The Old Bank of England, EC4

Official site of The Old Bank of England - www.mcmullens.co.uk

Official site of The Old Bank of England - www.mcmullens.co.uk

Can't add to the extensive reviews of the interior below. Fuller's seem to have nailed the bank conversion modus operandi and this is well worth a look.

Built in the 1880's as the Law Court's branch of the Bank of England, this is now a magnificent example of an opulent bank conversion, operating under the Fuller's Ale and Pie House brand. The Grade I listed building was converted into a pub back in 1994 and has retained a lot of features from the building's original guise. The main room is a vast open space with a huge, imposing island servery in the centre. A dark wood counter and high bar back is offset by some lovely etched glass screens and topped off with a large clock. Floor tiling runs around the bar area, with much of the rest of the room carpeted. The ceiling is remarkably high and boasts several huge chandeliers and some beautiful decorations. Huge windows run along the front wall, each with elaborate drapes at their sides. There is plenty of dark wood and marble throughout, including a number of pillars, and the end wall is dominated by some huge murals with a large clock set dramatically above. Seating is plentiful and includes plenty of comfy banquettes and a lot of standard tables and chairs that are ideal if you are hoping to eat here. To the rear there are some additional rooms, denoted as 'Dining Room' and 'Club Room', but both were being closed when I arrived late one Friday night, so I couldn't explore. I presume these would have previously been the bank's offices. The pub has a mezzanine area which allows you to appreciate the finery from a different perspective, although it seemed to be a bit smaller than those in some of Fuller's other bank conversions. A wander around the pub will uncover a lot of interesting items, including a few bits of banking memorabilia and some smaller paintings, all worthy of closer inspection. The pub also has a patio garden, which is most unusual in Central London, although I didn't actually manage to get a look myself. A typical Fullers ale range was available, with the handpulls dispensing London Pride, ESB, Seafarers and Summer Ale, whilst Oliver's Island had just gone off. My pint of Sumer Ale was okay, if not quite as tasty as I remember it being. The staff were a bit brusque but I suppose they were nearing the end of a busy Friday night shift, so perhaps that's understandable. I enjoy visiting these converted banks and think they are a good way of opening up interesting buildings to the wider public. This is a fine example and is well worth a look for the décor alone. Whilst it doesn't quite match up to Fuller's best conversions (Old Joint Stock, Counting House) it's still an interesting place to explore and a good place to take visitors for the 'wow-factor'.

This is another grand old former bank converted into a pub. It's a bit like walking into a baronial banquetting hall when you enter here. There are enormously high ceilings, massive windows, and gilding all over the place. The central island servery dominates the room with a tall dark wood stillion surmounted by a nice old clock taking centre stage. Seating is the usual mix of sofas, tall tables/tall stools and normal tables and chairs. On the left through a couple of archways, one signed as the Dining Room and the other as the Club Room, is another largish room where everyone, including a couple of large groups, was eating. There's more seating upstairs on a balcony/mezzanine floor, as well as in a small garden out at the back. This is a Fuller's Ale & Pie House, so obviously it did Fuller's ales. I opted for the Wild River, but unfortunately it wasn't available, leaving Pride, Olivers Island, and Seafarers as the options. I have to say that it didn't feel much like a pub in here, with table service apparently being the order of the day. The incredibly lavish decor, and the fact that twice while I was sitting with my half I got asked if I had ordered yet, made me feel like I was in a posh restaurant. However, this is another pub worth visiting to soak up a bit of its ambience, but I wouldn't visit here for a traditional pub experiennce.