Kirkby

A visit to Kirkby for non-beer-related reasons provided the opportunity to tick a couple of pubs, starting in the Carters Arms:

What a pleasant boozer this is.  Very nicely decorated in both sides, peaceful but not deserted at half twelve on a wet Monday.  If I'm being hyper-critical the seat coverings are overdue for a deep clean, as is the carpet.  And the three signs on the counter "NO DRINKING AT THE BAR" are a little unfriendly.

Despite being a Greene King house there's no sign of cask ale, so Carling for me.

It feels a bit different compared with my regular Friday night visits back in the 90s, but here I am thirty years later still downing cheap lager.  Some things never change.

Next, my other 90s Friday night haunt, the Railway:

Another very nicely done down market boozer, the slightly quirky interior layout partly knocked through but with some side rooms as well.  I sat in one of the little rooms where, irritatingly, I had horse racing commentary in my left ear and different horse racing in my right.

Very rare in a Merseyside pub, they don't seem to sell Carling so I went even more flavourless (if that's possible) and had Fosters.  I didn't try to order any but later learned that they had run out of Guinness.

Intermittent chit chat with the barmaid mixed with the racing as I swigged my Australian pop.  Gradually more and more customers came in.

My mind wandered to the "Ask for Angela" sign on the wall.  For those who don't know, it is a scheme where, if you feel something is wrong with your night out, perhaps your drink has been spiked or your date isn't what you expected, you ask for Angela at the bar and the staff will organise a taxi and make sure you get in it safely.  What an excellent scheme but, always looking for snags I wonder what happens if you're a barmaid whose name is Angela?

It is increasingly rare in these post-COVID days to see pubs open at twelve on a Monday, so I was pleased to find these two still going well.

Pub of the day: Railway

Beer of the day: Carling

Miles walked: 0.4

Maybe coming soon: Haydock