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Detail Pages
Rope & Anchor, Poole
Poole
BH15 1JW
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Rope & Anchor
Just off Poole Quay, this is a very pleasant Wadworth pub that has had a bit of a gastro-style makeover. The former multiple room layout has been knocked about so that formerly cosy, compact rooms are now opened out as much as is structurally possible. The pub has also been painted in a pretty bright colour scheme, which further loses the cosy atmosphere it previously had, but having said all this, the place still retains enough partitioning to break up sightlines and create spaces that still feel relatively secluded. There are a couple of seating areas to the front with banquettes and chairs in the right hand section and high tables and stools over to the left, with the two area separated by a fairly steep staircase leading up to the toilets. The servery can be found in the rear left corner and has a decent looking counter and fairly regular bar back. Beyond the end of the bar, there is a small nook with room for one table and access out to the compact rear patio garden. One final seating area can be found to the rear right, where more banquettes and chairs can be found in a space that is perhaps best utilised by diners. The whole place has very clean, smart furnishings and the walls have been decorated with appropriate art prints, photos and the like, whilst I also spotted a TV screen to the front left showing a muted daytime TV show.
Four Wadworth ales were available from the bar – 6X, Horizon, St George’s and Swordfish – and we sampled the latter two, both of which were in fine shape. We also called in for a Sunday roast and I have to say that the quality of their food is as good as any I’ve tried around the county. The staff are also very cheery and eager to help, going out of their way to assist an elderly customer who was struggling to move around the pub.
Whilst this place is very much positioned at the wrong end of the diners/drinkers spectrum from a pub purist perspective, I still found a visit here to be an enjoyable experience and can imagine dropping in for one of their Wadworth beers on a crawl around town. I’d also suggest it should merit serious consideration if you’re looking for a decent pub meal, as I can’t imagine there are many better in Poole.
On 17th September 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Rope & Anchor
Modernised split level Wadworth pub, a Navy Blue and White colour scheme with nautical adornments. Four handpumps with four Waddies beers on, 6X, Horizon ,Swordfish and Studs Up. All a bit foodie for me in here.
On 14th June 2018
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Rope & Anchor
Something of a struggle getting in here, as they had closed the main door to allow a band to set up but the handle on the side door didn't work! Eventually a customer let us in. As mentioned below, the once-modernised but now rather dated interior does nothing much for the atmosphere of this pub. Beers from the Wadsworth range seemed fair enough and the food is presumably good as virtually all the tables were reserved, which made our visit a bit brief. Possibly ok when quiet, but there are better pubs nearby.
On 14th January 2018
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about Rope & Anchor
Previously Cranberries, this back street pub is well described below. I should add that it is dog-friendly and there is WiFi available. There was a full house of Wadworth’s beers on, two of them on gravity. I had a pint of Bishop’s Tipple from behind the bar, and I found it to be in excellent condition. What let things down on this occasion was the attitude of the barman whom I found stroppy and unwelcoming. I’d be happy to include in a crawl for its beer quality alone, but I wouldn’t want to while away time here due to the unwelcoming atmosphere.
On 17th July 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3279 recommendations about 3244 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Rope & Anchor
Has dropped the ‘Cranberries @ No.4’ moniker (a tribute to Delores and chums?) and is now the far more sensibly-named Rope & Anchor. The split-level modernised interior remains, very mid-2000’s in terms of colour scheme, light wood etc plus the inevitable nautical knick-knacks. Never the most appealing prospect and was made worse by the heating being resolutely off, so cold I kept my coat on. Large overbearing TV showing some gaudy graphics advertising various pub-related bits and bobs. On the plus side, there’s a tidy patio to the rear, a selection of papers and the gents toilets are very swish. This is a Wadworth pub, with 6X and Henry's IPA from the wall (and from the wood?) plus four regular pumps with Waddies standards and a guest, Hooky Lion. The Lion was pretty lacklustre but the Henry’s IPA was the best I’ve tasted of what is usually an eggy, sulphurous brew. Curate’s egg.
On 25th November 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Rope And Anchor
An old backstreet pub, operating under the very curious 'Cranberries @ No 4' name which helps explain the unexpected modern refurbishment inside. Compact split-level layout, with a variety of seating areas. Small patio beer garden out back. Friendly landlord. Four handpumps plus two more real ales on gravity, with 6X, IPA and Horizon (£1.75, half) from owners Wadworth plus Castle Rock Elsie Mo and Clark's Westgate Gold as guests when I visited.
On 25th August 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Cranberries@No.4
An unusual name but I found this to be a decent if rather modern pub, split level, part boarded, part flagged floor, despite the modern furnishings there is some wood panelling, pictures of lighthouses and boats, model yachts and sculpted driftwood. Mixed seating styles, plenty of traditional table stuff and also a few leather armchairs. Candles on the tables, Wimbledon on TV rather than the World Cup which meant it was quieter and therefore became my choice for evening food. I had a rather superb mixed fried fish containing hake goujons, calamari, battered scampi, fried whitebait, shell on prawns, chips and salad. it was top class. If you just fancy a snack a crab sandwich is only £2.95.
A Wadworth's house with 6X, Henry's and Horizon on, guests from Island Brewery Wight Knight and White Horse Village Idiot.
I liked it here, having discounted several quayside offerings for dinner, the landlord was a friendly chap and seemed genuinely delighted when I praised his food. I passed by on Saturday afternoon and they had a band on with the place packed, good luck to them, a really nice spot.
A few tables to the front lane and a bit of garden to the rear.
On 29th June 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]