Smashing The Next Milestone

On the final (I hope) train strike Saturday I took two bus rides to Croxteth, starting at the Viking's Landing:

A milestone achieved, this takes the pubs visited count to 1,300.  A bog standard modern food-oriented place, located by the East Lancs Road.  It was quite busy on a Saturday afternoon, with most customers dining.

I pushed past the queue waiting to be seated - There wasn't a sign, why didn't they just grab a table?

Eight handpumps on the counter but only Wainwright available.  I had a rather short, but otherwise excellent, pint.  A sign on the bar said "Try our bottled cask ales", surely a contradiction?  I presume they mean bottles of Pedigree or whatever.  A good thing, that more pubs should do, but don't call it bottled cask, for goodness sake.

The hubub of chatter and occasional clatter of crockery were doing their best to drown the gentle background music, while I rather selfishly occupied a table for six.

Next, a walk taking a shortcut across waste ground.  This is a slightly scary part of Liverpool, there were groups of youths on cycles, others on motorbikes without helmets, and cars stopping in the middle of the road to chat to pedestrians.  But that could just be my paranoia; no-one took the slightest interest in me, even when I stopped to take pictures, and I soon reached the Lobster:

Well, the milestone didn't last long, as this is number 1,301.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I certainly didn't predict a large plain spotless lounge side with no-one in except me and the barman.  Both of us kept our coats on as it was pretty chilly.

I could see a couple of regulars playing darts in the other side, and later two more customers came in and headed through to join them.

With my architectural eye I noted that little original remains inside, except perhaps the basic layout.  I don't think the carved wood counter front is more than twenty years old.  In any case, the place is rather pleasant, and it's a shame there aren't more customers.

On to the Abbey Road:

Another new one - 1,302 and counting!

This larger than average shop conversion has one big open room.  On entry I was assailed by very loud music.  The customers were one family group with children at a table, plus half a dozen blokes standing at the counter.  Their chat, even the youngsters, was pretty much drowned out by the music.

Once again, despite the slightly tatty exterior everything inside was clean, tidy and well maintained.

Man United were winning on the telly, but no-one was watching.

To one side of the room was a roller-shuttered doorway, I wonder where that leads?  Function room perhaps?

There ware a few moments of peace, until one of the noisy family fired up the jukebox.  Oasis?  A Manc band in Liverpool??  Excellent!

Later, another group came in, two blokes and two children.  It's good to see that the traditional family Saturday afternoon in the pub isn't completely dead.  The little 'uns had colouring books while dad and grandad swigged ale.

Walking towards the next tick, I passed the location of the Brewer's Arms, now replaced by housing.  This pub is a contender for my award of the scruffiest ever visited, I think:  Back in 1998 I recall someone had thrown up on the floor.  Now, that could happen in any pub, what made this one stand out was that it looked like it had been on the floor since the previous day!

Next, the Sefton Arms:

Sadly, this rather fine 1950s or maybe 1930s pub would appear to be closed, let's hope I just arrived on the wrong day.  Their last Facebook post was a year ago which doesn't look promising.  Looking on the bright side, this was the first of today's targets that I've been in before, so at least I can claim to have visited.

On to the Western Approaches:

There was some kind of "do" on in one part of the large open lounge side, complete with decorated tables and chairs, balloons etc.  "Boy or girl" said the sign.  What's this, then, an "expecting" party?  I've never heard of that.  Maybe a "baby shower", but I thought those were women only?  They were finishing up and leaving, I resisted the temptation to "minesweep" the buffet leftovers!

The rest of the lounge was quite busy with umpteen regulars, this place is certainly doing a lot better than the Lobster.  Chatter was generally louder than the music.  I think the other side was closed, on leaving I discovered it is now a function room.

Another plain, spotless, well maintained boozer.  Surprisingly, the telly I could see was showing the cricket.  I suppose they can't (legally) get the Liverpool match.  I hope I'm on the way home before full time, or my bus back to town will take for ever!

One more pub in the vicinity, not in Croxteth according to the way I draw the borders, but worth ticking off, another one last visited in 1998, the Lingmell Inn:

Back in '98 this was the Royal Oak.  Since then it's been the Oaks and, I think, closed for a while.  Its current incarnation as the Lingmell Inn is a large open one room pub with very well done contemporary decor.  It was doing a good trade on a Saturday afternoon, families, diners, and drinkers occupying most of the tables.

The menu of pub standards looks good value, fish and chips is £8.

My notes from 1998 record this as a two sided pub, I think the other side is still there, but not in use at the time of my visit.  I also recorded real ale then, no sign of that now.

Too many noisy kids in here for my liking, I must say.

Only five pubs today, but with three never before visited and one twenty-one years ago, it's not a bad haul for a trainless Saturday.  Time to go home before the footie lets out.

Pub of the day: Abbey Road for its lively friendly cheerful atmosphere.
Miles walked: 2.7
Maybe coming soon:  St Helens