I can’t remember the last time I received such a warm – or wet – welcome to a pub, particularly as I was completely taken by surprise.
Scooby Doo, as he’s known by some regulars, is plenty large enough to reach across the bar at The Anchor and plant a sloppy one on an unsuspecting visitor to this part of Faversham.
Once I’d gathered myself and made a proper acquaintance with this gorgeous, gentle giant of a Rhodesian Ridgeback, real name Zenza, I was able to order a pint and absorb a second shock as my IPA set me back £6.50.
What is unsurprising, given the town it’s in, this pub on Abbey Street is just one of many Shepherd Neame houses and the drinks on offer were only ever going to be from one brewery.
However, I hadn’t come across a Creekside Juicy IPA previously, so I assume this 4% session pale ale has been added to the stable recently. It is a darned good golden-coloured pint with plenty of fruity flavour and refreshing notes but still feels a tad expensive.
The barmaid, who I later discovered is also the landlady, was very pleasant and soon had her cheeky mutt under control. She said he wouldn’t normally be here at this time on a Tuesday, as she doesn’t work this shift and Zenza would usually be getting a walk.
I myself had found The Anchor after a short walk, via its huge garden, following a canter around the town’s Standard Quay which looked quaint and interesting enough but sadly seems to be short of a good watering hole.
At the bottom of the well-maintained pub garden was a large stage area, which must be an excellent spot for live music. There was also a very interesting-looking vegetable garden at one side, which I imagine delivers produce directly to the pub’s kitchen.
Mind you, the only ad I saw for food was a blackboard on the bar: ‘chilli beef dog, French mustard, ketchup, crispy onions, skin-on fries £17.50’, so the food isn’t too cheap either.
The Anchor has been here for 300 years and everywhere you look there are signs of its proud history. Uneven walls and floors, at least four feature fireplaces, low-beamed ceilings and exposed feature brickwork. It’s been beautifully preserved and, despite being a good size, creates a cosy and characterful feeling with separate rooms and smaller areas.
However, even at 8pm on a weekday evening, we were joined by a family group which sadly contained a pair of the noisiest children possible, both with incredibly whiney voices. Even Zenza looked a little put out by their outbursts, probably because he was a lot better behaved and controlled.
One couple, who had been enjoying a quiet drink in the left-hand bar, dashed across the pub at breakneck speed to get away and settled in the small, secluded back room at the far right-hand side. This area is away from the hubbub but the piercing child tones still reached most parts.
There’s a mixture of different furniture, all in pretty good nick, and there’s even a piano on one wall, which fortunately wasn’t spotted by the shrieking hoodlums. The Anchor is generally tastefully decorated, although I didn’t see a single beam that wasn’t festooned with fairy lights.
There is no pool table, no dartboard, no jukebox and no TV screens, though there was some background music playing at a reasonable level which could be heard just occasionally. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen was one of the offerings.
By now we’d been joined by two more dogs, both too small to rest their heads on the bar, but it did lead to an interesting debate as to who had farted – the local who’d arrived with the two dogs, swiftly denied it was her. One question was answered though, dogs, even smelly ones, are welcome here.
It was time for a second pint and, for the second time, I was able to select a Shepherd Neame drink I haven’t tried previously, an Iron Wharf Stout. Obviously, created to at least challenge the dominance of Guinness, I have to say it is an extremely good substitute and is definitely one I will drink again.
While I polished off this wonderfully creamy and smooth pint, the landlady nipped out to heat up her dinner and reappeared with a pizza. I think the smell was almost too much to bear for the three dogs at the bar and, for the first time, they were louder than the noisy kids, so I decided to make my exit.
As I left, my new furry friend rested his head on the bar one final time as if to say goodbye and I decided I must bring Mrs SD back sometime to meet him – though I’ll make sure I’ve continued my quest to wean her off the wine and onto an IPA first!
THE ANCHOR, 52 ABBEY STREET, FAVERSHAM ME13 7BP
Décor: It’s well decorated and maintained with plenty of fascinating features. An old wooden bar, wooden floorboards and uneven floors and walls all add to the charm. Personally, I’d lose some of the fairy lights but maybe I’m being too picky. ****
Drink: It was good to visit a Sheps’ pub and discover two new suspects which I hadn’t sampled previously. The Creekside Juicy IPA was very good and the Iron Wharf Stout was a more than decent Guinness substitute. ****
Price: There must be cheaper options available, but both my pints were priced at £6.50. Thank goodness Mrs SD wasn’t with me as her favoured large white wine was £12. **
Staff: Landlady Paige was welcoming and friendly, although the welcome wasn’t quite as friendly, or wet, as Zenza’s surprise greeting. ****
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