CityBird: The Runner Bar, Cornhill

Thursdays at the Runner Bar on Cornhill get REALLY busy, according to staff. Packed-to-the-rafters type busy. Which suits me, natch, as it’s next door to City stalwart Abacus (it’s my favourite club in London, as if you didn’t know).

Historic Cornhill is one of the more pleasing City streets. It’s got luxe (The Door, Laduree) and pheromones (Abacus, the Jamaica Wine House) as well as a heaving happy hour trade from local Pitcher and Piano. To my chagrin, I’ve never given the Runner Bar at Green’s, at the western end of the street outside the Royal Exchange, no more than a cursory glance on the way past to neighbouring Abacus – it always looked too upmarket. 

Fortunately, it’s still upmarket and old-school City chic trickles out of the immaculate floor tiles and winding pillars. The bar itself is an old banking hall (there’s a Lloyds horse displayed at the bottom of the grand staircase), with sweeping ceilings and an impossibly grand floating level: all of which just adds to its Square Mile history. Banking halls, even masquerading as bars, have always attracted an attractive clientele. It’s buzzy, swarming with eligible suits (sorry IT guy) – you get the feeling deals get ‘done’ here. Green’s, the restaurant on the mezzanine level, is no different – but as usual, I’m here for the booze. 

And so it’s on a Friday night that myself and my dazzling PR girlfriend are settling back in a comfy recliner armed with several champagne cocktails, wide-eyed with tiredness after an impossibly sober January week. Luckily, a sharer plate arrives soon after the booze, to stop us no doubt from flouncing drunkenly around the bar like ladies of EC1. Picture premier scotch eggs, artichokes and pate: it’s about as far away from the Abacus sharing platter as it's possible to be.

Fridays might not live up to the lively Thursday night tradition on Cornhill (and every other Square Mile alley), but this is the real McCoy – a true slice of City history. Just drink it all in, readers. The Runner Bar is possibly the most upmarket pre-game drink you’ll ever have.