Shutters, Chancery Lane, WC2

A sign outside says the Blue Anchor was established in 1749 on the corner of Chancery Lane and moved here when the area was redeveloped. Its current setup is slightly unusual, and I thought looked pretty grim from the outside but felt very comfortable once inside. One entrance from Rolls Passage is to the ground floor bar, a smallish affair bounded by wood panels, bookshelves, etc, with about seven tables of various sizes, the larger ones being ‘reserved for groups of four or more’, and a couple more tables outside. Or you can go downstairs to the slightly larger cellar bar, to which the other entrance from Cursitor Street also leads. Levels of custom seem to vary though I’ve found it has a consistently friendly feel to it, with welcoming and efficient service. The ale range is unexciting, being a choice of Pride or GK IPA from the two upstairs pumps, and I think Bombardier is also available in the cellar bar. A decent enough pint of Pride at £3.50. The menu offers mains at around £8-10. There were three people eating when I was last there, one of whom left a barely touched and not very appetising looking plate, but the other two seemed quite happy. Despite several contrary indications I quite like to drop into this place for a pint or two, finding it a more relaxing experience than most others locally.

This is a nice enough little pub tucked away down an alleyway off Chancery Lane. Nothing unusual in the way of ales, but the London Pride was OK. The pub itself is fairly small but is made larger by the front of the pub opening up (during decent weather only I suppose) and the utilisation of some outside seating. Must have been a simple backstreet boozer at some stage, but now moved a bit upmarket, which is not surprising in this part of the world. Nevertheless it's a decent enough little pub. There are a lot worse places to stop for a drink.