The Blue Anchor, darts in Southwark / Bermondsey, SE16

Photo: CAMRA / WhatPub

The Blue Anchor: Darts in Southwark, London

FreeWalk-inLeague pubReal aleLive sport

251 Southwark Park Road, Bermondsey, London · SE16 3TS · Mo-Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 10:00-22:00

The Blue Anchor is a proper community boozer on Southwark Park Road in Bermondsey, run by Craft Union and rebuilt back in 1895. It is a sports-and-darts local first and foremost, so if you want a pint, a board and a bit of league pedigree rather than a slick bookable oche, this is your sort of place. The most useful thing to know: darts is a serious business here, with three pub teams playing out of the venue, and the board is free to use when it is not tied up with a fixture. Expect cask ale, live football on the screens, and a crowd that gets properly busy on Millwall home match days. Walk in, grab a drink, and ask at the bar if you want a throw.

The darts setup

This is a traditional pub board, not a bank of bookable automatic-scoring oches. You chalk your own and keep your own score, the way league darts has always worked. Darts is a genuine fixture of the place: three teams play out of the Blue Anchor, so on match nights the board is in use and the regulars take it seriously. Outside of fixtures it is free to use, first come first served. If you are new and want a game, the simplest move is to ask at the bar who is on the board and whether you can jump in. There is also a pool table if the oche is busy.

Good to know

Nothing to book and nothing to pay for the darts itself, you just buy your drinks. It is a Craft Union pub that reopened after a refurbishment, with real ale on (Fuller's London Pride and Sharp's Doom Bar are the regular casks), plus the usual lagers, spirits and mixers. Live sport runs every day across Sky Sports and TNT Sports, so football, rugby and racing are all on. There is a jukebox and weekly entertainment that swings between quiz night and DJ or karaoke. Match days for Millwall, whose ground is nearby, are the busiest, so time your visit accordingly if you want a quiet throw.

Getting there

The pub sits on Southwark Park Road in the heart of Bermondsey, SE16. South Bermondsey station is the closest National Rail stop and handy for The Den on Millwall match days, while Bermondsey on the Jubilee line is a walk to the north. Plenty of buses run along Southwark Park Road and Jamaica Road too. It is a local pub in a residential pocket rather than a destination on the tourist trail, so it rewards anyone who wants a normal London boozer with a board, away from the centre.

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Common questions

What is the Blue Anchor in Bermondsey?
It is a traditional community pub on Southwark Park Road, SE16, run by Craft Union. It shows live sport every day and is a known darts pub, with three league teams playing out of the venue alongside a pool table and jukebox.
Is it free to play darts at the Blue Anchor?
Yes. It is a standard pub board, free to use when it is not being used for a league fixture. You just buy your drinks. There is no session fee and nothing to book.
Do you need to book to play darts there?
No. You can walk straight in. Just turn up, get a drink and ask at the bar if you want to use the board, since on match nights it may be taken by one of the pub teams.
Does the Blue Anchor have a darts league team?
Yes. Three darts teams play out of the pub, so it has a genuine league following and the board sees regular competitive play.
What are the opening hours?
It is open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 11pm and Sunday from 11am to 10pm. Some listings show later Thursday to Saturday closing times, so check ahead for a late night.
What is the nearest station to the Blue Anchor?
South Bermondsey on National Rail is the closest stop, with Bermondsey on the Jubilee line a walk to the north. Buses run along Southwark Park Road and Jamaica Road.

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