As a post-curry venue this was a dubious one so it came as a surprise that the City Inn served a solitary real beer in the form of a Scottish microbrewery cask ale. Served a little too cold and in a non-traditional tall pint pot, it was at least preferable to my companions' cocktails and cooking lager. The City Inn has recently been "refreshed" as the Mint Hotel, so what was the public bar of the City Inn is now the Piccadilly Lounge of the Mint Hotel. Subdued lighting, trendy but low-key background tunes and a general upmarket feel don't disguise the fact this is still a hotel bar for the transient - business people, weekending couples, tourists.
City Inn hotel lounge, Auburn Street. (c) barblog.co.uk.
The Mint Hotel, facing onto Auburn Street between Aytoun Street and Piccadilly, is part of the Piccadilly Place development, all shiny, and looming over the Station as you reach the top of the Approach. Only a decade or so ago, the view greeting you outside the station was one of the delightful Piccadilly Indian Restaurant; go back a few more years and the Coach & Horses stood here. This is one part of town which has changed unrecognisably in just a few years - and for the better of course. Next... sort out the London Road Fire Station.
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