Blood Donor's Bonus

I headed into town for my regular call at the Blood Donors' Centre and as I walked down Dale Street I spotted a new bar on the corner of Cheapside.  After donating, I called in to check out the Angus Tap and Grind:

This is a posh cafe bar, serving a good range of cask and keg ales, as well as gins and coffees.  It was ticking over nicely at two on a Monday afternoon.  The waitress guided me to a table and then fetched my pint, it's table service only, and cashless in here.

My pint from Bristol Beer Factory was cloudy (probably intentionally) but had a disappointingly bland flavour for a 5% pale, I was hoping for something more hoppy and tangy.

The modern decor is pleasant, and the entirely glazed frontage gives it a very open feel.

This unit used to be an estate agent, and before that a health food shop (Isn't Google streetview useful!)

On my way home I noted the Shamrock, formerly the Queens, at the back of Queens Square was closed.

Rainford

Four trains, ending with possibly my last ride on a class 142 railbus, carried me to Rainford Junction where just outside the station is my first target for today, the Junction:

I walked in past the "bookings only" sign, no one complained.  I had to sign in, the previous customer was Fred West!

The friendly barmaid/landlady ignored the heckling from the bar flies and soon poured me a fine pint of Wainwright.

Just before two on a Friday the place was ticking over gently, mostly with diners I think.  Always a good pub, this, nicely decorated and serving what looks like quality food along with decent real ale.

I studied the rules displayed on every table.  Bookings only for food and drinks, it says.  I don't really see the point of displaying that sort of thing if you're not going to actually do it.  Presumably if I turned up when it was busy they might turn me away?

I have been worried since lockdown about travelling a long way to a pub and then not being allowed in, so far it hasn't happened, but I've got a long walk coming up so let's see...

My printed map wasn't very clear so I fired up Google's, and once I'd told it I was walking it came up with a shorter route which turned out to be a splendid stroll along the former railway embankment, now Rainford Linear Park, under threatening skies.  I felt a couple of drops of rain but it didn't get any worse.

Next was the Eagle and Child:

The barman apologetically asked me to fill in an ID form, while he threw two pints of Pedigree down the drain before pulling me one.

It was only some time after I had sat down that I noticed the "please wait here to be seated" sign which I had walked straight past.

Not much has changed since I was last here, in 2003, and it remains a friendly two sided pub serving quality ale.  Quite a few locals were in, meaning the chatter was slightly louder than the muzac.

Next, just down the road was the Golden Lion, which my records and whatpub seemed to think was closed, but it wasn't:

More of a restaurant than a boozer but nonetheless once I had signed in I was allowed to order a pint of Wainwright which was delivered to my table and was spot on.

I paused to send an update to whatpub, before continuing my review:  The decor here is very well done contemporary, almost Ember Inns but not quite as stylish.  Does that sound like a criticism?  It's very good actually.

At half three on a Friday, only a few other customers, all diners, were in, not much to keep the two bar staff (presumably plus someone in the kitchen) occupied.

I looked at the picture on the wall beside my seat, a framed OS map; but it's centred on Garswood and doesn't show Rainford, what's the point?  Aha, the next picture along is the adjacent extract, which includes this pub.

A little further down is the Derby Arms:

Very quiet in this pleasant traditionally decorated multi area pub, only two other customers I think, and they left shortly after I arrived.

The pleasant barmaid took my details and then pulled me a pint of Mad Goose.  It seemed just a little bit tired but definitely drinkable.

No one else came in, apart from one person making a booking, while I swigged my ale.  

Next, the Star Inn:

A great pub this, with a selection of real ales on offer, I had Morehouse's Blonde Witch which was spot on.  No one asked for any contact details this time.  The serving counter was walled in with perspex which I must say I find very off-putting, but I suppose many think it's necessary nowadays.

I must say I like the sign over the counter, "whine bar"!

A dozen or so locals were keeping the place ticking over but most of the tables were empty, let's hope it's busier later.  As I enjoyed my pint, more and more people came in, and the quiet music was soon drowned out by cheerful chatter.  Nice pub!

Now I had a difficult decision to make:  There's one more tick near here, the never visited Bottle and Glass but I've already done five, it's a long walk and I might not get in.  I've already had five pints, can I cope with another?  Also, the bus service to St Helens thins out shortly after six and I don't want to get stranded.  My decision was it's time to head for home, and the Bottle and Glass will have to wait.  If the Golden Lion had been closed as expected...

Pub of the day: A difficult choice today, but I think the Star wins.

Miles walked: 1.9

Maybe coming soon: City Centre or Eccleston 

It's All About That Bass

On a wet Friday afternoon I headed into the city centre to mop up a few of the many bars that are overdue for a visit.  Sadly that makes today the exact opposite of a real ale pub crawl.  I started on Charlotte Street, literally next door to Wetherspoon's, in Ruby Blues:

I must apologise for the quality of the pictures in today's report, the traffic on Great Charlotte Street and a full taxi rank made things very difficult.

Anyway, it was good to start with a new tick, this used to be an NHS drop-in centre until it became Ruby Blues in 2015 so I'm only five years late.  A large room with a small stage in one corner.  Very good decoration mainly on a music theme, and I particularly like the chandeliers made out of wine glasses.  Hardly any customers at two on a Friday, but more came in while I was here.

No real ales, of course (I suspect the neon sign above the counter "It's all about that bass" doesn't refer to my kind of Bass.) so I had my usual lager.

A group of four youngsters sat at a table.  Their drinks orders included all sorts of shots and cocktails which the barman prepared with aplomb.  They seemed to get two of everything, for some reason.

Live music from 17:30 today, I bet it gets busy later.  Not really my sort of place, but admirably done and deserving of success.  Perhaps I'm biased because it's a new tick!

 Just next door is Smokies:

Last time I came in here it was called J.R's, the name has changed but it remains pretty much the same, a pleasant well done room with a tiny stage in the corner.  My notes from 2014 described the singer as "deafening", I suspect it'll be the same later, but at two on a Friday it was fairly peaceful, the background music about 50/50 with animated chatter.

When the barmaid asked "Have you got a card" I wasn't sure if she was referring to a loyalty card or a credit card.  I said no and paid by cash - Reading the signs after I sat down, they have a loyalty card scheme.

For some reason there were a lot more people in here than next door, mainly old blokes (By which I mean older than me!) 

More of an American theme in the decor, with Route 66 signs and a half size motorbike above the counter.

Next, once again just one door along the road, is Tess Riley's, not visited since 2013:

This place has an older feel about its atmosphere, the decor is 1950s traditional style although clearly all a lot more recent than that.

Well filled with cheerful people, my age or older, but I managed to find a table at which to write this and enjoy my Guinness.

The quiet music was mostly drowned by happy chatter, but I could make out Yellow Brick Road amongst other favourites.

Aside:  I got a replacement for my late lamented tablet a few days ago, and this was the first pub survey with my new Galaxy Tab A.  It seems to work very well...

It was only as I was half way down my pint of Guinness that it occurred to me that this place is an example of that increasingly rare phenomenon, the "traditional boozer".  Couples and groups of friends, all my age or older, out for a pleasant afternoon of chat and drink.  When I started surveying pubs twenty-something years ago, there were umpteen places like this all over Merseyside.  All filled with lots of people and a smoky haze.

A gang of about eight younger women came in, some dragging suitcases, lowering the average age significantly.  I wondered why they chose this place.  None of my business, of course, as long as they're enjoying themselves, and they seemed to be.  Given my comments above about this place, it is very good to see some younger customers as well.

Again, just one door further along is the Rocking Horse in the former TSB bank, which has been "Coming soon" for some time:

Five places next door to each other, I'm not getting my exercise on this survey!  So now, a bit of a stroll.  Is it a new tick? I'm not sure; located in the building that formerly held the famous Cabin Club is a new bar called Jimmy's:

I wonder if the odd red letters in the sign mean anything? O-SOTM.

No real ale here, and nothing "ordinary", so on the barman's advice I had some Lagunitas Daytime IPA which was the best beer of the day so far by a wide margin.  Very hoppy, delicious.

Not many customers at half past three but I imagine it's very popular later.  Modern decor, bare cable trays above, and a wonderful wall of fifty lava lamps as the bar back.  As an engineer I tend to disparage "designers" but whoever came up with that deserves an award.  

I remember the first time I saw a lava lamp back in the late sixties, I was fascinated.  And here I've got fifty to look at, all different colours.

The menu here, burger, fried chicken and kimchi, and so on looks good, but it ain't cheap.  Neither was the beer.

A bloke came in and ordered a pint after a chat with the barman.  He sat next to me and we chatted; he had been a regular in the Cabin and wanted to know if I remembered it.  He advised me that the upstairs restaurant here has a good view out over the street, he wasn't sure if it was still operational due to Covid.

It's twenty-two years since I was in the Cabin Club.  It wasn't really my sort of night out but it was a shame to see such a Liverpool institution close.

Where next?  How about one of Liverpool's architectural gems, the Vines:

What a wonderful place, as good as or possibly even better than the more famous Philharmonic.  Sadly, no real ale, so I had to revert to Guinness.

I adjourned to the side room with its wonderful plasterwork and beaten copper fire surround, oddly the rest of the pub seems busy but this room is deserted.  Perhaps I walked past a no entry sign?

Gentle music and louder chatter formed the soundtrack as I sat back and admired the architecture.

As a real ale fan, I would quite like Nicholson's to take over this place but that's not really necessary, it's great as it is.  It has had a slightly dodgy reputation in the last few years with the owners rumoured to be closing it, but clearly this wasn't true, and it continues to be wonderful inside and out.

Five is enough, it was time to don my coat and get the train home.  Coat??? Isn't it supposed to be Summer?

Pubs of the day: Vines for historic interior, Jimmy's for tasty beer.

Miles walked: Very few.

Maybe coming soon: Undecided.

Moreton and West Kirby

I was aiming for West Kirby today but first I stopped in Moreton to tick off an outlier not visited since 2002, the Armchair:

What a pleasant surprise.  Doom Bar and Bass on the counter and the Bass was spot on.   The lady had trouble pulling it and called over the landlord, who fiddled with the sparkler before producing an excellent pint.  They apologised that they'd only just got real ale and were still getting used to it.  I got chatting to the landlord and showed him the guide.  He explained about the refurbishments he's done and the outside bar, I must say it all looks very good.  I commented that it was rather quiet, but he told me it's packed at busy times with all the outside tables occupied as well.

I must say in these difficult times it is great to find a place where a positive attitude has resulted in a successful pub serving quality ales.  Long may they continue.

I wandered on to the centre of Moreton where I demonstrated one of the quirks of pub collecting by ignoring the Farmers Arms, the Vineyard, and the Coach and Horses because I'd visited them in 2018, and carrying on to Wetherspoon's Mockbeggar Hall:

A busy but not packed Wetherspoon's, and for the first time in this chain I was asked to sign in.  No queue at the counter and I was soon served a fine pint of Coach House Post Horn.  I haven't had a pint of that since, er, yesterday evening in Blacklers.  

The usual Wetherspoon's mixed crowd of boozers and families were keeping the place busy.

Just outside is a stop for buses to my next destination, and I was soon in West Kirby. (Does anyone know where East Kirby is?)

I skipped the WRO Bar because it looks like it might be diners only now:

I'm probably wrong on that but I can only do so many pubs per trip and this is the one to drop.  So, two doors down is the West Kirby Tap:

Table service only but no signing in here and I was soon served with a gorgeous pint of Spitting Feathers' Thirstquencher.  (It's their tap.)

I sat in the main room, perhaps the quietest part of the pub, there were lots of diners and drinkers outside.

I must say, things are going well, three pubs, three quality ales...  Will it last?  Next, the White Lion:

I wandered up to the counter in this wonderful old place and quickly selected Titanic's Plum Porter, which was delivered to my table because it's table service only.  I went through a palaver using the QR code but it didn't work, so I tried entering the URL which went fine until the final page confirmed my visit to the Irby Mill!!  Oh well.

I sat in the wonderful stone walled front room and enjoyed one of my all time favourite ales.  

Those who have studied the actual pub guide will already be aware that some years ago I received an email from someone who claimed that back in the 70s this place had standard nicotine-stained anaglypta walls.  Does that mean the ancient stone walls are all fake?  Or were they covered over?  Or did he get the wrong pub?    Who knows?!

Whatever the history, I like this place and heartily recommend it to anyone who's in the area.

Gentle muzac and occasional customers was the soundtrack, I'm not sure the trade was enough to pay for barman plus waitress, both of whom were hardly stretched by the workload on a Thursday afternoon.

Finally, Wetherspoon's Dee Hotel, last visited in 2016:

Five pubs, five quality pints; what more could one ask for?  Here I selected Phoenix White Tornado and it was wonderful.

Not packed - I guess everyone had been in on the half price days - but still busy.  I reckon Wetherspoon's shares will be doing well, and they've got the job retention bonus to come.  

As I approached the middle of my pint, a roving waiter asked if I'd signed in, and got me to fill in a form.  Two consecutive 'spoons, just coincidence or are they clamping down?

I finished my fifth quality ale of the day, and headed for the station, and home.

Pub of the day: All of them had quality real ale but I'll have to choose the Armchair for unexpected improvement and a fine pint of Bass.

Miles walked: 1.5, a short one today.

Maybe coming soon: Odds and ends in the City.

Formby

Off to Formby on another very hot Friday, and I started by heading for a place not visited since '06, the Pinewoods:

A large open place, built in the 60s or 70s I should think, knocked through into one open space or maybe it was always like that.  Very nicely decorated and well cared for.  Quite a few people, mainly families, were sitting outside dining while the inside was deserted.  I ordered my pint of Higsons Session Pale, which was delivered to my table. It was a bit cloudy but tasted OK, I've never been a great fan of the new Higsons and I've not been here long enough to comment on the original stuff.

I looked around.  Are some of the decorative beams and matchboarding original?  I think so.

Onwards in the increasing heat.  I hadn't realised how popular the squirrels and the dunes are, the road was full of cars looking for a parking space and walkers heading purposefully towards the shore.  I turned the other way, to the Freshfield:

The comedienne of a barmaid guarding the entrance suggested I couldn't come in without a booking, only joking, and then I couldn't sit inside I had to burn in the sun, again joking.  I was not amused.  I registered by scanning a QR code and sending a text but that's pretty pointless because there's no mobile signal here.

Anyway, on to the counter at last and they haven't quite got the fourteen real ales I noted last time I was here, but, they have got a good selection, including two of my favourites, Titanic Plum Porter and Oakham Citra.  I chose the latter as being more appropriate to the hot weather, and it was lovely.

A steady trickle of people came in, each one getting the long lecture covering registration and ordering procedures.

The inside of this pub hasn't changed significantly in my memory, is still pleasant rough bare brick and timber,I suspect it's all fake but what do I know.

Annoyingly, as I often do I had missed the CAMRA discount, ten percent in here.  

I watched some cricket, England struggling to finish the Pakistani innings.

On to the Grapes:

A slightly officious but polite landlady organised me on entry, allocating a table and instructing me on the procedures here.  Order drinks one side of the island bar and then collect them the other side.  There were a few handpumps offering Doom Bar and Hobgoblin but I decided to go for Carling.

Last time I was here, in 2016, I described it as "enormous, open, empty", and it's just the same now. As I was leaving the Freshfield it was filling up, but no danger of that here, they were gently ticking over but by no means busy at half four on a Friday.

I wonder where the gents is in this enormous pub?

Next, the Bay Horse:

Being a Toby Carvery, I did wonder if I might be out of luck here, but it was very quiet and non-diners were welcome.  Order at one end of the counter, collect from the other.  I didn't like the look of the Doom Bar so it was another refreshing pint of Carling for me.

Gentle muzac and conversation was the soundtrack in the mostly empty spacious interior.  They have knocked through a number of walls but retained some separation between areas.

Extra bonus points for this place, from my seat I could see two signs pointing to the gents.  In the current climate it's not very good to wander round looking for the toilet, as I had to do in the Pinewoods.

Minus points, on the other hand, because it was so empty at five on a Friday; not doing very well, I think, despite their good efforts to provide quality service while following covid-19 rules.

Back to plus points again, there was quite a bit of chatter between regulars and staff, giving this place a better "local boozer" atmosphere than some of my previous ticks today.

The heat was getting to me at this point, should I give up and go home or could I manage one more pub not visited since 2014, to properly tick off Formby? 

Wrong decision!  I walked to the Royal to find it closed.

Drat!  Time to go home...

Pub of the day: The Freshfield for having my favourite ales on.
Miles walked: 4.5
Maybe coming soon: Er, I haven't decided yet.

Kirkby

A bus took me to Kirkby on an intermittently sunny Thursday afternoon.  I was aiming for some pubs I last visited a long time ago, and I began at the Park Brow:

A good start, one family were sitting outside and I entered a plain and very well cared for room with a counter at one end.  The barmaid soon served me a pint of fizz, paid for in cash.  There was no one else in this side but I could hear hints of activity from the other bar.

I can't recall much from my previous visit twenty-two years ago, but I suspect it has changed little and it remains a pleasant plain working class pub as I described it then.

The dray arrived and the whole place shook as kegs were dropped into the cellar.

I departed via the gents and the lounge side which was very nicely decorated.

On to the Kingfisher:

Another classic estate boozer, the two sides are partially knocked through here.  Another Carling for cash from the cheerful barmaid.

I sat on a comfortable bench seat and looked round.  Quite a few people in here, and a game of pool underway.  Unusually, no music at all, I could just about discern some racing commentary under the general chatter.

My memory clicked into operation:  I think the three pubs in this part of Kirkby were one of my first research trips back in 1998.  Slightly intimidated by the area's reputation I was more than a little startled when, as I walked down a residential side street, a video recorder suddenly flew out of the front door of a house and crashed in the front yard.  It was rapidly followed by a very young boy who grabbed the mains lead and proceeded to drag his new toy round the yard.  The windows of the house concerned were boarded up, the local children had obviously gained entry and were having fun with what they could find inside.  I walked on, a little more nervous, but nothing untoward happened to me on this nor many subsequent visits to Kirkby.

Next, the Falcon:

A third classic estate boozer, but it opens at five, so no tick today.  Drat!  (There is a rule amongst pub bloggers that says I should here insert a rant about opening hours, but in this case I hadn't undertaken any research in advance so it's hardly the pub's fault.)

On to Kirkby's centre.  I'm looking for Brambles, not visited since 02, but first I spotted the former Wetherspoon's which, unbeknownst to me, is now the Market Tavern:

It's been taken over by Greene King, who'd have thought it?

Rather to my surprise, there were two handpumps and my pint of Old Golden Hen was a ridiculous £1.29.  Yes I did say pint.  And it was in good nick as well.

The place was very busy, in fact I had some difficulty finding an empty table at which to sit.  I couldn't see anyone eating but I guess three in the afternoon is not a peak time for food.

Nought out of ten for Greene King's software people, their app that I had to download last week doesn't know about this pub.  What's the use of that?

The place got busier and livelier as I enjoyed my ale, the chatter rising to a crescendo as more and more regulars came in.

Finally, Brambles:

I was last here in 02 when it was called Central, I think, and it doesn't seem to have changed since.

There were plenty of people in, the sound track being Johnny Cash mixed with lively chatter.

The sign said table service only but no one was taking any notice and I joined them at the counter to order another pint of Carling.

As I reached the end of my pint, I watched the bar staff (2) thoroughly cleaning the counter and the room.

The TVs were showing gardening programmes, not really right for a sports bar.   Why not the cricket?

The pub "salesman" here was offering me pizza, I think.

So, four boozers all doing well post-lockdown, what more could one ask for?  I was disappointed to have missed the Falcon, though.

Pub of the day: Market Tavern, for decent ale and lively atmosphere.

Miles walked: 1.8

Maybe coming soon: Formby

Crosby, Thornton, Wakes (and Young)

Time for my first real pub research outing since lockdown .  Probably not a wise choice of day to go on a trip to Crosby, as everyone else in Liverpool decided on a day out in the sunshine, making the trains rather busy.

My long suffering tablet finally expired this morning so I had to set off with just the phone, which actually turned out alright.

Another downside of choosing Crosby is that I did a survey here a couple of years ago, so I don't really want to do the obvious pubs today.  This meant I had to march past the wonderful Crows Nest, and the Birkey and on for another mile to the pleasant suburb of Thornton and the Nags Head:

Here I was soon seized by a friendly barmaid/waitress who marched me round the one way system to my table.  A quick glance at the counter as I passed showed only GK IPA on handpump.  The waitress was very keen that I order using their app, resulting in a long delay while I downloaded and installed it and then registered.

Then I found the app didn't have any cask ales.  I concluded it probably wasn't on, and just went with fizz, which was very refreshing after my long walk, and very quickly delivered once I'd mastered the app.

The place was ticking over gently, probably rather quieter than one would have expected on a Friday afternoon pre-Covid.  A number of people in black ties arrived just as I did.

It doesn't seem to have changed much since my previous visit ten years ago although to be honest I can't remember what it was like then, my notes say "ordinary food-pub decor", actually it's rather well done so perhaps improved over the decade.

Next, just 100 yards or so down the road is the Grapes:

Another dining-type pub, this one under the Sizzling brand.  There was a tape across the entrance and I was allowed in only when I agreed to sit outside with my drink, "We've no free tables inside".  Another pint of fizz, this time collected from the counter.  Luckily some high clouds had moved in, so I didn't get roasted at the outside table, most of them had no shelter.

I have to say the new normal for pubs is rapidly losing its appeal, if I'm going to get this amount of inconvenience everywhere I might as well stick to the few favourites where I know I can get decent ale without hassle.

As I swigged my lager and dodged the wasps, a funeral party arrived complete with black stretch limo.  Perhaps their booking was the reason I wasn't allowed a table inside?

Next, a long walk back to Crosby itself where there were a number of potential targets.

I headed for the Blues Bar, never before visited, but there was a big sign "Reserved for a funeral" and the place was packed.  I wonder if it was the same funeral as I had seen in Thornton, probably not.

But what's this?  Just across the road is Frankie's, not in my database:

We've got one table left outside, the waitress said, so I took it, after zapping the track and trace logo - first time I've been done today although I suppose the app at the Nags Head will have recorded my visit as well. 

The tiny inside looked like pleasant modern decor but I didn't really get a good look, stuck outside as I was.  Grand opening today said the sign, but actually it's a re-opening under new management.

The place was very busy and the waitresses were running about keeping everyone served.  I wondered if they would let me in to use the gents?  (They did.)

On leaving I realised this is in part of a rather splendid, once you notice it, Art Deco row of shops.

The wake over the road was thinning out now so perhaps I could get another new tick in the Blues Bar?  Yes!!

A very well done modern bar/restaurant, this, with a slightly less up market and also very nice sports bar on one side.

The covid-19 screens hanging over the counter made it look like they weren't serving, but they were and I was soon enjoying my fourth pint of lager at a small table in the corner of the room.  There were three handpumps on the counter, one with a clip, but I didn't think it was worth the risk.

A nice smell was emanating from the open kitchen, I think that's a pizza oven at the back.

My grammar alert was triggered by the "cocktail's" menu on a blackboard, and I think "margarita" is spelled wrong, oh hang on I'm thinking of the pizza which is margherita.

As Friday afternoon moved on to evening the place got busier, a number of people eyeing my table, while the queue at the counter got longer.

Next, there was a bar called Eight Degrees down a side alley here, which I thought had closed before I could visit, but instead I found Larkin's Bar:

The doorway and alley were full of drinkers so I didn't like to take a photo, I pinched this one from their social media instead. 

A tiny bar with just enough room for one pool table, full of lively regulars, spilling out into the street.  Obviously no real ale so Carling once again.  The chatter was loud in the tiny room with horse racing on the telly in the background.  No tables were free so I had to sit at the bar and ignore the suspicious looks as I wrote this on my phone.

Cash only in here, my first use of real money today.

Ooh look, they've got one of those Guinness Surgers, they're still going then.

Well I never, the advantage of sitting at the counter is you can see what the barman is doing, someone had an Aussie White over ice.

I must say in this day and age it's great to find a lively noisy plain boozer.

Time to head for home, I think.  Good grief, social isolation what's that?  The train back to Liverpool was about 150% loaded, packed with families going home from a seaside trip and groups off for a night out in the city.  Most but not all were masked but this is not what the authorities had in mind, I think.  

When I got to Lime Street with forty minutes to wait for my train home, I realised that "the authorities" had no interest at all in social distancing, or they wouldn't make us carry on with only half the normal train service.

Well, a better than expected survey despite the hassle of getting in and out of the chain pubs.  Who'd have thought I'd get three brand new ticks, taking my grand total to 1,326.

Pub of the day: Hard to say, I think I might just have to choose Larkin's as a liveley friendly boozer.

Miles walked: 4.2

Maybe coming soon: Don't know yet.