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Real ale, Sunday roasts, live sport, and a room for a hundred

UNCHANGED & UNMATCHED

Walk in and the first thing you notice is that nothing is trying too hard. The classical columns dividing the bar have been here since before the current building went up in 1961. The wooden furnishings carry the kind of wear that takes decades to accumulate honestly. The function room holds up to a hundred people, the bar is stocked for whatever the evening requires, and the staff have been looking after this street long enough to know exactly what you need before you ask.

Cocktails being prepared at The Hercules Pillars pub bar on Great Queen Street, Holborn
Cask ale taps and the gilded Hercules figure behind the bar at The Hercules Pillars, Holborn
Sunday roast with beef, roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and vegetables at The Hercules Pillars, Holborn
Bar staff pouring a pint at The Hercules Pillars, a traditional pub near Holborn and Covent Garden

Food, drink, and sport how it should be

YOUR PUB IN HOLBORN FOR  EVERY OCCASION

Whether you are here for a weekday lunch, a stonebaked pizza and a cocktail after work, or a table for the Premier League on a Saturday afternoon, the kitchen runs until nine and the bar runs later. The menu covers British pub classics from fish and chips to sausages and mash. The projector and four HD screens mean that whatever is on, you will see every second of it.

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Watch the world cup live with projector screen in HErcules Pillars, traditional pub in holborn near convent garden

The Hercules Pillars

World Cup LIVE

Every four years the world stops for a tournament, and in 2026 The Hercules Pillars stops with it. The FIFA World Cup 2026 screens live across the full run of fixtures, from the first whistle of the group stage to the final in July. This is a pub that has been on Great Queen Street long enough to have seen the world change several times over, and it will be showing every moment of this one on a projector screen built for the occasion. Bring a group. Book a table. Or if your numbers run to fifty, sixty, a hundred, ask about the private function room with its own bar. Watching the World Cup in London does not get more straightforward than this.

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Where the Holborn local watch the game

LIVE SPORT

Great sport is better in a great pub. We screen the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, major darts, cricket, and the World Cup  throughout the season, in surroundings that have been welcoming a crowd for longer than most venues in the area have existed. No gimmicks. Just good sport, well served, in a pub that knows what it is doing.

  • State of Origin

    17 Jun
    10:05

    • New South Wales

    • Queensland

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    Sound Off

  • Cricket - Test match

    17 Jun
    12:30

    • England

    • New Zealand

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    Sound Off

  • British Racing

    17 Jun
    13:30

    Royal Ascot

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    Sound On

  • FIFA World Cup 26 ™

    17 Jun
    17:00

    • Portugal

    • DR Congo

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    Sound Off

  • FIFA World Cup 26 ™

    17 Jun
    20:00

    • England

    • Croatia

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    Sound On

Watch this space

WHAT’S ON

The historic bar at The Hercules Pillars in Holborn decorated with St George flags for a live sport event

The World Cup

Sport's biggest competition, live in Holborn.

11th June 2026 - 19th July 2026

A foamy cocktail in a coupe glass on a wooden tray at The Hercules Pillars, Holborn

Happy Hour

At 4pm on any weekday, The Hercules Pillars becomes one of the best value pubs in Holborn.

4pm - 7pm, Monday to Friday

An Aperol spritz cocktail on a wooden tray at The Hercules Pillars, Holborn, available for £5 on Mondays

£5 Cocktails

No catch, just our mixologist's best creations at a great price.

Every Monday

Nations Championship 2026

Rugby live in Holborn

4th July 2026 - 29th November 2026

Christmas

Get into the festive spirit in Holborn's most charming venue.

2nd November 2026 - 24th December 2026

A group of friends clinking pints at The Hercules Pillars in Holborn, a pub showing Formula 1 live in central London

Formula 1

Its lights out at The Hercules Pillars. Watch the Formula 1 live in Holborn.

6th March 2026 - 6th December 2026

Experience The Hercules Pillars

Contact

Opening Hours

Monday: 12pm – 11pm
Tuesday – Wednesday: 11am – 11pm
Thursday: 11am – 12pm
Friday – Saturday: 11am – 1am
Sunday: 12pm – 10pm

Kitchen opening hours

Monday to Sunday: 12pm – 9pm

18 Great Queen St
London
WC2B 5DG

020 7242 2218
herculespillars.co.uk

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Will all games be shown live?

    We show every fixture from the sports we cover — Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, major darts, and cricket — live as they happen. The fixture widget above is updated regularly with what is coming up. If you cannot find what you are looking for, drop us a message and we will check for you.

  • Can I still visit without a booking?

    Walk-ins are always welcome at The Hercules Pillars. For daytime weekday visits and quieter periods you will generally find a table without any trouble. During major fixtures or events the pub fills up, so a booking is worth making if you want to be certain of a seat. Reserve online or give us a call.

  • Do I have to pre-order my food?

    No. You can order from the full menu on the day, at your table. Pre-ordering is available for groups and private hire bookings, where it helps us make sure everything arrives together and on time. If you are coming as a larger party and want to take that option, get in touch when you book and we will send you the pre-order menu.

  • Can I cancel my booking?

    Yes, and we ask only that you give us as much notice as you can. A table released early is a table someone else can use. Cancel or amend through the link in your booking confirmation email, or call us directly. Private hire bookings are subject to the cancellation terms in your agreement — check those if you are unsure.

  • I need help. Who should I call?

    For table bookings, general enquiries, and anything on the day, call the pub directly on the number above. For private hire enquiries, the events team is the right first contact — reach them at party@bedsandbars.com. We are open Monday to Saturday from 11am and Sunday from noon, and someone will always pick up during opening hours.

Upcoming Event

The historic bar at The Hercules Pillars in Holborn decorated with St George flags for a live sport event

11th June 2026 - 19th July 2026

Every four years the world stops for a tournament, and this year The Hercules Pillars stops with it. The World Cup screens live across the full run of fixtures, from the first whistle of the group stage to the final in July. This is a pub that has been on Great Queen Street long enough to have seen the world change several times over, and it will be showing every moment of this one on a projector screen built for the occasion. Bring a group. Book a table. Or if your numbers run to fifty, sixty, a hundred, ask about the private function room with its own bar. Watching the World Cup in London does not get more straightforward than this.

Upcoming Event

A foamy cocktail in a coupe glass on a wooden tray at The Hercules Pillars, Holborn

4pm - 7pm, Monday to Friday

At 4pm on any weekday, The Hercules Pillars becomes one of the best-value happy hour pubs in Holborn. Two hours and fifty-nine minutes of 2 for 1 G&Ts, 2 for 1 cocktails, 2 for 1 stone-baked pizzas, 2 for 1 Coronas, prosecco at £24 a bottle, and real ales at £3.80. Monday evenings add £5 cocktails to the mix. The only question worth asking is what time you are leaving the office.

Upcoming Event

An Aperol spritz cocktail on a wooden tray at The Hercules Pillars, Holborn, available for £5 on Mondays

Every Monday

Every Monday night at The Hercules Pillars, the full cocktail menu drops to £5. Not a reduced selection. Not a list of two. The full menu, all evening, in a characterful Holborn pub a short walk from both Holborn and Covent Garden stations. If Monday is the hardest sell of the week, £5 cocktails in central London make a reasonable counter-argument.

Upcoming Event

4th July 2026 - 29th November 2026

From the first whistle in July to the final Autumn Nations fixture in November, catch the Nations Championship at The Hercules Pillars, two minutes from Holborn Station.

What is the World Rugby Nations Cup?

The World Rugby Nations Cup is a new international rugby tournament that will be staged biennially, beginning in 2026, ensuring it does not take place during the Men’s Rugby World Cup or British and Irish Lions tour years.

Running alongside the Nations Championship 2026, the competition will feature 12 unions from six continents.

These teams will be split into two geographically aligned pools of six, with each team playing every union in the opposite pool.

The tournament will be played across two windows, with each team playing three matches in July and three in November, with the results contributing to a final standings table.

At the conclusion of the November fixtures, the top-ranked team in each pool will be crowned Nations Cup champions.

Don’t miss the action; secure your seat now.

Upcoming Event

2nd November 2026 - 24th December 2026

The Hercules Pillars is a charming traditional English pub that can be found minutes away from Holborn Station, serving classic English dishes along with a host of real cask ales. Whether it’s after-work Christmas drinks, a hearty three-course meal, or a Christmas lunch with friends, family or colleagues, we’ve got everything you need to celebrate the season in style. If you’re looking for an exclusive space for a Christmas party, our function room downstairs is ideal, with room for up to 80 guests standing or 40 seated, plus its own private bar, HD screens, and a large projector to set the mood. Whether you’re planning a sit-down meal or a more casual buffet-style gathering, our team will make sure everything is just right. So gather your friends, raise a glass, and let’s make this Christmas one to remember at The Pillars.

Book your Christmas party by 31st October and receive 50% off your food packages! Use code Xmas50 when you make your booking*

*Offer is available on all bookings over 10pax and excludes the following dates: 10th | 11th | 17th | 18th December

 

Upcoming Event

A group of friends clinking pints at The Hercules Pillars in Holborn, a pub showing Formula 1 live in central London

6th March 2026 - 6th December 2026

From Melbourne to Monaco, every Formula 1 Grand Prix screens live at The Hercules Pillars. This is a pub that has been drawing sports crowds for years, and race day is no different. Pull up a seat, order from the kitchen, and watch F1 in London the way it was meant to be watched: with a drink in hand, in a room full of people who know what they are looking at.