The Prince, Wood Green, N22

Just a five minute or so walk from Wood Green station, this is a decent sized brew pub that has been given a bit of a modern spruce up to appeal more towards the craft beer market. There is a large L-shaped main bar which is bare boarded and has a smart dark wood servery along the rear wall. The counter has some nice carved details, including the series of pillars supporting the pint pot shelf above whilst the bar back has been modernised with some plain mirrors, white tiles and inexplicable fish-themed wallpaper. An open space to the right of the bar sees some high stools line a drinking ledge under the side windows, but the rest of the room offers more conventional forms of seating including fixed benches around the perimeter and smart chairs elsewhere. Each table had a bottle with fresh flowers inside and to the left there is a large alcove with a huge potted plant inside. The whole pub has that gastro-style paint scheme that is normally a big turn off, but whilst the pub does do food - a reasonably priced BBQ-based menu graced my table - the beer still seems to be the star here and the decor is offset to a degree with contemporary photography and some particularly striking pieces of modern art. An arch to the left of the bar leads through to a smaller side room with exposed brick walls, a skylit ceiling and what appeared to be slightly more formal seating arrangements. To the rear of the room, the pub's brewing kit can be seen through a glass partitioning wall. Reggae and swing music played quietly throughout my visit and I got the impression that the side room was being set up for a private function, but I may have got that wrong. On the bar, a selection of ten craft keg beers from the like of Brew By Numbers, Anspach and Hobday, Magic Rock and Five Points were supplemented by a strong cask ale range, comprising Marble Lagonda IPA and Pale, Hammerton N1, Bristol Beer Factory Milk Stout, Moor So'Hop and their own House Brewery House Pale (imaginative name guys!). Two ciders were also being dispensed from the four taps on the bar back. I had a pint of the Lagonda IPA which cost £4.20, but it was in great condition and slipped down very nicely. I quite liked this place despite its rather uninspiring interior which left me a bit cold with just a handful of customers in early on a Saturday afternoon. i imagine the pub comes more into its own with a decent crowd in and if you're here for a session, you are certainly blessed with a good selection of top quality ales to go at. Definitely one to remember when in this part of town, but for me, not quite a destination pub as things stand.

Official site of The Prince - www.theprincen22.co.uk

Official site of The Prince - www.theprincen22.co.uk

This pub was obviously originally called The Prince of Wales, and is another example of unnecessary pub name truncation. I know it was called the Prince of Wales because the entrance to the side bar on the left is framed by a couple of tiled walls apparently by Millington, Wisdom and Co featuring the erstwhile name. The main room still has armchairs all over the place, and the room is dominated by a pool table in the middle. The room on the left is the best area of the pub by a country mile. Apart from the elegant tiling in the entranceway, it has a skylight giving some welcome natural light (possibly a billiards room in a past life?), a nice old piano against one wall, and some superb wood panelling with mirror inserts on the walls. There’s some outside seating by the side entrance, when I was in being utilised by the barmaid and some chums having a fag and a chat. So, this is quite a comfortable and quiet pub, let down somewhat by the beer availability. There’s still no real ale – my request for a half of bitter was met with “yes, as long as it’s Guinness, Foster’s or Stella”. I can’t recommend this pub for the ale, but if you’re not fussed about that then this would be a decent place to stop off. In any case, if you’re passing do stop and have a butcher’s at the tiling.

This place has had a recent refurbishment that has turned it into the ‘Land of Leather' with a bar. Even with the small offerings of beer paraphernalia on the walls it feels a little like a hotel, but it does have 2 large plasma screens and a pool table. The Egyptian governor isn't quite with it, but along with his barmaid they are very friendly and accommodating. The first plasma screen is located at the front of the pub at the opposite side to the pool table. In between them both there is a scattering of leather armchairs and a couple of tables. The other plasma screen is located on the back wall around the side of the bar in an area full of more leather armchairs and tables surrounded by dark wooden panelling. It was almost empty during my visit so I got to watch the first half of the match in relative luxury laid back in an armchair with a pint by my side. The place feels very new and unused which is a little surprising as I found it to be very pleasant. John Smiths Smooth, Guinness and four standard lagers are available, but no real ale. I liked it in here and would go back in if passing.