Lord Southampton, NW5

This old school boozer is a little off the main drag and overlooked by the Maitland Park council flats so is mainly used by local residents as there is little passing trade. Even though this is a small pub I suspect that it once had separate bars due to the central positioning of the entrance where there would have been a door on the left and another on the right. The right hand side door is now blocked off and a dartboard has been squeezed in to back onto it. There was no one playing during my visit early last Saturday evening as a projector screen was pulled down by the oche and the few regulars in attendance were watching England play in the 20/20 cricket on Sky Sports. The pub is U-shaped and in the far left hand corner there is a small secluded seating section which has a portable TV up on the wall and a serving hatch that backs onto the bar. The rest of the pub is decorated with pictures of locals during and after long sessions at the bar, fishing paraphernalia including a large fish in a display case above the bar and there is also a trophy cabinet up on the wall full of football awards. To be honest, if the projector screen and internet jukebox were to be removed this pub could easily sit back in the 1970s without looking out of place. I found the lady behind the bar to be very friendly and my Guinness was well served coming in at a reasonable price. There are a couple of hand pumps in amongst the usual lager suspects and these were both pouring Courage Best on this visit. I also spotted Scrumpy Jack on draught which I cannot recall seeing in any other pubs in this neck of the woods. There’s not really anything special about this pub, but it makes a reasonable local and I would use it if I lived nearby.

This is clearly a locals' estate pub, built between the wars. Even though it's on the CAMRA inventory of London pubs with historic interiors, there's not much very special about the interior. There's a fairly nondescript carpet on the floor; a few stools round the bar; banquette seating covered in blue plastic; and some sports trophies on display. There is an operational dartboard tucked away to the right of the door, with a notice board next to it displaying such useful stuff as a Met Police witness appeal, and a supposedly humorous note to be placed on cars who park too close to your car, mentioning can openers, etc. There was a TV on in one of the corners, showing some rubbish daytime TV programme. There were two handpumps on the counter, both advertising Courage Best, but neither dispensing beer. I never know why so many pubs don't bother to turn clips round in these circumstances – perhaps they want punters to know what beer they might have had had they visited at some other time? Anyway, I quite liked the pub for its basic unpretentious approach. There were no menus (I didn't see any reference to food so guess they don't do it) or wine lists in evidence. But in the absence of a decent ale I don't suppose that I shall visit again.