Maggies Bar, Kensal Rise, NW10

I didn't know this sort of place still existed round here. A fairly spartan bar in a long narrow room with an Irish flavour, although not noticeable in the punters and certainly not the barmaid. A random selection of seating is arranged along the edges, leaving a space down the middle, with a fairly ornate wooden counter towards the rear and a dartboard right at the back. A couple of screens presented horse racing for the benefit of the ancient cor blimey regulars, while a gentle whiff of cheap disinfectant didn't do much for visitors. Just John Smith's Smooth crap as a bitter amongst the mundane lagery stuff, but the Guinness was unsurprisingly very good. I can't say that I will ever return but it fills its niche admirably.