City PM’s Pub of the Week: The Abitrager
This week’s Pub of the Week is The Abitrager on Throgmorton Street
The Arbitrager is one of those pubs that feels so inextricably linked to the Square Mile that it couldn’t exist anywhere else. As many readers of this newspaper will know, arbitrage is the buying of a commodity in one market and selling it for a profit in another, the name reflecting both its clientele and its proximity to the old stock exchange.
The pub is perhaps most notable for its size: located in the Grade II listed Draper’s Hall, it’s shaped like an envelope and isn’t much bigger. There’s a bar at the back, a handful of seats along the side, with the layout repeated downstairs. It has a proper ‘hidden London’ feel despite being slap-bang in the middle of the City.
It’s been around for as long as anyone can remember: it was a members’ bar back in the 80s and a favourite of the barrow boys in the 90s before falling into disrepair. It was bought by its current, independent owners in 2015 and given a complete refurb by design studio Moxy & Co.
On days like yesterday, when the sun finally agrees to make an appearance, there’s space outside to gather down the ancient alleyway that is Throgmorton Street, pint perched atop a converted beer barrel, wind gently tousling your hair. This is the life, isn’t it?
Pub of the Week: what makes The Arbitrager unique?
Everything sold here, from pints to spirits, is made in London, including all the draft beers and ales and more than 40 gins. There’s a not-insignificant cocktail list on offer, too. We at City PM tend to use it as a bridge pub between our office on the southern limits of the Square Mile and the bustle of Liverpool Street, Moorgate and beyond.
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