retiredmartin

July 2025. Liverpool.

Thursday night brought a gig at Manchester’s New Century Hall, and I really didn’t fancy any GBG ticking before hand after that Stannington Stagger. As Simon will find out when he completes in 2044, the chase is better than the catch (Lemmy, 1980).

So goodness knows how I dragged myself to Sheffield Station that morning for the train (oddly uneventful two hours) to Liverpool Lime Street (via Hyde Central, obvs), where Sir Ken and two ticks awaited.

Did I tell you I sat on a table next to Ken in a Brewer’s Fayre in Knotty Ash ? It was so long ago they had a Smiles (appropriately) beer on.

You step out of Liverpool Station to be greeted by two Mancunians, the Kings of Dad Rock.

Ber Adidas paid a fortune for that ad.

Now, here’s the awkward bit. Two central ‘Pool newbies,

what sounds like a Brewery Tap (clue in the name) and what I’m soon learning is a “Heritage” classic.

Well, this is awkward. Not only have I not been to the Vines, I have no recollection of it, confusing it with nearby classics like the Crown and the Globe.

How could I have missed this;

As so often, Kirsty explains it best.

When you’ve done all the pubs in the GBG (did you know that ?) it’s tempting to think there’s nothing new pubwise to amaze you. And now this;

A taxidermist’s delight, certainly, though that clutter does detract from the pure beauty of the interior.

The beer range is what folk on CAMRA call “independent” and the kidz on Untappd call “pedestrian”,

but there’s local homebrew round the corner,

and while I’d had great Neptune beer before, this wasn’t great (NBSS 3).

Lovely pub, top stuff, mixed crowd, mostly on lager.

I should have spent less time taking photos of stained glass and stuffed rabbits and gone into the back room,

which seemed to have far more cask trade.

You never need a reason to revisit Liverpool.