BITE user comments - Jay20VT
Comments by Jay20VT
It was with a cautious optimism I peered thought the newly installed windows of Southwark�s famous 'tourist trap' as the re-decoration took place. June 16th the banners exclaimed. How nice it would be to have a change from the soul-destroying 1940s music of the Thameside at lunch I thought to myself.
The day arrived and started well enough. Nice weather, seat on the tube, no disasters at work that morning. It was with a mix of enthusiasm and trepidation I stepped out of the office with my esteemed colleagues and ventured forth towards the pub known as the 'Anchor'
Cautiously one foot entered followed by the other; 'Superb' I exclaimed as nostrils were not hideously assaulted and my feet did not become one with the wooden floor. What was once colloquially known as the 'bog of stench' had been cleared out- no mean feat considering its once mighty depth.
The first hurdle had been eliminated and for the first time there was hope for lunch once more...
Alas 'twas a mere glimmer of hope for star-crossed lunchtimes. From afar the terrible hordes of corpulent Americans looked perfectly manageable for the army of bar staff we were promised would be on hand; their rank only two deep in the ever-present battle to be served. Confidently we ventured forward, but with every step our positivism was eroded; every step another wave against our sandcastles of hope.
The bar staff numbered 3, then 2 as another one was redirected to 'glass pickup'. The horde's number beginning to swell as a Tsunami approaching the shore. SA was the first to succumb to the terror, his bladder finally failing as he sought refuge in the gents. JD was next, and then all sense of camaraderie was lost as every man fought to escape their doom. I was lost, alone and disorientated by what resembled 'coffee shop' in the corner and the mind-scrambling price of the pubs' wares. Instinct kicked in and like a caged animal I fought for my right to survive. The adrenaline surged through my veins like fire and I found myself outside in the sunshine. I ran for the comfort of the office like a bullet from a barrel.
It has been four days since that fateful lunch and it has taken me this long to be able to recount this tale of tragedy. I leave this story so that others will not make the same mistake as my friends and I.
Please stay away from what was, and indeed still is... a tourist trap.
20 Jun 2008 17:15
I personally think that the comments about this place are a little OTT. I mean, Ok the food isn;t great and its expensive, but at least it has an upstairs bar, and comfy leather chairs, and is set next to a beautiful old cathedral... no wait.. thats the Mudlark... The Anchor? dont get me started. I used to dread going there with my lunch colleagues, who insisted on standing on a sticky floor that smells like a tramps shirt caked in last nights sick,whilst waiting an entire lunch time for a warm budweiser cos the fridges didnl;t work.. but that was just the begininnig... now after a refurb, i gathered my strength and went back for a re-assessment. I am pleased to say that I was right to avoid it in the first place.... i mean, not only have they introduced table service, it is SPECIFICALLY for the upstairs bar, with limited beers, served to you by cheap labour hired from the back of an intercontinental truck. When asking for "Star" you get "stella" and when you ask for a beer thats not there, you have to go all the way downstairs, to watch, what i can only describe as mental patients in black tops get in each others way whilst fighting to rape you for your hard earned 3.60 for a fizzy pint of warm p1ss. "Its got its own Fish and Chip Shop", the excited owner exclaimed as we looked around - Yes it does - but try the hell asking for "just chips" - you get greeted witha strange look, not disimilar to watching rain-main having a w@nk, before being told its either �8 or �10 for Fish and chips!!.. I must admit its plus side is that you can look down the tops of scantily clad women as they hurry from better pub to better bub in their summer wardrobe, and the floor no longer smells, but give it time... I just feel Sorry for the poor american tourists who come to england to visit "a good old british Pub" and then get r@ped of their stirling for somthing they can get for �3 at london bridge - My advice is - if they are looking for somthing good and british, go to any other pub at closing and call a skinhead a limey thug - you can get a good old british kicking for free!
20 Jun 2008 16:33
I temporarily relented and went to the 'revitalised' Anchor for a lunch time drink, I work in the area and boycotted the place for a year before the refurb because of how shockingly sh!te it was. The service was incredibly poor, the last shipment from Warsaw they had integrated behind the bar was pathetic, 2 were trying to serve the mass hordes of the American bum bag sporters and the surplus 378 were shifting glasses from point X to point Y.
Now, I understand they have spent vast amounts of money on giving this pit a face lift but the same problems remain. The bar crew fresh off the boat with no English skills, or any sort of experience slows the whole speed of service. The yanks need to be informed not to dither and queue like cretins and the pricing structure is enough to put anyone one off!! I mean what am I ordering? A pint of Fosters or a Pint of God's urine, topped with beluga caviar served in a Faberge egg by The Queen?- no I certainly am not?
The only thing that has improved is the temperature of the previously fire induced beer has lowered.
My advice! Tom Cruise and that other muscle dude from Mission Impossible might have enjoyed a beer there but for anyone looking for a decent boozer this one is definitely going back on my black list, under the section 'Arsonist Needed To Improve'. Leave it to the tourists either side of the bar to enjoy.
The big problem is that the Winter months are going to be baron ones if this disorganised theme park continues to favour making a quick buck off Chuck and Fanny, from Stupidington DC, who are willing to decay for ten years at the bar content with the privilege of paying 9 million Roubles for a Cwup of Cworfee and paying cashew nuts to un experienced slave labourers from the BLOC.
What next? Monty Pythons Flying Circus on the roof?
20 Jun 2008 16:15
Me and a few of my fellow associates were out drinkin at this boozer just today and I have to say even though they have just refurbished the place I have had better service from a loo attendant. We got to The Anchor about 12pm and there was no one being served at the bar upstairs, the bird behind the counter looked like we were some gangsters out of reservoir dogs and immediately she said 'can you vait' in this most strange accent. When we asked her how long she starting to scratch her head and arm pits, sod this we thought and made our way downstairs. Anyway sat down and that same bird came over and took our order outside, I mean come on if I wanted service like I'm at The Ritz I would have gone there, all I wanted was a pint of Becks Vier and once delivered it looked like she had a couple of sips out of it.
I hope the Manager of this place is reading this, mate, what the f**k are you doing hiring cheap staff are you hopelessly stupid?
DONT go here its a tourist trap and the service is shit!!
20 Jun 2008 15:08
I work round where this pub is located and due to its location always used to go here on a Friday. If you want to go to an overcrowded s*it hole which serve poor pints and crap food, go here. incidentally, the only reason this place has not closed down is because of the tourist clients, they obvioulsy dont know what level of service and quality to expect and I bet they go back to their hom countries and tell their fellow people what crap pubs the Brits have. Thanks Mr Anchor, beacuse of you us Brits are seen as dirty scum who serve crap pints and eat s*it food. SORT IT OUT!!!!!!!
11 Feb 2008 17:01
went here for a mates birthday, happy hour is ok if you get served but try telling the waitress's to top up your pint when the head runs flat, here what happens:
punter: can u top that up (yuppy accent)
bartender: sorry (eastern europe accent)
punter: can you top up that pint please
bartender: sorry, Top it?
punter: Yeah, top it up, what are you thick or something?
bartender: DONT YOU CALL THICK ME..
punter: oh forget it love.
you see, you could be there all night if you have an issue with a drink, so keep it simple as the staff dont have a brain cell between them and they cant speak english, i can imagine the interview:
manager: hello..?
olga: my name is Olga
manager: can u pour a pint?
olga: NO
manager: your english is good?
olga: NO
manager: when can you start?
11 Feb 2008 16:37
The Cock and Dragon, Cockfosters
Went here with a mate on a Monday. Pint and Thai Green Curry. One word.. 'QUALITY' Love this place!!
23 Nov 2007 15:03
I went here the other day and to my suprise I found myself walking into what looked like a wooden board! 'Pants!, I thought' They have not just closed the place down!!
Not coming here again, its the worst boozer I have ever been to :-(
23 Nov 2007 14:59
Ye Olde Cherry Tree, Southgate
****THIS IS AN UP TO DATE REVIEW, READ THIS****
I have been going to this pub for a few years now and the Menu has slowly become worse and worse. They seem to be getting rid of the good meals and replacing them with crap ones. For example they used to do an Open Breast of Chicken Pie and that was nice and they replaced it with a Chicken, Ham & Leak pie which tastes awaful and smells like piss. I'm not jokinm try it if you dont believe me. Basically, its a great boozer but limited to choicew on draught. However be careful, there is a waitress who is extremely bossy and dont give a monkeys if you like the food or not. All I got from her was sorry and that was it. Total and utter shame. I hope she is reading this and sacks herself, that would be great. I live in southgate and I KNOW what the locals want, SO, do yourself a favour DONT EAT HERE, BUT DO HAVE A DRINK as the pub itself is pleasant and beautiful.
23 Nov 2007 14:42
Ye Olde Cherry Tree, Southgate
01/12/2015 - Staff at this joint clearly hate working at this pub as the service you get is terrible. The Chef must be very unhappy as his/her talents are wasted at this place. The food is very good indeed but good food cannot be enjoyed when you are surrounded by moody stroppy staff. Dont get me wrong not all the staff are bad but the ones that are know who they are and should resign. Perhaps a job as a security guard is more their cuppa tea LOL
5 Dec 2015 14:52