Located by the Thames a short walk from Hammersmith Bridge, The Blue Anchor was first licensed in June 1722, when George I was King of England. Records show The ‘Blew Anchor’ had been selling beer for many decades before that.
Before heading to the Blue Anchor, Strike goes to Saint Elmo’s hostel in Hammersmith in search of Rochelle Onifade, a friend of Lula Landry.
“It was a warm spring afternoon. Strike strode on down towards Hammersmith Bridge, its pale sage-green paint and ornate gilding picturesque in the sun.”
“Strike bought himself a pint in the Blue Anchor, and sat outside at a wooden bench with his face to the water and his back to the royal-blue and white frontage.”
Here Strike sits reading the News of the World, relaxing, with no appointments or places to be, enjoying a pint in the warm spring sunshine.
At this time, Robin is at dinner with Matthew and his work colleagues in The Windmill on the Common.
She texts Strike about Evan Duffield visiting Yvette Bristow, which he had just read in the newspaper himself. He ignores the text, which he suspects is the reason for her frostiness the next working day. He’s quick to thank her for texting him the news.
It isn’t mentioned in the book what beer Strike drinks in The Blue Anchor. When we were first there in 2016, they didn’t have Doom Bar or any of Strike’s beers, so we’d like to think he tried the Blue Anchor Ale.
Since we were first there in 2016, the pub has been renovated. Here is the new look.
If you’re visiting the Blue Anchor you might also want to walk a little further down to this pale blue house. It’s where they filmed the “Swan House” at the end of the Lethal White TV adaptation.
Find the Blue Anchor on Google Maps below.