The Anchor, Sevenoaks

This is a music pub. Here are Blues with Bottle dates at The Anchor for winter 2008/9
Wed 3 December - Roger Hubbard
Wed 17 December - J C Moody & the Usual Suspects
Wed 7 January - Fran McGillivray & Mike Burke
Wed 21 January - Bagge & Armer

18 Nov 2008 11:10

The Rocket, Acton

The Rocket is in Churchfield Road near Acton Central Overground station (Richmond - Stratford line.) It changed hands in August or September 2008. The new owner has redecorated inside (red again in the bar) and outside (dark green) and changed the furniture. It still has one very large main room with a handsome bar counter running down most of one side and a separate dining room opening off the bar. The planned addition of curtains may help cut down the noise rebounding off the hard surfaces a bit. Outside, the paved terrace, overlooking the side road, gets sun in the early part of the day. The green awnings to protect the smokers from the rain, make the interior dark in the day time.
It is a pleasant environment apart from noisy extractor fans and fridges, which were a feature before. Alex manages the food side and Andor manages the bar. Some of the same friendly staff have been kept on.
The choice of real beer is good, although not as well kept as it could be my husband and son say. The choice of wine is good. So far I have eaten there once on a Saturday evening and twice at lunchtime. The food is as good as it was under the previous chef although we did have scallops served on cold plates and I was told a new plate warmer is planned.
Andor tells me that will have music in the bar, probably on Wednesdays, and that they will also develop the large room upstairs as a function room.
The Rocket is a very good pub for Acton: others, in the High Street, are The George & Dragon, good for food, The Kings Head which is Fullers, and The Red Lion & Pineapple, a Weatherspoons pub, all well thought of; the Goldsmith's Arms in East Acton Lane has a huge garden so is good if you have children. Many of the others cater mostly for Australians & South Africans or Poles or football fans so I cannot comment on them.

3 Oct 2008 10:21

The Goldsmiths Arms, Acton

This large pub, which has a very big garden, has improved recently. New management has discouraged the racists that used to go there and there is a more representative mix of people now. It is in a residential area not far from Acton Park and near The Park Club. Lunch is good pub fare, such as baguettes overflowing with fillings plus chips and regular pub and breakfast type meals. The function room has been re-decorated (it used to be dire and dank) and cut in half and dinners can look outover the garden. The decor is very ordinary. There is snooker or pool and lots of screens for football around the bar. I only drink wine but that it is drinkable.

13 Sep 2008 17:31