As noted in the previous edition, the 2020 Liverpool and Districts Pub Of The Year competition was deservedly won by the Lion Tavern on Moorfields. At the time the announcement was made, nobody truly appreciated what would unfold over the ensuing months. As a result, we had to postpone the presentation of the award to Dave and the staff of the Lion, in line with national CAMRA advice.
This being the case, we have decided to run a feature on the Lion, and the other Pubs of Excellence, and give you a bit of background into the workings of the competition.
WINNER
Lion Tavern (Moorfields)
The Lion is named after one of the early locomotives that worked the Liverpool to Manchester Railway, and the pub, fittingly, stands opposite the former Exchange Station (only the ornate façade of which remains, alas). The Lion features an intricate interior, which befits its’ Grade II listed status, and its’ recognition by CAMRA as having a nationally important historic interior. Already a perennial favourite, the Lion was recently taken over by Dave Hardman, and has gone from strength to strength under his tenure. A very well-deserved winner of our 2020 Pub Of The Year award.
PUBS OF EXCELLENCE (in alphabetical order)
Bridewell (Campbell Square)
Taken over by well-respected and well-known Liverpool licensees Fiona and Dominic Hornsby in June 2019, this pub is a Grade ll listed building that dates from the mid-19th century, when it was a police 'bridewell', or jail, hence the name. The former cells are used as separate seating areas and provide an unusual focus for the downstairs bar. There is an outdoor patio area inside the wall at the front. The pub is situated close to the Liverpool One shopping area, the Albert Dock and the riverfront. Their presence on the shortlist shows that the new owners certainly know what they are doing as far as good beer is concerned.
Dispensary (Renshaw Street)
This previous multiple winner of the Pub Of The Year, formerly known as The Grapes, came under new management in September 2019. The previous landlord was well known in the area, and had a justifiable reputation for the quality of the cellar. Luckily, the new owners seem to have realised the importance of well-kept beer to their customers. The pub has an attractive bar area with Victorian features, and a raised wood panelled area to the rear, and usually gets very busy when football is being shown on tv.
Four Ashes (Crosby Road North, Waterloo)
The sole non-city centre pub on the shortlist, the Four Ashes, is a relatively new micropub (opened in 2017), but one which has consistently been getting rave reviews, and which deservedly made this years’ shortlist. It is situated around the corner from the bustling South Road cluster of bars and restaurants, and on the same block as the local community cinema. As such, it is easy to reach from central Liverpool (and, indeed, Southport) for those wishing to pay a visit. As a relatively new pub, it has a modern interior, and being the only suburban pub shortlisted is high praise indeed.
Roscoe Head (Roscoe Street)
One of the Magnificent Five pubs that have been in every edition of CAMRA's Good Beer Guide which, in itself, says a lot. This is a cosy pub, sited opposite the well-known local landmark, the Bombed Out Church (St Luke’s) - the epitome of cosy is that, according to one member of staff, they somehow managed to cram 39 people into the tiny snug next to the bar while the rest of the pub was being refurbished (Lord alone knows how!). Run by members of the same family for over thirty years, it is named after William Roscoe, a leading campaigner against the slave trade. Since its sale by Punch Taverns to New River Retail in 2015 there has been concern over the future of this pub and there is an active Save The Roscoe Head campaign - which, alas, has had to be revived recently due to new uncertainty over the pubs’ future. We can only hope that long-term security can be achieved.
Matt Valentine
Pub Of The Year Co-ordinator
