I headed into Liverpool to do some shopping (honest!) but soon found myself in new bar Harringtons:
Here I found a very pleasant bar on the ground floor, with the friendly barman and myself the only occupants.
I had Salt's Alpacalypse, a tasty enough IPA, and sat on a long bench seat along the wall.
There is more downstairs, which is where the former Ethical Glass was located, I think, although I never ticked that one.
I couldn't think of anything more to say about this place, it's a bit uninspiring to be honest, with no atmosphere at all. Probably more exciting on a Friday night. The music is too loud for a bar with only one customer, about right when it's packed.
Horse racing and tennis on the TVs, but where's the cricket?
Finally, another customer came in. He ordered a pint of soda water. I was impressed to see the charge was zero for this. Many years ago I used to take a little abuse for having a free pint of soda water in the bar after a session in the gym at the late lamented Plessey Club. My excuse was I had to drive home.
Next, a second new one, Lock Up Bar:
Another pleasant bar, lacking in atmosphere because there are only two other customers, nicely done out in plain style.
I was somewhat startled to see two handpumps, they offered Higson's Bitter and Higson's Pale, and the bitter was good. Who brews it now? Of course, it's Love Lane.
Next door is Hummingbird, but that doesn't open until four according to Google, so it will have to wait for another day:
So, on towards a third new one at the far end of Mathew Street. But hang on, what's this half way along that tourist corridor? How has Eric's escaped my database? I think maybe it was more of a basement night club in the past. Let's give it a try:
Bare brick and iron beams are the decor style in here, and a fella with a guitar was providing the musical entertainment, sadly to only three or four customers. I thought he was very good and deserved a larger audience.
Eric's was a members' music club which opened here in 1976 and hosted many famous acts, from the Sex Pistols to OMD. It closed in 1980. Google seems rather vague about the use of the space since then, but at some point the interior was remodelled so that it is no longer a basement.
Above my head was a glass ceiling affording a view into the old fruit market auction room with desks almost like pews arranged around the auctioneer's stand.
After a few minutes I realised the hole in the wall at the back leads through into the rear of King John next door, and also into Rubber Soul so you could argue they are all one bar, but I'm claiming three.
Oh, wow, the live musician took a short break and then came back and did favourite song Wish You Were Here. The last time I heard that performed in a pub was in the long gone Greyhound in Huyton back in 2005. I insisted my pals stay until it had finished. Boast: The time I saw it performed before that was at Maine Road in 1988. By Pink Floyd.
More customers wandered in but the place was still pretty empty.
Next, on to the planned target at the end of Mathew Street, the very new Temple Tavern:
What a fine Irish bar this is, not over the top "plastic paddy", just well done out, wood panelling, bare brick and (fake) iron beams.
Guinness please, I said. "Pint?" asked the barman. Is there any other, I quipped. Of course, the correct pour/settle/top-up process was used, with the barman serving another customer during the settle phase. Usually in Liverpool if you say "Carling" or "Guinness" or whatever you get a pint without having to specify the size; perhaps here in the tourist zone they need to ask.
As you can see, the outside decor is a work in progress, and my time here was punctuated by drilling noises.
Well! Four brand new ticks is a great score, especially for a shopping trip!
Beer of the day: Higson's Bitter
Miles walked: 2.1
Maybe coming soon: Barnston and Woodchurch
