The (Mostly) Closed Pubs Of Edge Hill

Another Saturday survey restricted by a train strike, but I haven't run out of destinations accessible by bus yet, so off to Edge Hill. This is probably going to be one of those trips with more pictures of closed pubs than actual drinks, but let's see...

I started with a walk along Lodge Lane, which used to have seven or more pubs in its less than half a mile.  They're all closed, and some demolished, until the last one, Chaplins, which I was pleased to find open:

One large open room, but with a length of the former dividing wall in place to split the space a little.  Large windows along two walls gave it a very light airy feeling in today's bright sunshine.  The interior was plain but well done, and well cared for except for a couple of seats in need of recovering.

Just two or three regulars in, hardly keeping the barmaid busy.  The background music was fairly loud, but not to excess.

No real ale, of course, so I started today's research with a Guinness.

Next, a long stroll back up Lodge Lane and on a long circular path passing many closed pubs, here's a few pictures starting with the Grosvenor:

The Dart:

The Masonic:

The Bears Paw:

The Rose Vaults (Formerly the Weighing Machine):

And the Royal Arms:

At last I returned to the spot where I had got off the bus, and went in to the Durning Arms:

One fairly small odd-shaped room with plain pleasant decoration, and most seats occupied on a Saturday afternoon.

The place was filled with a hubub of chatter and laughter, the racing on the telly was silent.

Originally there was a "lounge" side, which I guess is now out of use.

Now what?  I've "finished" Edge Hill and only found two open pubs.  Luckily I had a fallback plan:  The bus route back home passes through Picton.  I've already been there a few times this year, but there's still two pubs I haven't ticked since 2004, and with only two to do it was low down on my list of targets, but two is just what I needed now.

So, a short bus ride later I reached the Cock and Bottle:

This place was very busy, and a drunk and very noisy woman was ejected (politely but firmly) just after I arrived.

The plain but nicely decorated front room was too crowded for me to find a seat so I stood in a corner at the end of the counter to drink my Guinness.

There's a "secret" other room here, where they were showing the Liverpool match.  I saw umpteen pints and other drinks disappear through a door at the back of the servery, and heard a loud cheer when Liverpool scored, but when anyone tried to get through, they were told it was a private party, and rebuffed.

Finally, the Barley Mow:

In contrast to the Cock & Bottle across the road, this plain one room boozer was empty, and very chilly in the plain tidy interior.

One customer, who was wearing shorts in today's cold weather, had a very loud shouted argument on his phone, and then after some more shouting, exited by one door and came back in by the other, then went out again and disappeared.  He had left three quarters of a pint of lager behind.

Shortly afterwards, the other customer also left, leaving just me and the barman.  Two minutes later shorts man and the other customer returned.

Now a slight hitch in my plans.  My bus home was a few minutes early, and disappeared into the distance as I approached the bus stop.  What to do?  I could stand in the cold at the bus stop for half an hour, or flag a taxi.  Or, as neither of those options appealed, I could nip into the Rose, conveniently located by the bus stop, for a quick half and get out in plenty of time for the next bus.  So that's what I did. 

This pleasant boozer hadn't changed since I was here in February, and it was a lot warmer than the Barley Mow.  The decor remains pleasant, albeit slightly marred by Hallowe'en nonsense.

Just three customers plus me, so the barmaid wasn't kept busy.

Outside for a second attempt at a bus home and it was spot on time.  Despite the lack of open pubs in Edge Hill, a very successful day with two areas ticked off.

Pub of the day: Difficult, none of them really stand out, perhaps I'll choose the Rose because it was warm when I was cold!
Miles walked: 3
Maybe coming soon: Bebington