retiredmartin

August 2023. Woolton, Liverpool.

The second Merseyside Guide pub takes me across the Mersey, via an exciting 3 minute change at Central.

The geography gets a little confused down at the end of the (Northern) line. The Cobden is in Woolton (not Walton), but there’s no Woolton station so it’s a walk from South Parkway (or Allerton, or Cressington).

South Parkway is an excitingly oversized station, the Cambridge North of the, er, north, but it has a proper coffee machine (Americano £1.40) and working toilets.

And one of those Lambananas from 2008.

It’s a pleasant 20 minute stroll along a giant dual carriageway with Allerton’s twin attractions (crematorium, gardens) either side and occasionally stone cottages in the middle,

but only a trickle of Japanese tourists to remind you you’re heading to Lennon’s childhood home at 251 Menlove Avenue, hidden among a motley collection of care homes, stone cottages and a low rise tower block.

Lennon’s thoughts on NBSS scores in 59-62 have been lost, but Woolton has some decent boozers nearby, including recent GBG Gardeners and the Derby, which seems to have its own scareperson.

The Cobden looks a great backstreet boozer (plastic flowers the giveaway).

And the Landlord/Wainwright/White Rat line-up is similarly no-nonsense.

The soundtrack goes from 1971,

to (it says here) 1971.

Blimey ! Look at that carpet.

Well, there’s some proper seating; shame it’s so quiet mid-afternoon.

But with that 1971 soundtrack and a cool, crisp Landlord (NBSS 3+) I’m won over.

Imagine that.