Alongside Holby City ED one of the most important places in the world of long running BBC medical drama Casualty is The Anchor, the local pub where the medics go to unwind. Throughout the show’s four decade history it has been at the heart of break ups, make ups, engagements, marriages, celebrations, commiserations and everything in between. If it’s walls could talk it would tell some tales.

I was lucky enough to be allowed inside the famous watering hole on a recent visit to the set and was surprised to see it is a fully functioning premises. Rather than a wooden set, it is a real building and it has recently been renovated so is looking more fresh and welcoming than ever. You could easily forget you were on a set walking through it’s famous doors. It looks exactly like any local pub and the attention to detail is fantastic. The sun was shining when I was there so it was bright and airy and I half expected to see people day drinking.

Fran Winston got behind the bar in The Anchor pub during a Casualty set visit (Image: Fran Winston)

The well stocked bar has everything you would expect from beer taps to snacks to a coffee machine (Image: Fran Winston)

Like many people I have spent my fair share of time in pubs – both socialising and also working when I was studying. I know my way around a bar and I was extremly impressed by authentic The Anchor’s is.

Alongside the beer taps, which you would expect, the spirit shelves contain a great selection of products. The bar snacks are well stocked and the coffee machine is top of the range.

Even though you can’t see it on camera the shelves are fully equipped with a selection of glasses to serve whatever takes the punters fancy.

There is a table to the right of the bar containing knives, forks and condiments lest anyone order food and honestly it is better stocked than most places I have visited over the years.

There are plenty of quiet areas in The Anchor with extremly comfortable chairs (Image: Fran Winston)

The decor is a step up from many bars I have visited over the years with extremly comfortable leather armchairs in place so you can relax while chatting to friends. The shelves which surround the back section of the bar are filled with books and knicknacks which wouldn’t be out of place in any bar around the country.

The only concession to the fact that this bar is used for filming rather than as a working pub is the amount of space bewtween the tables and chairs.

While most bars will try to cram in as many as possible, the cameras need to be able to manoeuvre so the tables and chairs are well spaced out. This only serves to add to the ambience as it means the seating areas appear quite intimate and private.

The set designers have done a fantastic job on the bar and if they ever want to move away from TV, they definitely have a future in pub design.