Roscoe Head, Liverpool

A multi-roomed heritage gem (1930’s) that also has been in every Good Beer Guide. Well-described below so I’ll keep it basic. Located on a rather unassuming dark side street with little else of note on it. Enter through a small porch to the main servery. There’s a small standing bar through a door to the left, a small banquette snug room with old pushbells to the right and a slightly larger room further on. A fair selection of ales on, I tried Weetwood Cheshire Cat (ok), Rebel Brewery Bal Maiden (ok, though sweetcorn flavoured - blame the brewer?). Other beers were more mainstream - GK Fireside, Tetley Bitter and TT Landlord. Tasting trays (thirds) on offer, which is something I heartily approve of. Westons Perry also available. Maldenman will be happy to know that the Scouse Bet Lynch was serving me, proper career barmaid. An essential stop-off to sample the interior, though coming straight after the A1 ales in the Dispensary I felt a bit underwhelmed in terms of beer quality, neither I had were really GBG standard.

You don't often come across pubs like this anymore, a real old style multi-roomed little place that has not been mucked about with by corporate designers. The main bar is found immediately on entering, counter to the left, in front of this under the front window is a small snug with a window drinking ledge and access to the end of the bar. Another, slightly larger and more comfortable snug with banquettes along one side and a centre fireplace. An opening leads through to a rear room, carpeted and with further banquette and chair/stool seating and a preserved moulded ceiling.. The seat backs in here still have the old bell pushes in place. There is another fireplace in here with a large collection of trophies over and spilling onto an adjacent shelf. Not seeing a dartboard I investigated further to find they are for cribbage, I've not seen many pub games of "crib" for years. The main bar area has quarry tiles, a couple of framed brewery posters and a chalkboard, helpfully listing the ales which are split between this room and the small front snug. This occasion had Spitting Feathers Thirstquencher, Cheshire Brewhouse Cheshire Gap, Red Willow Reckless, Tetley Bitter, Landlord and Jennings Lakeland Bitter. The Cheshire Gap was a nice pint, in good shape too, served by a character of a barmaid who reminded me of a young Bet Lynch. Food is served, basic cheap stuff, sandwiches £3.25-£4.25, burgers from £3.25 or from the specials board, two for £7 such as sausage, chips and peas or cottage pie. As said previously, this pub is one of the CAMRA "magnificent seven", having appeared in every edition of the GBG since its inaugural issue in 1974. It is an excellent pub indeed, full of character, nostalgia and of course, well kept great beer. A must if in this part of town.

cracking little pub just about the best in liverpool always call in when in liverpool beer spot on and good staff

This is a really nice traditional pub that retains an excellent multiple room layout. The entrance leads you into the main bar, which has a nice tiled floor and the servery on the left. From this space, various other rooms can be accessed including a very small snug at the front of the pub that is hidden behind a nice screening wall. This area also gives access to the bar and the majority of the hand pumps are this side, although a blackboard in the main bar details the ales that are hidden from view. To the right of the entrance there is another nice snug with wooden flooring, bench seating and a smart, compact fireplace. The final room is to the rear and is carpeted with comfortable looking banquettes, a few nice mirrors and another small fireplace. There were six beers available on our visit – Milk Street Funky Monkey, Tetley’s Cask, Morland Old Golden Hen, Wadworth Boundary, Jennings Bitter and Bristol Beer Factory Seven. A banner outside explains that the pub is one of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ – pubs which have appeared in every edition of the Good Beer Guide since it was first published in 1974 – so it seemed only appropriate that I tried a pint of the BBF Seven, which was decent enough. I was surprised to learn that the pub puts on an annual beer festival, given the lack of space, but it appears that they close the road outside and make it into a street party of sorts. A basic menu is available with sandwiches and burgers around the £3-4 mark and mains under £6. This is a fine example of a traditional pub with none of the modern day trappings that distract from the pleasure of enjoying a good pint in friendly company – a pub purist’s dream and well worth inclusion on any serious crawl around Liverpool.