Our first stop was at the Counting House pub on Cornhill, which is set in a beautiful historic building that used to be a bank back in the late 1800s. It still oozes that Victorian atmosphere with its high domed ceilings, mosaic floors and shiny chandeliers. We had a drink at the bar and a quick look around before setting off to pub number 2.
The second stop was at the Jamaica Wine House tucked away in St Michael's Alley. It's a 19th century public house with a woody interior and cosy partitions and stands on the spot of London's first coffee house opened in 1652. It took a while to get our drinks, which I downed before running along through the medieval alleys to the next pub.
Pub number three was called the Olde Wine Shades in Martin Lane, which miraculously survived the great fire. It also used to have a tunnel running down to the Thames that was used by smugglers, but it was closed off after WWII. There is no beer on sale at this pub, but Vic recommended to have a glass of port. Already feeling quite woozy, I took a little break and chatted with some of my fellow tour people.
When Vic said the fourth pub was a Wetherspoon's bar, I wasn't expecting much, but the Crosse Keys on Gracechurch Street was actually quite impressive. Also set in a former bank building it also has high glass domed ceilings, resting on ornate pillars. And true to its Wetherspoons rep, the drinks are extremely cheap.
I was invited for this complimentary Suits and Flutes tour by Dragon and Flagon London. You can find more information on their tours here.
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