To L8

Today's mission was expected to be mainly pictures of former pubs, and I might end up not getting many drinks if I'm too late (To L8, see what I did there?) for ones that have closed down, but we'll see...

I began by heading briefly north from Edge Hill station to check out the Durning Arms (Last visited 2023) where I was disappointed to find it is now a supermarket:

Next, southwards past the Spekeland - aka Nags Head (Never visited)

On to the Boundary (Last visited 2023) which I was pleased to see was still going strong:

I'm saving my drinking for more desirable ticks, so I skipped the Boundary and walked along Lodge Lane.  My database has eight locations on this street with just one open, what will we find today?

The Rob Roy (Last visited in 1999):

Masonic (1999):

Dart (Never):

I passed the former Grapes (1999) and the Sportsman, previously Coach and Horses (1999) without noticing.  One still extant as a shop, the other demolished and replaced by more modern construction.

Next, the Grosvenor (Never):

Finally, Chaplin's (2018) and happily it is still going:

This plain pleasant one room boozer is clean and tidy.  I was a little concerned as I entered that some tables and chairs were covered for a function of some sort, but it obviously hasn't started yet, and more cloths were being put out.

My Carling came in a glass I've not seen before, Carling branded but with a lions head with a crown badge.  Some kind of sporting organisation I think, I'll look it up when I get home.  [The answer is, of course, Premier League.]

The place was ticking over gently at half one on a Saturday, just five customers.  Footie from Manchester was on the tellies but I don't think anyone was watching.

I looked around; plain, yes, but very well cared for, everything spotless, the seat upholstery in good nick.

I moved on, leaving Lodge Lane and passing through an area of beautifully restored Victorian terraced housing.  A brief deviation to the Empress (2018) - Sadly its Beatles connection hasn't saved it:

The next pub recorded as still open in my files is the Queens Arms (2018), and lo and behold, it is:

The beautiful interior, one space knocked round the servery, is perfectly maintained.  My notes say it was refurbished last year, what a good job they've done.

The bloke ahead of me at the bar had a rum and milk!  Good grief.  Try getting that if you're not a regular!  My Carling came in a proper glass.

United went 2-0 up in the derby, only one customer was watching, is it really worth it for the pub?

Now on into Toxteth, my computer tells me the Bleak House is still going, but on a number of previous trips around here the door has been closed, so I haven't actually been in since 2003.

I passed what looks like a former pub but it isn't in my database, and then the location of the Poets Corner (2003), long gone.  Checking once I got home revealed an error in my records, that former pub was in fact the Poets Corner and it hasn't been replaced by housing as I thought:

As I approached the Bleak House (2003) my spirits rose:  It's still standing...  It still looks like a pub:

And, YES, I can see people inside.  Yippee, a really desirable tick twenty three years on.

The "busiest" pub so far, with the customer count nearly into double figures.  Racing on the tellies, no one watching.

For the third time today I have to say that the interior is immaculately maintained, I suppose that is normal nowadays - people won't go in a scruffy pub.

What next?  Plan A: A hefty walk to two more required ticks which may or may not be open.  Plan B:  A short walk to two places last ticked in 2022, which again may not be open.  I'm struggling for "required" ticks this year so I really ought to go for A.  But on the other hand the Herculaneum Bridge is an architectural gem and always good to visit so maybe B?  I dithered as I sank my third Carling.

Eventually I selected a hybrid plan.  I walked the short distance to Wilson's Tavern on plan B:

It was clearly no longer operational, so I switched to plan A and marched along Mill Street.

The Wellington Vaults (2012) is long closed:

The Derby Arms (2003) is still standing:

And the Great Eastern (2004) has disappeared:

On to the Mosley Arms (2018) which, sadly, looks to be no longer operational - I had been hopeful about this one  [Update: I am advised it is still open for limited hours, so not completely gone yet]:

Up to Park Road and the Globe (2018):

Happily this little gem is still open.  The bar side was too full of people watching the Liverpool match, so I retreated to the "newsroom" where there was only racing on the tellies, and only two other customers.  In the historic layout of this pub, this room has a tiny hatch for service.

Of the five pubs I had hoped to tick, four were open which I have to confess is more than I expected, so with regrets about the Moseley I think I can declare today's excursion a success.  Bleak House was especially desirable.  Time for home...

But having caught a bus in to town there's an opportunity for one required tick which has limited opening hours.  So in to Ruby Blues on Charlotte Street:

Too dark / busy for a picture, this one is from 2020.

Noisy and very busy in here, I had to stand at the counter to drink my over-a-fiver Carling.

The singer was rather good, I should say, doing sixties classics to an appreciative audience.

"It's all about that bass" says the neon, I think I've done the joke before.  The singer jumped some decades forward, to a very good rendition of Losing My Religion.

The place was really packed, I even lost my corner of the counter as people squeezed in to get served, making it very hard to write notes.  Something in my memory niggled me ... Surely the counter was on the other side when I came in in 2020?  I think the interior has been totally rearranged since then.

Home time.

Pub of the day: Bleak House
Beer of the day: Carling
Miles walked: 3.4
Maybe coming soon: Kirkby

Everton At Home

On a cold and gloriously sunny Saturday I headed out early.  Everton kick off at 12:15, so I think it is time to collect a few ticks by the ground.  I started in central Liverpool, though, at what used to be Jurgen's and is now Moody Blues:

This half basement place has "crossed Stanley Park" since I visited Jurgen's in 2020 and is now decorated with Everton and music themes.  At fifteen minutes to kickoff it was unsurprisingly empty, I bet it was busy an hour ago.

The bar staff were struggling to get the match on the big screen, but with only two people watching I don't suppose it matters that much?  On the other hand, this could be a popular place for people who haven't got tickets, but if they don't show the match everyone will go elsewhere. And they won't come back next time.

I departed at kickoff minus five, they still hadn't found the match.  I'm guessing it's not (legally) available.  My recollection of pubs around Goodison is that most of them had the match on, but thinking more carefully that was twenty or more years ago, and more recently they just had Sky Sports News to keep us up to date.  I remember many years ago watching with an Arabic commentary, and half time analysis from blokes wearing, er what's it called ... thawb.

I strolled on towards the ground, but before I reached my next target I spotted an A-board for Fliers:

Just off the main road is this industrial unit which seems to be mainly for indoor golf but given their location it would be foolish not to advertise pre and post match drinks.

Behind the frankly unwelcoming door (I did wonder if it was closed during the match) I found a typical warehouse conversion, perhaps a bit sparse in its decor but comfortable enough, albeit very cold. I didn't see any golf activity, but there were two blokes playing pool.

Half a dozen was the sum of custom at 12:45, they will be hoping for a decent crowd after full time.

The giant and smaller TVs were showing an FA cup match at Macclesfield, which was the same one Moody Blues had found.

So far one overdue tick and one brand new one.  What else can we find?  I skipped Ten Streets Social, purely because I'd done it a few years ago, and headed into the next door Murphys Distillery which had been closed for a private party when I ticked Ten Streets.  I forgot to take a picture so here's one from 2022:

Wrong again - Here they've got the Everton match on, so clearly it is possible!  A handful of customers were mostly not paying attention, so I don't think what they paid was worth it.

This place is a very well decorated shed, I've always been fond of rough wood and corrugated iron decor.  I should also comment that it was a lot warmer than Fliers, and I actually unzipped my coat.

Everton were 0-1 down at half time by the way.  Can I get a couple more new ticks in before the post match rush? My planning this morning found two new ticks opposite the ground, so they are my prime objective.  But as I had suspected there might be, there were other diversions - places never heard of, along here and I was soon heading in to Dock Wall:

A modern shed this one, inside it actually looks like it was built last year rather than being a conversion, although I suspect not.  A large space with more people in it than the previous three calls added together.  The match was on the tellies, and plenty of people were watching it.

This shed was plainly decorated with a long bar counter along one wall.  The cement floor and painted brick walls gave it a warehouse feeling, but the warm air and animated chit-chat made it somehow more welcoming, perhaps even pubby, than all the previous places.

I watched the telly briefly.  Why aren't Everton in their normal blue?  Or is this their new colour?

I marched past the actual stadium and on to the Bluehouse:

A rather well done historic warehouse conversion, this one, with lots of people watching the match, Everton are still losing.

Somewhat to my surprise, the barmaid advised me there was a ten pound minimum on credit cards, I was about to walk out in a huff when she clarified that cash was fine, and my Carling was four quid.  It's quite unusual to see a credit card minimum nowadays, I wonder why they do it.

At two o'clock, before full time, the place was doing a great trade, there were not many seats free, so clearly this operation is going well, although having said that, there will be next to no customers on a non match day - If they even bother to open.

I could see the early leavers heading out of the ground, so my plan to get away before the rush had clearly failed.  One more place I know about is literally next door so I think I must go into Terrace.  (See picture above.)

I thought this might be a giant match day hall, but it was surprisingly small.  Everton went 1-1 as I ordered my Guinness.  This close to full time  it came in a plastic glass.  Right outside the ground the place filled up as full time arrived although to be fair it never got rammed.  But hang on a moment, this match is FA cup so a draw is no good, I can escape during extra time and get to Sandhills station while the match is still on.  I wonder what the early leavers do under these circumstances?  Apart from regretting their decision, I guess.

What a great crop, six locations, five never before visited and two of those I didn't even know existed.  And thanks to extra time I got away before the crowds.

Pub of the day: Dock Wall
Beer of the day: Guinness
Miles walked: 2.3
Maybe coming soon: Kirkby, Toxteth

Waterloo

I started the year on a bitterly cold Saturday afternoon, can I begin with a line from a well known Christmas song?  The wind goes right through you, it's no place for the old.

I was heading for Waterloo; as I ran through my pre-flight checklist this morning I discovered the existence of some bars of which I wasn't aware.  Could we be in for some new ones?

I started at Always & Sometimes:

This pleasant shop conversion has large windows onto the street giving it a bright airy feel inside.  Eight keg taps on the back wall but, more interestingly, two handpumps on the counter.  I selected Neptune Salthouse Blonde.  A bit bland perhaps, or is that just because I've got a cold? (Again)

The barman, one customer drinking tea and I were the sole occupants at half one, I really hope they get more later.  Perhaps if they turned the heat up it would be more popular!

The "old firm" match was on the telly, I tried to ignore it but you just get sucked in, don't you.  Rangers equalised as I watched.

After one brand new tick I think I need to walk past lots of pubs to find some more new ones, if I can...

Fifty6 was shut as it always is when I pass.

  Bodega Del Lobo was holding a private party, drat!

Finally Vanessa's was open:

Behind the small bright red frontage is a beautifully decorated restaurant bar which stretches back a long way, with much more space than the front suggests.

At two on a Saturday there was a fair smattering of customers, most but not all were eating.  I had a pint of Neck Oil and relaxed in the comfortably warm front room.  (There was an icy blast when the door opened.)

Eventually the other drinkers in my end of the place decided to order food putting me in a minority of one as far as drinkers are concerned.  I couldn't see how many people were in the back rooms, though.

I think that's the end of the new ones, I'll have to do a few places last visited in 2021.  Starting with the Marine:

The first "traditional" pub of the year, this one, and busier than the previous two although by no means full.  I reverted to my usual Carling here, and I was interested to note that they've run out of Guinness.

I initially selected a convenient table but then wondered why everyone was looking at me.  Behind me was a giant screen showing the buildup to a three o'clock kickoff.  I quickly moved to a more secluded table!  My head would have been obscuring some people's view.

I looked around from my new seat.  Someone has done a good job of designing the interior of this place, it is very attractive without being spectacular.

Next, how about the Alexandra?

This is a proper traditional boozer, in fact I would say it's a classic.  Busy but not packed out at half three, and I easily found a quiet corner to enjoy my Carling.

I wonder how much of the interior is historic here?  I suspect it might be none, although maybe the ceiling plasterwork, who knows.  In any case, a splendid example of a well maintained "ordinary" pub, spotlessly clean and carefully looked after.

My thoughts drifted back to the last time I was here, sitting in the same corner I think, when I got chatting to a regular about how we had survived COVID.  We had both lost people - It was a difficult time and it doesn't seem like five years ago.

Pub of the day: Always & Sometimes
Beer of the day: Salthouse Blonde
Miles walked: 0.8
Maybe coming soon: Kirkby, Toxteth