London’s Chancery Lane is home to one of the Square Mile’s most distinctive and characterful drinking establishments, celebrating ten years of operation this January.
The Pregnant Man is a finalist for the Best Bar gong at the Toast the City Awards, a recognition that speaks to its enduring appeal among City workers and creatives alike.
Part owned by Saatchi and Saatchi, the bar originally operated as an agency-only pub in a car park before opening its doors fully to the public on Chancery Lane.
The bar takes its name from one of Saatchi and Saatchi’s most celebrated advertising campaigns from the 1970s, which promoted safe sex with considerable wit and impact.
That tongue-in-cheek spirit runs through every corner of the venue, from its decor to its drinks menu, making it genuinely unlike anywhere else in the area.
Prints hang on the walls bearing slogans such as “Bankers Are People Too,” and a bust on the bar is covered with lipstick kisses left by the late-night, amorous crowd.
The clientele is an eclectic mix of trendy young creatives and members of the neighbouring legal community, whom bar staff affectionately refer to as “nice suits.”
Industrial chic meets modern art and colourful touches, and the overall energy is described by those who work there as somewhere to leave the corporate shtick at the door.
By day the venue operates as a full restaurant, serving salads, burgers, tacos, and pizzas, before shifting into a lively bar once the post-work crowd arrives each evening.
Managers are keen to emphasise that despite looking every bit like a bar, the atmosphere is much closer to that of a traditional pub, warm and familiar to regulars.
Bar staff were observed high-fiving at least four customers arriving for a lunchtime pint during a recent visit, greeting them with the enthusiasm reserved for old friends.
Monday nights bring a two-for-one pizza deal, and every day a two-for-one happy hour on cocktails runs between 5pm and 7pm, keeping the crowds returning reliably.
The signature Brittania, a British-style gin-based cocktail, comes highly recommended as a guaranteed remedy for the mid-afternoon slump after a long day in the office.
For those seeking a gentler start to the evening, the bar specialises in craft beers with an impressive rotating list of ales and lagers on keg to choose from.
A decade in, The Pregnant Man remains a genuine original in a city where truly distinctive drinking spots with real personality and heart are always worth celebrating.