The exact time you should visit an iconic London restaurant to get a free cocktail has been revealed.
Many people like to enjoy a cocktail every now and then, such as when going out with friends on the weekend or for celebrations. Cocktails are also perfect beverages to enjoy at ‘happy hour’, a period of time, usually in the late afternoon or early evening, when bars and restaurants offer reduced prices on alcoholic drinks.
Sima, a travel content creator based in London, has shared that you can get a free rum punch from the Booking Office 1869, located within St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in the heart of King’s Cross, at 5:05pm every day. This unique bar/restaurant is a reimagining of St. Pancras International Station’s original 19th century ticket hall.
The travel fan posted a reel on Instagram in which she said: “Things in London nobody tells you. Want a free drink in one of London’s most stunning bar restaurants?
“Well head to the Booking Office 1869 at King’s Cross at exactly 5:05pm. A bell rings…a flame ignites and a bartender will perform a full rum punch ritual.”
She mentioned that this “isn’t any bar either” and you can go there to see and touch the original train tickets that used to be sold from the St. Pancras station ticket office. Sima added: “Those ticket windows? They’re now mirrors.
“The gothic woodwork and arches? All original and protected. It’s basically like having a cocktail in a time machine.”
In the caption of her Instagram post, Sima enthused: “Free rum punch everyday in a once London Victorian ticket office to celebrate 150 years of history. This is not your average happy hour!”
She also shared that it is one of her favourite buildings in London. Her video has garnered 756,000 views, 33,500 likes and nearly 300 comments, at the time of writing.
One user said: “Love this bar but I didn’t know about the happy hour!” Another added: “I bought train tickets in that room back in the day! I now love this bar and can vouch for the rum punch.”
A third commented: “Love that building. Stayed empty so long and now it’s so beautiful again.” A fourth user chimed in: “What a cool place! Great happy hour too.”
The bar and restaurant in the Booking Office 1869 is open every day, complete with a late licence and a Sunday Roast. The menu features all day dining from 7am until late, including, breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and snacks and there is the St. Pancras Terrace from May to September where you can indulge in oysters paired with champagne, in collaboration with Laurent-Perrier.
The Booking Office 1869’s website gives more details on this unique venue: “A reimagining of the station’s original, 19th century ticket hall, celebrated French designer Hugo Toro has created a Victorian-style Winter Garden, showcasing a visual dialogue with the space’s extraordinary heritage.
“With St. Pancras International Station serving as a passport between London and the rest of Europe, the newly redesigned Booking Office 1869 fully embraces the characteristics of its location through Hugo’s reinvigoration of the space, alongside the sophisticated yet understated food and cocktail menus created by the team.”