With, I have to admit, little optimism, I caught the bus to Canny Farm. Would any of the pubs have survived, or was I on a hiding to nothing?
Locals will already have realised that my use of the names Cantril Farm, Canny Farm or even Cannibal Farm is pure affectation, as the area was renamed Stockbridge Village long before I first came to Liverpool.
Anyway, I started at the location of the Barley Mow, long closed and now replaced by houses:
As I headed on I must confess to wondering if today was going to be a series of pictures of modern housing on the sites of closed pubs. Soon, I reached the Village Inn and, lo and behold, it is still operating:
Only the front room was in use, clean but a little worn in places, especially the bench seats round the walls which were full of holes.
About ten customers, all blokes of my age or older were watching footie on the telly, and chatting.
I looked around as I sank my Carling. Re-cover the seats and the place would merit a "clean, tidy and well looked after" description because apart from the seats, it is.
I noticed an indication we are in the 2020s even in this classic from the 1960s: There was no bitter available whereas last time, in 2018, they offered John Smith's and Worthington's. There was a tap for John Smith's Golden Ale, which I suppose is close. If the correct glasses were used I can report that about 80% of the custom was for Carling with the remainder on the Smith's.
Next, the Ploughman:
Long closed, I'm sorry to report, and with some kind of legal notice pinned to the front fence.
On to the Black Angus which streetview research earlier in the year had revealed was closed, demolished and replaced by housing:
So that's it for Stockbridge Village. My database lists six pubs, I drank in four of them in 1998, and some again more recently, and now the Village Inn is the only one left. Isn't that a shame.
I departed at the North end of the estate, on to Deysbrook Lane. The Princess has been closed and demolished for a long time, although I did manage to tick it in 1998, but remarkably the frame of the pub sign remains:
I was getting a bit thirsty by now, but it wasn't far to the Deysbrook which I was fairly confident would be open:
Not just open, it is thriving. Very nicely modernised and beautifully cared for, it retains some of the original two sided layout, although I expect there has been some knocking through over the years.
The bar side was busy, I had to sit at the corner of someone else's table to put down my Carling - It's hard to write on a tablet standing up with a pint in your hand. In the other side was a very lively party, I couldn't make out what they were celebrating but there were a lot of happy people and a lot of noise.
I must say it is pleasing to find a busy pub nowadays, especially as it wasn't too busy for me to find a seat. It shows "ordinary" boozers can continue to flourish in 2024. Thank goodness for that.
The score so far is two required ticks. It's a long walk to the next one and I'm not sure I can be bothered... Home it is.
Beer of the day: Carling
Miles walked: 2.1
Maybe coming soon: Kirkdale, Birkenhead
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