Liam Gray re-opened the Anchor Inn in Boroughbridge with a revamp and a full calendar of music nights, beer garden plans by the canal, and charity events—while hoping a Robbie Williams impersonator will soon make an appearance.
When Liam Gray locks up after another night at the Anchor Inn in Langthorpe, he doesn’t sound like someone simply running a pub. He sounds like someone building a habit.
Since the Anchor Inn re-opened at the end of February after a revamp, Gray has been pouring that momentum into Boroughbridge—earning applause from a fast-growing town with live music, ales, quiz nights and other events. The pub is owned by Red Oak Taverns.
Gray says he’s “really happy” with how the pub has progressed. Still, he makes it clear standards can’t slip. He praises his hardworking staff, saying they are the reason the place has kept moving forward.
To Boroughbridge residents and visitors alike, he wants to say thank you—then he tips his hand about what comes next. He expects a busy summer, helped by a “beautiful” beer garden next to the canal.
“I wanted to bring the entertainment side of things to The Anchor,” Gray said. In the short time it has been open, he says there has already been live acoustic music, solo singers, duets, tribute acts and open mic nights.
The weekly rhythm is now part of the town’s noise. There is a music and film quiz every Tuesday at 7pm. Open Mic night runs every Thursday from 7pm to 10pm. Live music is planned every Friday and Saturday from 8pm to 10pm, and there is also live music every Sunday from 5pm to 7pm.
On top of that, the tribute nights have proven popular. Gray says they have already featured Meat Loaf, Rod Stewart and Madonna “playing here.” Then comes the hope—spoken like a genuine request rather than a promotional line. “Hopefully Robbie Williams will be making an appearance soon!”
Gray, who lives in nearby Arkendale, has toured the UK, Europe and the Middle East as a singer. He says it became clear the Anchor is “a locals pub,” and that they want it used for charity events as well.
The first charity push is this Sunday, with a charity car wash from 10am to 2pm to support St Michael’s Hospice. After that, there will be a BBQ and live music.
Next up is a Motorbike Meet on Saturday June 6, running from 10am to 5pm in support of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Gray says they will again be having a BBQ, live music, auctions and raffles. He expects over 150 motorbikes, all parked up in the car park that day, raising money for a “great cause.”
For now, the Anchor is drinks only. But Gray says food is on the way, starting with pizza and loaded fries. “Watch this space.”
The reception online has matched the ambition. On review websites, Gray and his team have been praised. Tripadvisor shows an overall score of 4.4 stars out of five. though Gray’s tenure isn’t reflected in many older ratings. The last two ratings, covering the period since Liam took over, are both five star.
In May, one Tripadvisor review said: “He is doing a really good job bringing it back to life inside and out. It’s now smart and his staff friendly. There is something on most nights. Call in and see for yourself.”
Google awards the pub 4.6 stars, but many reviews again go back to before Gray took over. Since he re-opened, he says seven out of eight Google reviews gave five stars. In May, one Google review said: “Called in yesterday for couple of drinks. Hadn’t visited before. Looks beautiful inside. Locals very friendly as well as the bar staff. If we lived nearby, we would be regulars. Thank you to all who made us feel so welcome.”.
Between the canal-side beer garden plan, the packed weekly music calendar, and the charity events already on the horizon, the Anchor Inn’s reopening has turned into something more than a fresh start. For Gray, it’s a commitment—to the town, to his staff, and to keeping the good nights coming.
Anchor Inn Langthorpe Liam Gray Boroughbridge pub Red Oak Taverns live music nights tribute acts St Michael's Hospice car wash Yorkshire Air Ambulance Motorbike Meet Arkendale singer