Anchor Tap, Bermondsey, SE1

A small but multi roomed backstreet Sam Smiths Pub, It was my first pub visit of the day and although not a fan of their beer I have to be honest as a first of the day the beer was ok and the pub was probably the nicest of the day. Lots of dark wood and cosy feeling its well worth a visit if only for one.

Obviously this was the tap for the old Anchor Brewery next door. Now it’s a Sam Smith’s pub, and this one now has Old Brewery Bitter (£1.45 for a half) on handpump. I didn’t see a menu, but a pile of knives and forks behind the bar suggest that you can get something to eat if you come at the right time. The last time I came here I felt that it was cold and gloomy. This time I felt very differently, and judged it to be full of character. I’m always suspicious of a pub like this one that has a sign outrside proclaiming it to be a “traditional English pub”, but I have to say that this pub gives a good impression of one. It’s still a maze of interconnected little rooms, all of which retain some original features, such as the bar counter, half panelled walls and fireplaces. A room on the left is signed as the “Games Room”, and there is a pool table in a room at the back. That leaves the main bar as you enter; a separate room on the right reached through a low opening; and another room at the back which has a bit more in the way of comfortable furnishings and is a bit like a small lounge. Sam Smith’s do a good job of retaining and often restoring the original appearance of their pubs, and this one is no different. This pub is definitely worth dropping into for a swift one, but a better ale selection would improve it dramatically. But of course that is not going to happen under Sam smith’s stewardship.