London pub company, Kushti, owner of The Highgate in Kentish Town, has invested £50,000 in opening its second pub site in Clerkenwell, called The Gunmakers.

A fully restored, 800sq ft Victorian pub, The Gunmakers was named in honour of Hiram Maxim, the inventor of the machine gun, who worked in the local east London area.

Kushti Ltd spotted the potential for restoration rather than redevelopment with The Gunmakers and have aimed to turn it into “the real thing – a true London boozer,” complete with a traditional menu and seven draft beers.

The dark wood interior keeps the integrity of the original 1840s building with a combination of antique sourced decoration and open, social design, masterminded by the Kushti team.

Future plans for Kushti include sourcing a third site, this time in north west London. Details: +44 (0)20 7278 1022