January 2026. Liverpool.
My son Matthew has just had a curated exploration of Stockport’s superior public houses. Well, Runaway, the Crown and the Magnet, for a start.
Sending me photos of him drinking Bass under the viaduct creates a feeling of both immense pride and jealousy.
Despite living in the heart of Manchester, Matt and Emma are big fans of Liverpool’s Ropewalks quarter, the bit between Lime Street and Chinatown with the Irish bars, night clubs and occasional Bass “Lennon drank here” signs.
When folk run down our great country and complain about the lack of a Woolworths or John Lewis on the high street I realise they’re just too old to appreciate the wonder of city centre rejuvenation in northern towns.
So here’s the Ropewalk highlights. Sorry, Mark, you’re not one of them.
The Ropewalks isn’t a “Big Area” (see what I did there ?), but there’s a lot to take in, and on Parr Street the promise of pre-emptive GBG pubs.
No idea what this was.
Apart from a raft of Black Cats and craft brewery taps, the big development in the Pool is the 1936 Pub Co‘s collection of gorgeous pubs. The Vine, the Red Lion, St Peters and now the Monro.
I mean, how could you walk past that, with its Bass sign, floral artistry and fourteen (14) changing beers ?
Well, I did, but will no doubt be back when it debuts in GBG27, but for now I press on towards the Baltic Triangle and a third GBG tick in an hour.
A world away from the glamour of the Ropewalks, I love this bit of town.
The old Nordic church,
the colour,
the unsafe structures.
And somewhere round here, a new GBG brewery tap.
retiredmartin 