The Excelsior, Liverpool

Refurbished in summer 2009, there are the remains of a magnificent victorian interior in the back bar – classy ceilings, dark wood and the original lincrusta - however the smaller front bar is a bit of a mess, yankee diner styled perhaps? It certainly lacks any charm. In the right hands this could be a great addition to the Dale Street circuit, however it's not a pub that hits the mark and is likely to suffer with nearby competition like the Ship & Mitre, The Vernon, Dr Duncan's and the Okell's pubs up the road. There are half a dozen handpumps in the large bar, Betwixt Sunlight was the only ale on any of the pumps, some with clips reversed, some without clips, when I last visited; also the bored staff were very busy watching football with the commentary in foreign.