Famous Fleet Street bar El Vino sold

El Vino, the famous Fleet Street wine bar where journalists gathered to gossip and snoop in search of scoops has been sold by the family that founded it in 1879.

photo credit: Marc Haynes

The bar, which appeared in the Rumpole books at the fictional barrister’s favourite hangout Pomeroys, has been sold to the Davy’s wine bar chain for an undisclosed sum.

El Vino will keep its name under the new ownership, but it signals the end of an era for the independently run boozer frequented by local hacks, editors and lawyers.

The haunt, which didn’t serve women until 1982, started life as Bower & Co and was founded by Sir Alfred Bower, who went on to become Mayor of London.

His son Frank turned it into one of the most notorious drinking dens of the golden era of newspaper publishing where men were required to wear a tie and women had to drink in a back room.

Political columnist Alan Watkins recalls in his memoirs: “Here the conversation was louder, jollier, more brutish even, accompanied by strong spirits rather than by wine, with much ho, ho, hoing, conducted by tall, heavy men with red braces.”

In 1982 journalist Anna Coote took the pub to court due to its discrimination against women.

Three appeal judges ordered that the ban on women be lifted on the grounds that the exclusion could harm their careers if they were denied the chance to “pick up the gossip of the day”.

In its heyday, journalists could enjoy Montrachet by the glass at the bar, housed at number 47 Fleet Street. Fourth generation owner Anthony Mitchell said he was “confident” of a “seamless transition” to new owner Davy’s, who are keen not to change its look and feel.