The Orange Tree, Friern Barnet, N11

This pub is such a disappointment as it could be really good if little money was spent on it rather than the lacklustre effort made two and a half years ago that stretched to an outside paint job. It is a very large pub with some tables and chairs stretching across the front of the pub along the side bar. This area has a plasma screen and a dartboard and is where the dodgy locals seem to congregate. At the rear of the pub there is a large dance floor with DJ booth which is used by Smoke FM’s DJ Snoops (whoever that is) on Saturday nights which means a young troublesome clientele is present. There is also a games room at the rear which is decorated with American sports paraphernalia and houses two pool tables and table football. There is also another plasma screen at the rear and although there is a sign on the front of the pub visible to passers by that football is shown it fails to mention that there is no Sky and the football is shown via foreign sports channels. The toilets at the front of the pub are barely acceptable, but the rear toilets are a disgrace with all kinds of bodily fluids on the floor and on the walls. Both toilets are backed up and it looks like there has not been running water in there for months, but people have still been using them. There is a beer garden out the back which is used more as a smoking haven and I wouldn’t let my kids ride on the old toys that are dotted about. I’ve been in a couple of times recently to watch the football and the barman has always been friendly and there are live band nights and poker is organised on Wednesdays, but there is only a standard draught range and the Guinness is always a bit iffy. I don’t plan on returning in any great hurry, which is a shame as this is the nearest pub to my home.