Bootle to Seaforth

I headed out in the glorious sunny weather, to Bootle.  My first target was the Alexandra:

A bit of a sixties shed from the outside, inside I found one plain clean and tidy room, with a dozen or so locals enjoying a Tuesday lunchtime drink.

In view of the warm weather I eschewed my usual Guinness and went for a pint of Carling instead.  It must be summer - the glass came out of the fridge!

Gentle background music mingled with the chatter of the regulars, which included a lot of swearing - Mainly from the "little old lady" in the corner!

On to the Salisbury:

A much older building, here, but very little original remains inside, except the wall tiles in the gents.  My notes from 2003 describe it as a three room pub, it has been opened up somewhat since then, creating a big space around the multi-sided counter. 

There were only two or three regulars here, and this time the swearing came from the barmaid, who was passing on some gossip relating to behaviour after the reds' disaster on Saturday.  One of the regulars apologised for her language and told me not to be frightened.  (Any attempt to blend in on my part always fails as soon as I order a drink in my "southern" accent.  They immediately know I'm a stranger.)

The traditionally decorated interior is particularly well done in here.

My 2003 report also referred to the peculiar bar stools, and they're still here, a design I've seen nowhere else.  (I also noted a parrot, this doesn't seem to here any more.)

Next, the Queens:

I correctly selected the bar side where a few regulars were propping up the counter but there was no sign of any staff, after a while one of the locals shouted the barman/landlord.  There was a gruff response, but then the phone rang and he proceeded to answer it.  Eventually, my friend at the counter went round behind and poured my pint of Carling (Being allowed to help yourself is the ultimate accolade for a regular, I've never got anywhere near that level!)  As he finished pouring, the barman arrived, so there was no problem about who to pay.

Some property program on the telly provided the sound here, mingling with the chat of the three regulars.  The partly opened up layout retains two sides and two counters, and is very pleasant.

The TVs were switched to racing from Redcar, where it was so foggy that we, and the commentator, couldn't see the horses.  Nothing like the glorious sunshine here.

As I drank my lager, the barman set to work taking down red and white paper chains, perhaps another leftover from Saturday's match?

When I'd finished I visited the gents, which was very tatty and the tiled walls were black with mould.  Quite a contrast with the rest of the pub.  As I emerged, one of the regulars grinned and said "crackin' in there, in't it!".

I headed down to the eternally busy "Dock Road", here called Rimrose Road, and the Gateway Hotel:

I entered this rather down at heel looking building to find a completely deserted very well done two sided boozer.  The signage outside suggests their main source of income is the rooms upstairs, certainly my custom won't be paying the wages bill today.

I must say the higgledy piggledy slightly chaotic interior rather appealed to me, it probably has a good atmosphere when there's a few customers!  It really is a well done pub.

I drank my fourth Carling and watched some antiques-related show on the big screen.  Eventually, someone came in, doubling the custom.  He was soon joined by two friends (and a dog), and then another couple came in, so suddenly it was "busy"!

Finally, just across the junction is the Caradoc:

Another one with a rather down at heel exterior, in fact when I took the photo I thought it might be closed, but round the other side the door was open, and one of the rooms was clean and tidy and operational.  Just four regulars were sat at the counter, I chose a comfortable bench seat opposite the bar to drink my fifth Carling.

The conversation here ranged over the pruning of apple trees and multiple other topics, liberally sprinkled with swearing again, of course.