East India Arms, Fenchurch Street, EC3

Dating from at least 1645 and built on the site of the Magpie Ale House, the East India Arms is named after the British East India Company and dates from 1829, but I doubt that the current building dates back that far; it looks a bit 1930s’ to me, but them I’m no expert. I’m also surprised that the name has survived in the current climate, given the British East India Company’s involvement with the slave trade. The interior is a sort of manifestation of Victorian/Edwardian, with much dark wood panelling, similar to many other Neame pubs, this possibly being a modern yet sympathetic restoration in part, if not in whole. The coloured mirrors to the top of the pot shelf advertising the brewer and its wares looks Ye Olde enough, but then you notice the pub’s postcode included: EC3M 4BR. EC3 didn’t arrive until 1917 and the rest…1980s? Otherwise, there’s off-white paint, a boarded floor and some etched glass, which looks a bit self-adhesive; since when did etching peel off? Décor amounts to a few framed prints, brewers’ mirrors and ceramic jugs. Furniture is conventional, with just tall stools to the bar and peripheral drinking ledge, whilst entertainment came in the form of a TV showing the news with subtitles, then barely audible music. Customers amounted to some very annoying mouthy City types – a couple reminding me of Del Boy – though, most were outside. Ales offered were just Whitstable Bay and Spitfire at £2.75 a half and fine. This place is ok, but would I really want to visit a pub for a session in the knowledge that I’m going to have to up sticks and look for somewhere else come 8.00pm? There are better pubs and better beer in EC3…

A smallish, single room pub in the shadow of The Gherkin, a sign outside proudly proclaims that this is run by Britain’s oldest brewery, which is apparently Shepherd Neame. It was surprisingly quiet on a recent mid-week lunchtime visit, with only a couple of other punters stood outside. Inside it’s quite traditional with much dark wood panelling on the walls, etched glass windows and a few gilded mirrors branded with brewery names which included Bass as well as the owners. Flooring was black wood and there were a few strings of hops hung up above the bar. Seating was quite limited, with the majority of the space being given over to vertical drinking, and consisted of a few bar stools around the perimeter and fitted bench in one corner. A TV was showing a news channel, but the volume was off so this was not too intrusive. A few old pictures of the locale were hung on the walls. Beers on tap were Spitfire, Spitfire Gold and Whitstable Bay, whilst a fourth pump appeared unused. The solitary cider was Symonds Founders Reserve.