Old Bank of England

The usual suspects Woody, Ed and I met at Old Bank of England on a Thursday evening (the traditional city drinking day).  Located near the Inns of Court on Fleet Street you can not fail to miss it.  The pub has flames outside it and a huge pub sign.  Up some stairs to a tiled entrance way and you enter the pub.  The pub is similar to several other of the fullers London pubs like the Barrowboy and Banker and the Counting House off Bishopsgate.  A huge central bar rises up out of the floor surrounded by the oval shapped bar.  The central area behind the bar is really impressive rising up at least 30ft like a giant tower cake of mahogany.  Each cove contains a different drink or some advertising.  I don’t think my photos do it justice as I took them from a balcony that overlooks the whole bar.  We went up there to get a table.  The whole décor of the pub is decadent and rich.  Burgundy wall paper, huge oil paintings, and golden chandeliers cover the pub.  

The Bar

This pub may well be the flag ship of this form of fullers pub design because it seemed to have that little bit extra given to it in the way of detail than the other two pubs I mentioned previously.  It’s pretty spectacular for a pub in many ways.  

The beers on tap were the usual Fullers range and we stuck mainly to the Seafarers that evening.  We also had a pie each.  The pies in there were not bad.  I’d not say they were great but they certainly did the job of filling me up. 

Service in there was decent even when it was really busy.  I’d go here again if I was in the area.  I can understand why it made it into the guide as it is a spectacular pub.  The location is also strong for city workers and tourists so it must get a lot of trade.  The only other point I would make is that if you are closer to either of the other pubs I mentioned you’ll be just as well off going in there.  Any one who has been to two of these or even all three will see what I mean as its like going into the same pub.  Still it’s a good formula and I commend fullers for doing a good job.