Another day, another bus ride, this time towards West Derby. It was a lot shorter and quicker than yesterday's and I was very soon at my first target: Just across the road from Alder Hey Hospital is a new tick, the Eden Bar. Damn, the shutters are down! I hadn't managed to find the hours on the web but I thought I was safe on a Saturday afternoon. I passed here on the bus at about the same time last Saturday and it was OK then.
Oh well, on eastwards through pleasant suburban back streets to a pair of pubs across the road from each other. First, the Royal Standard:
A very nicely done Greene King operation with plenty of customers in a very pleasant pub partly knocked through but retaining separation between areas.
Only one operational handpump, offering IPA, and initially it served cleaning fluid. The friendly barmaid headed down to the cellar and returned, grumbling about the stairs, to pull a couple of pints through before serving me with a spot on one.
Fish and chips is £12.19 on the menu of pub standards, what an odd price. The food arriving at nearby tables looks good.
The gentle muzac mixed with family chatter and the occasional gurgle of a baby as I reflected on my recent drinking experience. I know some readers of this blog pity me as I guzzle pint after pint of Carling but it occurred to me that since the lager in the Sheil Park last Saturday I have drunk twenty pints in umpteen pubs, all cask and all high quality. I wonder how long I can keep that up? I fear I know the answer, and I predict at least one of the next two ticks will be keg only.
Across the road is the 1930s gem of a building that is the Crown Inn:
Every time I come here I mention that this pub appeared as the Swan in Brookside, many years ago. The interior retains quite a lot of original features including leaded glass work and dark wood panelling and partitions. It has clearly had the layout of the rooms modified over the years, but it is still split into two sides with limited access between. What a nice pub, it seems more clean and tidy than I remember from last time.
Banter amongst the regulars mostly drowned out gentle football commentary from the telly, there was also racing on another screen.
As predicted it was a pint of Carling in here, oh well, my cask streak couldn't go on for ever. Actually it was tangy and refreshing and I really enjoyed it. Will I get kicked out of CAMRA for writing that?
I looked at the racing on the telly. Is it snowing there? No, I think it is poor reception. I'm surprised there is analogue transmission anywhere in the chain nowadays, surely all satellites send digital. My best guess is that the picture does the last leg from the satellite box to the telly by analogue UHF and the cable is defective. It's quite hard to buy a telly that will receive analogue TV now, I managed to find one on Amazon recently when I had a need, and it is now installed in my workshop.
Next, down the road to the Bulldog:
Another Carling here, despite this being a Greene King pub. The enormous knocked through interior has been well looked after and looks very nice. Not busy but there were enough customers to keep the lone barman occupied with a steady flow of custom.
No sound except cheerful chatter as I relaxed in a quiet end of the pub with comfortable booth seating.
I admired my surroundings. This is a beautifully done out boozer and I really hope it does well and survives long term. I wonder what it's like on a Saturday evening? Hopefully busy.
I checked my map. With only a tiny extra walk I can go back to the Eden to find my bus home, perhaps it opened at two or three.
I'll have to check when I get home but I think today's three ticks (so far) mean I've reached my 2023 target of two hundred "required" pub visits. If so, I can relax for the remaining two weeks of the year, although that doesn't necessarily mean I won't do some more.
Anyway, back to Eden Bar. Aha! The shutters are up:
Inside I found a well done shop conversion rather nicely decorated with some dark wood panelling and dark blue walls.
No cask but it didn't take me long to spot Tiny Rebel's Clwb Tropica on tap. Always a keg favourite this, fruity and sweet.
The barman searched for a matching glass, and failed. "It's in there somewhere" I suggested helpfully. "I don't work here I'm just covering", he explained. My pint in an unbranded goblet was fine. Although I do admire pubs that serve beers in the correct glass, it tastes just as good without. I'm reminded of classic bars in Belgium which have a hundred beers on the menu and still manage to find the proper glass for each one.
The music here was provided by the barman's phone, so had to stop abruptly when someone phoned him up!
How's that!? Annual target exceeded and one new tick, number 1,462. Time for home. If I don't do any more before Christmas, have a good one and I'll see you next year. Don't forget to support your pubs in January, they're FOR LIFE, NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS!
Beer of the day: Clwb Tropica
Miles walked: 1.8
Maybe coming soon: Kirkdale
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