The Otherist

The Otherist sits on Old Broad Street in Bank, a Drake & Morgan cocktail bar and restaurant that recently underwent a significant refurbishment. The result is a light, open space with a sunken lounge and a terrace onto the square outside — a venue that feels airy and welcoming in a part of London where dark-panelled bars and underground wine vaults dominate the private hire landscape.

The natural light is the distinguishing feature. Windows run the length of the space, and during daytime events the room fills with a quality of light that creates atmosphere without any assistance from the AV rig. It photographs exceptionally well, which increasingly matters for events where content creation runs parallel to the occasion itself.

A Minimum-Spend Model in the City

The Otherist operates without room hire fees — events run on minimum spend, meaning you're paying for what guests eat and drink rather than a separate line item for the space. For event planners managing budgets, this simplifies the arithmetic. The cocktail bar credentials mean the drinks programme goes deeper than house wine and lager, with mixology that holds up against dedicated cocktail bars in the area.

Drake & Morgan's operational model provides the consistency of a managed group — reliable service, in-house catering, and a team accustomed to running events at varying scales.

Light, Space, and the Bank Address

The sunken lounge creates a natural semi-private zone within the open-plan space, accommodating smaller groups without walls or partitions. The terrace extends the venue outdoors onto the square — an asset for summer events and a genuine rarity in this part of the City, where outdoor space is scarce and contested.

Bank, Liverpool Street, and Moorgate stations all sit within a few minutes' walk, placing The Otherist at the intersection of the City's major transport connections. The late licence runs to midnight with extensions possible, and the overall proposition — light-filled, terrace-equipped, no hire fee, serious cocktails — offers something genuinely different from the traditional City venue template.