Four Pubs on the Wirral

In which we explore a bit of the Wirral peninsula, marvel at the New Brighton street art, enjoy a couple of classic pubs, and the rare treat of a pint of John Smiths Smooth & fine tiling in the heritage boozer.

We caught the train under the Mersey to the end of the line at New Brighton, the seaside resort at the tip of the peninsula which is home to around 15,000 people.

The grey day is instantly brightened up by the colourful mermaid just across the road from the station.

There's a fair number of mermaid statues dotted around - Mrs PropUptheBar has the whole collection, being as she takes pictures of interesting stuff and looks on patiently whilst I prance around photographing pubs. 

New Brighton has the longest promenade in the UK according to Wikipedia, although it says 'citation needed', so may not be quite right.
We followed this inland, with sandy beaches to our left and great views across the river to Liverpool.  Around 15-minutes later we reached out first pub of the day - one that I was really looking forward to...

Magazine Hotel (7 Magazine Row, New Brighton, CH45 1HP - web)
It looks absolutely glorious from the outside, with angular frontage and plentitude of Bass signage.
Sadly no Bass within, but there was a Doom Bar with a homemade pump clip.
And a good choice of local beers for anyone not wholly convinced by the countries favourite beer.  I went for the sensible strength pale ale, 'Padi' from the local Big Bog Brewery.
The building has been here for a good 250+ years, fortunately surviving a fire in 2010.
From the central bar there were three rooms branching off, all looking equally comfortable with proper pub carpets and proper pub furniture.

Tucked down a narrow section of the bar by the window, we were thoroughly comfortable in the Magazine.  The staff were friendly and welcoming, the beer great, and our plate of food for lunch good value and filling.  Bit of a winner!

Leaving the pub, we strolled along Magazine Brow, past the Pilot Boat which also looked pretty good (next time!) and into Vale Park.
There were strange things afoot in the park...

New Brighton's main streets are exuberantly colourful and impressive.  There's some fine murals and bright painting on the brickwork above the shops.

You also get the James Atherton pub, which caught a bit of national attention in October 2020 when it rebranded overnight with the new name 'The Three Bellends' in response to the Boris & co's Tier 3 pub regulations.  It's signage above the door currently features Johnson and Hancock in hard hats - 'The Two Helmets'.

And a bit more political street art - you'd almost think that the whole country isn't 100% behind our illustrious leaders, wouldn't you?

On the main colourful thoroughfare of New Brighton was our next destination, the Bow Legged Beagle micro pub...

Bow Legged Beagle (88 Victoria Road, New Brighton, CH45 2JF)
Beers on the bar came from Lancaster Brewery, Salopian, Coach House and Liverpool Brewing Company, whose 'Liverpool Stout' was my pick of the bunch.

The beer choice and quality were great. 
And I fully approve of the walls plastered with pump clips.
Quirky signage for the loos, with the ladies being marked with a martini glass and the gents a beer bottle.  The gents just get a urinal (reminding me of the loo in a repurposed cupboard in the Euston Tap) prompting someone to write "help I need a poo" on the wall behind it.

I just felt that the downside, on this occasion, was that the clientele were a handful of locals sat at the bar.  It sort of felt as though we'd intruded on their private session.

We jumped back aboard the Merseyrail train and traveled a few stops to Conway Park, from where it was just a few minutes on foot to a pub from the Heritage guide.

And doesn't it look absolutely fantastic? (I've cut out the A-boards and posters in windows advertising karaoke, cocktails and special offers on Bud Light).

Stork Hotel (41-43 Price Street, Birkenhead, CH41 6JN)
Built in 1840, this was a Threlfalls pub, later to be part of the Whitbread estate.  Inside it has the same bar design as the Lion Hotel in central Liverpool.  The front bar has a regular counter, whilst the ornate bar back curves around a lobby area with its impressive mosaic floor.  Those sitting in the adjoining news room would have once been served at their tables by the press of a bell.

I did find a "Good Beer Guide, we're in it" sticker on a pane of glass on the way to the loo, but this was from 2002, so we were a little late for a GBG tick.  The handpumps at the end of the bar were redundant as I suspected they may be when I saw the 'Booze Deals' advertised outside.
So it was a John Smiths Smooth, at an agreeable price of £2.80.

Just a handful of regulars in at the time of our visit, the local postman propping up the bar.  With your karaoke and 5 bottles of Becks for £11, I imagine there's quite an interesting evening clientele and less opportunity to arse around taking pictures of heritage pub features.

We walked a short way across Hamilton Square Gardens and onto the main road, making our way to Birkenhead's current Good Beer Guide entry...

Gallaghers (20 Chester Street, Birkenhead, CH41 5DQ)
I was instantly impressed by this pub, even if I was 6-or-so years late for the barbers shop.  Never mind, I've got quite a well-controlled and presentable head of hair at the moment.

The building dates back to the 1820's and has traded under a number of names including the Chester Arms and Dispensary.  It closed in 2010 and was rescued and refurbished by a former Irish guardsman as a pub/barbers shop combo.  Since 2016 it's just a pub, but it's a good'un.

Snooker on the TV.
Bar staff cheerfully singing along to the Jam, the Specials and the Stranglers - the best soundtrack of the day.
And a decent choice of beers, from which I picked the local Brimstage 'Trapper's Hat' golden ale.
The walls were covered in framed pictures, with a display of model aircraft, marching band drums, flags and military uniforms...

I'll finish with the picture of Gallaghers from outside, the Birkenhead Drill mural on it's wall and the Liverpool skyline on the horizon...

As the sun set we headed back to t'other side of the river and a few more of the pubs on the fearsomely long list of Liverpool recommendations.

I'd only previously made it to the Wirral once in the past - a couple of pints in 'Spoons and a trek to Tranmere Rovers - but left vowing that I'd be back another time to explore a little further afield.
Cheers! 🍺

Southport and Waterloo

We caught the Merseyrail train from Liverpool to Southport to see the sea, take in the museum, and visit a micro pub, before tackling a trio of Beer Guide entries at Waterloo.
All with glorious blue sky and winter sunshine, which makes a change!

On arrival we walked past the quiet amusement arcades and onto the pier, which turns out to be quite long.  1,108m in fact - stretching across the Marine Lake, past the promenade and closed Marston's pub, and out over the sands.

Back into the town and sheltered from the chilly winds, we marveled at the picturesque Lord Street.  Then called in to the Atkinson Museum and Art Gallery where I was keen to see the 'I Grew Up 80's' exhibition.  For indeed I did!

This only occupied a couple of rooms, but I was in happy nostalgic mode.  Atari consoles, Sony Walkmen, issues of Smash Hits, Donkey Kong, BMX and Betamax.  All bringing back memories and plenty of exclamations of "I had one of them!".

The music of the '80's hasn't really disappeared into obscurity has it?

Napalm Death's 'From Enslavement to Obliteration' is missing

Just around the corner from the museum is the covered Cambridge Walks shopping arcade, which handily has a micropub midway along it.

Tap and Bottles (19A Cambridge Walk, Southport, PR8 1EN)
We were first in at noon, joined a short while later by several more folk.
The L-shaped bar was straight inside the door, with additional seating in the adjoining room.  All quite pleasingly ramshackle, with beer labels stuck to the wall and crafty cans hanging from the ceiling.
I picked a very nice North Brewery 'Shadow Play' stout on cask (other cask options being a mild from Black Edge and two beers from Vocation).

I'd love to report on the great music that was played whilst we were there, but our soundtrack was the Cambridge Arcade fire alarm.  The chap at the bar was very apologetic, as he became increasingly irritated, updating us that no-one responsible in the arcade had the key to turn it off. 
"It'll stop soon", he assured us.  It didn't.

We escaped to the relative peace and quiet outside the arcade, then made the short stroll to our next pub...

The Guest House (16 Union Street, Southport, PR9 0QE - web)
What a lovely place.
Three comfortable rooms with fixed bench seating round the sides, old bell pushes in the wood panel behind them, and some fine stained glass above the bar counter. 

There was a wide choice of beers, so naturally I got it wrong, picking the local Southport 'Dark Night' mild which seemed to be just past its best.  Should've had the 'Pendle Witches Brew' which the locals were raving about and predicting how quickly the barrel was going to polished off.

We took advantage of a good value menu of proper pub grub at the Guest House.
Always trust a pub where they bring you place mats to the table when you order food.
And always trust a pub where one of the customers has brought a dog in a pushchair.
I was thoroughly comfortable in the Guest House and would head back here without hesitation when next in Southport.

We timed our departure for the next train back towards Liverpool, hopping off this 20 minutes later to visit Waterloo.

Our first pub here, with user-friendly opening hours, was the Waterpudlian along the main street.

Waterpudlian (99 South Road, Waterloo, L22 0LR - fb)
This was a pretty basic rectangular room, a little battered around the edges, with a raised stage area and some decent background music.
The run of framed awards from when this used to be called Stamps Too (Stamps One being nearby in Crosby) suggest that they know a thing or two about their beers.  These were advertised on a blackboard and included a couple from Salopian, a Marble 'Bitter' and another chance for me to try the Southport Brewery, this time with an enjoyable 'Old Shrimper' stout.

We sat on a table directly in front of the stage, which would be a great vantage point if only they'd book bands to play on mid-week afternoons.

Leaving the Waterpudlian, it was just a few minutes up the road to another micro, the Trap & Hatch, which my research said would be open at 3pm.  Except it wasn't.  Something had delayed them - as happens in micropub land - and they wouldn't be opening until later.

Which led to...
Mrs PropUptheBar's Craft Diversion

This was a coffee/craft beer joint called Timberwolf Grind & Tap which we'd passed a little earlier on South Road.  It was a bustling hive of activity.  Folks sipping martini's whilst making phone calls, people chatting over cappuccino's, dogs staring longingly at the dog biscuit jar, and too many staff getting in one another's way.
We were the only savages on the craft beer mid-afternoon, choosing some pale murk from a selection including Love Lane, Glen Affric and Vocation.  

But the music that I suffered all because the Trap & Hatch wasn't open at 3pm!
Coldplay made way for Alanis Morisette, followed by Jamiroqui.  Then Toploader...Arggggh!

By the time we were leaving at 4pm the nearby Heritage pub was open.

Volunteer Canteen (45 East Street, Waterloo, L22 8QR )
Down a nice peaceful side street, this building started life as an 1820's house prior to being converted to a pub, originally called the Canteen Vaults, in 1871.
We headed into the public bar, where we could peruse the pump clips and pick a fine bitter from the local Rock the Boat Brewery.
Drinks were taken around into the lovely lounge, with a warming fire, fixed seating around the walls and proper pub stools.  From here you're looking at the decorative back of the bar...

Heritage slightly spoilt by hand sanitiser station

The Heritage Pub description makes a big deal of table service still being offered in the lounge, but the novelty of this has worn off somewhat in the past couple of years.
I really liked the Volunteer Canteen - comfortable, great beer, full of character, with a nice number of other customers chatting over a pint.

Very responsible social distancing being practised there

Finally, we headed back to the previously closed micropub, now with shutters opened, lights on and customers sitting at the bar.

Trap & Hatch (135 South Road, Waterloo, L22 0LT - web)

"No intrusive TV's or music" it says on WhatPub who obviously didn't survey this place at the same time as us, when it had a full-on metalcore soundtrack playing.

I settled down with a very good Chapter 'Pemberley Stout', whilst Mrs PropUptheBar ended up with an accidental pint of mulled cider when someone distracted the chap behind the bar midway through serving and he forgot he should have been pouring a half.

Finally, you can't come round this way without wandering onto Crosby Beach and marveling at the Gormley statues.  So I'll leave you with the pick of my photographs...

Two Liverpool Heritage Classics

Plenty of pictures and not much waffle (wahey!) as we arrive in Liverpool in the sunshine and head to a couple of the Heritage Classics.

On the way we passed a couple more...
Handy for Lime Street Station, the Crown, which I've visited in the past but just didn't have time for this time around...

And The Vines, the only one of the Liverpool classics which I haven't yet managed to visit. The staff setting up speakers outside the door and advertising karaoke, Guinness and fun weren't convincing me as we passed by later in the evening. 

Walking up Hardman Street we reached the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.  This Grade II listed building was opened in 1939 replacing an earlier building which was destroyed by fire in 1933.

And straight across the junction from the Hall is the Philharmonic Dining Rooms.

Entry from Hope Street is via the elaborate Art Nouveau metal gateway...

Philharmonic Dining Rooms (36 Hope Street, Liverpool, L1 9BX - web)
Stepping inside, it's simply stunning.
Mosaic floors, carved plaster-work, decorative copper panels, stained glass, gleaming polished mahogany woodwork...
I've visited a number of times and it hasn't lost any of its ability to impress.

Brahms and Liszt - ah, see what you've done there...

The Philharmonic Dining Rooms was built between 1898 and 1900 for Liverpool brewer Robert Cain.  There's all the history and information about the pub that you'll ever need on the Heritage Pub listing.

As with all Nicholson's pubs I've visited post-lockdown, the beer range was functional rather than exciting.  Their own pale ale was available, as well as 'Wainwright', 'Landlord', Purity 'Ubu' and Northern Monk 'Eternal', which I picked.  A reliable session ale served in good condition -  good enough to get you in the beer guide in many places, but there's a lot of competition in these parts.

We took our drinks through to the largest space, the one-time billiards room, now named the Grande Lounge which, despite looking quiet in my picture, filled up shortly after we arrived.

Predictable picture of the Gents...
Well, at various times I've faffed around taking photos of tiling; urinals made out of beer barrels; odd art work & mild smut in pub WCs.   
I may as well take a picture in the one place I can probably get away with it...

Leaving the Philharmonic, we visited both the Anglican and Metropolitan cathedrals, which the Philharmonic sits midway between.

A short walk further on and we made it to another pub on the National Heritage list, this time one that I'm surprised I've never been to before.

Peter Kavanagh's (2-6 Egerton Street, Liverpool, L8 7LY)
Always trust a pub named after a long-serving landlord.
Peter Kavanagh was licensee from 1897 to 1950 and was responsible for the refurbishment of the pub in 1929 which makes it so special today.

The front door takes you to the drinking lobby and main bar counter.  To either side of this are characterful wood panelled rooms, with a lounge bar directly in front of it.
It's a pub with a fair bit of clutter...

Beers on the bar were 'Abbott', Woodford 'Wherry', Purity 'Gold' (the Purity's getting around isn't it) and my pick from Cheshire's Mobberley Brewhouse.

We took our drinks through to the stunning rear room, which we had all to ourselves.

The story goes that a customer ran up a bar bill that he couldn't pay and offered to pay off the debt by painting the pub.   The expectation was a lick of paint, but instead he set about creating the  sweeping murals above the fixed seating in the front and rear rooms.  Sadly, it's a myth - the paintings were commissioned from a Scottish painter, containing scenes from Dickens in the front room and Hogarth in the rear room...

The unusual tables, which intrigued us at the time, were designed by Peter Kavanagh himself, with a water filled bowl beneath the central circular grill for extinguishing cigarettes.

Just two great pubs to get us started in central Liverpool and a fearfully long list to try to find the time to get to.

Next Up: We make the most of the £5.60 Merseyrail Pass to explore Southend and Waterloo