Toxteth

I headed for Toxteth more in hope than expectation, as many of the pubs have closed since my first tours back in 1999, and I wasn't sure if I was going to get any drinks at all.

I started at the Herculaneum Bridge which still appears to be operational, but wasn't open:

Last time I was here, back in 2012, I admired the stunning interior, let's hope it is all still there inside:

Next, Beresford Arms where I found a building site.  Here it is back in 2003:

The Bleak House was another operational-looking place, maybe, but not open:

Wilsons has been closed for a long time:

I moved up on to Mill Street, where the Mount and the Poet's Corner have gone without trace, here's the Poet's back in 2003:

Next comes the Wellington Vaults where I had a pint in 2012, but it's now out of action:

A little further on was the Derby Arms:

And this is all that's left of the Great Eastern:

Next, the Mosley Arms:

I already knew this place was closed, but hang on, what's this?  Two people came out of the door as I approached.  Another bloke stood in the doorway.  "Is this still a pub?" I asked.  "Only just!" he replied.  So in I went.

A rather fine historic interior, with the lounge side served via a hatch on the leaded glass and wood bar back.  In the bar side three regulars were watching the Labour Party conference winding up.

The architecture inside includes some great ceramics and dark wood panelling.  It's slightly tatty in places, but nothing some fresh plasterboard and a coat of paint couldn't fix.

Continuing further along Mill Street I passed the site of Clancy's, and then finally I reached Dick Jennings:

Time to move up to Park Road and head southwards again.  The Volunteer has gone without trace, while the Royal Oak is now an office of some sort:

On to the Globe:

Another gem inside with lots of dark wood panelling and leaded glass, most or all original, I think, perhaps an early 20th century refurbishment.

A yell from one of the regulars summoned the landlady to serve me a lager.

Seven or eight customers were engaged in lively chit chat, with a commercial radio station providing the background music.

I continued along Park Road, the Toxteth is closed, I'm pleased to see the new owners have kept the name on the front of the building:

The Royal George is gone, here's a picture of the debris taken in 2008  (If only I'd arrived a couple of weeks earlier I probably could have acquired the whole sign - Mind you, it might have been a bit difficult getting it on the bus!):

The Queens Head is closed:

The High Park Inn has been a funeral directors' since before my first visit to the area:

The Pineapple is undergoing building work, let's hope it comes back as a pub:

At last, just off Park Road is the Anglesea:

Gosh, another one open.  Inside is a beautiful two sided boozer, well maintained, but with no historic features apart, perhaps, from the tiny counter in the bar back serving the lounge.

The landlady finished her phone call and then served me another lager.

There were enough regulars in here for there to be more than one conversation, but only just.

Racing was on the TVs, with the volume pleasingly low, and no-one was watching.  Meanwhile, gentle background music was also at the right level.

Oddly, they've got a Brooklyn Lager font on the bar, you don't often see that in "ordinary" boozers.  I wonder how much they sell.  There's a tap for Carlsberg Unfiltered as well, I've never even heard of that one.

Moving on, I headed to the Queen's Arms:

Wow, yet another beauty inside, a well looked after traditional boozer, the largest I've been in today, with a partially knocked through interior around a semi-circular counter.

As usual, a music channel was playing on the TV, Katrina and the Waves came on, I'm interested in them as they hail from the city where I was born, Cambridge, although Katrina herself was American.  Of course there's a much more famous Cambridge band of which I'm a great fan, and that's Pink Floyd, but they're perhaps less likely to be seen on the telly?

Over each entrance/exit doorway to the pub was a plastic bag containing some liquid and what might have been coins.  What's that about?  I peered at the one over the main door as I left, and a fella coming in said "It's to keep the flies out, apparently," so now I know!

Next, a pub I don't really need to visit, as I was here only three years ago, but I might as well complete the set while I'm in the area - The Empress:

Ringo Starr was born a few streets away and spent part of his childhood living in the same street as this pub, and an exterior view appears on the sleeve of his Sentimental Journey album.  There's lots of Beatles stuff in the decor and I imagine they get a regular trade from Beatles tourists, although last time I was here, on a Saturday, I observed a number of people taking selfies outside but not coming in.

Inside, it's a pleasant comfortable one bar boozer, mostly knocked through but keeping a secluded back room/snug.

At four on a Wednesday, sadly, there were only two or three customers.

My final target before heading for home was the closed Lothian:

Pub of the day: Now that's a difficult question, all the pubs that were open were great inside but I think perhaps the Globe wins on historic architecture.
Miles walked: 3.5
Coming soon, probably: Kensington and Seacombe.