Walton and Clubmoor

On a warm and humid Saturday I took a train to Kirkdale and then a walk towards Walton.  To be honest I was expecting a poor crop of ticks, but you never know.

Firstly, the Walton Social Club:

Only open in the evenings, as expected.  Next, the Anfield Hotel:

My records show this is closed, and they turned out to be correct.  

There was a very shouty drunk standing in the street outside asking no one "what are you looking at"?  I looked the other way and passed by quickly.  Luckily he didn't see me take the picture!

Another long walk for me, to Frames Lounge:

The shutters were down.  Since my notes say it shouldn't be open yet that's hardly surprising.

A couple of years ago I was indulging in one of my other hobbies and travelling on a train along the freight only railway here and I was surprised to look out of the window and see a bar I didn't know about:  So, a few doors down from Frames is No 9 Bar and Kitchen:

At long last somewhere is open.  A few people were sitting outside while I cooled off with a Madri in the air conditioned interior.  "Is it too cold" asked the barmaid, I assured her it was good. 

Perhaps I'm biased because I was hot and it was nice and cool in here, but I quite like this gaudily decorated little bar.  They've got an indoor bouncy castle for the kids, not something I've seen in a pub before.  Oh, wait, what were those kids' play areas called back in the 90s.  Charlie Chalk or something?  Google to the rescue, it was Charlie Chalk's and the other chain was Whacky Warehouse.  You don't see those any more. 

More indoor customers appeared as I made my notes, a number of them having food.  I checked the menu, it looks good value. 

The framed shirts on the wall indicate that they sponsor the local football team.  No, not that one, it is Walton FC I think.

It's after opening time, let's try Frames again...

The shutter is now up, so I wandered down the corridor and suddenly found myself in a plain comfortable bar with one other customer.  I'm guessing there are other function areas inside this complex, not in use at this time. 

I sat down to enjoy my Carling and listen to some very unusual bar music, it was a New Orleans Jazz band.  Rather wonderful, I must say. 

I chatted to the other customer about the music, and about pubs in Liverpool.  He is going to buy a copy of my book.  Me, a salesman?  Apparently! 

So far, so good.  A long walk, but two new ticks.  What's next?  The New Broadway:

For some reason I haven't been here since 2003, and back than I had even less appreciation of pub architecture than I do now, so I was pleased today to find quite a number of original looking features inside this pub dating, I think, from the 1930s. The dark wooden panelling and an arched entrance between the lobby and the lounge suggest original features although there has clearly been some knocking through in the intervening years.  I do like pubs from this era.

The Norris Green area was developed in the 1920s and 30s, with a deliberate decision not to include any pubs.  I'm not sure how this one sneaked in, perhaps being the other side of the (now closed) railway it was not governed by the temperance rules.

A number of customers, I could see fourteen from where I was sitting, were creating a gentle chatter to mix with the muzac.  Two different horse racing channels were on the TVs, pleasingly silent.  One customer was watching both carefully, no one else took any notice. 

Having been somewhat doubtful regarding the construction date of the building (And ChatGPT didn't know either) I noticed on departure that 1938 is prominently displayed on the downspouts.  I think that settles it. 

Next, back to Queens Drive and the Stag and Rainbow.  But Google has a better route, so i enjoyed a peaceful stroll surrounded by greenery along the loop line.  And soon enough I was at the Beefeater Stag and Rainbow:

I have noticed recently that Toby Carvery locations no longer mention drinks or bars on their websites, so I have resolved that they are no longer pubs and will be removed from the guide.  Beefeater, on the other hand, seem to still welcome drinkers so I'm keeping them, at least for now. 

Some entertainment at the counter, the previous customer had ordered cocktails and the young barman did all the shaking nonsense and then couldn't separate the glass and the tin.  He struggled for ages and eventually called on his colleague who gently clonked it on the counter and it came apart.  "How long has he been struggling?" he asked, I replied "hours".  Then he'd run out of the coconut cream for a pina collada so one of the cocktails was a fail and had to be replaced by a different flavour.

I was going to order a Carling out of habit but during the above pantomime I suddenly realised there was a Doom Bar handpump right in front of me.  I risked it and it was excellent. 

A typical chain food operation, this place is doing pretty well at five on a Saturday, with a steady stream of drinks ordered at the counter and, I presume although I couldn't see, food coming out.  At £15.29 for fish and chips it's not cheap.

As the time ticked on to five o'clock I looked up to see a massive queue at the counter, boosting the drink sales by quite a lot.  I assume if you are seated by staff (Of course, I just walked past the "please wait" sign when I came in) you order drinks from the waiters.  By the time I was ready to leave the place was quite busy, the muzac completely drowned out by cheerful chatter.

What I should do now is complete my survey with the excellent Cask not far down the road, but to be honest I'm knackered, is it the muggy weather or the ales I had yesterday or the four mile walk or just old age?  Anyway, there's a bus stop across the road from where I can get home, so that's it for today.  Two brand new ticks, taking my total to 1,546.

Pub of the day: New Broadway
Beer of the day: Doom Bar
Miles walked: 4.3
Maybe coming soon: Thatto Heath

On The 38 Bus

Two trains and the 38 bus delivered me to the attractive location of Eastham Ferry.  I learned from the chat on the bus that the reason it doesn't run here on Sundays is not lack of demand but because the place is so busy that the bus can't get in.  It has to do a three point turn as there is only one road in and out.  Not too busy on a Thursday, though, and I started in the Tap:

A sign on the handpumps advised that cask ale is unavailable at the moment, so I had my usual Carling.  

The large beer garden was quite busy with many people enjoying another day of sunshine, inside was very quiet with just a handful of customers.  The decor inside this pub is perhaps a little cluttered, but it's certainly pleasant. 

Next door is the rather austere building that is the Eastham Ferry Hotel:

This one is more up market than the Tap, I think, and again lots of customers were outside while I enjoyed the peaceful interior. 

Just one handpump had a clip offering Big Hand Brewery's Super Tidy, and I'm sorry to stay I didn't enjoy it very much.  I don't think it was defective in any way, just that the taste was not to my liking.

This pub is very nicely done inside, I'm not sure how to describe the decor, it's an odd mix of historic features and contemporary styling but in any case I like it.

Now I've got a longish walk of about 1 mile ahead, unless I can finish in time for the next 38 bus, they're hourly.  Here's a strange aspect of my character:  If I don't like the beer I drink it quicker, to get it over with.  How daft is that?  So I was in plenty of time for the bus. With a few minutes to spare, to watch the passing shipping

... and to note that it's a bit of a shame that the beer gardens of the two pubs must be separated by an ugly wooden fence.  Could they not agree to share the land?

The 38 took me up to Eastham Village where I skipped the Hooton Arms because I ticked it in 2021 and strolled round the corner to the Montgomery, last visited in 2015:

When I was in Eastham in 2021 I was caught out because this one wasn't open on a Tuesday, so I was particularly keen to get this tick today.  I headed in to find piles of cardboard boxes covering the counter, and three fellas working on laptops.  Not open, I asked?  No, we're just doing the handover, we'll be open on Monday; if you want a drink the Hooton Arms is just up the road. Curses!  Foiled again.  I suspect I won't be round here for another five years. 

Before my next journey I need a toilet break, so I followed the advice I'd been given and went in to the Hooton Arms:

This tiny pub is something of a gem, I think, although the real ale offer is down to just one this time.  My pint of Lees' Bitter was very good, so no complaints. 

A handful of regulars were chatting, topics included what is happening to the Monty, apparently the people who run this place are taking it over.  No wonder I was advised to come here! 

My next walk is a mile, perhaps another bus?  But hang on; on the first bus ride I spotted a possible bar I didn't know about.  So if I get the next 38 back the way I came I can check it out...

Victory from the jaws of defeat!  A bar I didn't know existed, Hop:

This is a standard shop conversion micro-pub, deserted at four on a Thursday, I was the only customer when I arrived.  Three cask ales were on offer, I selected Common Ground from Round Corner which turned out to be a rather fine pale ale.

One more customer joined me in the peaceful room.  I eyed up the big TV screen to see where my beer came from.  Oooer, there's my name up in lights, that's what you get for checking in on Untappd!  The beer comes from Melton Mowbray, I learned.  Shame they didn't send some pies with it! 

What next?  On my original plan there are two more targets nearly a mile away, but I'm tempted to take the lazy option and head home after only three required ticks (and four pints); there is a station very near here.  Actually there is another "2021" tick between me and the station, maybe I should have a pint there to finish off my trip.  Or in here they've got a 14% Imperial Double Pastry Stout from Edinburgh, perhaps I should try it?  Probably unwise, let's stick to the pub nearby...

Why not?  The Merebrook:

I entered this two-sided large pub in the "sizzling" chain expecting to finish on a Carling, and the bar side where I came in seemed to confirm this, but something told me to try through the door in the lounge.  A couple of handpumps were available and I had a fine pint of Wainwright Amber.

Unlike all the other ticks today this one has plenty of people in, although there was space for lots more.  Some were eating but not many, it's not yet five so maybe a bit early for dinner. 

I checked the menu, fish and chips is under nine quid so pretty cheap.  Talking of menus I was in my local Wetherspoon yesterday and noticed the new menu with no steaks nor mixed grill.  There has been some whinging about this in the press, it will be interesting to see how it actually works out.  Usually Tim's decisions prove to be right so I'm guessing this one will too.  I made sure I had a "last chance" mixed grill a couple of weeks ago, and it was very good!

Only three "required" ticks today and the Montgomery loses out, but it was a very pleasant crawl on a sunny afternoon, with the bonus of a brand new previously unknown pub.  And I didn't actually have to walk at all.

Pub of the day: Hop
Beer of the day: Common Ground
Miles walked: Hardly any, thanks to the 38 bus.
Maybe coming soon: Undecided

Meols and Hoylake

On a very sunny Friday I headed under the river towards Hoylake, first stopping off at the one-pub town of Meols to revisit the Railway:

This imposing 1930s (I'm guessing) roadhouse contains a pleasant popular Hungry Horse chain dining pub.  Nothing historic remains inside.  ChatGPT tells me it was built in 1938 replacing a pub of the same name which dated from 1866.

At one on a sunny Friday they were doing a good trade, mainly in food, with umpteen groups tucking in to standard pub fare.  With fish and chips under a tenner I'm not surprised it is popular. 

You never know what the ale quality is going to be like in a pub like this but my Landlord (In a Greene King glass) was excellent. 

Who programmes the music in these places?  I never expected to hear the wonderful Fade In To You by Mazzy Star but there it was.

I am getting lazy in my dotage so instead of walking nearly a mile to Hoylake I hopped on a bus. Having reached Hoylake I had to suffer the down side of researching for the guide:  Instead of a pint of cask in the Ship, the Wetherspoon, the Black Toad or the wonderful Plasterers, my first target was the Lake, last ticked in 2017:

This is a rather fine back street boozer, the knocked through front room's interior is comfortable and pleasant.  There's another room and counter behind, which I didn't view. The cheerful barmaid soon poured me a Carling.

Not much custom at two on a Friday, one or two in the sunshine outside and just two of us indoors.  My notes from last time I was here described it as busy, I hope they still get enough custom to survive.

Next, also in the back streets but very different in style is the Green Lodge:

Two handpumps on the counter, I had Wainwright Gold.  Is this one of those "fake cask" beers, it tastes OK but I've had better.  The pump clip did not have "Fresh ale" on it, so maybe I'm worrying unnecessarily.

There were quite a few people outside in the sunshine, I sat inside where I could only see two others.  The interior is very well done, perhaps a bit twee for my taste. 

I can't comment on the menu because there wasn't one on my table, the far end of the space has a "please wait to be seated" sign, presumably I'd get a menu then.  There was also a rack of them available and my two fellow customers ordered something.  Fish finger sandwiches, I think.

My notes from 2017 described it as "surprisingly quiet", so no change eight years later.  They must get more custom at other times, the place was full of waiters and waitresses who need to be paid. 

Next, how about a brand new (to me) one, Arthur's:

Something of a posh wine bar this one, but with eight keg taps it certainly counts as a bar.  I had something I've never tried before, Stella Artois Unfiltered.  What a con, it comes in a special frosted goblet so you can't actually see if it is hazy or not.  Anyway, a pleasant refreshing lager. 

Another place that doesn't seem to have the custom they need, about five minutes after I sat down the two other customers departed leaving just me and the two staff.  Ten minutes later three more customers sat down outside but I doubt that's enough to pay the wages?

I looked around; this is a rather well done space, they deserve to do well, I feel.  There's more seating upstairs according to the sign, not needed at the moment. 

The three women outside, on glasses of wine, tried for some free nibbles but were refused! 

Gradually more customers arrived, all sitting outside and, unusually, all older than I!  More arrived, some younger.

Finally, another never visited bar, it used to be called Quadrant and before that the Portrait House; but now it is Twenty First Amendment:

Presumably they are related to the bar of the same name in Wavertree.  The 21st Amendment to the US constitution was the one that abolished prohibition. 

A fine interior here with dark green and bare brick decor, I regret not trying the previous incarnations but one can't tick them all.  There were plenty of TVs, perhaps for sports events, but today they were all off.

Again worryingly quiet at four on a Friday, five of us inside and a handful outside are hardly going to pay the wages.  Having said that, there was a steady trickle of customers, mostly sitting outside in the pleasant sunshine.

Here I had a tasty pint of Staropramen which, naturally, came in the proper branded glass.

Time for home.  Tomorrow I'm on a work reunion pub crawl in Prescot, but I doubt I'll be capable of writing a blog entry!

Pub of the day: Green Lodge
Beer of the day: Landlord
Miles walked: 1.6
Maybe coming soon: Undecided.