Anchor & Hope, Salisbury

I was hoping to find that the report of no real ale here was out of date, but the "cold beer" slogan on the front of the building prepared me for disappointment and two empty hand pumps on the bar confirmed my worst fears. The keg offerings were all mainstream, so I didn't stop.

Facebook page of Anchor & Hope - www.facebook.com

Official site of Anchor & Hope - theanchorandhope.com

Facebook page of Anchor & Hope - www.facebook.com

Official site of Anchor & Hope - theanchorandhope.com

I enjoyed my visit here, its a little rough and ready as mentioned below and the music volume from the extensive jukebox may have put some off but it was ok with me and seemingly everyone else in the reasonably busy pub.I spotted two pool tables in the pub and a third in a covered area in the beer garden. Two beers were on, unfortunately one was Doom Bar but the other was a very decent Robinsons Trooper Red and Black and even better it was on offer at £2.50 a pint.I found it to be a good pub with a good buzz about it, it won't win any beauty contests and could be improved with a wider ale selection, but I would certainly come back.

No Moles beers except a light(er) version of Black Rat cider (brewery page suggests that would only be bottled?), other handpumps had Courage (why oh why?), Spitfire & Sharps Cornish Coaster, and the landlord suggested he hoped to increase the range soon. Indeed the whole pub seemed to be somewhat in transition with evidence of restructuring around a separate pool-table area, and room to front which had its own tv in addition to a plasma to left of bar. Diversions offered in form of games compendium (chess, backgammon etc). Nice leadlight windows at front, beer garden to rear. Not bad, but a work in progress…