The Triumph, Friern Barnet, N12

I walked past here earlier today and couldn't help peering through the window as there is a 'SOLD' sign up on the wall at the moment. I was initially happy to see that some building work was going on inside until I realised that the bar has been removed and the whole pub has been gutted leaving an empty shell. It looks like this place has now gone for good - I hope not though as a decent pub in this part of town would make a killing as there is little opposition.

I've visited the Triumph on a few occasions, but have not been back since asking the drunken barmaid for a white wine and soda, then being told that it is called a spritzer and then being served a white wine and lemonade. What with this and a few shady people lurking about I didn't feel comfortable in here with the misses. It is a shame as I was initially glad to find this place on my doorstep as I quite like the pub layout and the lager is good, but it's very much a local pub for drunkard local people.

Marked pub as closed

The Chequers is a nineteenth century mock-Tudor affair, much altered and extended over the years, although by and large not unsympathetically. At the front are a series of small rooms, quite cosy, open fires, exposed beams and so on. The extension to the rear is not so attactive, over gastroised by Young's new breed of trendy designers and tends to get occupied by families with noisy kids. It achieved fame of a kind as George Best's local shortly before he died; a vast media circus camped outside for a while trying to catch him drinking against medical advice. The beer is the usual Wells and Youngs range.

Now Closed Down at Present has been for around the last month. [admin note: marked as closed 04/02/10]