Pubs in shopping centres can be depressing at the best of times, but make that shopping centre the dire O2 Centre and that pub a Wetherspoons and you’re in for a pretty miserable time.

The Venue
The O2 Centre represents everything that is wrong with shopping and entertainment centres built in the ‘90s. It’s dull, it’s depressing and it’s really, really chavvy. Add to that a Wetherspoons pub and you get the picture. Although the quality of Wetherspoons varies from the excellent to the awful, this one is definitely closer to the latter.

The saving grace of the décor is the huge floor-to-ceiling windows that offer views over Finchley Road; although it’s not the best of sightseeing experiences, it does a good job of opening the venue up. Otherwise, it’s all dated. Yellow and green walls, ugly carpets, blue seating, sticky tables, games machines… It’s a depressing collection of uninspiring pub furnishings.

The Atmosphere
The majority of people come here to enjoy a pre- or post-cinema pint and it can get very busy before film time. The mix is entirely local with young and old making the most of the cheap beer and grub. And the staff? Don’t ask. They want to be there even less than you do.

The Food
We’ve all been to a Wetherspoons so you know the drill. Food deals mean you can chow down on a stodgy burger and chips with a pint for not more than a fiver, and the rest of the menu is cheap and equally stodgy. Burgers, lasagne, steaks, pie – the best of British, indeed.

The Drink
This is where all Wetherspoons' pubs pick up major points and this pub is no different. This is a chain that cares about real ale and makes sure it is always available on tap, with a regularly changing selection that impresses. They have anywhere up to eight real ales on tap at any one time and they include choices like Hobgoblin, Old Speckled Hen, Greene King IPA and Adnams Broadside.

The Last Word
Unless you’re in the O2 Centre and really desperate for a cheap pint then this Wetherspoons pub is best avoided.

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