Anchor Bankside

Anchor Bankside in London is one of the best-known riverside pubs on the south bank of the Thames. Located on Bankside in Southwark, close to Southwark Bridge, Shakespeare’s Globe, Borough Market and the old Clink area, the pub sits in one of London’s most historic entertainment districts. A tavern has existed around this site for centuries, and the present pub is closely associated with the old riverside world of theatres, breweries, river traffic and public houses. Its Thames-side terrace, views across the river and traditional pub exterior make it a natural screen location for productions wanting a recognisable London pub without moving into the more polished West End.

Anchor Bankside has appeared in films including “Mission: Impossible” (1996) and “Get Him to the Greek” (2010). It has also been linked to British television through “The Sweeney” (1975–1978). The pub is often used because it gives a scene a very clear London identity: the river, the old Bankside setting, the pub terrace and the surrounding Southwark streets all help place the characters in a real part of the city.

In “Mission: Impossible” (1996), Anchor Bankside appears at the end of the film, after Ethan Hunt has survived the Prague betrayal, the CIA mole hunt and the Channel Tunnel climax. Ethan sits outside the pub with Luther Stickell, played by Ving Rhames, finally able to relax with a drink by the Thames. The scene gives the film a quieter London ending, using the riverside pub as a contrast to the high-pressure espionage and action that came before it.

In “Get Him to the Greek” (2010), Anchor Bankside appears as a pub during the London section of the film. The comedy follows Aaron Green and rock star Aldous Snow through a chaotic music-industry journey, and the Bankside pub fits naturally into the film’s London nightlife and drinking culture.

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