The Orb, Bellshill

Interior refurbishment aside, The Orb remains substantially the same as it was at the time of my last visit. The split level main bar now has more of a bar/lounge atmosphere, with the carpeted upper area having more comfortable padded seating than the bar stools and table stools of the lower wooden floored section. A pool table and darts board are concealed behind a high partition. There is a good range of beers on draught, including Carling, Tennents and Budweiser lagers, Guinness, Tartan Special, Belhaven Best and Belhaven Light, as well as Strongbow cider. A new one on me was Belhaven Black Scottish Stout, a Caledonian attempt at Guinness, but perfectly acceptable.

You’re not likely to have a problem finding a seat in this pub. It’s a huge place, with an extensive Public Bar, a smaller Lounge adjacent to it and a Function Suite occupying the entire upper floor. The name refers to its location in the Orbiston area of the town, which is on the site of the former mining village of Orbiston, where the late Manchester United manager Sir Matt Busby was born and brought up. Don’t be deterred by the rather industrial looking exterior, it's a lively local, with a barber’s shop and a bookies conveniently situated beside it.

Although I went there for an uncle's wake, I found it very welcoming and friendly...