Anspach & Hobday: The Arch House — Restaurant in London

Discriminatory security, lazy management, average beer. As a Bermondsey local, I've been to most spots on the beer mile several times. I will certainly not be visiting Anspach and Hobday. On Saturday, I visited with my sister, brother-in-law and parents as part of a family day out. Once inside, we lined up in a healthy-sized line (obviously, this is normal for a Saturday night on the beer mile, but Anspach is often understaffed in comparison to demand, and Saturday was no different). While waiting, my sister and brother-in-law were asked to take a photo for a group sitting near where we were lined up. As my sister took the picture and chatted to the group, who approached her to take the photo (making sure they were happy with angles etc) security came and informed her she was too drunk and could not purchase a drink. Despite that request being silly, she quickly agreed and said she was here with 5 other people and asked if it were ok if she stayed but did not drink. At that point, her and the security guard seemed to reach an agreement. When we got to the front of the line, the security guard told the bar staff (and manager on duty for the night) that if we were to buy drinks, we could not buy any for my sister. We assured him and the security guard we did not intend to. At this point, the bar manager said, 'just kick her out, and if her friends don't like it, they can leave too.' We did not stay to argue the point and left politely as told. If someone can be kicked out of a brewery for taking a photo when asked, then it's safe to say that either security, management or both have a huge issue with...

We visited with a group of friends, primarily non-white (with two white British individuals in a group of seven). One of the bartenders refused to serve two of our East Asian friends unless they showed IDs, which is understandable as he believed they looked under 25. While his demeanor was rude, the request itself was reasonable.

Our friends returned home to retrieve their physical IDs, as they are both over 18. Upon returning, one of them sampled a beer we were drinking to decide which one to purchase. At that moment, the same bartender abruptly approached our table and demanded we leave the bar immediately, without even checking their IDs again. His manner was aggressive and rude. When my friend calmly tried to explain that they had brought their IDs, the bartender became increasingly hostile. She lightly placed her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to de-escalate the situation, and he started shouting, accusing her of slapping or pushing him—which she absolutely did not do.

The entire incident was highly unprofessional, disrespectful, and appeared discriminatory. This bartender seemed to single out our group, particularly our East Asian friends, even after they complied with his initial request. The behavior was completely unacceptable. We will not be returning, and I strongly urge you to provide better training...

Here’s the deal…this brewery alone is in a global fight to tell the world that there is a porter that just slays anything else related to the category. And when you have picked your jaw up from the floor after tasting this black nectar, you will want to try their cask bitter that should rearrange every cell in your body in the correct order, and then do it again after every sip. Yes, it is that good. Words in the google ether cannot possibly tell someone how good their beer is…and honestly I hope that is the case because I don’t want anyone to know how good it is. Anspach and Hobday is like that girl you used to date and think about her every month in a very guilty way…I will think of them time and time again when I cross the Atlantic, back into the mess in the USA that is all about more hops, more bright colors on a can…and more junk they can throw in a beer to be “unique”. But all is not lost if you venture to go find them…Hidden off the beaten path and yet, easy to find if you earn a long walk from south of the Thames. Thank you A&H for doing what you do. Keep it real for for the love of god…don’t change. It’s...