The Last - Bar Review
Athene Place, 73 Shoe Lane, Holborn, London, EC4A 3BQ
Having recently completed a full renovation, City pub and restaurant ’The Last’ invited me down for a sneak peek of the finished article. The new renovation not only delivers a whole host of upgrades, but also aims to set The Last apart from much of its competition.
The dining area at The Last is both intimate and spacious
What’s new?
Some of the new features include a new menu that promotes a range of freshly made lunches - tasty and pretty good value for money. As for the drinks, the menu has a wide variety and accounts for varying tastes ensuring guests are not found wanting. The Last specialises in wine, beer and champagne, so whether it’s a fine Merlot or a refreshing pint, it looks like you’ll be catered for here.
The open kitchen allows fills the room with an array of tantalising smells
Why here?
For me, the newly competitive all-day drink prices are likely to ensure bums on seats, whether it’s for lunch, dinner, after work drinks or even for the late night party sessions towards the end of the week. One thing I noticed was the alternative ambience on offer at The Last; when it’s been one of those days you’re certainly not going to help matters with a visit to a dull and dreary pub, and it seems like The Last understands that. The recent refurb showcases simple, but elegant décor throughout creating a real airy and spacious feel to the place – with floor to ceiling windows, an open plan kitchen and brand new interior; it’s a far cry from some of the bog standard City pubs on offer in the area. Personally I like to see a City bar make an effort with their décor as too many fall into the “standard city” trap.
The main bar area at The Last
Any extras?
On top of the other new features noted above, they were keen to tell me about their new and improved in-house party planning service. This means if you’re looking to take a work group out or even a private party, the bar offers a variety of party packages to suit your group, they’ll even offer to organise your taxi home! While we may not be thinking about sunshine yet, I was impressed with The Lasts’ outdoor seating area, which is certainly a novelty for bars in this area of the City.
The furniture at The Last is chic yet simple
Summary
It’s quirks like the planning service, outside area and reasonable prices that will surely be popular with punters. The last word on the new face-lift for this City bar is quite simply that The Last is likely to last…and when the sun is shining I’ll be the one basking outside with a cider after a tough day at the office!
