New Moon, Leadenhall, EC3

This is a Greene King pub right at the entrance to Leadenhall Market, with an entrance just inside the market, as well as one in Gracechurch Street that leads down to the cellar. The market building was eerily quiet, mirrored by the upstairs (i.e. ground level) bar of the pub where I was the only customer for some while until another four or five other customers arrived. Obviously I had to do the pub's track and trace before I was allowed in and being a GK pub this didn't have to be via their "app", but a text to some GK address was enough. But it's card only here; no cash. There were several beers on though - GKIPA of course, some other GK beer called Man on the Moon, Yardbird, plus guests in St Austell Tribute and Five Points XPA (£4.95 a pint). A Southwark Brewery porter was "coming soon". There were a number of keg beers available, but I didn't feel like donning my mask to go to the bar counter to read the small clips. A fairly limited menu had main courses at upwards of £13, and chicken club and fish finger sandwiches were £10. The City of London isn't known for its cheap prices so I wasn't surprised by being asked to pay a tenner for a sandwich, but although it wasn't mentioned on the menu, a blackboard behind the counter said that food and soft drinks at lunchtime Mon to Wed were half price. Unfortunately the beer was full price. The pub itself is a wide-fronted sliver of a place, but being in the ornate Victorian splendour of the tourist attraction of the market itself does make the place look good from the outside. Unfortunately the interior doesn't live up to the exterior, with just a few tall tables and chairs for furnishings, although the wood-framed panelled ceiling with copper coloured relief design is an interesting feature. In normal times this place would be very busy at lunchtimes being in the heart of the financial district. I'm sure those days will return.

Greene King cellar bar down a few flights decorated with plenty of art deco era posters and hacked out of an old basement (I had no idea there was also an entrance in Leadenhall Market!). A pleasingly curved ceiling area at the bar on entering, with a further area beyond. Populated by powdered suits, as to be expected. The decor was nicely inoffensive with subtle lighting, bottle green, cream and wood. Four pumps at the bar with 3x GK and a guest in Truman's Swift which was a bit sweetcorn tasting and fusty (NBSS 2). Despite the downsides I kind of liked it here, a bit like an 80s wine bar reimagined. It could feature in a City Boys sitcom, should anybody feel the need to write one. 5.5