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The Barrowboy & Banker, SE1
SE1
SE1 9QQ
Pub Type
Fuller'sReviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Barrowboy & Banker
Big, busy, bank conversion opposite the London Bridge station approach road. Interesting curvy bar, with a grand staircase leading up to the mezzanine. Little in the way of atmosphere despite the paintings, memorabilia and other traditional-style decor. Efficient bar staff, though. The beer's usually good too, with a selection from the core Fullers range, e.g. Pride and ESB plus the 'house' Stout and Wimbledon's Copperhead and a pair from Tiny Rebel - Stay Puft and the seasonal All I Want for Christmas is Yuzu (£6.90) available from the two banks of four handpumps on this visit.
On 30th December 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
. Wittenden left this review about The Barrowboy & Banker
A grand bank conversion catering for tourists and City commuters in a prominent position close to London Bridge.Decent , if pricey pies on our mid May Saturday afternoon visit,coupled with a dull pint of Dark Star Orbiter best bitter.A large range of Fuller's beers on the bar. Busy and noisy.
On 22nd May 2022
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 283 recommendations about 282 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Barrowboy & Banker
This is a large Fuller's pub, obviously a former bank, and with its name giving a nod to the erstwhile workers at the nearby Borough Market. I doubt whether anyone working there now could be described as a barrowboy. As it's such a high ceilinged room, they've managed to squeeze in a mezzanine floor looking down on the main room. There's also a dining area up a few steps on the left, with the dreaded "wait to be seated" sign guarding the steps.
The main room has some fixed bench seating around the sides, with a few tall tables/tall stools and normal tables and chairs in the centre of the room. There's some attractive herringbone parquet wood flooring, as well as a bit of black and white tiling. A visual reference to the previous use of the building is provided by the numbered security box covers, complete with locks and keys, along the front of the mezzanine floor, plus a safe front set into the front of the bar counter.
There was a pretty good ale selection (as long as you're OK with Fuller's beers). From the Fuller's stable we had London Pride (of course), ESB (£2.55 a half), Oliver's Island, and Day Dreamer (some sort of New Zealand themed beer); a couple of Darkstar branded beers in Hophead and Revelation, plus a guest in Truman's Zephyr. Seven ales isn't bad going even though there wasn't anything very special - apart from ESB of course!
A standard Fuller's Ale & Pie house menu is available - pies are £15.50 a go here, but do include seasonal veg, and mash or triple-cooked chips. It is an expensive area, and Fuller's have never really been known for inexpensive food and drink.
I wouldn't go out of my way to visit again, but there are very many worse pubs around. It gets a 7 mainly for the ale selection.
On 5th April 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Delboy 20 left this review about The Barrowboy & Banker
More a comment than a review. I fell foul of the old "no football fans" line so didn't get to visit - even though the football fans I was due to meet were inside! Plenty other pubs nearby....
On 11th October 2018
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1656 recommendations about 1556 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about The Barrowboy & Banker
Pretty well described below, the striking building has found a new role as a Fuller's town pub catering for the itinerant tourist and market trade. The architecture is impressive, though the upstairs was roped off so we couldn't appreciate the whole building. There were mute tv screens, padded bench seating and some of the original bank features – for example the safe built into the bar counter. Sadly, most of the families were unwilling to control their children who created a trip hazard and tried nosing around in our bags. The staff were pretty decent, but the food let things down a bit – apart from being expensive, it was under-cooked and poorly presented. There were 8 handpumps in total, dispensing Pride, ESB, Navigation, Santa's Grotto, Three Wise Men, Holly Bush and Oliver's Island from Fuller's, and Sambrook's Prussian Red Ale. Architecture aside, there's not much to distinguish this place from other London pubs in the tourist areas.
On 2nd February 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3283 recommendations about 3248 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Barrowboy & Banker
Another typical Fuller's take on the banking crisis, a former branch of Nat West until 1996, situated at the God-awful interchange of London Bridge, Tooley Street and Borough High Street. Think the Counting House, the Old Bank of England or the Butcher's Hook & Cleaver and you won't go too far wrong. Fine for what it is, another Fuller's Ale & Pie House but in one of the most commuter-infested hives in all of Christendom and one with an iMAX projector screen injecting sport intravenously into one's retina.
In Spain, do they convert former branches of Santander into Tapas e Cerveza Casa? Just a thought...
On 12th August 2016
- rating: 4
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Barrowboy & Banker
A big very busy place , Fullers beers,not really my cup of tea but I guess it serves a purpose.
On 5th September 2015
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Barrowboy and Banker
Fuller's ale and pie house located close to London bridge underground station. 2 floor pub with a curved bar that snakes it's way round the ground floor.
On 23rd November 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Barrowboy and Banker
Great interior.Always busy and a good choice of Fullers beer inc bottles rarely available in Fullers pubs.Seems to be one of the first pubs to get the Fullers seasonal beers.Sky football shown.
On 20th May 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Barrowboy and Banker
Another of Fuller’s London bank conversions (this one was a Nat West) that is part of their Ale & Pie genre and situated by London Bridge. There are plenty of eye-catching features on the two floors; ornate dark wood, immense light fittings, intricate pillars, murals, portraits and open staircase. The Charge of the Light Brigade mural was particularly epic. Upstairs is often closed but if you can sneak up there (as I did) then the views of the bar area are quite impressive. The huge curved bar had six pumps dispensing five of the Fullers range with London Porter on keg. As has been mentioned elsewhere, the service level isn’t the best and my uninspiring half of Red Fox came in at £2.03. Having settled down with my Private Eye I noticed that I was sat next to a frieze entitled “The idle Barrow Boy who pay’d through the nofe”. The irony was not lost on me.
Pop in for a look at the interior.
On 25th October 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5081 recommendations about 5064 pubs]