The Masons Arms, Moorgate, EC2

This modern city bar couldn't be more of a contrast to the Old Doctor Butler's Head next door, and this was my first visit despite having walked past it many times. The rectangular bar is accessed via three steps at the front, and is dark inside despite the full-height windows because the front alleyway is so narrow. Anonymous furniture, mostly full height, although there is a lounge seating area in one corner. Function room downstairs. Just Landlord (£6.60) being served from the pair of handpumps. Caught it at a quiet time as it opened, but it was soon starting to fill by the time I left after a quick pint.

Situated in the same narrow passage that houses The Old Doctor Butlers Head this is a recent conversion from a former Davy group run wine bar and restaurant called El Vino back into something resembling a modern city bar. Opened in August this year it is now independently run and was renamed The Mason Arms Public House, Some large wooden barrels to the front operating as tables to prop your beer on whilst drinking in the outdoor corridor and some Masons Arms Public House branding on the floor to ceiling front windows try to give the feel of a pub, but once you step inside you immediately realise you are in a one roomed modern shiny city bar. The modern serving bar is at the back, and the space is full of high tables and stools around the edge and in the middle and, as with a lot of these places, the low ceiling to this one roomed space gives it terrible acoustics, especially when full with the afterwork crowd as it was last night. Mainly chrome taps on the bar but there are two hand pumps on the far-left section (as you enter) with one in operation with a surprisingly decent TT Landlord for my visit. One that will appeal to the younger city worker audience, but for the rest of us The Old Doctor Butlers Head is only a matter of yards away. Only open Monday to Friday as most of the establishments in this part of the City are.

Facebook page of The Masons Arms - www.facebook.com

Official site of The Masons Arms - www.masonsarmsec2.com

Facebook page of The Masons Arms - www.facebook.com

Official site of The Masons Arms - www.masonsarmsec2.com