Kensington

I started a short linear survey along Prescot Road in Fairfield and Kensington at the Edinburgh:

I came in by the side door and entered the "snug room", served from a hatch in the bar back.  The decor in here is very well looked after, uncluttered and pleasant.

In the snug were five racing fans watching the telly and, I think, losing.  There were lots more people in the bar side, from where a pleasant hubub could be heard.

Literally next door, the former Fairfield Arms is now a Turkish restaurant, as you can see in the above picture.

A little further along Prescot road is the Lister Hotel:

This rather well preserved pub with lounge, bar and a snug at the back, was very busy at two on a Saturday afternoon.

The snug, with dark wood panelling and fine ceiling plasterwork, is where I sat to drink my second Carling of the day.  I noticed that one or two of the exterior windows are real, possibly original, cut/etched glass while the majority are modern flat replacements.

My comments from way back in 1998 include the word tatty, certainly not true today.

I'm wondering why it's twenty years since I was last here while all the other pubs in the area have been visited more recently.  Perhaps it was closed for a while?  I can't find any record of that in my database.

The soundtrack here was that of a "proper pub", with chatter and laughter drowning out gentle background music.  Apart from the lack of smoke, I could have been back in the 1990s, although on a Saturday afternoon then it would probably have been three deep at the bar and no-where to sit down!

In the snug with me were two blokes and a girl, she had a disagreement with one of them and called on me for support, "Isn't it true that you should always agree with a woman?"  I replied "Oh yes, definitely, it's the only way."  She smiled and he gave in, defeated.

Next, the Sheil Park:

As is often the case, my comment in 2002 describing this place as "threadbare" is no longer true, and I entered a rather fine, open bar side with very busy sports- and music-oriented decor with hardly a square inch of unoccupied wall space.

Again, the main sound was the noise of umpteen happy customers, with golf commentary in the background.  Another proper pub.

The last tick required on my Kensington map was the former Wetherspoon's, now just called Picture Drome:

Basically, since Wetherspoon's departure some years ago not much has changed here, they've kept the rather good decor, but I think some care and maintenance is overdue, my seat for example being a little threadbare.  There's still plenty of Wetherspoon's signage, but I suspect the pool table might be an addition.

There are still four handpumps on the counter, three were naked and the fourth had a clip turned round.  So, another Carling for me.

My first visit here was on its very first day back in 2002, when I grumbled about handpumps with clips but no beer - Some things never change!  I also recall one of my friends saying "Take your own" and being told that Wetherspoons staff weren't allowed to accept tips.  I don't think that's still true, is it?

The large place was pretty empty, in contrast with the other pubs visited today, I'm surprised it survives on this trade, but what else could you do with the site?

I eyed up the telly.  Have they dropped that bloke who talked continuously about football on Saturday afternoons?  Ah, no, this is BT Sport's version, with different people.  I asked Google and it's Jeff Stelling I'm thinking of, it always impresses me how he keeps going for ages.

That's it for my short walk along Prescot Road, the next pub just a short way further along is the Kensington which I visited in July.

Pub of the day: A difficult choice:  I think the Lister for its historic interior, or the Sheil for the pubby busy atmosphere.
Miles: An easy 0.6 miles today.
Possibly coming soon: Seacombe and Vulcan Village.