Back in Liverpool Central from Waterloo, I changed for the Wirral line for 2, possibly 3 ticks. Could I possibly even complete Merseyside today. The tension was palpable.
I spent the trip trying to get enough WiFi to check train times, scuppered by the Mersey tunnel.
Ooh, look, there’s a train home that stops in Newton-le-Willows, which might be my last tick.
One tick at a time, retiredmartin, starting in Hoylake, the posh bit of Birkenhead.
You can tell it’s posh, they’ve got geeks. I suspect Half Man, Half Biscuit have sung about the place.
Shamefully I was on a mission from Protz and had no time to search for street art swim in the sea, but you’ll see the style.
Suburban shopping streets lined with bars, flouting their Mediterranean weather at Manchester.
Loads of lager drinkers outside the Black Toad, which I had to myself.
Anywhere that plays Radiohead and Joy Division tracks you can’t immediately name deserves credit. If you can name either track I’ll buy you a pint of Chapter 28 Practicable and Useful, which I’m sure is what it was called.
Or you can just press play.
Anyway, lovely modern bar, but time to run to the Plasterers. Note to self : never a great idea.
retiredmartin 
I reckon that’s ‘Reckoner’ from In Rainbows. The main road through Hoylake has lost all three traditional pubs, gained a spoons, this one, and there’s a couple of other places popped up that I’ve not visited yet.
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Boy that street looks pretty. Great looking place.
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All down to the return of the Open Golf – a lot of money to spruce the place up
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Good example of how difficult it is to blog on the move on the mobile phone. At home it’s easier to do research. Completely forgot the golf.
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As soon as Leon left the Wirral they smartened up.
We could show you some great places on the Wirral, surprising stuff too.
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Shorts 😳
You’ve changed…
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Loving that tiled floor. Reminds me of pubs in North and Mid Wales.
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Isn’t the Wirral in Wales then ?
Asking for a friend, obviously.
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Almost. We did try to colonize it but got put off by the unavailability of draught Worthington’s.
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Wise.
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Can’t believe you chose Boltmaker over Trapper’s Hat. i don’t understand the reference to Brunnng & Price. Even allowing for my fondness for the area it is never likely to have one of their pubs.
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I always choose the last beer pulled on the basis it’s got a fair choice of being fresh.
I agree on Trappers Hat, lovely in the Raby Wheatsheaf.
There’s a Brunning & Price in Thornton Haugh, 5 minutes from Prenton Park. It is dreadful.
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I was in the Red Fox, Thornton Hough last night. Direct bus from my locality, free travel for over 60s. They have a great choice of beers, very well kept, which is the Brunning & Price way. The food is good. I can understand you not liking the venue although the huge garden is a great place to be in good weather. Those oldies like me remember it as a great night club in the 70s and 80s.
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There is nothing worse than a choice of ales when the one you choose isn’t selling quickly and isn’t fresh, which was my experience of the Red Fox. Quality over choice, always.
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“I saw you in Hoylake, edgy as ever, up on the Red Rocks a-whooping and a-hollering” is the obvious HMHB lyric (from “Baguette Dilemma for the Booker Prize Guy”
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Great work.
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I am surprised to hear that. Wirral is not the best for beer quality and the Red Fox is one the best in that respect. I had Trapper’s, Brightside Odin and Liverpool Beer Co.’s Bier Head (a take on much missed Higson’s) and all were excellent.
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I could have been unlucky, your custom is more regular than mine, but the tired pint puts the occasional drinker off cask for life.
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