Pinot grigio inspired hedonism - Prohibition, Bishopsgate

Happy New Year readers, and I hope your first few days of 2010 have been kind to you. Which in the UK at the moment means being able to leave your house without snowshoes. And people talk about global warming. A socially active and highly alcoholic December 09 meant that I did not blog as much as I should have, and as a consequence have a backlog of blogs to publish.

So my first resolution of the year is to drink out more frequently and Blog about it. That's that sorted.

Looking back on my unfinished items I've decided to start with the much derided, but nevertheless enjoyable little venue that is Prohibition Bar on Bishopsgate in the City of London. Prohibition as a concept was designed to capture the spirit and style of the thirties style speakeasy - all dirty martinis and shysters and harlots out for a bit of illicit pleasure set against a backdrop of cool grooves and hedonistic behaviour. What you actually get is a converted office block positively dripping with an atmosphere of pinot grigio and lager, celebrity branded perfumes and aftershaves, and scantily dressed women eying up traders in their 'dress down Friday' bests, all throwing shapes and singing along to cheesy pop and 90's indie anthems. Al Capone era Chicago it most certainly is not.

But you can't fault the place for being fun and judging by the number of people throwing money across the bar, very successful. We were there to celebrate a new job for Young Elvis who was heading off to Hong Kong to live in a shoebox and avoid paying tax and what better way then to drink with abandon in a good old fashioned 'pick-up' bar. For Prohibition is one of those places that you find frequently in the large cities and towns around the UK and Ireland, but are remarkably rare in inner-city London .

Would I go again? Well I probably will as it seems to be becoming the bar of choice for my colleagues leaving and birthday bashes, but whether I'd recommend it is another thing. If you're young, single and fancy a big night on the lash then go for. It seemed to be to Young Elvis's taste. However if you're after some urban sophistication I'd try one of the scores of other establishments all within stumbling distance of dear Prohibition. Now to work on that blog backlog.