There is a real community feel to a craft beer taproom which is passionate about quality drink.

Occupying a small space within a parade of shops in Watford Road, Croxley Green, Anchor Tap & Bottle looks to have found the perfect recipe to cater to its loyal customer base since opening not long before lockdown.

The focus is on craft beers the team are genuinely passionate about, with many of the standard brands absent, as well as creating a warm and welcoming space.

Anchor Tap & Bottle (Image: Anchor Tap & Bottle)

"It's just a really good community," manager Leanne Willcox said. "It's a really nice, old fashioned everyone joins in kind of place."

She added: "There are people that come in on Sundays and they play chess together, it's just nice if you know what I mean."

Anchor Tap & Bottle (Image: Anchor Tap & Bottle)

According to the 41-year-old, the Anchor Tap are "very specific" about what they put on tap because the business came out of its owner's hobby for craft beer - unlike at big pub chains where it may be "just a job".

New beers are sourced every week and the ever-changing live beer list currently includes pilsner, lagers, IPAs, NEIPA, and stout, with a host of bottles also available to drink in and take away.

New customers might not expect the variety of quality wines and cocktails made from scratch - which also prove very popular.

More food options are set to be introduced soon, although the focus is on the drink and it is not trying to become a place for full sit-down meals.

Anchor Tap & Bottle (Image: Anchor Tap & Bottle)

Other future plans include adding more activities such as boardgame nights to a schedule that already includes live music and pub quizzes.

Despite catering to the craft beer niche, regular customers range from young to old and cross all sections of the Croxley Green community.

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By setting itself apart from the competition in this way and forming a close-knit community, it has also partially protected itself from the tough times Leanne acknowledged are "affecting everyone" in hospitality.

"We're sticking together and afloat", she explained.

The Anchor Tap & Bottle is open 3pm to 11pm Monday to Thursday, 2pm to 11.30pm Fridays and Saturdays, and 12pm to 10.30pm on Sundays.