Anchor Inn, Anchorback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
If we thought the village of Clun was remote, we were very much mistaken. From there we headed west towards the Welsh border and during the 20 minute drive, we did not see one other car. The Anchor seems to be the land that time forgot. We parked in the car park, which is surrounded by dilapidated buildings and went in search of the entrance. What looked like a disused doorway turned out to be the main entrance. What strikes you first about this place is its fairly dirty appearance. There is plenty of mould, the toilets look like a health hazard and the walls in the main bar are a shade of yellow from years of cigarette smoke. The place is in dire need of re-decoration. But to do so would probably destroy the character of this place. It's a real unspoiled gem that is sadly a dying breed. The landlord is a friendly guy. I can't see how this place makes money. So my guess is that he's in it to serve the local community and for the love of the pub. The main room has a pool table at one end, with church pew seating. There is a smaller room the other side of the bar. Situated quite high up, it can get quite cold in here. Ales were Clun Pale Ale, Hobsons Best & Six Bells Big Nev's. Cider was Westons Family Reserve. Whilst this won't be everybody's cup of tea, I love this kind of place and long may it last. Only opens in the evening. 8/10.
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Great country pub with a friendly landlord. Two real ales always available (Six Bells and Hobsons, both from Shropshire). Healthy mixture of locals and people passing by on the Clun-Newtown road.
The previous comment by "anonymous" about cats in the kitchen/internet dining site is just a typical example of why this country of ours is going down the pan into dreary obscurity. The Anchor is not somewhere one reads about in the Times Good Food Supplement or whatever and nor should it ever be. It's not the sort of place - thank God - which attracts the Tripadvisor sort who love a good moan. It is about proper ale, proper chat about any issue you want to raise, a proper fire cracking away to heat the place a bit, a couple of local lads playing pool, and yes, chickens in the car park (and their eggs for sale inside). And long may this continue. At least this corner of England is remaining truly ENGLISH and not some cleansed 21st century everywhere-in-the-world-should-be-the-same horror.
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Just to try to balance the previous comments - a candidate for an internet dining site this place is not, (do not come here for prawn sandwiches). It is a very old, quirky, dying breed type of place - cats in the kitchen, chickens in the car park, type of establishment. These places will disappear under the wheels of internet dining sites, and I, for one, will be sad to see them go. AVOID AT ALL COSTS if you have been surfing internet dining sites -your head will be in a different, and not always better, world.
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Researching rural pubs for internet dining site and happened upon cosy-looking inn. Beer choice okay but limited. Food tolerable but horrified by cats in kitchen and lack of hygiene all round. Landlord extremely rude and inhospitable. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.
anonymous - 28 Aug 2007 22:10 |
A classic and run by a very friendly publican. Well kept Hobsons and Big Nev and well frequented by Border folk.
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I popped in for the first time in thirty years (thanks to this site), it is exactly the same!! Real Ale, (no draught lager!), a real time warp. Give it a try if you are ever near, this sort of place is a threatened species.
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The Anchor is a small pub in the remote village of Anchor. Real ale and nice surroundings.
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