6.00pm - 7.00pm

The Cock & Woolpack
6 Finch Lane
London EC3V 3NA

- This unobtrusive pub is something of a City institution and, thanks to its location, is generally only frequented by those lucky few in the know. Sit in plush surroundings, drink a nice pint of ale and converse without being interrupted by loud jukeboxes. A good pub for a quick pint on the way home.

7.00pm - 7.45pm

The Counting House
50 Cornhill
London EC3V 3PD

- NatWest really has got it the wrong way round: the Counting House demonstrates just how much better suited a city cathedral is for drinking and dining than, in its previous guise, another bank. From the colossal island bar to the huge glass domed roof at stratospheric levels, beautiful wood, brass and marble fittings abound - wherever the eye settles, it is magnificent. The pub absorbs regiments without excessive crush (even at Friday lunchtime) at stools and tables, in a collection of smaller rooms at the back, in the many dining tables running round the mezzanine. Fuller's classic beer range is available but the smart, friendly and plentiful staff also have the pick of a dizzying range of other taps running up and down the bar counter. Food matches the overall standard too. Not just the eponymous pies - excellent though they are -and other classic dishes are supported by the adventurous traditional such as corn beef hash or Welsh rarebit with a poached egg.

7.45pm - 8.30pm

Lamb Tavern
10-12 Leadenhall Market
London EC3V 1LR

- Set in the splendid setting of Leadenhall Market (used to film Diagon Alley in the harry Potter films) this pub serves a good range of Young's beers.

8.30pm - 9.15pm

The Crosse Keys
9 Gracechurch Street
London EC3V 0DR

- Another gigantic Wetherspoon conversion, this one was a monumental banking hall and impresses by its Stalinist proportions. There's the usual Wetherspoon range of drink and food on offer at the usual unbeatable Wetherspoon prices and with Wetherspoon's excellent (some might say challenging) range of beers. 

9.15pm - 10.00pm

Red Lion
8 Lombard Court
London EC3V 9BJ

- Another hidden gem in the City, the wrought iron above the door hints at some of the details within. While not all original (what pub is, these days?) there's quite a few nice features about this pub to reassure us that it's not a new build. Most of the action takes place in the "Main bar", downstairs, with it's nooks and crannies for parties or quiet conversations, and Karaoke on Thursday nights at 7, if you're interested. Pride, Adnams, Green King's IPA and a decent wine list make this a good all-rounder.

10.00pm - 11.00pm

The Ship
11 Talbot Court
London EC3V 0BP

- You could pass Talbot Court - an essay in concrete that looks like a loading bay - a hundred times and never notice The Ship tucked on an inside corner just a hundred yards down where the slabwork gives way to a traditional London yard. It's a gem. Rebuilt in the 17th century after the original ale house was incinerated in the Great Fire, it's smallish, simple and comfortable offering decent Pride and Bombardier and a wide food menu. The spiral wooden staircase leads up to the narrowish upper bar where - perhaps a trick of the eye - the limited space seems to have been enhanced by installing slightly undersized tables and chairs and a tiny serving area in the corner. Perhaps it is the location, but we are told you can nearly always get a seat upstairs.