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The photo, above left, was taken in the Philharmonic, in Liverpool, in April, 2005, by Joyce White, see its entry below. In it, John White is holding two booklets which symbolise the two main themes of this Web page: top-class beer and marvellous pubs in Liverpool. The first booklet is The CAMRA National Inventory. Pub Interiors of Outstanding Historic Interest, see below, which features pubs with interiors of outstanding historic interest; the booklet states, with regard to the Philharmonic, that "Quite simply this is the most spectacular pub in England ...". But it also has top-class beer, it being an entry in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide (2006), see below. The second booklet is entitled Mersey Ale (www.merseyale.com, the Editor is John Armstrong), which is the excellent News Letter of the local branch of CAMRA, see below, that can be picked up free-of-charge, in many of the city's Real Ale (Cask Beer) pubs. On the back is an advert for Cains Premium British Lager (5%), an unfiltered, unpasteurised Lager that is delivered in the Philharmonic by handpump, the symbol of Real Ale; I have this superb, locally brewed beer, in my other hand; more information on this beer and Cains Brewery, a wonderful ambassador for the city, can be found below. The photo, above right, was taken by John White, in April, 2005. Unless indicated otherwise, this applies to all the photos on this Web page, apart from those featuring the Cains Brewery and its pub within the brewery, "The Brewery Tap", which were taken by John White, in March, 2006. The photo, above right, features another Good Beer Guide (2006) entry, The Crown, see below, which, as can be seen, has a superb exterior; note the "Walker's Warrington Ales" badging [of a former brewery], a feature of a number of pubs in Liverpool, including The Vines, a pub with a truly superb exterior and interior, see its entry below.

Real Ale (Cask Beer), Speciality/Specialty/Craft Beer, and Superb Pub Interiors and Exteriors,
in Liverpool, Merseyside, England
(53^o 25' N, 3^o 00' W)

Liverpool is a famous port on the estuary of the river Mersey, in Liverpool, Merseyside, in the North West of England. For many, it is also very much associated with popular music, particularly The Beatles; the city's airport, in Speke, is named after the group's most famous member, John Lennon (1949-80), www.liverpooljohnlennonairport.com (the airport has a pub, The Argosy, which is in the J D Wetherspoon chain, see below). There is also, of course, an appropriate Beatles visitor attraction, in the city, The Beatles Story (www.beatlesstory.com), Britannia Vaults, Albert Dock, the latter being an excellent complex of tourist attractions. The main focus of this website is the beer and pub scene in Liverpool, a brief mention being also made of the city's world-class tourist attractions, below.

Being a big city (population 439,473 at the 2001 census), you can be sure that Liverpool will have its fair share of pubs selling Real Ale, this being regarded as the UK's best form of beer by most beer aficionados. Real Ale is unpasteurised and unfiltered, there being yeast present in the container from which it is delivered. Indeed, Liverpool does have a decent number of pubs in the annual CAMRA Good Beer Guide. CAMRA (www.camra.org.uk), the CAMpaign for Real Ale, which was formed in 1971, is the UK's premier beer consumers' organisation.

Many of the pubs in The CAMRA National Inventory are "Listed Buildings". There are three categories of these, in England: Grade I, which are buildings of exceptional interest (around 2% of the buildings listed); Grade II* (Grade 2 Star), which are particularly important buildings of more than special interest (around 4% of the buildings listed); and Grade II, which are buildings of special interest. Note that these are respectively Category A, B and C, in Scotland, and Grade A, B and C, in Northern Ireland. In England, the listing of buildings is administered by English Heritage (www.english-heritage.org.uk), their website stating that there are around 370,000 listed buildings in England. A list of listed buildings in Liverpool, from the official Liverpool website www.liverpool.gov.uk, can be seen by clicking here. After London, Liverpool has more listed buildings than anywhere else in the UK.

Before covering a selection of pubs in Liverpool, special mention must be made of the city's large, but independent brewery, since it really does put a wonderful stamp on the city, i.e.

Cains Brewery (The Robert Cain Brewery)
Stanhope Street (corner Grafton Street), Liverpool, L8 5XJ, tel 0151 709 8734, www.cains.co.uk (Bookmark),
GPS: 53.393495^o N, 2.979778^o W

This is the logo denoting that Liverpool is the European Capital of Culture, in 2008. As can be seen from the top of the logo, for associated events, Cains is the "OFFICIAL BEER".

Liverpool is the European Capital of Culture in 2008 (www.liverpool08.com); the "official beer" for events associated with the festival, which run from 2005 to 2009, is Cains (which means all Cains beers), something which could not be taken for granted, as there was much pressure from multinationals, who wanted one of their decidedly inferior beers to have this honour. This £1 Million sponsorship deal means that Cains have the "pour rights" for all Capital of Culture events.

The excellent Cains, dry hopped beers are available throughout the city: in their own pubs and as Guest Beers in others. Of course, this brewery has a history dating back to the Robert Cain Brewery that is mentioned elsewhere on these pages, in the section covering the city's pubs. Robert Cain (1826-1907) was an Irish immigrant, from County Cork, who clearly did well for himself, as he acquired an established brewery on the present Stanhope Street site, in 1858, which was chosen because of the water source below the brewery. In the Cains logo, above left, within the "C", there is a silhouette of Robert Cain, in the form of a Hop Flower!

The "Terracotta Palace" that was Robert Cain's Stanhope Street brewery was taken over by Higsons in 1923, a name that was killed off following a takeover by Boddingtons of Manchester, in 1985, although, as you can see, from the photo, above right, the Higsons lettering remains in the splendid terracotta exterior of the brewery, this being fine detail of the first protuberance to the left of Liverpool [Anglican] Cathedral that appears in the photo of the brewery, above left, in the background, on the right. "The Brewery Tap", a truly marvellous pub, which is covered below, forms the bottom left corner of the building. Note that, to many Liverpudlians, Cains is still referred to as Higsons or Higgies, such Higsons badging, which also appears on other parts of the building, clearly helping to keep their name alive.

Note that Higsons Beers (www.higsonsbrewery.co.uk, relays to www.firkinweb.com/higsons) are being brewed again by the former Higsons brewer, Stewart Thompson, and his business partner, Keith Tomlinson. This was initially in the Mayflower Brewery, within the Royal Oak (www.royaloakwigan.co.uk), in Wigan, Greater Manchester (www.mayflowerbrewery.co.uk), but in early 2007, they returned to Liverpool, when they commenced brewing in the old boiler house of the former GlaxoSmithKline factory, in Speke (Speke Boulevard (the A561), L24 9JD), near Liverpool John Lennon Airport. The new Higsons beers are regularly seen in Liverpool, as Guest Beers, in places covered in this White Beer Travels Web page, such as Thomas Rigby's, Ma Boyles, the Ship & Mitre, and The Fly in the Loaf.

Well before taking over Higsons, Boddingtons had grievously dumbed down their once glorious Boddingtons Bitter. With such a very moderate Real Ale in its portfolio, Boddingtons was somehow attractive to Whitbread, who Boddingtons sold out to, in 1990, a result of which, apart from Boddingtons Bitter becoming a national brand, was the closure of the Stanhope Street brewery. It was soon reopened, when it came into the hands of The Danish Brewery Group (DBG) (Bryggerigruppen) (this company changed its name to Royal Unibrew in 2005) (www.royalunibrew.com)).

However, in 2002, Cains was again threatened with closure by DBG, but it was saved for Liverpool and the Nation by Ajmail and Sudarghara Dusanj, the first Asians in the UK to run a brewery, and brilliantly they are doing so too; they are held in very high regard by the workforce, indeed Ajmail and Sudarghara are affectionately referred to by them as "Bill and Sid". The photo to the left shows Sid and Bill, with yours truly, John White, in front of one of the ale fermenters in the brewery, in March, 2006, during a visit by the British Guild of Beer Writers. It was taken by Guild member Jez (rauchbier, Smoke Beer) Blake, of Highwood Brewery (www.tom-wood.com), in Melton Highwood, in Lincolnshire.

For a more detailed account of how the Dusanj Brothers saved Cains, click here for an excellent article by Roger Protz (1939-) (www.beer-pages.com), the editor of CAMRA's Good Beer Guide. The brothers do not rest on their laurels; they continue to do innovative things, for example, they had heard the rumours about the water supply below the brewery that was once used in all brews, but which had gone out of use, so they invested heavily in its reinstatement, such that from February, 2006, all brews are produced with water from this source. Prior to this, there were often problems, as there were two alternative water types supplied to the brewery, which they did not have much choice over, one being from Lake Vyrnwy, in Wales, this being the preferred source, and the one that is now mimicked when the water coming from below the brewery is treated. Another very significant thing that the brothers have done, is to dramatically raise the profile of the brewery and its beers, and their relationship with the City of Liverpool, with well-received slogans, such as "Liverpool in a Pint" and "Beer the Hero". The brothers put considerable effort into getting Cains to be the "Official Beer" for the Liverpool's "European Capital of Culture 2008" events, mentioned above; this is a much better result for the city than some multi-national beer manufacturer "winning", and inflicting its moderate products on event goers. It seems a miracle that it all started off in a Fish & Chip Shop, in Chatham, in Kent, the brothers' first business venture. The brewery is well-worth visiting, and this is possible by the general public. At the end of the Brewery Tour, one ends up in "The Brewery Tap", which is detailed below, where the full range of Cains beers can be sampled.

The photo, above left shows a group from the British Guild of Beer Writers in the brew house, in the Cains Brewery. In the background is the brew house control room; the photo, above right, was taken inside this control room. Note that the inside of the vessels can be seen through glass in the control room, i.e. the vertical window on the left is looking into the Lauter Tun. Others look into vessels such as the Mash Conversion Vessel and the Wort Kettle (which has an associated External Wort Boiler). The names used for these vessels give a clue to their German origin, i.e. they were supplied by Huppmann (www.huppmann.com), who are based in Kitzingen, in the famous beer area of Franconia (Franken), in Northern Bavaria. This brew house was installed by Higsons in 1982. For information on a Huppmann brew house (wort stream), commissioned by Adnams, in Southwold, Suffolk (who Cains do canning for, amongst others), in 2007, click here. With the Guild members in the above group in the Cains brew house are the joint managing directors, and David Nijs, the Head Brewer, and Mark Ledham, the Brewing Manager.

You cannot fault a 2005 initiative of Cains, when, see above, they introduced Cains Finest Lager (5%), an unfiltered, unpasteurised Lager, and thus a Real Ale, that is available on handpump, in, for example, the Philharmonic, see below. Unlike most of the extremely moderate beers that masquerade under the name Lager, in the UK, this is a top-class product made with the very best ingredients, for example, the malt used in the mash is 100% Maris Otter from Norfolk; Maris Otter is a much revered name with lovers of Real Ale. As per the classic Czech and Bavarian beers in the same "Pilsener" style, after the primary fermentation, this beer is, uniquely for a UK-produced lager, matured (Lagered) for three months before being put into cask. The cask (Real Ale) version is not available throughout the year, but filtered and pasteurised keg and bottled versions are. Note that the keg version is available in around a hundred pubs in the Castle Estate of Mitchells and Butlers (M&B) (www.mbplc.com), in the London area, these all being "connoisseur" pubs, such as the world-class White Horse in Parson's Green (www.whitehorsesw6.com, The White Beer Travels Web page). All versions of the Cains Lager are hopped with Target hop pellets for bitterness and the prestigious and very expensive Saaz hop pellets from Germany for aroma; the cask version, like all Cains Beers is dry-hopped with pellets in the cask, using German Saaz. Coincidentally, I received some unsolicited publicity material from Cains on this beer a few days after my April, 2005 visit to Liverpool, which included a sachet of Maris Otter Malt, which is a wonderful snack with its superb Ovaltine taste.

In February each year, the local CAMRA branch, see below, holds the Liverpool Beer Festival, and out of around 250 beers at the 2005 festival, Cains Finest Lager was voted Beer of The Festival, the first time anywhere in the UK that a Lager has won such a CAMRA award. Cains really are "Liverpool in a Pint". Click here to go to a Web page from where you can download a June, 2005 BBC Radio 4 broadcast (27MB mp3 file), conducted by Andrew Jefford (British Guild of Beer Writers' Beer Writer of the Year in 1995 and 1999), in which Michael Jackson (1942-) (www.beerhunter.com, White Beer Travels Web page), the world's most famous beer writer, discusses the "merits" of Carling with a representative of the factory in England where it is manufactured, and then compares it with the infinitely superior Cains Finest Lager. Note that it starts at the end of the preceding programme. I love the bit where the Carling woman explains why the people who drink her awful brew would not appreciate it being hopped with that most noble of hops: Saaz.

In December, 2005, Cains introduced keg Liverpool Lager (4%), a lower strength Lager than the premium Cains Lager; the Liverpool Lager is very much a match for similar strength Lagers that are nationally available in the UK. The idea behind this, is to reach a goal that Cains pubs will offer only Cains Beers. To this end, and to go back to the brewery's Irish roots, a cask Cains Creamy Stout (4.1%) was introduced in  May, 2006, to replace the ubiquitous, keg Liffey Water. A stronger beer, Cains Double Bock Beer (8%), a truly superb beer which is available on draught and in bottle, was introduced in 2007 to mark the 800th anniversary of the city of Liverpool's founding charter, www.liverpool2007.org.uk. The photo to the left, which was taken by John White, in February, 2007, shows a pint of Double Bock being pulled in The Creek Inn, East Quay, Peel, Isle of Man, IM5 1AP, 54.222367o N, 4.697443o W. This is an Okells pub, hence the handpump for Okells Bitter alongside it. Two Okells pubs in Liverpool are covered below.

In 2007, Cains will open a purpose built, modern-looking pub in the city centre. A book will also be published giving a detailed account of the brewery's history: Cains: The Story of Liverpool in a Pint, by Dr Chris Routledge (www.wordcave.co.uk) of the English Department of the University of Liverpool. It is published by the Liverpool University Press (www.liverpool-unipress.co.uk).

To further expand its estate, Cains was the subject of a reverse takeover of Honeycombe Leisure (www.honeycombe.co.uk), this resulting in Cains being listed on the London Stock Exchange, as the Cains Beer Company PLC.

The Pubs of Liverpool

These notes are based in part on a two night visit, in April, 2005, which, as well as pubs, also included some of the city's major tourist attractions, see below. For all the pubs featured, I quote their post code; plugging this into www.streetmap.co.uk provides a location map, as does the more versatile maps.google.co.uk.

It should be stressed that the notes below cover only a small number of selected pubs in Liverpool; there is a bias towards those offering Real Ale in first-rate condition, and/or pubs that have interiors/exteriors of special merit. Below, there are details of some excellent websites that provide comprehensive information on many more of the pubs of Liverpool and Merseyside. All the places singled out were on a target list prepared for the visit, but it was not possible to get to them all. Therefore, if a place's entry is sparse, it can by no means be inferred that it is a lesser place than one that has a lengthier description.

I denote whether the pub entries appear in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide  (GBG), e.g. GBG  2007 means that the place in question appears in the 2007 edition (published in September, 2006). Note that, should a place not appear in the GBG, it could, but does not necessarily mean that it does not serve Real Ale, or that there are problems with its Real Ale; in Liverpool, the choice of pubs competing for entry is so great that a number of places serving Real Ale in tip-top condition are, for space reasons, excluded. Also, if, for example, a pub is in the 2006 guide, but not the 2007 one, it simply cannot be assumed that its beer quality has deteriorated.

Unless indicated otherwise, all prices quoted are April, 2005 ones; for beer, they are for One Pint measures, unless there are words to the contrary.

Liverpudlians are often referred to as Scousers, hence the website, www.scouser.com. Once heard, it is impossible not to recognise the Scouse accent. Their "National" dish is Scouse (aka Lobscouse). Lobscouse is said to be based on a sailor's dish (probably a Norwegian one) of Meat and Vegetables, with Ship's Biscuit, somewhat akin to Irish Stew, that became very popular in Liverpool; Lobscouse is shortened to just Scouse; Scousers were first named as such because they ate Scouse, something they still commonly do. Click here, or follow the "Lern 'ow to kewk Scouse" link on the quoted website, for the recipe. This dish is very commonly served in pubs in Liverpool, often in those that would not ordinarily do food, at, say, the end of a Darts Match. If you happened to be in such a pub at the right time, you would almost certainly get some free, and excellent it usually is too. The Vegetables are now traditionally Carrots and Potatoes; the Meat is both Lamb and Beef.

The Philharmonic
36 Hope Street (corner Hardman Street), L1 9BX
(GBG 2005, GBG 2006 page 344)

Unquestionably the most famous pub in Liverpool, the Philharmonic was built between 1898 and 1900 for brewer, Robert Cain, see above. It is regarded as England's most ornate pub - it is Grade II* listed. With regard to the Philharmonic, the CAMRA NI booklet states: "Quite simply this is the most spectacular pub in England - indeed, throughout the whole of the UK it is only matched by The Crown Bar, in Belfast". The Crown Liquor Saloon (46 Great Victoria Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT2 7BA, www.crownbar.com (opposite the Europa Bus Station and Great Victoria Railway Station), is a Grade A, see above, National Trust Property. Liquor Saloon is posh for Gin Palace.

The "Phil" is on the diagonally opposite corner to the Philharmonic Hall, which is home to the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (www.liverpoolphil.com), on Hope Street. It is in sight of both of Liverpool's cathedrals, these being covered below in the section on tourism. The Phil is the work of Brewery Architect Walter Thomas. The decorative work is by members of the former University School of Applied Art, whose H. Bloomfield Bare was responsible for the superb wrought iron gate at the Hope Street entrance, see the photo, below left, which incorporates the Robert Cain Brewery's Coat of Arms and Motto, in Latin: Pacem amo (I love peace). Note that the spelling given for the man responsible for the gates is from a plaque on the outside of the building, but a more detailed description on a wall inside has him as H Blomfield Barr, and emanating from the University of Art and Architecture. The magnificent woodwork was installed by craftsmen who did such work when they were laid off from doing equivalent work, when fitting out luxury liners.

Most books covering The Phil advice one not to miss its Gents Urinals; women can take a peek; there was a procession of them doing this on my April, 2007 visit. In the photo, above right, White Beer Travels Beer Hunt regular, Dr Eric Clow, is doing just that. We are confirming what it states in a book, covered above, Licensed to Sell, that the marble used for the basin surrounds is real, whereas the urinal surrounds are made of imitation marble. We concluded the same, but agreed that the imitation marble is, nevertheless, truly excellent; we would probably not even have noticed that some of the marble was not the real thing, without having been primed by this book.

A door between Brahms and Liszt leads to a stupendous room, the Grande Lounge, which was formerly the Billiard Room, a very common feature of monumental Liverpool pubs such as this. This has sculptured naked ladies holding up the ceiling, from which hang enormous chandeliers. Robert Cain himself is featured in the superb mosaic on the floor just beyond the main entrance.

A regular in the Philharmonic before he became famous, was Beatle, John Lennon and his wife, Cynthia Lennon, whom he met, as Cynthia Powell, in the nearby Liverpool College of Art, which is now the Liverpool John Moores University School of Art and Design (68 Hope Street, L1 9EB, cwis.livjm.ac.uk/artschool). John Lennon once stated that the price of fame was that he could no longer have a quiet pint in his beloved Philharmonic.

One problem with putting pubs such as the Philharmonic in a pub crawl in a town/city that one is not familiar with, is that one tends to rush out of them after a quick pint or even a half, before having gained a full appreciation of them, or one stays for an overtly long time and then misses out some other gem or two of a pub completely. We elected for the former, and then on subsequently getting home and preparing this Web page, I noted some amazing features of the place that I had not seen, in photos in books featuring it, such as the magnificent balconies on its exterior, above the truly wonderful Hope Street entrance, that are featured in a photo by Ian Howes, see below, in The English Pub. an early (1976), now out-of-print book, by the world's most famous beer writer, Michael Jackson. Fortunately, this made me realise that I would have to make return visits, which, of course, I have done, most willingly.

The photo, above left, was taken outside The Phil's Hope Street entrance. The one on the right was also taken there. In it, one can see the Roman Catholic Cathedral, at the top (Northern end) of Hope Street; it faces the Anglican Cathedral at the Southern end of this street. Because of its shape and the fact that many of its congregation are Irish, it is known locally as Paddy's Wigwam, or the possibly less offensive, Mersey Funnel, c.f. the Mersey Tunnels (road and rail) linking Liverpool with the Wirral Peninsula (where posh Scousers come from?). Click on the photo to see a higher resolution photo of the Cathedral itself. Note that the Crypt was designed, in 1930, by Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944) (www.lutyenstrust.org.uk). The Crypt has a classic brick vaulted design, with massive granite columns; it is much taller than most crypts, see the photo below. Sir Edwin's "conventional" cathedral on top of it would have been huge, but financial restraints meant that it was not built, even the Crypt only being completed in 1958; the completely different, less costly, but, nevertheless, impressive building that was actually built, taking its place. This was designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd (1908-84) (www.gibberd.com); work commenced in 1962 and it was completed in 1967. The blue, circular plaque that can be seen in the photo declares the Philharmonic to be a Tetley Heritage Inn.

On our April, 2005 visit, as stated above, Cains Premium British Lager (5%), an unfiltered, unpasteurised Lager was available on handpump. After this very successful appearance at the Liverpool Beer Festival, the cask-conditioned (i.e. the Real Ale version) of Cains Premium British Lager was actually launched in the Philharmonic on the 10th of March, 2005, so we made quite a timely visit to the place. In the Philharmonic, Guest Beers, such as the Cains Premium British Lager are £2.20 (5%) or £2.10 (4.5/4.9%); Tetley's Cask and Cains Bitter are both £2. In March, 2006, another marvellous Cains beer was on offer, a seasonal beer, Triple Hop (4.5%), which is, as one would expect, very hoppy, the Triple inferring this, as well as the fact that three hop varieties are used to produce it. On an April, 2007 visit, Fuller's London Pride and Woodforde's Wherry were both £2.30.

Food is served in the Phil, indeed, it is badged on the outside Philharmonic Dining Rooms. Examples of the food on offer include: Soup of the Day at £2.95; an assortment of Jacket Potatoes at £4.25; "freshly battered" Fish & Chips at £6.50; Hot Sandwiches in the range £4.95/5.95; Wholetail Scampi at £6.95; Speciality or Vegetarian Sausage & Mash, both at £6.25; and Chicken, Mushroom and Stuffing Pie at £6.50.

Close by is "Liverpool's first Boutique Hotel", the "Hope Street Hotel" (40 Hope Street, L1 9DA, tel 051 709 3000, www.hopestreethotel.co.uk). This gets rave reviews from respected sources for its decor, service and more. It has keg Cains Bitter.

The Belvedere Arms
8 Sugnall Street (corner of Falkner Street), L7 7EB

The above photos were taken by John White, in April, 2007. Close to the previous entry, this Grade II listed place must not be missed on a visit to Liverpool. It reopened in 2006, after closing in 2003. It is a superb pub with real fires, and has been most sympathetically refurbished, and what is more, it now has four handpumps, dispensing an ever-changing array of particularly interesting Real Ales. In the photo, above right, the four beers on offer are, see what I mean: Copper Dragon's Golden Pippin; RCH's Pitchfork; Blackwater Brewery's Buccaneer; and Thirst Quencher from Spitting Feathers, see below. As can be seen, the barman has Duvel T-Shirt on, this Belgian Beer being one in a small selection of Speciality Beers. The two main rooms are separated by the servery; the one on the left, which has the "Hers" toilets, has an ever-changing selection of art on display, which can usually be purchased; on the April, 2007 visit, there were some marvellous watercolours featuring Liverpool by Keith Francis Smith. The "His" toilets are in the room on the right, the one with the handpumps. Food includes sandwiches and Pizzas from a wood-fired oven. In the bar and in the accommodation, there is free Wi-Fi access, so if you have your laptop with you ...

The Belvedere is the marvellous Georgian quarter of the City, to the NE of the Anglican Cathedral; in the photo, above left, it is the Catholic Cathedral that can be seen just to the right of the lamp post, at the head of the short cul-de-sac on which The Belvedere Arms stands.

The Blackburne Arms Hotel
24 Catherine Street (corner of Falkner Street), L8 7NL
(GBG 2007 page 343)

The Crown
43 Lime Street (corner Skelhorne Street), L1 1JQ
(GBG 2006, GBG 2007 page 343)

If you leave Liverpool Lime Street main line railway station by the exit signed Skelhorne Street, this Grade II listed place's truly superb façade greets you, see the photo, on the right at the top of this page; the interior is very special too. Most beers in the majority of the places visited in Liverpool cost around the £2.20 level, but here, the beers are significantly cheaper, for example Fuller's London Pride was £1.60. Tetley's Cask and Draught Bass were also available, plus a Guest Beer, which was Orkney Brewery's Red McGregor (4%) on our visit.

The Vines
81-89 Lime Street (corner Copperas Hill), L1 1JQ

The Vines was originally opened by Albert B Vines, in 1867. Like the "Phil", it is housed in a Grade II* listed building. Robert Cain initiated a major refurbishment of it, which was completed in 1907, the year in which he died. What resulted is the magnificent pub that you see today. Also like the "Phil", this upgrade was designed by Walter Thomas, in 1911 (or 1921, depending on information source, and to add to the confusion, a BBC broadcast states that it was Walkers (sic) who commissioned the 1907 refurbishment). Robert Cain's Brewery was acquired by Peter Walker & Sons, Warrington; as per The Crown, which Walter Thomas was also involved in, see above, it is badged on the exterior, "Walker's Warrington Ales", as can be seen in the photo, above left, of the Edwardian Baroque exterior of the place. Note, however, that in a 1975 photo taken by Ian Howes, that appears in a 1976 book by Michael Jackson, see above, it is badged Tetley, who have had a history of being called, amongst other names, as ownership has changed, Tetley-Walker, Carlsberg-Tetley and just plain Carlsberg. The Vines is known locally by a number of names: The Grapes; The Big House; and The Clock. The latter results from its magnificent external clock, that can be seen in the photo, above left.

The photo, above right, was taken by White Beer Travels Beer Hunt regular, Dr Eric Clow, in April, 2005. In it, John White is showing The Vines' Landlady, Maureen Bramwell, photos of The Vines, including one of the Viking Ships above a fireplace in the Smoke Room, which are in the background of this photo of John and Maureen, that are featured in the book, entitled Licensed to Sell: The History and Heritage of the Public House, that is detailed above. Click on this photo of myself and Maureen, to see a bigger, higher resolution photo of the ships.

On my visit to Liverpool in April, 2005, The Vines did not have any Real Ale, but a second visit in two days was, nevertheless, made, since on the first visit, I had spoken to Maureen about this book and promised to return to show her the photos in it that featured The Vines. Interestingly, Maureen had only become the landlady of the place a couple of days prior to our visits. It was very clear that the owners Scottish & Newcastle (or The Ampersand Brewery, as some call them, as they no longer brew in either Scotland or Newcastle) had chosen well, as Maureen was clearly very proud of the place; on taking over, she immediately removed all blackboards from the wall and upped the cleaning routine for the place - the brass along the bottom of the bar counter was absolutely gleaming - and she was intent on removing the fruit machines and vending machines that, like the blackboards, do not enhance the interior. In April, 2005, I expressed the wish that Maureen would get some Real Ale in the place; there was none on a return visit, in March, 2006, but the great news in July, 2006 was that a handpump for Cains Bitter had been installed, and it was proving very popular, and it was still in place on my visit, in April, 2007. Even if it is not available on my next visit, I have to say that in the superb surroundings, a Lamb's Navy Rum will go down a treat, here. Maureen also has another pub close by, The Old Ropewalk, on Newington Street (corner Back Bold Street). I understand that Maureen has subsequently become the manager of a nearby "Western Saloon Bar" called Smokie Mo's (4 Brownlow Hill, L3 5RE), which opened in 2006. This was formerly an atmospheric pub called Dickie's (Dickie Lewis's), so named because of its proximity to a naked male statue, above the main entrance to the Lewis's department store, see below. After Maureen, The Vines came into the hands of an Irishman, hence the advertised "Full Irish Breakfasts".

The photo, above left, shows Joyce White, Sylvia Clow (Second Petal) and Dr Eric Clow in the superb Smoke Room, in The Vines. Note the plaster frieze at the top, which goes all the way round the room; it features a large number of Putti (plump little boys with wings, singular Putto) going about their business. The ceiling shown in the photo, above right, which was taken by Ian Howes, in 1975, see below, is in the former Billiard Room, a superb room, with a marvellous, large fireplace and chandeliers and a good number of paintings on the walls, one of which is on loan to Liverpool's famous Walker Art Gallery, because of its high value. Two railway paintings by George Earl (1824-1908), "Going North, King's Cross Station" (1893) and "Coming South, Perth Station" (1895), were also on display in this room; these respectively depict Going North (to Scotland) on the 12th of August (The Glorious Twelfth), the start of the grouse shooting season, and Coming back South (to London), a month later, with the results of the shooting. They were commissioned by Scottish-born, Sir Andrew Barclay Walker (1824-93), the "Son" in "Peter Walker & Son", which had breweries in Liverpool, Warrington and England's brewing capital, Burton upon Trent. He was a Lord Mayor of Liverpool, and provided all the funding for the building of the Walker Art Gallery, that opened in 1877, and for the 1884 extension. However, in 1990, these companion paintings were removed from The Vines, after they were purchased, for £750,000, by the National Railway Museum (www.nrm.org.uk), in York, where they can now be seen, in its Station Hall. Liverpool was, of course, at the forefront of railway history, the Liverpool & Manchester Railway being the first passenger railway in the world, when it opened in 1830, following the famous Rainhill trials, near Liverpool, in 1829, these involving George Stephenson's Rocket.

The former Billiard Room in The Vines is badged the Heritage Suite (for which there is also a direct entrance on Copperas Hill). Twice a month, there is live entertainment, which on the Saturday following our April, 2005 mid-week visit, was advertised (with an outside self-standing board) to be taking place from 9pm to 1am, i.e. it declared that "The Medicine Show presents, in The Vines Ballroom, the Mojave Collective, plus guest bands: Leafrains, The Jackals, and Odega". The Vines Ballroom is the room that is badged the Heritage Suite. As one can guess, this night was organised by The Medicine Show (www.medicine-show.com); entry was £3.50 (£3 for students). On an April, 2007 visit, it was a little disconcerting to see a massive TV screen installed in the room, for live football, etc.

Boxing is a sport that was at one time heavily linked with pubs, or, in the case of The Vines, should I say bantamly linked, since, after retiring from the ring, in 1972, due to injury, the bantamweight boxer, Alan Rudkin, MBE, who was born in Liverpool, in 1941, became the landlord of the place. He was a world title contender and held the British bantamweight title five times and was thus a Lonsdale Belt holder, which one gets, in perpetuity, when one wins the title three times. In the Michael Jackson book mentioned above, there is photo of Alan Rudkin taken in The Vines, wearing the Belt across his chest. It was taken, in 1975, by Ian Howes (1944-), a professional photographer, who has kindly given me permission to reproduce it on this Web page, so here is a very low resolution version of it to the left. In Michael's book, there is also a particularly splendid Ian Howes photo of the former Billiard Room ceiling, this being reproduced above, again with Ian's permission. In the book itself, the two pictures are most impressively presented, each taking up a full page (209x284mm). Ian Howes and his wife, Lesley, live in in Kirkland Hall, Kirkland, Penrith, Cumbria, CA10 1RN, where they have some superbly situated and appointed holiday cottages, at the foot of Cross Fell, that get excellent reviews from well respected sources. They are conversions of old stone-walled and beamed farm buildings, from where there are marvellous views of the Pennines and the mountains of the Lake District; full details of how to book the cottages are given on the website, www.kirkland-hall-cottages.co.uk.

If you ignore the break caused by Copperas Hill, The Vines is next door to the famous Adelphi Hotel, Ranelagh Place, L3 5UL, tel 0151 708 8326. This features in D A Pennebaker's film, Don't Look Back, which covers the 1965 tour of the UK by Bob Dylan (1941-); in Liverpool, Bob performed at the Liverpool Odeon (London Road (just off Lime Street), L3 5NF), on the 1st of May, 1965. On this day, some young girls are seen on the pavement in front of the hotel, getting very excited after having spotted Bob at the window of his room, The Vines and its Walker's Warrington Ales badging are very prominent in the clip; Bob then comes down and talks to them. They ask him why he has changed from recording songs just accompanied by himself, to more rock-orientated ones with a number of musicians, which he explains, somewhat tongue in cheek, to be because he wants to give his friends work! He finishes off by asking: "Is this called Merseyside?" Close by, is the Grade II listed Central Hotel (31 Ranelagh Street, L1 2SA), which is opposite Liverpool Central Station. This also has no Real Ale, but it is worth having a quick look inside, as it is another Liverpool pub with a particularly splendid interior. When built in 1863, it was called The Albion.

The Vines is also close to Lewis's department store, at 40 Renshaw Street, L1 4NX (the South Easterly extension of Lime Street from the Adelphi Hotel). Lewis's was also designed by The Vines' architect, Walter Thomas, after he had married into the Lewis family. Above the main entrance to Lewis's department store, there is a bronze statue, by Sir Jacob Epstein (1880-1959), entitled Liverpool Resurgent, which is a male nude standing in the prow of a ship, which was unveiled in 1956, the centenary year of the store's opening. The photo to the left of the statue was taken by John White, in March, 2006. The statue is a well known meeting place for courting couples; for obvious reasons, the statue is known locally as Dickie Lewis. It is referred to in the chorus of a 1960s song entitled In My Liverpool Home, by Peter McGovern, a member of the Liverpool group, The Scaffold; Peter first performed it, in 1961, in a folk club in Scotland Road (Scottie Road). The chorus is as follows (for the full lyrics, click here):

In my Liverpool Home, In my Liverpool Home
We speak with an accent exceedingly rare,
Meet under a statue exceedingly bare,
And if you want a Cathedral, we've got one to spare
In my Liverpool Home

The Dispensary
87 Renshaw Street (corner Oldham Street), L1 2SP
(GBG 2006, GBG 2007 page 343)

Beyond The Vines and the Adelphi Hotel, see the previous entry, there is a street name change to Renshaw Street, and this Cains house is soon reached on the same side of the road. It is a "Victorian" corner pub that has won numerous awards, including a CAMRA/English Heritage one for the superb 1998 refurbishment that Cains have carried out, on a pub that was formerly called The Grapes. There are Guest Beers on handpump, in addition to a selection from the excellent range from Cains. The name might allude to dispensing Ale, but there are Pharmaceutical items in evidence, along with old bar fittings and breweriana, such as a Higsons cask, that were introduced by Cains as part of their Victorianising refurbishment. Food is served until 6pm. The photo of The Dispensary to the left, was taken by John White, in March, 2006.

The Globe
17 Cases Street, L1 1HW (GBG 2006, GBG 2007 page 343)

This is a Cains pub, with guest beers; it is opposite Central Station. It is a friendly two-roomed locals' pub, dating from Victorian times. There is a plaque declaring it to be the venue for the inaugural meeting of the Merseyside branch of CAMRA.

The Head of Steam
7 Lime Street, L1 1RJ (GBG 2006 page 343)

This massive establishment consists of five bars. Between them, around fifteen Real Ales are on offer. There are also some bottled Belgian Beers. It is part of a small chain of pubs (www.headofsteam.co.uk), which, as can be guessed from their name, are close to railway stations, i.e. there are others: near Euston Station, in London (GBG 2005, GBG 2006, page 290) (now a Fuller's pub, called the Doric Arch, but it still has a good selection of ever-changing Real Ales); near Central Station, in Newcastle upon Tyne (plus two others); and in Huddersfield (GBG 2004 page 555).

Liverpool's Head of Steam is on the opposite side of Lime Street in relation to Lime Street main line railway station compared to the above entries on Lime Street, and indeed, as well as its fairly small entrance on Lime Street itself, there is a very large entrance to it, actually within the station, at its low-platform-number (Northern) end; there is also an entrance on Lord Nelson Street.

The Liverpool Street entrance of The Head of Steam is opposite one of the city's most spectacular buildings, St George's Hall, a neo-classical building, that was completed in 1854, which today functions as a Conference and Exhibition Centre. The Head of Steam occupies about half of the ground floor of the former Great Western Hotel; most of this splendid, old railway hotel now provides accommodation for students from the Liverpool John Moores University (JMU), www.livjm.ac.uk.

The Lion Tavern
67 Moorfields (corner Tithebarn Street), L1 1JQ
(GBG 2006, GBG 2007 page 344)

The Lion Tavern is a Grade II listed place that appears on the front cover of CAMRA's National Inventory booklet, see the photo, above left, which was taken by Joyce White, in April, 2005. In my hand, I have a copy of the booklet, see above. I am standing in the same place in The Lion as the photo of it featured on the booklet's front cover. As per The Vines and the Philharmonic, this Victorian gem was originally built for Robert Cain.

As can be seen from the photo, above right, there is an impressive Cupola above one of The Lion's rooms. On the outside of the building and elsewhere, there are lions of the King of the Jungle variety, but the place is actually named after the famous 0-4-2 Lion steam locomotive that pulled trains on the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, from 1838, i.e. not long after it became the world's first passenger railway, in 1830, see above. This locomotive is still in existence, being currently housed in the Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester (www.msim.org.uk). The Lion Tavern itself is near Moorfields station. It was directly opposite Exchange Station, on Tithebarn Street, that closed in 1977. This was the Liverpool railway station that the Lion ran from.

As well as having a superb interior, the Real Ale in The Lion Tavern is absolutely top notch. Typically, there is a choice of six to get stuck into, these being listed on a blackboard at the back of the bar (where you can't see the pump clips on the handpumps that identify the beers); here one is served at hatches. They are all £2.05, apart from the Highgate Dark Mild, which is £1.80. Beers available during our visit included: Lees Bitter, Caledonian Deuchars IPA and Six Nations, York Stonewall, Cains Dark Mild, and Evan Evans Cwrw Welsh Ale. In The Lion's publicity material, it is recommended that anyone suffering from Xymocenosilicaphobia (usually spelt Zymocenosilicaphobia), should pay it a visit immediately, which is absolutely right. This word means "Fear of an empty glass".

There are snacks available, the place being renowned for its high quality Cheese. One can have a portion from a choice of really interesting Cheeses, which include three different Lancashire ones, one of which is Smoked, for £2, or you can select two different ones for £3.95. The Cheese comes with excellent Bread. Soup and Pies are also available.

Nearby, going just a little way South on Tithebarn Street, one comes across The Railway (18 Tithebarn Street, L2 2DT), yet another marvellous Cains pub, which also has a non-Cains Guest Beer.

The White Star (Quinn's)
2-4 Rainford Gardens, www.thewhitestar.co.uk, L2 6PT
(GBG 2006, GBG 2007 page 345)

The "Whitey" or "Alfie's Pub" is one of the city's very best Real Ale pubs. There are typically five beers on handpump, which are generally from small, independent breweries, including the House Beers from the Bowland Brewery, in Bashall Town, near Clitheroe, in Lancashire, www.bowlandbrewery.com. The pub, which dates from Victorian times (it is known to have existed from at least 1887), is in the city's Cavern Quarter, The Cavern (www.cavern-liverpool.co.uk) being a particularly famous venue for The Beatles before they became famous. There is thus Beatles memorabilia, as well as prints of White Star Liners, and photos of pubs in The Czech Republic and in Norway, which it is twinned with, this explaining these countries' flags on the exterior.

Close by, The Grapes (25 Mathew Street, L2 6RE), has Cains Bitter on handpump, but is best known as a place The Beatles used to frequent after performing at The Cavern.

The Baltic Fleet
33 Wapping (corner Tabley Street), L1 8DQ,
(GBG 2006, GBG 2007 page 342)

As can be seen from the photo to the left, The Baltic Fleet, a Brew Pub/Restaurant, within a Grade II listed building, forms the apex of a triangle formed by Wapping, which runs alongside Wapping Dock and Tabley Street (see below for some information on the naming of the street Wapping, and Wapping Dock). The pump clips for the beers brewed below the bar have a similar view of the place to the one in this photo of them. The brew plant was originally installed in the Passageway Brewery, in Liverpool, which was nearby, in the Queens Dock Commercial Centre, on Norfolk Street. Some of those who were involved at Passageway, now work at the brewery, which is called Wapping Beers. Quite a number of beers are brewed, this being quite a understatement, since they featured eighteen different ones at the February, 2005 Liverpool Beer Festival, including the unfiltered and unpasteurised Wapping Pilsner.

On this visit, we had a meal in the restaurant above the pub, which is appropriately called Floor One @ The Baltic. The food proved to be excellent; we were all well pleased with our choices of: Soup of the Day at £3.25; Cassoulet de Toulouse at £9.95; and Haggis with Neaps and Tatties at £6.95. We accompanied our meal with a selection of the place's top-notch, very accomplished beers, which included Wapping Bitter (3.6%) and Wapping Stout (5%), but for those who prefer Wine, there is a good selection. Another dish that looked very good was the Steak and Chips, which comes with a very good looking Sauce, that an obvious regular was tucking into, with great relish, at the bar counter. Note that subsequent to the April, 2005 visit, the upstairs restaurant has closed. Food is still available in the bar, this consisting of snacks, an all day breakfast from 11am to 4pm on a Saturday, and a Sunday Roast. On a March, 2006 visit, the beers were priced in the range £1.90 to £2.20.

For the April, 2005 visit, we stayed at the very well situated Ibis Hotel (17 Wapping, L1 8LY, tel 051 706 9800), which is opposite the Wapping Bridge, a pedestrian bridge that gets one over the Wapping Dock, which is essentially a part of the Albert Dock tourist development. The dock is named after the 18th Century road in front of it, which is, itself, named after the Wapping area of East London, which also has a Wapping Dock, this pre-dating the Liverpool one. The adjacent dock to Wapping Dock in Liverpool, is Salthouse Dock; then, it is Canning Dock, another name familiar to Londoners, since Canning Town is in the Docklands area of East London. Liverpool's Canning Dock was originally called the Old Dock, but it was renamed Canning Dock, in 1832, in honour of the London-born, Liverpool MP, George Canning (1770-1827), who for 119 days until his death, was Prime Minister, this being the shortest time of anyone in this post. Canning Town, in London, is named after a different Canning. Note that the name Wapping, the Southern extension of Strand Street, is, on some Liverpool maps, replaced by "Inner City Ring Road".

The Ibis is set back from the road, so the rooms are not affected by traffic noise. This was booked on-line from the following website covering all Ibis Hotels worldwide, www.ibishotel.com. There was a premium to pay for one of the nights stayed, since the Grand National Horse Race Meeting (www.aintree.co.uk) had started on the day of the second of them. The Grand National, the world's most famous Steeplechase, is held at the Aintree Racecourse, which is close to Liverpool. There is a Grand National exhibit in the Museum of Liverpool Life, which is on the River Mersey side of Canning Dock.

Thomas Rigby's
23-25 Dale Street (corner Lather Lane, a Horse-Drawn Coach Entrance Arch), L2 2EZ, (GBG 2006, GBG 2007 page 344)

Thomas Rigby's is a reincarnation of a pub previously called just Rigby's, following a refurbishment in 2003, when it became a pub in the Okells brewery's "Manx Cat Inns" chain; indeed, it is badged outside just Rigby's. The present building housing the place dates from the 1920s, but a previous pub on the site counts Lord Nelson as one of its visitors, in the 1790s.

It clearly has a selection of Okells beers on handpump, but also Guest Beers, and a very good selection of foreign ones, particularly from Belgium. Okells (www.okells.co.uk) is dubbed "The Manx Brewery", i.e. it is based on the Isle of Man. Click here for a White Beer Travels Web page covering a visit to the Okells brewery.

The beers are listed on a board that has a slider against each denoting whether they are "IN" or "OUT", for example, on the April, 2005 visit, In was La Trappe Quadrupel (www.latrappe.nl, White Beer Travels Web page), and Schneider Aventinus, in bottle, and Out were Orval and Alaskan Smoked Porter. I assume that beers that are out are replenished on the next delivery of beers from the wholesaler.

I did not get a chance to try out the food on my visit, but reports suggest that it is very good. It is listed on a blackboard, the following being examples: Sri Lankan Chicken Curry served with Rice at £5.50; Stilton and Emmental Salad Baguette at £5.95; Spanish Style Chicken Breast with Chorizo, Rice and Salad at £6.95; and Duo of Sea Bass and Cod Fillets rubbed in Cajun Butter, with New Potatoes and Dill Salad at £9.95. "Today's Curry" was declared to be Beef Madras.

A restaurant and cocktail bar that is owned by Manx Cat, which shares a courtyard with Rigby's, is called, er,  Courtyard, 19 Dale Street, L2 2EZ, www.courtyard-restaurant.co.uk. It is a very trendy place, housed in the former Marsh & Lions auction house.

The Fly in the Loaf (35 Hardman Street (corner of Baltimore Street), L1 9AS, GBG 2006, GBG 2007 page 343), which is housed in a former Kirklands Bakery (slogan: "No flies in the loaf"), is another Liverpool pub in the Manx Cat chain. The following are further ones in England and Wales: the Bear and Billet, 94 Lower Bridge Street, Chester, CH1 1RU (GBG 2007 page 66); Dr Okell's (initially called the Baroque), 159 The Headrow (corner of East Parade), Leeds, LS1 5RG (GBG 2006, GBG 2007 page 563); and The Academy (Y Academi) (former St Pauls Chapel),  52 Great Darkgate Street, Aberystwyth, SY23 1DW (West Wales (Ceredigion)), this only having keg and bottled beers.

Ye Hole In Ye Wall
4-6 Hackins Hey (off Dale Street), L2 4AW, www.yeholeinyewall.com

This is not a cashpoint, but a pub that is one of a number that claims to be the city's oldest, 1726 being displayed on the building; it is very close to the previous entry, Thomas Rigby's. At one time, Ye Hole In Ye Wall's Real Ale was delivered by gravity from the cellar upstairs, but today, it is delivered by handpump. On Sundays, there is live entertainment, and, in the afternoon, a free buffet. On Tuesdays, there are free sandwiches, on Thursday, free Curry and Rice, and, on Saturday, there is free Scouse. One of the other claimant's for the "Liverpool's Oldest Pub" title, is The Slaughter House, 13-15 Fenwick Street, L2 7LS. This is an atmospheric pub, which has Real Ale.

Poste House
23 Cumberland Street, L1 6BU,
(GBG 2006, GBG 2007 page 344)

Cumberland Street is between Dale Street and Victoria street. The Poste House has a couple of Cains Beers on handpump, plus a Guest Beer. It is an atmospheric pub that dates from 1820; Charles Dickens is said to have visited the place. Development has taken place around it, but campaigning by its locals, Liverpool newspapers and the local branch of CAMRA has saved it.

Doctor Duncan's
St John's House, 12 St John's Lane, L1 1HF
(GBG 2006, GBG 2007 page 343)

This is a superb Cains pub, one of its two managed houses, the other being The Brewery Tap, which is covered below (Cains has nine further pubs, these being tenanted). As would be expected, in Doctor Duncan's there is a good choice of beers from Cains on offer, indeed the full range, and there are also some guest beers. Should you pass this place by chance, which is quite likely, as it is on a commonly used route to a number of the places featured in this Web page, you may be tempted to dismiss it as a theme pub, on seeing all the Apothecary stuff in the window, as per the photo, above right. However, this would be a mistake, as the place really is top-class. Dr William Henry Duncan (1805-63) was a well known figure in the world of public health; he was appointed Medical Officer of Health for Liverpool, in 1847; this place is a homage to him, with appropriate articles, inside, and, as can be seen, in the window. Dr Duncan's was voted the CAMRA Regional Pub of the Year, in 2000.

The place as a whole is most pleasant, inside, but one room is particularly splendid. This Grade II listed room, which can be seen in the photo to the left, which includes White Beer Travels Beer Hunt regular, Sylvia Clow, used to be the entrance lobby of the Pearl Assurance Building, that was built in 1901. The amount of superb tiling in this place, as can be seen in the photo, is just amazing. Note that although this room is truly outstanding and authentic, the place is not listed in The CAMRA National Inventory (NI), the already mentioned booklet featuring pubs with interiors of outstanding historic interest. It is also, not in the Merseyside Regional Inventory (RI). This is not because the interior is not of outstanding historic interest (NI standard), or of special historic Interest (RI standard); it is clearly in one of these categories, being a listed room, but because it was not originally built as a pub, it is not in either inventory; this also applies to a number of the superb conversions that J D Wetherspoon have carried out on buildings, such as banks, to produce a good number of splendid pub interiors.

Food is available in Doctor Duncan's until 7pm. A budget hotel that is very handily situated for Doctor Duncan's and other nearby places, such as The Vines, see above, the Walker Art Gallery, and Lime Street railway station, is the Travelodge, at 25 Old Haymarket, L1 6ER, which can booked, along with others in the chain, at www.travelodge.co.uk.

Ma Boyles Oyster Bar & Restaurant
Tower Buildings, Tower Gardens (off Water Street), L3 1AB, www.maboyles.com (GBG 2004, GBG 2005 page 344)

The food offerings here, include, of course, Oysters (a dozen Galway ones are £10.95), and some unexpected dishes, such as: a Pint of Prawns (in their shells in a Marie Rose Sauce), at £6.25; and Eccles Cakes with either Stilton or Gorgy (Gorgonzola) Cheese, a combination that really works, well the Stilton option that I had did anyway, at £2.75. Scouse (Lobscouse) is £3.95. Cains Bitter, at £2.20, was one of a number of Real Ales on handpump. There is also a good wine list, which like the food menu, can be downloaded from the place's website. We arrived about 1pm on a Thursday and it was absolutely jam-packed with office workers on their lunch break, so we had to go downstairs to eat, Regulars were greeted with a quite different look to the place, when it reopened after extensive refurbishment, in November, 2004. Its rather nice mosaic of the city centre was retained, but the place has been given a minimalist black and white look: black, leather chairs with white tables and walls, all complementing the black and white floor tiles. There is live entertainment on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, in the evening, the schedules being given on the place's website. Water Street, which Ma Boyles is off, starts between the Cunard Building and the Liver Building, at the Pier Head, near where one gets the Ferry across the Mersey. The Liver Building (L3 1HT), which is Liverpool's most famous building, was built for the Royal Liver Friendly Society, in 1911, and is still the headquarters of the company, or rather the renamed Royal Liver Assurance (www.royal-liver.com). On the top of each of its two clock towers, there is a statue of a Liver Bird. A Liver Bird is a Cormorant, the official emblem of Liverpool since 1797. The clocks in the towers have the largest dials of any in the UK, i.e. bigger than those on Big Ben, in London, England's most famous clock. Going away from the river, up Water Street, after crossing the Northern end of Strand Street, the small alley, Tower Gardens, is very quickly reached on the left, with Ma Boyles on the end, on the left, near the gardens at the back of Liverpool Parish Church. I labour this, because we had problems finding Ma Boyles on our first visit, the alley being not on some maps, or is very small on them, with difficult-to-read lettering pinpointing it.

Everyman Bistro & Bars
5-9 Hope Street, L1 9DH, www.everyman.co.uk
(GBG 2006, GBG 2007 page 343)

This bar/restaurant is in the basement of the Everyman Theatre (www.everymanplayhouse.com), which is near the top end of Hope Street and thus very close to the Roman Catholic Cathedral, see above. The Theatre is very much associated with the renowned Liverpool playwright, Willy Russell (born 1947) (www.willyrussell.com). Being a regular CAMRA Good Beer Guide entry, the Everyman Bistro could readily have been selected by myself for inclusion in a short Liverpool crawl, but some had to be rejected. Thankfully, I asked a local, Steve H (a regular on the Burgundian Babble Belt message board, www.babblebelt.com, the main focus of which is Belgian Beer) for comments on my choices and he added this one. He said that it had a good selection of Real Ale and Belgian Beer, along with excellent food.</