Conservatory / Old Bank Street Brew House, Old Bank Street

Annies, former Conservatory, Old Bank Street. (c) theafternoonteaclub [1].

Yet another downstairs cellar bar, the Conservatory was situated on the corner of St Ann's Square on the passage through to Half Moon Street.  After conversion to a bar it was originally the Old Bank Street Brew House and it brewed its own ale from 1983 to 1985 [1], which must have been quite encouraging at a time when keg was king.  Tyson recalls it being a malty brew-type output though, like the Lass O'Gowrie was, and brewed ales such as the imaginatively entitled Old Bank Street Bitter.

As the Conservatory it was considered to be quite a classy place in its day, but it rapidly went downhill as it sold its soul to the baby-faced drinker when it returned after a period of closure as Bar 105.  All drinks at this time were £1.05 and whilst as a novelty it was great, it usually ended up with the place erupting in a booze-fuelled brawl later in the evening as those what struggled to hold their drink turned to fighting. The Conservatory shut in the 1990s, and after its brief stint as Bar 105 and then Bar 5 it remained closed for years.  Update: As of 2012 this place has reopened as Annies Restaurant.

1. www.theafternoonteaclub.com/2013/02/the-afternoon-tea-club-reviews-annies.html.
2. www.quaffale.org.uk.