Southport

When I'd completed the interminable train ride to Southport I was somewhat annoyed to discover I'd left my carefully prepared map at home, so I had to wing it.  Luckily, with so many pubs requiring my attention here there was no difficulty in finding some.

I commenced my guesswork survey at the Phoenix:

A Wetherspoon's sort of place, with a well looked after and comfortable interior.  The large open room was pretty empty, with just a few customers scattered around.  I selected White Witch from the choice of four real ales, and it was spot on.

I perused the menu, the food looks to be good value.

It was very quiet in here, the pleasant music in the background being the main sound, with just the occasional bit of chatter from customers and bar staff.

Next, the Cheshire Lines:

This little gem is, I was pleased to discover, unchanged since my last visit back in 2007.

A fine traditional interior, mostly knocked through except for the front room.  A number of customers, mostly dining, were keeping the barmaid busy, as she was also required to deliver food from the kitchen.

Only two of the four handpumps had clips, and the one I chose ran out half way, so I had a pint of the other one, which was rather good, I forget the brewery but it was called Skylark.

I noticed that neither here nor the Phoenix had any Christmas beers on, unusual at this time of year.  I tend to grumble about Christmas brews, they usually fall into two categories:  Some are just the brewery's normal ale, re-branded with a silly name.  Others are an ordinary ale with added cinnamon and other spices, and usually I don't like them.  However, yesterday I had a pint of Lees' Plum Pudding which went straight in to my all time top ten; it was wonderful.

Having typed all the above I paused to look around the small front room where I was sitting.  Why was part of the room filled with flowers?  They looked like they belonged to a funeral, bunches and a wreath all featuring white roses and lilies.  Have I inadvertently committed a major faux pas and butted in on a wake?  There didn't seem to be any people connected with them, and no-one was giving me any dirty looks so presumably not.  Phew!

The Falstaff was closed:

The sign says closed on Monday and Tuesday until January due to temporary licensing restrictions; I wonder what that's about?

Next a bonus, a bar I've never heard of.  My forgotten map wouldn't have helped with the Metro:

I think this is basically the bar in a hotel, but they are trying to get more custom by making it a public bar as well.

The beautifully decorated room had a slightly cold feel, because of the tiled floor I think, but it was actually the warmest tick so far, and for the first time today I took off my coat.

There was no-one in except me and the barmaid, and the main sound was a rather irritating selection of Christmas music, all poor cover versions.

Talking of Christmas music, thanks to Radio Caroline I recently heard for the first time The Prog World Orchestra's Frankincense which is a Christmas mash-up of the greatest prog-rock track ever, Frankenstein by the Edgar Winter Group.  I haven't laughed so much for ages, so a copy of the CD is on its way from America courtesy of Amazon.

As I typed the above some more customers came in, so the place wasn't completely dead.

I headed on and my next call was to be the Volunteer, but I discovered it's now called the Sporting Jester:

Well I never!  The place has been completely transformed, with a new modern-style interior.  It got a mention in this blog back in 2011 when it appeared in the Good Beer Guide and I had to visit.  Back then it was plain inside and sold Wainwright.

They've still got a Wainwright pump but I didn't want to risk it so I stuck to lager, as did all the other customers.

There were about a dozen people in here, and chatter was drowning out the racing commentary.

Just down the road, the Old Ship Inn is closed:

So, on to the Wellington:

Now this is a proper traditional boozer with plenty of people in on a Tuesday afternoon filling the large knocked through room with happy chit-chat.  No real ale, so it was lager for me again.

I sat in what I thought was a quiet corner, but found myself in the middle of a discussion which ranged from Everton/Liverpool to Catholic/Protestant!  I wisely kept my own counsel and soon the participants left and it got quiet.

I decided to finish my Southport excursion at the Scarisbrick Hotel:

This place has a couple of bars inside.  I aimed for Maloney's (Not ticked since 1998) but it wasn't open.  Next I checked out the Scarisbrick Lounge, not listed in my guide.  This turned out to be a hotel lounge with a hatch for service from the Baron's Bar, so I decided it didn't really count as a separate pub and I nipped round to the Barons itself for some Tetley from their choice of umpteen real ales.

I looked round.  It didn't seem as "baronial" as I remember, but I think that might be inaccuracy in my recollection.  It's still very good, anyway.

Plenty of customers kept the barman busy, most of them were drinking the real ale which is this place's unique selling point I guess.

Again, I noticed a lack of Christmas beers, perhaps breweries don't bother as much as they used to?

Pub of the day: Cheshire Lines Inn
Miles walked: Only 1.6
Maybe coming soon: Er... I don't know yet.