The Jamaica Wine House, Bank, EC3

As described below, this place is really one to visit at a quieter time if you can make it, to appreciate the art nouveau sandstone exterior which dates from 1869. The interior too is rather fine as mentioned earlier and there's also Todd's Wine Bar in the basement. I can't remember what I had as my drinking partner was buying so equally absent was the price though I'll expect it was high. Certainly one for the curiosity value but is probably best appreciated as part of a local crawl. Closed at weekends.

Update – August 2015 Pub as described below in my February 2010 visit. Yesterday lunchtime a distinctly moderate Spitfire - £ 4.15p - was the only real ale available amongst a bank of unclipped pumps. I’m afraid to report that service also left something to be desired - four staff members standing round behind the bar chatting to themselves, ignoring customers. Even though the pub was not particularly busy and I was standing right up by the counter, I still had to do my best bookies at the racecourse impression ( i e – wave my arms around ) and call out in order to attract attention. Needless to say, I declined to make a contribution to the prominently positioned large “staff tips” bottle directly in front of me. This was not an impressive visit at all – I do hope it’s much better all round next time. ORIGINAL REVIEW – FEBRUARY 2010 Typically traditional City pub in an alleyway off Cornhill, next door to St Michaels Church. Wood partitions divide the pub up into a number of smaller adjoining areas. There's a larger room at the end with a plasma TV, which was on silent on the early evening of my visit. Here there's a food counter serving sandwiches and soup at lunchtime. There's a restaurant / bar downstairs serving more substantial meals. Of particular note architecturally is the large lantern over the entrance inscribed with the establishment's name and the ceiling, part of which consists of unusual glass panels. The sandstone exterior of the building is also noteworthy. A plaque outside the pub tells us that "Here stood the first London Coffee House at the sign of Pasqua Rosees Head 1652". The present pub on this site was acquired by Shepherd Neame in March 2009. The pub was in the 2009 CAMRA GBG, but it's not in the current edition. My pint of Late Red - £ 3.40p - was slightly cold and lacking in flavour. In many respects, this pub has a typical City pub feel to it - all brightly polished dark wood and subdued lighting. There's plenty of pubs like this in this neck of the woods and - whilst I'd be happy to pop in again - it doesn't really stand out from the crowd for me

Known locally as the Jam Pot, this London Heritage pub was most definitely on my itinerary. Who needs a museum, when there is such history here and if it were still a coffee house today, it would certainly look a lot better than the majority of the chains on the High Street. It was nice to visit the pub when it was quiet to appreciate the well kept interior. My Whitstable Bay was in excellent condition.

A strange looking building from the outside with 3 or 4 wood panelled drinking areas inside. Only Shepherd Neame Master Brew and Spitfire on tap on my visit with the latter being an eye watering £4.10 a pint which I think is a bit too much for such an insipid beer.

Full range of Shepherd Neame ales available in historic surroundings