Old Oak, darts in Tufnell Park / Holloway

Photo: CAMRA / WhatPub

Old Oak: Darts in Tufnell Park, London

FreeWalk-inPub boardLeague pubReal aleSports TV

The Old Oak is a proper North London local on Mansfield Road in Gospel Oak, sitting right opposite the Overground station. It is a Craft Union community boozer: unfussy, sports-led, and the kind of place where the darts are part of the furniture rather than a paid attraction. You play on the house board for free, no booking and no time slots, the same as the regulars who drink here.

If you want walk-in darts with a pint of Sharp's Doom Bar and a few screens showing the football, this is your spot. It suits casual players, small groups and anyone after an old-school pub night out near Kentish Town. There is also a pool table, a Thursday quiz and a beer garden, so the darts can be one part of a longer evening rather than the whole plan.

Contact

Opening hours

  • Mon 11:00-23:00
  • Tue 11:00-23:00
  • Wed 11:00-23:00
  • Thu 11:00-23:00
  • Fri 12:00-00:00
  • Sat 12:00-00:00
  • Sun 12:00-23:00

Good to know

The darts setup

This is a free pub dartboard, not a bookable oche or a scoring-screen venue. You turn up, you play, and you sort your own chalk and scores the traditional way. The board shares the room with the pub's sports screens and a pool table, so darts here is a casual, sociable thing rather than a dedicated darts hall. There is no charge to play and no need to reserve, which makes it easy to drop in for a quick few legs. Because it is a working local board, it can be busier on match nights, so a quieter afternoon or early evening is your best bet for an open board.

The darts scene here

The Old Oak fields a team in the Archway & District Darts League, a long-running North London competition played as traditional eight-a-side matches on Thursday nights through the winter. That league pedigree tells you the board gets serious use and the locals know their way around a treble twenty. Match reports have had the Old Oak side trading wins and losses near the top of their division, so on a league night you can watch a proper game rather than just throw a few yourself. If you fancy that atmosphere, aim for a winter Thursday; for a casual knockabout, come outside league hours.

Good to know

Entry and the dartboard are free, and you do not need to book anything. It is a Craft Union local, so expect cask ale (Sharp's Doom Bar is the regular pour), a pool table, Sky and TNT Sports across several screens, a real fire and a beer garden for warmer days. There is a quiz on Thursdays, the pub is dog and family friendly, and it leans sports-pub rather than gastro, so go for the pints and the games rather than a big food menu. Opening is from late morning most days, running to 11pm Monday to Thursday and later at the weekend.

Get directions

Common questions

What is the Old Oak in Gospel Oak?
It is a traditional North London local pub at 1 Mansfield Road, NW3 2JD, run as a Craft Union community boozer. It has a free dartboard, a pool table, real ale and Sky and TNT Sports screens, and it fields a team in the Archway & District Darts League.
Is darts free at the Old Oak?
Yes. The dartboard is a normal free pub board, so there is no charge to play and no per-game fee. You just turn up and use the house board like the regulars do.
Do you need to book to play darts at the Old Oak?
No. There is no booking system and no timed sessions. You walk in and play on the pub board when it is free, so quieter afternoons or early evenings give you the best chance of an open board.
Does the Old Oak have a darts league?
Yes. The pub runs a team in the Archway & District Darts League, a traditional eight-a-side league played on Thursday nights through the winter, so the board sees regular competitive use.
What else is there to do at the Old Oak?
Alongside darts there is a pool table, a Thursday quiz, Sky and TNT Sports on several screens, cask ale including Sharp's Doom Bar, a real fire and a beer garden. It is a dog and family friendly sports pub.
What is the nearest station to the Old Oak?
Gospel Oak Overground station is directly across the road, and Kentish Town is a short walk away, so it is easy to reach by public transport.

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