Avoiding the city centre on Grand National day I headed away, to St Helens for a long walk. I marched eastwards in the blustery wind to a long standing target never visited before. Would it be open this time? The Church Inn:
Yes, it is. Inside the old building I found a pleasant pub knocked through but retaining separation between the areas. It was nicely decorated, and clean and tidy inside.
I noticed a number of signs in the windows and doors call this "The Tav".
Football and racing commentary mixed, and one or two of the handful of customers were watching the racing. I sat on a comfy sofa to enjoy my Carling (In the correct Carling glass) trying to ignore the footie.
On the way back to St Helens I have to walk past the Queens Arms so it would be rude to skip it:
A proper two sided boozer this, very popular at two on a Saturday, I sat at the last free table in the bar side.
I couldn't see any Carling so I had Fosters, as it was poured I spotted the Carling tap which was right in front of me!
Now this is a true classic pub, the racing commentary completely drowned by animated chatter from the regulars. A steady stream of bets went to the nearby bookies. Aintree was on the telly, of course.
I've already walked three miles, how much more can I do in the strong winds and intermittent rain? The required ticks are almost all miles away on the other side of the town... What a wimp, let's go for it.
I headed across the town centre and westwards. Not the prime target out this way but let's give that one time to open and call in first to Perry's Bar:
Previously ticked in 2018, this is a plain pleasant shop conversion filled with with a decent quantity of regulars. Rugby on the telly here, this is a rugby town after all.
I particularly like the tiled floor in here, that's what I want for my kitchen, I think.
At the front of the room is a small stage so I imagine the atmosphere will be rather different later, much noisier and more lively with live music or karaoke perhaps. A place that can be a quiet boozers location in the afternoon and a lively place later on is to be admired, I think.
An addition to my list of amusing signs, I rather like "Give your brain the night off! Ice cold beer"
Next, a very desirable tick last visited in '04 when it was a large pub called the Orange House. I'm struggling to remember exactly what that was like all those years ago. Streetview tells me that a part of the imposing building is now Cinema Bar:
To be honest I've no idea how this relates to the large interior of the Orange House, but what I found today behind the small entrance was a well done bar, very impressively decorated.
One part of the room was reserved for a private party, and their buffet looked very good, but no problem for walk-ins to use the rest of the space.
I moved a little up market and had Erdinger here - It came in the proper glass of course. No Carling on offer, the only "ordinary" beer I could see was Guinness.
Next, according to my database there is one new tick right in the middle of town, so, since it's on the way home let's have a go at Imperial Quarter. I wasn't unduly surprised to find that it was shut, as it was last time I tried, clearly the Google opening hours are rubbish. So, on towards the station but I must visit the refurbished Royal Alfred:
Only one handpump in the new place which I must say looks pretty much the same as it always did, although very well done out. Anyway, my pint of Landlord was spot on.
This one was packed; initially I had to stand at the end of the counter until a table nearby was vacated and I managed to grab it. The whole pub was full of cheerful groups of drinkers, the majority of whom were ignoring the racing on the telly. The menu on my table looked good, especially the all day breakfast.
The Grand National is over, I must say I was rather amused to note that the BBC web site says it is run at 16:00 GMT. They need to learn about summer time.
A good day out, one brand new tick and one from 2004, and five in total, that'll do.
Beer of the day: Landlord
Miles walked: 4.3
Maybe coming soon: Crank
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