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The Old Bank of England Pub

The Old Bank of England Pub

The Old Bank of England Pub
4
1:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Monday
12:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
12:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
12:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Thursday
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Friday
12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Saturday
1:00 PM - 9:00 PM
About
The Old Bank of England is now managed by McMullen & Sons Hertfordshire Brewers One of the most stunning pub interiors in the city of London now with a new lease of life, paired with honest pub grub and fantastic, Hertfordshire brewed beers. Welcome to the Old Bank of England! Our pub resides in the old Law Court’s branch of the previous Bank of England which operated from 1888 to 1975, although you may not be able to get a loan with us you are bound to receive attentive service, and a unique experience in the country’s capital. The location is also famously directly between Sweeney Todd's barber shop and Mrs Lovett's pie shop! Our vintage Routemaster Bus is available for private hire, a truly unique experience in the heart of Fleet Street.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Top ways to experience The Old Bank of England Pub and nearby attractions

The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Holborn
Inner London’s busiest streets crisscross quiet cobbled lanes for an effect that can be urbane or quaint – or an intriguing blend of both – depending on the particular corner you turn. Due to its especially convenient location, bustling Holborn hosts an excellent range of hotels, eateries, and shops to suit practically any taste or budget. With major attractions like the British Museum and Somerset House as well as popular areas such as Covent Garden and Soho all just a short walk away, Holborn is a smart base from which to explore London.
How to get there
  • Temple • 5 min walk
  • Chancery Lane • 7 min walk
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Raidon22
    London, United Kingdom289 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice setting
    Evening meal. Food was good but not excellent. Setting is really good Tip - get drinks yourself from bar. If ordered from table then you will pay service charge I don’t mind paying service charge for food, but drinks in London are expensive enough without a service charge
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 8 October 2023
  • Danks Knows
    Shoalhaven, Australia2,252 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Ok pub, but don’t expect much.
    The England Pub is just outside Ljubljana old town near the City Hotel. Apparently, this is the old site of the Bank of England, now a pub that does not reflect English pubs. Beer, Guinness, London Pride, Kilkenny is available and at about 4 Euros a pint is well priced. The pub though looks very run down and the outside seating is surrounded by a large car park. Lacks ambience.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 12 October 2023
  • BD
    Bromley, United Kingdom942 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful historical building with quirky additions …..
    Had seen this pub on TikTok and had to visit. As it was the old Bank of England the building was beautiful but works really well as a pub! Loved the chandeliers! Staff were really friendly and service was great. Absolutely loved the double decker bus out in the courtyard and got some fab photos! It will be wonderful to sit out there in the Summer. Also loved the Sweeney Todd corner! Really quirky ideas - totally instagrammable! Talked to the Manager about the huge vaults down below which are used to store the wine now. Incredible to think what an important building this once was. Really enjoyed our visit and would definitely recommend.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 20 January 2024
  • DowningB
    57 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful London pub
    Our tour guide showed us this pub during our stroll of central London last summer. I was so impressed that I went back for lunch the next day as the ambience is terrific. I went straight to the bar to ask about seating and was told to sit anywhere I like. Great. After picking a table in the back room, I downloaded the menu on my phone via the QR code. I could see the menu but couldn't place the order. I finally gave up and went back to the bartender and told him I was having problems. He then told me it wasn't working--might have mentioned that in the first place. I placed my order with him. So after a bit of a rough start, everything else went smoothly. I was "fish and chips" exhausted at that point, so I ordered a good ol' cheeseburger and fries along with a pint. Service was very prompt, and the food and drink were delicious. I will gladly return, although there are so many places to try in London that it may be a while. Next time, I'll check to make sure the QR code is working, lol. Highly recommend.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 7 April 2024
  • Sam
    8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cheryl - you are Amazing and thank you
    Wow what a lovely historic and welcoming place. My friend and I went for lunch and was welcomed by Cheryl who checked on our food and ensured we were happy. She also walked us around the pub and explained some of the history which was very interesting, she also showed us outside where the Bus was in the Garden which was a huge WOW factor. Thank you Cheryl you really did make our visit a very enjoyable one.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 16 April 2024
  • Marissa D
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good food, great service
    Our server Cheryl was outstanding and made our first meal in London very special. Im not sure she's actually a server but it was early and she was assigned to us. She is an asset to the restaurant and pointed out all the special details about the building that we should not miss. Food was fine for the price. Easy location not far from Covent Garden.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 29 August 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles140 reviews
Excellent
71
Very good
45
Average
8
Poor
9
Terrible
7

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

Michele N
Leeds, UK81 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
I recently visited The Old Bank of England and had a disappointing experience. I had a table booked, but arrived early with the intention of enjoying a drink beforehand. The place was quite busy, which is understandable given its popularity.

However, as I was ordering my drink at the bar, I was rudely interrupted by a staff member. Her tone was derogatory and contemptuous, making me feel unwelcome and uncomfortable. Due to this unpleasant interaction, I promptly cancelled my reservation and left the pub.

While it may be considered a bustling hotspot by some, I can't recommend The Old Bank of England due to the terrible service I experienced during my visit.
Written 19 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jess-Roy
Brighton, UK67 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Couples
The venue is lovely, however poorly trained and inexperienced staff means the experience wasn’t great. Took ages to order food and drink, food order was messed up. Pies were very dry and not home made. they brought us two meals although only ordered one. Left it on the table for ages and then came back and said Manager insists we take it away. Pretty ungenerous and such a waste as would have to go straight into the bin. But Manager would rather bin it, than just say it’s ok have it on the house. Won’t go back and wouldn’t recommend . How the staff greet you and interact is so important and unfortunately the staff here were disinterested and unfriendly
Written 12 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DowningB
Portland57 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Solo
Our tour guide showed us this pub during our stroll of central London last summer. I was so impressed that I went back for lunch the next day as the ambience is terrific.

I went straight to the bar to ask about seating and was told to sit anywhere I like. Great. After picking a table in the back room, I downloaded the menu on my phone via the QR code. I could see the menu but couldn't place the order. I finally gave up and went back to the bartender and told him I was having problems. He then told me it wasn't working--might have mentioned that in the first place. I placed my order with him.

So after a bit of a rough start, everything else went smoothly. I was "fish and chips" exhausted at that point, so I ordered a good ol' cheeseburger and fries along with a pint. Service was very prompt, and the food and drink were delicious.

I will gladly return, although there are so many places to try in London that it may be a while. Next time, I'll check to make sure the QR code is working, lol.

Highly recommend.
Written 7 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ColinMacmillan
London, UK874 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
For anyone with a love of architecture the ambience of the Old Bank of England in Fleet Street is a must, and be sure to take photographs. I had booked in advance for my wife and my oldest friend of 69 years, and I imagine booking would be advisable at weekends. The welcoming staff showed us to a nice banquette table and took our drinks order immediately. The prawns and steaks are recommended. I drink wine nowadays; but I could see many familiar labels on the beer and lager pumps, so enjoy. We lunched at about £77 for three, so not expensive.
Written 1 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Raidon22
London, UK289 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
Evening meal. Food was good but not excellent.
Setting is really good
Tip - get drinks yourself from bar. If ordered from table then you will pay service charge I don’t mind paying service charge for food, but drinks in London are expensive enough without a service charge
Written 8 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Danks Knows
Shoalhaven, Australia2,252 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
The England Pub is just outside Ljubljana old town near the City Hotel. Apparently, this is the old site of the Bank of England, now a pub that does not reflect English pubs. Beer, Guinness, London Pride, Kilkenny is available and at about 4 Euros a pint is well priced. The pub though looks very run down and the outside seating is surrounded by a large car park. Lacks ambience.
Written 12 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

HINA W
Islamabad, Pakistan7,348 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Family
This is a historical building as the first Bank of England was located here from 1888 till 1975. It has one of the most stunning interiors of London. The opulent ceiling is so grand that you start feeling that you are in one of the palaces of Europe. Nothing has changed since 1975, even the chandeliers have Bank of England etched on them. The food served is pretty good but the ambience outshines everything. There is an old red double decker bus parked in the courtyard. Interestingly it is located next to Sweeney Todd Shop of the Demon Barber. Do visit this pub for it’s looks.
Written 11 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sam
8 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Friends
Wow what a lovely historic and welcoming place. My friend and I went for lunch and was welcomed by Cheryl who checked on our food and ensured we were happy. She also walked us around the pub and explained some of the history which was very interesting, she also showed us outside where the Bus was in the Garden which was a huge WOW factor. Thank you Cheryl you really did make our visit a very enjoyable one.
Written 16 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bengt O
2 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Large pub with food and drinks (beers) in copious amounts. Check out the clock on the wall showing the time of the last transaction made in the bank of england. By the way, the pub is where Sweeney Todd "shaved", if you know the story. As always, lot of people after work. I prefer to come earlier :-)
Written 6 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a lovely review! Glad you enjoyed your experience with us and hope to see you again soon, The OBE Team
Written 9 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

hasino1960
Vienna, Austria115 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Family
As the name suggests, the pub was once a bank. There are two special rooms (access only with reservation). One (a little smaller) has no normal armchairs, but rather chairs like those in a hairdresser's. The other, larger one, is furnished like a living room with a fireplace. Many things are reminiscent of the bank. There is also a garden (where a bus is parked). The staff are very friendly and competent!
Google
Written 5 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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THE OLD BANK OF ENGLAND PUB (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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