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The Bell, Cannon Street, EC4

29 Bush Lane
EC4
EC4R 0AN

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Roger Button left this review about The Bell

The Bell claims to be a survivor from the Great Fire of London and whilst it is undoubtedly old, it has undergone several refurbishments over the centuries. If your first impressions are that of a small rather cramped interior, it is worth noting the old building plans on the wall dating from 1899 that show the pub divided into even smaller rooms.

Most of what can be seen probably dates from the sixties when the previous owner took over. Until her retirement in 2004 the pub had changed very little however a few subtle changes have brought the place a bit closer to the 21st Century. The 2 small TV’s would have been unthinkable in here until just a few years ago and the removal of the old bar frame may have made the place appear a little bigger but it took some of the charm away. The “clink, clink, kerching” till that once swallowed a large percentage of my wages is these days a faceless plastic bleepy thing.

There are several pictures and prints around the walls although they don’t seem to be particularly topical or relevant and there is a list of the Landlords going back to 1678. A few jugs and pots dangle from the beamed ceiling and the Hops around the edges and beams are a nice touch. There isn’t a great deal of seating, just a couple of small tables in a bay near the entrance. This is more of a vertical drinking establishment with a few stools and ledges around the edges.

One of the pubs greatest assets was always the long standing and quite charismatic bar staff. The 2004 changeover saw them all off although there has been a relatively stable collection of bar staff since. If you are a regular (as a few of my friends are) they will virtually have your pint poured before you walk through the door but as a non regular (which I now find myself) I find the them a bit surly until they realise that I am with people they know.

There are 5 hand pulls with (on my latest visit) Harveys, Courage Best, Landlord, Tribute and a quite abysmal Nethergate World Cup Brew called Jules Rimet IPA that appears to have been brewed especially for the Red Car group of pubs to which the Bell belongs. Prices that I once deemed quite expnsive now seem to be realistic for the area.

This is a place that mainly attracts suited office workers who tend to spill out into the street at the first opportunity (why do people prefer staring at an office block as opposed to a charming old interior?). The last trains leave the adjacent Cannon Street station around 8.00pm and after this, the pub starts to shuts down, not unlike most of the City. It’s not open at weekends but is worth making an effort to visit if you are looking for a genuine City pub among the numerous faceless bars and chains, but you will probably have to battle your way to the bar at peak times.

On 29th July 2010 - rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Malden man left this review about The Bell

Quite a compact one room pub, with the bar to one side, yet returning each end to allow space for a couple of stools each end. Two doors remain so the original two room format would have been small indeed. A sense of history here, there is a claim that this pub survived The Great Fire, and indeed it is unusual to see a timber beamed ceiling and walls in a City pub, especially as timber frame was declared illegal in The City of London following the fire. The front elevation looks more recent though, but hard to tell. To add to the historical interest, there is a list of previous landlords displayed plus a couple of prints of the pub plans, these look Victorian but it could have been a partial rebuild. The interior has small bench seats at cast iron Britannia tables, a few stools at a ledge by the front window, bare boarded floors, brass and copper ornaments hanging from beams, some hops entwined around a beam too, there is also a photograph of the comic legend Sid James.
Outside there remains the Courage cockerel and the bar back retains the trademark Courage bar back with the lettering picked out against the background. Two small TV's were showing news on mute.
A decent beer selection, with five on. Courage Best, Taylor's Landlord, Harvey's Sussex Best, St Austell Tribute and Sharp's Cornish Coaster. Friendly service too, and a good full pint served. I liked it here a great deal despite having to listen along with the whole pub to some chinless City Boy loudly demonstrating his remarkable stupidity to us all. Never mind, it goes with the territory.

On 4th June 2010 - rating: 8
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve C left this review about The Bell

It is a while since I have been into a pub and the barman has asked me about my day and engaged in general chit-chat making me feel very welcome – it was much appreciated.

Youngs Ordinary was available, but I plumped for the Tribute and Harveys Best which were both good. There was also a selection of standard lagers available alongside Addlestones cider and Peroni. I noticed on the sign outside that they offer ‘hand cut' sandwiched and toasties; I tend to use a knife myself, but whatever floats their boat.

Jesting aside, this is a nice old historic pub that is well worth a visit if in the area.

On 25th June 2009 - rating: 8
[User has posted 5179 recommendations about 5148 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Rex Rattus left this review about The Bell

What a nice little pub. It must be one of the better ones in the City. It's a fairly small one-room pub, with plenty of dark wood that gives it an olde worlde atmosphere. The mass of bric-a-brac on the beams also adds to the atmosphere. There were about five real ales on. Expensive though - the Summer Lightning and Landlord were both £3.05 a pint. But that's the City for you. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

On 15th August 2007 - rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]

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