Mostly Heswall

Another sunny October day saw me taking multiple trains en route to Heswall.  I started with a glance at the Glegg Arms which is no longer a pub:

On the other side of the roundabout is the Devon Doorway:

Inside the attractive building with thatched roof is a very well appointed up market restaurant.  However, one side of the room is allocated to drinkers and the waitress guarding the door transformed into a barmaid when I said I only wanted a drink.

There were three handpumps on the counter, but all the clips were turned round, so I selected Neck Oil.  Ouch, £7.10!

At two on a Wednesday the restaurant was surprisingly busy, although having said that everyone was concentrated in the front room and the larger dining area behind appeared empty.  Just four drinkers in the non-dining part.  My table didn't have a food menu so I can't comment on that.

Next, I headed into the middle of Heswall where I had a number of overdue ticks on my list.  This meant I had to walk past some good places (Beer Lab, Bow Legged Beagle, Hydes' Harry Beswick, and so on.)

Eventually, just across the road from the Wetherspoon I reached Otto Lounge:

This pleasant modern cafe/bar in one large room is very well decorated in an eclectic style. The art deco lampshades suspended from modern cable ducts is a weird combination.  Nearby the lighting is from heavy duty faux-industrial units. The giant windows along the front wall create a fine open feeling.  I really like the overall effect. 

I was supposed to choose a table before ordering, but "that one there" sufficed and I soon had a pint of Cruzcampo.  "Only" £5.45 this time.

Another place busier than I expected, the room was filled with mixed chatter from a number of groups.  Including a gang of new mothers, complete with offspring.  I imagine when I was six months old holding such a get together in a bar would have been frowned upon, luckily we live in more enlightened times.  Although if the current puritanical lot in charge had their way we'd soon go back to the dark ages.

Resisting a visit to the spoons over the road, I headed on to Barcode:

There's something special about this micro pub.  With no pretensions to cask ale, it is a perfect example of an "ordinary boozer" with a friendly barmaid chatting with the cheerful regulars and serving pints of Carling, Madri, and so on.  I felt I'd moved from posh back to the real world.  Do I sound like an inverted snob? 

Good grief, my Carling was £2.50, what a contrast with the previous two places!

I tried to listen in to the chatter, but we're too far from home for me to follow.  When they refer to the Big House it's not the Vines, but somewhere nearer here. 

Next, on to the Harvest Mouse.  I walked up the road.  I paused; am I going the right way, I should be able to see it by now?  And then I discovered it has lost its sails:

No, it is not a windmill, it never was a windmill.  It was built in 1980 as a destination pub.  I've not really forgiven them for that dishonesty and I have to say it's a greater disappointment that it is not even a fully equipped fake windmill now! 

Never mind. Inside is a pleasant contemporary dining pub, with Flaming Grill branding.  I selected Landlord from the small range of cask on offer and it was spot on. 

By now it is four in the afternoon, perhaps a bit early for the dinner rush but nonetheless there are plenty of people in here.  A poor choice of table meant I couldn't spy on who was eating or drinking.

Finally, a long walk to Irby, where my recent visit missed a newly opened pub because I didn't know about it.  To save my feet, perhaps there is a bus?  Yes, in just a couple of minutes; can I visit the gents and get to the stop in time?  I did, so it was an easy ride to Crafty Tavern:

A standard conversion of two shop units, I think, with two hand pumps on the counter.  I chose Plum and Raisin Porter from Spitting Feathers, which was very good but not the all time great I was hoping for.  Was it past its best?  Probably not, just a little less plum and raisin than I would have liked.

Sadly, I was the only customer, no wonder these places don't have longer hours.  I had a good chat with the barman about local pubs, and my guide. He suggested I should have a table at a beer festival and sell copies of the book.

Eventually one other customer arrived, choosing a bottle of something Belgian from the fridge.  Was it Delerium Red?  If so, gorgeous!  Before I'd finished my pint he chose another bottle, no idea what but it wasn't a common one or at least it wasn't one I recognised, clearly a man of taste! 

Time for another bus to take me towards home.  A very good day's research including one brand new one.

Pub of the day: Crafty Tavern
Beer of the day: Landlord
Miles walked: 2.5
Maybe coming soon: Kirkdale, Birkenhead

Birkdale

On a warm sunny October Thursday I headed to Birkdale, hoping for some overdue revisits and some new ones.  I started in Bar'Nista:

This is a pleasant cafe/bar in a shop conversion.  What makes it special is the handpumps on the counter.  Only one had a clip so I had a pint of Courage Directors, I must confess I didn't know they still brewed it.  Very nice, anyway.  It came in one of those strange Hobgoblin glasses.

Plenty of customers inside and out, the majority on wine I think, although I did overhear a request for an Irish coffee.

Next, Barrique:

An even posher wine bar, this one, but three taps behind the counter so I'll allow it.  I chose the house lager which was tasty.

Again, some people were enjoying the unexpected sunshine and sitting outside, as well as half a dozen indoor customers. 

The decor is rather attractive contemporary, with some white tiling and a partly mosaic floor.  

I perused the menu.  The most expensive wine I could see was £110 for a bottle.  No thanks! 

Along one wall were some intriguing dispensing machines: You need to load a card at the bar and then insert it and select one of sixteen wines.  You can see the bottles inside the machine.  Does it really get so busy in here that they can't just pour you a wine at the counter? There was another identical machine to dispense whisky but it didn't have any bottles in so it's presumably not in use today. 

While this is certainly not "My sort of place" (TM) I must say it was pleasant and comfortable, what more could one ask for?  The answer, of course, is cask ale.

A short walk into the suburban streets took me to the Upsteps:

At four on a Thursday I found a busy lively locals' boozer, I almost had to elbow my way to the counter as it was surrounded by seated regulars.  I ordered a pint of White Rat, the barmaid started pulling a Wainwright.  A dilemma for me, last time I corrected a barmaid she was right and I was wrong, and embarrassed.  I risked it and she quickly abandoned the wrong one and pulled me an excellent pint of White Rat.

What a brilliant pub this is, cheerful busy atmosphere, quality ale, comfortable interior pleasantly decorated. 

The background music mixed with multiple conversations as I enjoyed the pint of the day.

Back to central Birkdale where there is one more overdue tick right beside the station, but first how about a new one, the Tea Rooms:

Birkdale seems to be the home of the cafe/bar shop conversion, and this is another one - Tea Rooms calls itself a wine bar but with five taps on the counter it certainly qualifies for the guide.  One high ceilinged room with, I'm sorry to report, more staff than customers at five o'clock.  Two of the staff departed just after I wrote that, their shift must end at five I guess.

I selected long term favourite Erdinger from the selection of international brews, of course it came in the proper glass.  The food menu, pizzas and focaccia looks rather tempting, but I'll wait until I get home and get a pizza delivery, I think. 

Finally, next to the station is Birkers, last visited in 2017:

This rather odd "shed" in the station yard is a great boozer.  One high ceilinged room with an island servery in the middle, and comfortable seating all around.  Most of the regulars were sitting at the counter but I retreated with my Carling to one of the tables. 

The decor has been "enhanced" by various Halloween related cobwebs, ghosts, skeletons, and so on.  At least it prevents early Christmas decorations!

The menu of wings, burgers, and pizzas looks good and good value. 

At half five on a Thursday I could see twelve customers, all sitting at the counter except for one eating and me.

Gosh!  Three brand new ticks AND two quality cask ales, that's a rather good haul for a Thursday afternoon!  I'll see you at the Rainhill Beer Festival on Saturday - If you want an extremely rare* signed one, bring your copy of my book and I'll sign it! (You'll have to recognise me first, though.)

(* At the time of writing, only one signed copy exists.)

Pub of the day: Upsteps
Beer of the day: White Rat
Miles walked: 0.8
Maybe coming soon: Kirkdale, Birkenhead

More Drinks!

Ooops!  A lack of proper planning saw me on the train to Tranmere with some noisy football fans.  To be fair, they were noisy but well behaved.  I considered changing my plans and going somewhere else but decided to stick with it.  Off the train at Rock Ferry, all the fans dived into the Bedford while I turned the other way.  My first intended target was close to the ground but before that I had to walk past the Rockvilla.  But it's changed name, to More Drinks!

The auctioneers sign outside doesn't bode well, but it's open now so I'll visit even though I was here only three years ago so it is not technically "required".

Just as last time this is a rather well done plain boozer, with rough wood panelling and some bare brick creating an attractive interior. 

There are two distinct sides to the pub, but the back of the servery seems to have been glazed so I think one has to come into this side to be served.  This side has a couple of rooms off, altogether a rather good layout.

I ordered a Carling before I spotted the intriguing handwritten tap label "Wirral Wobbler".

About half a dozen regulars were joking and chatting.  There's something special about this pub that I can't identify:  Perhaps it is the happy atmosphere, with friendly barman and regulars creating a pleasant ambience.

Some free food appeared on the counter as I neared the end of my pint - I resisted. 

A query arose at the pool table, and the players consulted the barman for adjudication.  He said "if you're paying EPA rules it's no, Birkenhead rules yes" which rather amused me.  I think I've come across these "Birkenhead Rules" in another pub some time ago.  (Purely as a nosy observer, not a player, I hasten to add.)

I headed on to the Sportsmans Arms:

As expected, this place was full of footie fans, gradually leaving for the ground.

Oh goodie!  White Rat is on.  The friendly barmaid apologised for serving cask in a plastic glass, I told her it tasted the same.  (To be honest I do prefer glass, but I'm not going to complain when they're serving one of my favourite ales in fine nick.  And it was only three quid.)

I had to stand initially, but fairly soon got a seat and table, as time moved on towards kick off and the crowd thinned .  By three there were only half a dozen of us left, and the bar staff busied themselves collecting glasses (er, plastics?) and empty crisp packets, and cleaning the tables.

I've been impressed by this pub before, pleasantly decorated and well maintained, offering quality cask in what would otherwise be a bit of a desert, they seem to have the formula exactly right.  I couldn't see any indication of the food they used to offer, but perhaps that's just because of the footie? 

I moved on, passing the long closed Black Horse where I last supped in 2012.  Did I get the giant chimney in my picture?  I thought chimneys like that had been forgotten by 1931 when this place was built.

A loud cheer indicated Tranmere had gone one down.  Only a short walk away is the Beehive:

I really like this historic-looking building (1930s again?) and I was pleased to find that the pub is still operating.   Inside I found a dozen or so regulars.

I read somewhere that Moretti has overtaken Carling as the biggest selling draught beer in the UK - Not here, I could see umpteen Carling glasses, and I added one to the total. 

The interior here is plain but well done and well cared for, the colour scheme is the fashionable shades of grey.

Once again, free food was on offer, sandwiches and chicken nibbles I think.  Again, I resisted temptation.  The mixing desk and lights at the end of the room suggested a noisy Saturday night ahead but at half three the only sounds were chit-chat and racing commentary. 

Next, into the back streets in search of the Imperial:

Something of a classic, this one, with some historic features such as an ancient fireplace inside although I suspect much of the decor is sixties?  I'm not sure though, the leaded glass above the counter seems genuine thirties or older.  I need an architecture expert to analyse this one for me!  The building must be early twentieth century I think, so maybe the interior is too.  A very pleasing boozer anyway.

Once again the sound was the animated chatter of one or two dozen regulars, I think the sport on the telly was silent. 

I'm off, before the football lets out.  This turned out to be a wise decision, the rumbles of thunder while I waited for the bus were followed by a very heavy hailstorm as I travelled into Birkenhead.

Pub of the day: Sportsmans Arms
Beer of the day: Ossett White Rat
Miles walked: 2
Maybe coming soon: Kirkdale, Birkenhead

The Last Pub in Stockbridge Village

With, I have to admit, little optimism, I caught the bus to Canny Farm.  Would any of the pubs have survived, or was I on a hiding to nothing?

Locals will already have realised that my use of the names Cantril Farm, Canny Farm or even Cannibal Farm is pure affectation, as the area was renamed Stockbridge Village long before I first came to Liverpool. 

Anyway, I started at the location of the Barley Mow, long closed and now replaced by houses:

As I headed on I must confess to wondering if today was going to be a series of pictures of modern housing on the sites of closed pubs.  Soon, I reached the Village Inn and, lo and behold, it is still operating:

Only the front room was in use, clean but a little worn in places, especially the bench seats round the walls which were full of holes.

About ten customers, all blokes of my age or older were watching footie on the telly, and chatting. 

I looked around as I sank my Carling.  Re-cover the seats and the place would merit a "clean, tidy and well looked after" description because apart from the seats, it is. 

I noticed an indication we are in the 2020s even in this classic from the 1960s:  There was no bitter available whereas last time, in 2018, they offered John Smith's and Worthington's.  There was a tap for John Smith's Golden Ale, which I suppose is close.  If the correct glasses were used I can report that about 80% of the custom was for Carling with the remainder on the Smith's.

Next, the Ploughman:

Long closed, I'm sorry to report, and with some kind of legal notice pinned to the front fence. 

On to the Black Angus which streetview research earlier in the year had revealed was closed, demolished and replaced by housing:

So that's it for Stockbridge Village.  My database lists six pubs, I drank in four of them in 1998, and some again more recently, and now the Village Inn is the only one left.  Isn't that a shame. 

I departed at the North end of the estate, on to Deysbrook Lane.  The Princess has been closed and demolished for a long time, although I did manage to tick it in 1998, but remarkably the frame of the pub sign remains:

I was getting a bit thirsty by now, but it wasn't far to the Deysbrook which I was fairly confident would be open:

Not just open, it is thriving.  Very nicely modernised and beautifully cared for, it retains some of the original two sided layout, although I expect there has been some knocking through over the years. 

The bar side was busy, I had to sit at the corner of someone else's table to put down my Carling - It's hard to write on a tablet standing up with a pint in your hand.  In the other side was a very lively party, I couldn't make out what they were celebrating but there were a lot of happy people and a lot of noise. 

I must say it is pleasing to find a busy pub nowadays, especially as it wasn't too busy for me to find a seat.  It shows "ordinary" boozers can continue to flourish in 2024.  Thank goodness for that. 

The score so far is two required ticks.  It's a long walk to the next one and I'm not sure I can be bothered...  Home it is. 

Pub of the day: Deysbrook
Beer of the day: Carling
Miles walked: 2.1
Maybe coming soon: Kirkdale, Birkenhead

Southport in the Sunshine

On a pleasant sunny day you find me on the train to Southport where I started in the Wellington:

A classic boozer this, one large knocked through room, very nicely decorated in traditional style.  There were plenty of customers at two on a Thursday.

What's this?  A handpump with a Moorhouse's clip, I never expected that.  As the friendly barmaid handed me my pint she said "It's the first one out today, let me know if it doesn't taste right".  One sniff of the vinegary odour was enough for me to reject it.  The second pint smelled (smelt?) better but still tasted off, so I had a Carling.  I did wonder if another few pulls would reach drinkable ale, but on reflection probably not.  While sour ale is always a disappointment, the warning and the cheerful replacement is the proper way to deal with it; full marks to the barmaid and 0/10 for the cellarman.  Of course, they could be one and the same.

Ten minutes later I noticed the clip had been turned round, that's good.  The other handle also had a turned round clip. 

The soundtrack in here?  Cheerful conversations with music in the background.  This is what a pub should sound like. 

On to the Sporting Jester:

Another traditional boozer, with perhaps more modern decor than the Welly, very pleasant and, once again, spotless. 

No trouble with the real ale here, because they don't do it any more, so another Carling for your reporter.  I recall coming in for the first time back in 2011 for a pint of cask when the Volunteer, as it was then known, made a short lived appearance in the Good Beer Guide.

Not quite as busy as the Wellington, but still ticking over nicely at three o'clock.

There were three dartboards at one end of the room along with a pool table, not in use at the moment.  Now I look at it, the pool table is parked over an oche, so some rearrangement would be needed to play three games of darts.

Now, a favourite of mine, the Cheshire Lines:

As you can see, one of the locals spotted me taking the photo.

What a disappointment!  Admittedly it is better than last time I walked this way, when it was surrounded by fencing during COVID, but this time no real ale is on offer and the barmaid advised me that quite a few of the keg ones were unavailable too.  Luckily, Neck Oil was on so I had that. 

Only about three or four other customers in, I suppose it's just too far from the main drag, with no passing trade.

Running out of half of the keg beers is sometimes a sign of the wholesaler refusing to deliver until bills are paid, could this place be going bust?  I hope not, and there are plenty of less doom-laden explanations. 

Are the ancient-looking beams genuine, I wonder?  I suspect not, but the interior is very pleasant anyway.

Two of the other customers had an enormous German Shepherd with them, perfectly well behaved but I was a little worried that if it decided to misbehave it might be stronger than the owner! 

Down on to Lord Street next, and in to what my database says is the Potting Shed, now called the Southport Coaster:

The Potting Shed was some sort of cocktail bar I think but I never visited.  Before that, the Sandgrounder was a Wetherspoon-style place with real ale in 2014.  Even before that, I think it was a Yates' but I never ticked it. The new version is a wonderful boozer with excellent decor packed with inebriated people at half four.

The giant screen behind the counter was showing the cricket but I don't think anyone was watching.  Karaoke was in full swing, loud but not the deafening level one often finds.  (On my regular visits to Blacklers in town, you can hear the music from next door.)

Unusually, this karaoke seemed to feature people who could actually sing!  Okay, she's no Karen Carpenter but that was a fine rendition of I Know I Need To Be In Love, by someone called Sharon.  Apparently the karaoke queue is an hour long, clearly the skilled performers all come here. I hung on for the next act...  A duo who even managed harmonies in I Feel Fine.  Well done!

Not quite time for home yet, how about a new one?  The Auld Dubliner:

A standard shop conversion, a corridor bar with Irish decor very well done.  When I get home I'll check Streetmap to see what it was before, I don't think it was a bar - Ah, Thomas Cook. 

My Guinness was part filled and then left to stand above the taps before being finished, that's how it should be done.  And no shamrock, of course. 

Again, the cricket was on the giant screen behind the counter, and again I don't think anyone was watching.  Except me, briefly - The Aussies seemed to be doing pretty well. 

Another rather fine boozer, plenty of people enjoying the atmosphere with chatter equalling the music in sound level.

Pub of the day: Southport Coaster, a modern classic.
Beer of the day: Neck Oil
Miles walked: 1.5
Maybe coming soon: Canny Farm, Kirkdale

Good Beer Guide 2025

A really impressive thud alerted me to the landing on my doormat of the latest edition of CAMRA's Good Beer Guide.

I can report that in Merseyside twenty-one entries have been removed and twenty added since last year's guide.

As I say every time, if you want to know which pubs they are you'll have to buy the book when it goes on sale on 26 September.

A Bad Start

The morning's torrential rain had eased off as I headed out to Maghull, hoping for a number of overdue ticks plus one new one.

From the station I walked past the Great Mogul, I've already done that one recently, and strolled through suburbia to the Fox:

Google says they open at 12, Facebook 14, so I should be OK at quarter past two?  No! 

Only a short walk from there to my next target, the Old Post Office:

This one was shut too - Not a good beginning to the survey; this is why I've mostly changed to Saturdays when places are more likely to be open in the afternoon.  I've something else to do this Saturday though. 

Some more walking, including passing by the Wetherspoon because I was in there in May this year, brought me to One Central:

More of a cafe than a bar, this one, will it be open and can I get a beer?

Things didn't look good as I entered, every table occupied by gentlefolk drinking coffee or tea, and no fonts on the counter.  But wait, I can see a bloke with a pint in his hand and there are taps on the back wall, and so I was soon served with a pint of San Miguel.

"Anything else" asked the barman as he operated the till.  "Another one" suggested the man standing next to me.  Good idea!

I perched at the corner of an occupied table to relax and enjoy my cerveza.  Chatter and the whooshing of the coffee machine were the main sounds in here.  Is it over the borderline into cafe territory, I wonder.  Oh well, I've drunk in here now, and I imagine the coffee/beer ratio would be very different in the evening. 

The decor involves lots of rough woodwork.  It looks rather good.

Another half a mile of walking took me past the Hare and Hounds, ticked recently, and on to the Meadows:

This Greene King "Flaming Grill" pub is, as all their pubs are, nicely decorated, clean and tidy. 

Four handpumps with three "coming soon" is something of a harbinger of doom (No not Doom Bar) in my experience, but I risked a pint of Yardbird and it was excellent, albeit a little lively resulting in a lot of top-ups before the friendly barmaid handed it to me.  One decent real ale is enough. 

It was fairly quiet in here, just ticking over, but that seems to be the norm for pubs nowadays.  Three or four gentle conversations were the only sound, except for the staff rattling plates, cutlery and glasses. 

I noticed they have the exact same servery software as Wetherspoon do, someone at table 8 has ordered some food.  What I still haven't found out is the reason other tables pop up on the screen in plain grey.  Including mine here. 

I continued to look round:  Hanging behind the bar is a "public access bleed control kit", not noticed one of those before.  Presumably there is a risk of a nasty cut from a broken glass in a pub.  Does one need training to use it?  I don't think I'd fancy applying a tourniquet without some advice on how tight to make it.

Table eight's food counted up to fourteen minutes, it is highlighted in mauve now which means it is ready in the kitchen.  The food appeared just after I wrote that.  I perused the menu of pub standards.  £9.89 for fish chips and peas is fairly cheap in 2024, I think.  Now I feel hungry! 

I wondered about the building.  Twenties or early thirties?  The tall chimneys suggest the earlier part of that period.  I can see it was built with multiple small rooms, now knocked through, so it must pre-date the "improved pub" era. 

Moving on, just a short stroll brings us to Cask Cafe.  In view of my success rate so far I'm a bit worried about a place that advertises opening at four, as it is now about five past:

A sort of secret pub, this, because all the signage refers to its alter ego as a coffee shop.  In fact there's a notice on the door showing that it closes at two.  Luckily I could see someone with a pint in hand through the window, and once I went in I found a lively hubbub of drinkers.  

Four handpumps were in operation, I chose one I'd never heard of from Oakham brewery, now what was it called?  Ah yes, Celeste, it's a very pale rather delicately flavoured hoppy ale, one of their seasonal brews.  Very good.

I sat on a comfortable sofa alone in the back room, while the front room was full of people and conversations.

What a wonderful pub.  I think I might have said this before about other ones, but if a place like this were to open near my home, I might have to abandon the pub guide research and just go there every day.

I was joined at my table by two other people.  What's wrong with the dozen other empty tables I don't know, but the woman did ask if it was alright, and it was, so no complaints. 

Another fairly short walk and a life threatening crossing of the A59 in rush hour (hyperbole) brought me to the Alt Park:

Another chain dining place, this time with Sizzling branding.  This brand belongs to Mitchells and Butlers as do many other well known brands including Harvester, Vintage Inns, All Bar One, Nicholson's, O'Neill's, Ember Inns, Toby Carvery and so on. 

Just like the Meadows, it is pleasantly decorated, clean and tidy. 

No cask, so I had a Guinness. 

Five o'clock by now, and there were a lot more diners in, keeping the staff busy.  Fish chips and peas £8.29 here.

I was interested to note the Christmas Party menu.  Wetherspoon took some flack a few years ago when they stopped offering a "Christmas dinner", replacing it with a Christmas-themed burger.  This pub offers "Christmas Dinner Pie" so clearly spoons were leading the way and the others follow, as usual.  Once again, I ask why my shares aren't going up.

Out of the window I viewed the back garden.  Lots of picnic tables and some, er what's the word, a row of open sided roofed units each with a table and bench seats.  In today's chilly weather no one was out there. 

Time to head towards home, so I walked back to the station for a train in to town.  

Quite a satisfactory survey after a shaky start, or so I thought until I got home and realised I had walked straight past the new-ish Neptune Beerhouse.  So I could have got another brand new tick if I'd been awake.

Pub of the day: Cask Cafe
Beer of the day: Oakham Celeste
Miles walked: 4.1
Maybe coming soon: Southport, Kirkdale, Cantril Farm