Lemonrock listing pages. The decor and seating is a bit worn and tired, but there is a good collection of 60’s, 70’s and 80’s album covers and vinyl decorating the walls, which will definitely include some from the collections of anyone over 40. There is a good music orientated quiz night held on Thursday evenings and acoustic Jam sessions held on the occasional Sunday evening when locals are invited to come along and strum. One negative of the Old Bell however is the beer choice as mentioned by Steve below. There are two hand pumps on the bar, but I’ve rarely seen anything coming out of these, which tends to leaves the Keg version of Flowers, and standard lager options. This tends to mean that we usually jump out at the interval for a quick one in the real ale dispensing pubs further down Baker Street towards the Civic Centre.

I have to say that out of all the pubs in Enfield that I have been in to this place has the nicest group of locals and I was impressed that every other word wasn't an expletive. The staff were nice enough, but I spotted no real ale as there was only a standard draught selection and unfortunately my Guinness wasn't the best I've had. There is a dartboard and a couple of plasma screens for the showing of Sky Sports and I spotted a sign advertising a live band on my visit last Saturday. There are a few picnic tables out the back along with a smoking shelter that back on to a car park. I would go back in here if in the area again.