please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I have a pewter pint tankard dated 1879 from the Enfield Arms,has any one a picture or details from this time?
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I was thinking about the Arms recently and I realised that walking in the door of the Arms for the first time was probably one of the worst mistakes of my life.
Before the Arms I was an irregular pug goer. A couple of Friday nights a month, someone�s birthday, the odd big football game and so on. I was young and fit. I used to play football and run. I was doing things and going places. But now I�m older and am what I am.
And it�s the Arm�s fault.
Within a couple of weeks of first going to the Arms I was in there every Friday and Saturday night. Within a couple of months I was just in there.
Almost every day after work. Every Friday night. Most of all day Saturday and wonderful Sunday afternoons.
Literally within a couple of months.
That�s more addictive than crack.
The Arms was the kind of pub that everyone � and especially new drinkers � should have at least once in their life. A Pub which was a genuine community. Where people of every sort and age and class mixed happily. Where everyone got along, and if you didn�t get along then you learned to come to an accommodation so that you could co-exist. Pubs where you established genuine friendships which would last long after the pub had gone. Pubs where the regulars had a sense of responsibility not only to the pub but also to one another.
Not a Gastropub or a Wine Bar or a Sports Bar or a Wetherspoons or a City Bar. But a pub.
The kind of place that is becoming increasingly rare these days.
I still see lots of Arms people around � a few of whom drink in my new local, everyone having gone their separate ways � and no matter how long it�s been since I�ve seen them, and irrespective of whether or not we were even particularly friendly - we still have a connection to a very special place.
It�s easy to over sentimentalise as the years pass, but the Enfield Arms was special.
Some mistakes you should make.
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My grandad was born in this pub
Thanks for taking abother bit of my family history away from me. Like Spitalfields Market/now Lakeside centre for shopping.
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Knocking this pub down was the end of an era. Despite a huge public outcry, the council decided to knock it down and make way for parking space for the vehicles used for the construction of a new unneeded shopping centre. I spent many a great night in the arms, christmas eve has not been the same since. Despite the tv being nothing more than a portable, the place was packed for world cups. The juke box was legendary and had some superb music. the brewery mismanaged this great place and allowed itself to be bullied by the council. There are occssional Arms reunions in the celbic hall in lancaster road, but its not the same. The last night was emotional, yes its only a pub and the toilets were terrible but the staff were fantastic. Sadly missed.
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Dispite the blatent under aged drinking, myself and friends at the time, this pub had a good atmosphere and was cheap. The pool table was ok, and the garden/patio was quiet. The live bands and jukebox has to be the highlight. Led Zep tribute bands on a friday kept the oldies rockin', most of whom have migrated to the Kings Head or the Hop Poles. I still dont see why it needed to be knocked down, Enfield town is going to become a large concrete maze of one way systems.
anonymous - 16 Jul 2006 00:11 |
very disappointed to see this old gem has been shut down, i (Harry) ran the bar for a while back in the days when Matt and Donna were in charge must be 94/95 around that time, and it was by a an absolute street the best pub in the area. Cracking mix of really diverse characters young and old all getting along just fine , have some great memories of that time. Amongst too many to mention I'll always remember Rob and Fletch, who used to come in the afternoons absolute legends, i'm fairly sure i actually soiled myself laughing at those guys on a number of occasions. What a Brewery cock up to let this place go.
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Ok, I know that this place has been closed for over a year now and that I should be over it and that nobody is actually reading this anymore, but...
Going by the site where this magnificent pub used to stand still upsets me. Now there are only ugly wooden boards surrounding what seems to be an equipment storage area for the builders working on the new Shopping Centre expansion; the advent of which sealed the Arms' fate. The brewery decided to sell up and let the building be demolished instead of moving one of the walls back a couple of feet or so to allow the expansion of the road as part of the Town Centre's wonderful new and improved one-way system introduced to cope with the anticipated influx of out-of-towners visiting the new shopping mecca. Now, what have we got? Worse traffic congestion than before and no decent pub with the same mixture of characters that populated the Arms to moan about it all to over a few pints with some top quality tunes playing over the jukebox, that's what! If that's progress you can stick it firmly and squarely up your backside. It makes me want to weep and causes my blood to boil just thinking about it.
Will somebody with some money please, please open up a pub similar to this somewhere near Enfield as soon as possible? I am suffering from withdrawal symptoms.
Still cheers for the memories.
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The. Best. Pub. Ever.
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If Carlsberg did pubs.
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this pub will be truly missed by all who had the privilege of drinking in there may it rest in peace. :-(
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A visit to Enfield was not complete without several pints in this pub.
Meach - 20 May 2005 21:13 |
Excellent suggestion. I'm a 'qualified' landlord (they make you sit exams these days) and know what made the Arms work. So if anyone's got the money, open it! If it's leasehold it could be as little as 25-30 grand(!)
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An excellent suggestion from V70Rog I think. It makes a lot of sense. Rather than have the regulars scattered to the four corners of the globe(or Enfield at least) or trying to ingratiate themselves in a pub that already has it's own core of drinkers, a little bit of foresight could lead to a proven good and profitable pub surviving, albeit in a slightly different form rather than a derelict building or another "trendy" bar or pub moving in to appeal to a segment of the drinking market already very well catered for in the local area.
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Having not used this pub since the seventies I cannot really comment it! It is sad however that one of Enfield's true locals has bitten the dust in the name of progress (I use the term loosely). Whilst I have no doubt that Enfield as a whole may ultimately gain from this latest bout of redevelopment I think the loss of the Enfield Arms was avoidable!
I also think the brewery has missed a fantastic opportunity. About 100 yards away there's an empty pub, The old Bar Me, Coach House, Hennekeys or whatever depending on your time zone! Anyway, name aside why on earth didn't the owners of The Enfield Arms seize the moment and transfer the name, staff and ambiance of this wonderful old pub over the road to this redundant building? They had a winning formula and a ready made clientel.
This empty pub has changed names and themes and styles so much over the years that no one is going to miss it. So why not change it's name one final time to the Enfield Arms (Or even perhaps The New Enfield Arms) and retain one of Enfield's few remaining traditions. I would be interested in hearing other people's comments. Perhaps a campaign could be started before the whole idea and the memories of the Enfield Arms get swept away in the tides of time!
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AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, they shut it down. Where do we go now? Well we tried the sergeant and the wheatsheaf and were told in the sergeant last night, "Youre not welcome here, i have regulars to look after"(to anyone that looked a bit "different" from the usual chav clientele. Fair enough. Wheatsheaf didnt like us much either, but were welcomed by the old bell, who even turned the jukebox up for us. Its not the arms, but it'll definately do for now!
arms1 - 16 Jan 2005 23:20 |
I just want to say goodbye to this great pub. I spent my reckless youth in there, my 18th, 21st and I just went there anyway cos it was a cool place to go to. After a while, I didnt go so much but when I did it was friendly and cool.
I'm gonna miss the people there and the karaoke. Some people may remember my rendition of Ace of Spades (quite scary). I hope we meet again soon and I'll always remember this Enfield Pub. RIP
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The enfield arms. Although it's been closed it was easily the best pub in Enfield. A drinking community existed like no other in Enfield and it's a great shame that now all those people have been left out in the cold! It's been said by many that we should all still congregate in the space left by the pub seeing as there will probably be nowhere else quite so accepting of the eclectic patrons now publess! Where will we all go? If anyone reading this was at the pub for the first (and only) time on the last friday evening, it wasn't always like that! We did once have furniture to sit on and there were old pictures on the walls providing a window to a bygone drinking era! After friday night there was little left of the pub but memories, and many drunken, but sad regulars. In the good old days the pub was a great place for live music, crazy events and much much drinking fun. Who decided to take that away? And WHERE DO WE GO NOW?!
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Well the last night has passed, and today as far as I am aware, the destruction of the best pub in Enfield commenced. Quite ironic that Enfield Council bought the pub as an operational outfit but by the end of the last night on Friday there wasn't much of the interior decor or the bar left to operate with! Most people left with something, some more than others! The pub will be sadly missed, and a search commences for a new place to inhabit.
The Enfield Arms, RIP
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This great pub has now sadly closed for good. The last night was a good laugh. For those who never made it there it was your loss I'm afraid and you can't put it right now.
Rest in Peace, you will be sadly missed.
thanks for the memories and the pint glass memento.
Hope to see all the wierd and wonderful people that drank there at another location in the near future.
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I agree with Sid and Scotty. This is by far the best pub in Enfield. Certainly not one for the faint hearted! This pub generally caters for the alternative scene, where rockers, skaters, goths and punks used to take up the majority of the pub. As times have changed over the years a different mixes of people have arrived and some of the old crowd have moved on. The jukebox is great, although it hasn't been updated as regularly as it used to be, you can still find a good selection to cater for everyones musical differences. The bar staff are always friendly and welcoming and the service is generally very good.
The whole look of the building is lovely, very distinctive with plenty of room inside although it does sometimes seem a bit dark. All the drinkers are friendly and I have never known there to be any trouble in the years I have been drinking there. As said in previous comments the only real thing that lets this pub down is the toilets, the gents are always flooded and I've not yet experienced the ladies! If you're into piercings (like myself!) this pub is a must if you're looking for new ideas, just take a look at me for inspiration!
I can't believe this pub is being knocked down on the 10th Jan, the rumours have been going round for ages and now the time has finally come. I've met some great people over the years of drinking here and I hope that everyone can find an alternative venue. I have had good times and bad times in here with memories that will stay with me forever. The only place in Enfield where you can get a decent Snakebite and black is finally coming to an end.
RIP The Arms, you will be missed
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The pub is being torn down on Monday 10th January, the last night it is open to the general public is Friday 7th January.
RIP The Enfield Arms
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The arms is quiet simply the best pub in Enfield Town (as long as your not a delicate flower, and even then you�ll probably enjoy it!). The combination of friendly, competent (and often fruity) staff and a relaxed but boisterous atmosphere makes for a great evening/afternoon/morning out. It is a travesty that it�s going � I�ve yet to be kicked out of this pub. And those that are frightened of the toilets should simply piss-in-the-car-park, everyone else does! Not the place to take a first date unless your both pierced and into Metallica. A great mix of people drink in there and it�s all the better for it.
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end of this month it will be gone
mart - 14 Nov 2004 20:03 |
It's an absolute tragedy that this pub is going. I have spent many an evening drinking in there and it always seems to send me out happily into the night whatever my mood before I get there. The jukebox is world class and a vast improvement on the Top 10 spewing music systems in most of the pubs in Enfield. Not the greatest range of drinks and far from the cheapest but the friendly atmosphere is worth the extra expense. A lovely building as well with nice exposed wooden beams and brickwork inside. Given the paucity of it's competition in the Enfield Town area it will be a particular loss for those in the immediate locality as well and sadly missed by many from further afield. About the only thing that I won't miss about this great pub are those awful toilets which really have to be endured to be believed. I just hope that those who drink in there (a really broad mix of different types and not just the identical "lads" who drink in certain other pubs in the town centre) find a suitable laternative home once its gone. Mine's a snakebite & black please.
scotty - 9 Nov 2004 17:06 |
I went there sat 23rd of Oct for a Halloween freak show and there were rumours that this would be the last one.BUT....I've now heard that it may stay till January. Whats going on????? Anyway, the whole night rocked (as always). It was so packed out and most people had made the effort to dress up and were looking very spooky/psychotic. The karaoke rocked and the atmosphere was great.
zog - 25 Oct 2004 06:51 |
Yep. I heard its going too. A new road cuts 6 inches into the pub...so bye bye! The local papers are more worried about the loss of a car park and the Enfield Arms was only worth half a sentence. I'd ask the landlord if theyre going to open somewhere else, but I'm too frightened to hear the answer. Been going there on & off since I was an indie kid in the mid 90s - its has the best jukebox I know in London. Annoyed doesn't describe it. Anyone know any alternative pubs north of Camden? I can't face the Chavs in The George or others round Enfield.
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Am I Right The Arm's is Getting Knocked down! If it is,where the hell are we supposed to go for a good night out? The George? Bar me? Eros? (I personally would like a real pub with real people) Please,please let this be only a rumour! J.Woods,Enfield.
Jon Woods - 24 Sep 2004 21:40 |
In the 1940s The Enfield Arms was dubbed a 'glue pot' because of the way people went there once and never left (well not in a literal sense but you know what I mean).
I first visited The Arms in June 2004 and now I go there at least once or twice a week. Reasonably priced for its location it also has a great social aspect. There are many different types of people from business types to more townie people along to goths/punks/rockers. The amazing thing is there is no conflict amongst the differing groups. Everyone just gets along and enjoys their evening.
It is fairly well facilitated with a wide range of music in a jukebox that is played over an excellent sound system, a pool table and several pub games.
The toilets (well the mens at least) are cramped to say the least but you learn to live with dodging around other blokes to get in and out.
Situated next door to Enfield Town station, les than a minutes walk from a bus stop serving as far north as Hertford and as far south as Central London I would recommend anyone coming along to the Arms - in fact that's where I'm heading now...
James W - 30 Aug 2004 18:35 |
Went last night - best pub in the area & good selection of beer
PJB - 19 Aug 2004 15:58 |
Visited The Enfield Arms on Friday and Saturday this weekend just passed and have to say,I was glad I did as coming up from Brighton, missing the beach and lots of sexy people about, nearly naked, I did feel I would want to be back home.
My friend who's from Enfield seemed to know all the staff and it meant that I was welcomed and became part of the gang.
The feel of the bar is so friendly and even though it was packed to the rafters, their was no scraps, everyone was in great form.
The dress code of The Arms is very unusual, all shapes and sizes with a great atmosphere and everyone was so friendly.
I will be coming back to the pub on 29th August as the are having a music festival. It will be outside in the beer garden and car park, they are having 5 bands and a dj in the evening.
I think that anyone gets a chance to visit this pub, it will be worth whil, maybe the music festival would be a good introduction, I'll be there.
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Visited here today - This has got to be the best pub to go to for Euro 2004. Great atmosphere, and trouble free. Really enjoyed it and had a nice meal.
Staff were really friendly and the Manager is gorgeous looking.
Samantha - 3 Jun 2004 14:45 |
Without any shadow of a doubt the best pub in Enfield Town.
There is of course The George...if you want a few cheap drinks and don't mind drinking in a atmosphereless tomb.
And then there's the Coach House (Bar Me)which is ok (if you're low down townie trash).
Actually Bar Form isn't too bad (but is expensive) if you're not townie trash but can't be bothered to go all the way into London but still haven't got the good sense to go to the Arms.
Otherwise it's just gotta be the Arms. It is reasonably alternative I suppose...but alternative in a good way (i.e anyone who isn't a townie).
Always friendly, great juke box, and ok the beer selection is limited but did I mention the lack of townies?
And there's a garden and sometimes food, and stools, and bar staff without visible disfigurements, and beautiful dancing women, and comfortable chairs, and.....oh just come and see for yourself.
(Ok I lied about the beautiful dancing women, but not about the townies)
X - 1 Sep 2003 16:11 |
Quality, seedy dive - cool jukebox - attracts all sorts from far and wide. All manner of townies, goths, rockers etc frequent this quaint little pub situated next to Enfield Town Station.
Scott Clark - 27 May 2002 13:55 |
