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Anchor Bleu, Bosham

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user reviews of the Anchor Bleu, Bosham

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

Can't argue with the last review, got it spot on. Definitely worth a vist of you are in the area.
happy_wanderer - 1 Apr 2013 17:13
Lovely pub with a fantastic view over the harbour area.

Small inside with lot of nooks and crannies, has a nice outside terrace.

Decent selection of real ale on draught, which were well kept.


beershot - 29 Jun 2012 16:13
Stayed in Bosham this week and ate at the pub every evening. Wonderful menu with a good selection of foods, many of which are seafood. Five real ales which are changed during the week and are superb. Staff were all very friendly and the locals were a lively lot and did not make us feel like intruders. The location cannot be faulted right on the seafront.
bakerZwench - 10 Sep 2011 16:54
We had dinner here in August. The grub was OK, but the young local yokel behind the bar was hostile. Reported him to the people we were staying with, so hopefully he got some feedback.
RogerTidy - 3 Nov 2010 18:33
Lovely location, but another once good pub being ruined by the predatory policies of a pubco - this time its 'Enterprise' screwing the brewers into giving them 70% discount on beer supplies (yes, 70% off wholesale), then forcing licencee to buy at Enterprise - full wholesale - prices, meaning �3.35 a pint (Doombar) for customers - the third price rise this year. So publican has to turn pub into a restaurant to survive (food's excellent), but really not interested in selling beer (ale was decidedly far from nivana). The sooner the pubco's go bust the better for the English pub! Have a glass of wine with your meal instead - Enterprise don't take a margin on that! Isambard.
isambard - 1 Jun 2010 15:45
Lovely location, but another once good pub being ruined by the predatory policies of a pubco - this time its 'Enterprise' screwing the brewers into giving them 70% discount on beer supplies (yes, 70% off wholesale), then forcing licencee to buy at Enterprise - full wholesale - prices, meaning �3.35 a pint (Doombar) for customers - the third price rise this year. So publican has to turn pub into a restaurant to survive (food's excellent), but really not interested in selling beer (ale was decidedly far from nivana). The sooner the pubco's go bust the better for the English pub! Have a glass of wine with your meal instead - Enterprise don't take a margin on that! Isambard.
isambard - 1 Jun 2010 15:45
Lovely location, but another once good pub being ruined by the predatory policies of a pubco - this time its 'Enterprise' screwing the brewers into giving them 70% discount on beer supplies (yes, 70% off wholesale), then forcing licencee to buy at Enterprise - full wholesale - prices, meaning �3.35 a pint (Doombar) for customers - the third price rise this year. So publican has to turn pub into a restaurant to survive (food's excellent), but really not interested in selling beer (ale was decidedly far from nivana). The sooner the pubco's go bust the better for the English pub! Have a glass of wine with your meal instead - Enterprise don't take a margin on that! Isambard.
isambard - 1 Jun 2010 15:45
Lovely location, but another once good pub being ruined by the predatory policies of a pubco - this time its 'Enterprise' screwing the brewers into giving them 70% discount on beer supplies (yes, 70% off wholesale), then forcing licencee to buy at Enterprise - full wholesale - prices, meaning �3.35 a pint (Doombar) for customers - the third price rise this year. So publican has to turn pub into a restaurant to survive (food's excellent), but really not interested in selling beer (ale was decidedly far from nivana). The sooner the pubco's go bust the better for the English pub! Have a glass of wine with your meal instead - Enterprise don't take a margin on that! Isambard.
isambard - 1 Jun 2010 15:45
Visited twice this weekend, first time there was Sharps Coastal, Cottage Ex-Mayor, Black Sheep and T.E.A. The TEA was OK but the Cottage was best a mile. Food excellent (Venison) although the room was somewhat nippy sitting by the back door which kids seemed to enjoy playing with as its an old ship door. Second visit the Cottage was replaced with Sharps Doom Bar, hence I had the TEA but this was definately on the way out! Also had a Ploughmans and it was great!
Bernie5 - 5 Apr 2010 17:27
We call into this lovely olde pub every time we are in the area.As Blackthorn has said the small terrace at the back is the place to be for the views (even better if you can nab a table)you can just sit pint in hand and watch the world go by perfeck. 8/10
FredCarno - 1 Apr 2010 11:29
This is a great, cosy old pub with a flagstone floor and old beams right on the water�s edge with some fantastic views across the harbour. It�s even better inside than it looks from the outside. I guess with it�s enviable location and limited competition, it doesn�t have to try too hard to attract the punters in.

There�s a small terrace out the back to make the most of the views, which is just as well as you can�t see much from the pub itself. The windows are quite small and the higher level of the patio blocks what little view there is. There�s an extensive menu chalked up on a board and a real fire burning away which was a welcome respite from the very cold and wet weather on our visit.

Beers on offer were Hogs Back TEA, Sharp�s Doom Bar and Cornish Coaster plus Bombadier. The cider was Stowford Press which makes a nice change from all the Strongbow around these parts.

Blackthorn - 1 Apr 2010 10:54
A good looking traditional pub, right on the water's edge with fine views if you get a seat on the small terrace out front. Rear, roadside (quiet village setting) seating is larger. Ale choice was good, not cheap, biggest disappointment was the food, although the choices are fine, only the pie was thought good but arguably not worth the �10+ dish charge, we selected a calamari starter - being near the sea but these turned out to be 'little chef' style, from frozen rings, the burger was unbelievably average (from frozen), the steak baguette was really a bread parcel with 60% steak coverage.

In summary very average pub food at strong prices, an example of a pub spoilt by location so it doesnt need to try hard in other areas.
parmantom - 24 Oct 2009 13:52
Lovely old pub as yet unspoilt. Good local ales (expensive mind) and good food. Location couldn't be better.
baxterfish - 1 Sep 2009 15:50
I'm not quite certain when I called in, but I assume it was since '05 because I think I can say - with total conviction - that it is the best pub on the South Coast ... at least of those I've visited so far. Beer, food, atmosphere and welcome all splendid. (Almost up to the Standard of North Norfolk's "Lifeboat" at Thornham!
Firedrake - 20 Jan 2009 12:05
good beer, good food, good location, very helpful staff, but go this time of year it's fine cosy and relaxing, if you go in the summer it's jam packed. but still good
littlecon - 6 Dec 2007 09:07
We've tried this pub twice now and on both occasions been disappointed. It's probably gets sufficient transient customers not to care but when one of the more senior members of staff comes out with comments like "If you are disappointed don't come back, it's only one customer" then you know there's a problem. Nice location, decent pint, food's OK but the attitude stinks.
Greenbear - 16 Sep 2007 00:17
Great little pub this, sea views from the terrace and a rural feel inside. Normally a few guest ales on tap, good food and a locals atmosphere. Usually very busy at the weekends
bigboy69 - 16 Aug 2007 15:34
The last review was spot on since the change in management the pub does the best food and has the best atmostphere around
dangray - 23 Jun 2006 22:46
Good news. The previous reviews where all spot on until December 2005, not there is a new couple running the pub. I have tried the food twice and its very very nice. They also have up to 4 good ales on tap. The place gets very busy now as a result.
anonymous - 16 Feb 2006 18:05
I visited this pub last year for the third or forth time in Six years. It used to be OK, but on my last visit, it has really gone down hill.
I don't know if they have change the management, but if so they need to change it again, for the better.
The food was abysmal, and the miserable bar staff couldn't give a toss.
Even though the tide was out and the weather was lovely (sunny and warm), when I went to open the door to the patio, I was given short shrift from the landlady and ordered to close it again, because it was as she said too windy.
What a shame this could be a gold mine in the right hands.
simmel - 23 Jan 2006 16:17
Agree with other comments re the food. They really don't know what they are doing. And such a pity for a pub in this fantastic location.

The bitter was fine so I recommend drinking there rather than eating.

Also one of the guys behind the bar was just plain rude and uninterested. Guaranteed to keep customers away. I will keep trying in case things improve
jerry_the_tippler - 13 Sep 2005 11:13
While the setting is great, and it is an attractive pub, I found the place very dissapointing. We popped in for a quick lunch, and while we didn't sample the beer (due to driving and too many the night before) we obviously tried the food.
The food is what really made the place stand out in the worst way. It was the poorest attempt at catering in a pub I've seen for many years. Myself and a friend chose a ploughman's each, one a stilton version, that other ham. The salad part consistent of a pile of iceberg lettuce, which as we all know is about as flavoursome as distilled water, and a couple of bland tomatoes. The bread was a pretty uninspiring mini french stick, and there was a dollop of coleslaw which has clearly come from a packet. The portion of stilton was pretty small too. For �5 I expect a lot better from a ploughmans, this was worth no more than �2.
My other half chose the daily 'special', which was an 'Ocean Bake'. I assumed this to be some kind of fish pie; a selection of seafood topped with crusty mash potato. It looked very limp and bland, with no discernable pieces of fish or seafood in there at all. This was served with some roast potatoes (why you would want potatoes with a fish pie?), some cabbage and carrots. The vegetables were overcooked and grey, having been sat out for ages. Apart from being a rather inappropriate accompiment to a fish pie, the veg was of a standard 1970s dinner ladies would have struggled to plummet to.
What really got to me with the food was how it was served. The food was kept in hot or cold plates by the bar, so was sitting around for ages. While this might be OK for some types of food, for others, such as cooked green vegetables it results in pretty tired washed out food. Things were obviously not cooked fresh as the day progressed; just knocked together in the morning and left to sit out. Even though they had the food on display, it did not look appetising. As least this gives you the chance to decide not to eat before you get it. I think they chose this system to get food served quickly, as the bar staff basically served up what you chose right away, and you took it to your table.
I really think this place need a good Gordon Ramsey make over to get the catering sorted out. It was very very poor and an insult to the customers. Given the lack of pubs in Bosham and its great position, this place has really taken for granted the one-off passing trade of visitors who are not going to go back again. Bosham deserves something a lot lot better.

davemar - 8 Aug 2005 11:43
What a great pub. Great Food, Great Drink, Great Location and run by a Great Couple!!!
bars - 4 Feb 2005 20:31
It is deemed to date from the 1820s, and was converted from two fishermen�s cottages. The flagstone-floored bar is immediately to the right, a seating area is to the left and, stepping down a level, another seating area with a food counter opens onto a back patio that directly overlooks the harbour. More seating is available on benches in front of the pub. The beer range is limited to Scottish Courage Directors and Best Bitter, along with Greene King IPA. A board also advertises �a guest ale� as well as the above beers by name, but only the three handpumps are evident. I decide to go for half the IPA, but although it is clear as a bell and kept commendably cool � if perhaps too cool � on this very warm day, it has a distinctly harsh, almost metallic, aroma and taste that I personally find quite unpleasant and which makes me shudder as I finish it. Given the tone of some of the letters to What�s Brewing following Greene King IPA�s Silver Medal in this year�s Champion Beer of Britain award, perhaps the pub�s management should be applauded for obtaining any sort of strong reaction to the tasting of what many drinkers obviously believe to be a boringly bland beer.
thequaffer - 26 Jan 2005 16:56
The Anchor Bleau (formally The Anchor Inn name change 1939?)was opened by the Martin bros.,circa 1820's from two converted fishermans cotts purveying henty&constable Ales, then passed through several hands once owned by the propietor of its sister inn @ Dell Quay (Crown&Anchor)Was featured in "The Eagle" comic in the fifties as part of Jack O Lantern strip.coming under the banner of GrandMet in the eighties had a hey day under the stewardship of Jeff&Mary mid eighties with good food & live bands notably the icomparable Willie Austen&Co then with several managers since.Bosham once Had 11!pubs 3 in the high st of which 1 remains The Anchor Bleau.A point of historical interest the "Lantern"two doors down from the Anchor Bleu has a mural painted by the American painter Whistler sic., when the pub was a wartime club for nearby Polish Airman, the house now private A glimpse of said may be seen through the window.I cant comment on the pub at present having not been there nearly twenty years.
max - 1 May 2004 13:40
Having spent some time in Bosham I can say the food all seems to be heated up frozen veriety. The building is very old and quaint but has more of a tourist feel, it is positively dead in the evenings even at the weekends.
Clive Leek - 9 Dec 2003 15:18
A good pub, with very pretty surroundings, chaeck the tide before parking your car in front (the sea comes in and they many pictures on the wall showing this)
stephen - 7 Sep 2002 16:07

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