Pub Heritage Elephant Inn
Pub Heritage Group have recently carried out a regrading of Real Heritage Pubs - click here for full details
Greater London North - North Finchley
One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest
Listed Status: Not listed
283 Ballards LaneNorth Finchley
N12 8NR
Tel: (020) 8343 6110
Email: elephantinn@fullers.co.uk
Website https://www.elephantinnfinchley.co.uk/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/elephantinn
Real Ale: Yes
Lunchtime Meals: Yes
Evening Meals: Yes
Public Transport: Near Bus Stop
Bus: Yes
View on: Whatpub
Rebuilt in the interwar years and still with a good sense of the original arrangements. It occupies a corner position, and comprises three-storeys with a ground floor faced with stone and the two upper floors are brick. The pub has been opened up, but you can clearly work out the original layout which comprised four rooms of which three surround the servery in a U-shape at the front of the building. On the left is the saloon bar and on the right is the public bar with a lounge-cum-games room at the rear. It seems this latter room was originally two but has been opened up. The small middle bar has screens either side with leaded glass and had its own door at the front (but this has been blocked off) and no doubt served as an off-sales. All three bars have three-quarter- height fielded panelling throughout and some loosely Arts and Crafts detailing, particularly above the saloon servery with its overhang bearing various Tudor motifs. There are many leaded windows both external and internal, mainly at the rear of the saloon bar, which, curiously, has three external windows between the gents’ and ladies’ toilets doors.
Horseshoe shaped bar with small central bar between left-hand saloon bar which has a large wood surround fireplace and a tiled hearth with a brass surround at its base with two large Fullers Advertising Mirrors on either side of the fireplace. At the rear of the room are the toilets with separate doors to the gents with its leaded glass top half and ladies which has lost its leaded glass. Curiously, between the toilet doors are three seemingly once external leaded windows. At the right rear are two sets of double doors on the corner, one leading to the restaurant upstairs and the other set of double doors leading behind the bar and connecting to the rear lounge and a publican’s office situated behind the three bars. Only this has leaded glass in the top half. Saloon bar has three-quarter height fielded panels throughout: its counter has panels of vertical wood (but new counter top) with brass covered foot rest. Bar back probably from the same date as the refit though the bottom half has been lost to cooling cabinets. Above the servery is an Arts and Crafts-style timbered overhang containing eight plaster panels depicting Tudor era emblems and motifs.
The small middle bar has a counter with different panels to the saloon bar and no brass-covered foot rest. By the left-hand screen (with leaded glass) next to the main entrance to the saloon bar is a smaller doorway which has been blocked of and hidden behind the fielded panelling with an air vent inserted. The top of the bar back looks modern.
Two narrow glazed screens (possible lost a door here) on the right leads to the public bar which has its own entrance by the corner of the building with a vestibule again with leaded glass. The servery here has a modern pot shelf supported by two turned wooden columns, modern counter top and the bar back looks modern too. The bar front has what looks like large painted panels which maybe from the interwar refit? Brass covered foot-rest similar to the saloon bar counter.
Another set of glazed double doors leads to the lounge at the rear which has a small three-sided bar counter on the left-hand side with different panelling to the other bar counters. It too has a modern counter top. There is a set of double doors from the side road but at the rear is a blocked off door next to some curved banquette seating. It looks like there were two rooms here now opened up. Again, the lounge has similar fielded panelling to the rest of the pub.
Full Description
The small middle bar has a counter with different panels to the saloon bar and no brass-covered foot rest. By the left-hand screen (with leaded glass) next to the main entrance to the saloon bar is a smaller doorway which has been blocked of and hidden behind the fielded panelling with an air vent inserted. The top of the bar back looks modern.
Two narrow glazed screens (possible lost a door here) on the right leads to the public bar which has its own entrance by the corner of the building with a vestibule again with leaded glass. The servery here has a modern pot shelf supported by two turned wooden columns, modern counter top and the bar back looks modern too. The bar front has what looks like large painted panels which maybe from the interwar refit? Brass covered foot-rest similar to the saloon bar counter.
Another set of glazed double doors leads to the lounge at the rear which has a small three-sided bar counter on the left-hand side with different panelling to the other bar counters. It too has a modern counter top. There is a set of double doors from the side road but at the rear is a blocked off door next to some curved banquette seating. It looks like there were two rooms here now opened up. Again, the lounge has similar fielded panelling to the rest of the pub.
