Roscoe Head, Liverpool

This is another traditional pub on CAMRA's Regional Inventory of pubs with historic interiors. I'm afraid the "Magnificent Seven" is now reduced to the "Famous Five", but this is one of the five ever present pubs in the GBG. It's well described below, and I'm happy to report that when I was in there a little over a week ago it was unchanged, and remains the very special boozer it always has been. There were four ales on - Hawkshead 5 Hop, George Wright Brewing Co Mild, Tetley, and Timothy Taylor Landlord. The young lady behind the bar was kind enough to make Mrs R a cup of tea, and I'm told it was of a high standard. There was sign inside that said that as they weren't a free house there would be no free tasters as the pubco wouldn't allow it. A dig at the pubco is probably justified. This pub is under threat, and in my experience when a pub is threatened there's usually a pubco (invariably in league with a rapacious developer or supermarket chain) behind it. This is a lovely pub. I'd be delighted to have this one as my local.

This is another famous Liverpool pub. It is a multi-roomed pub with no TVs or recorded music. The bar has six hand pumps which on my visit had Tetley's Bitter, Taylor's Landlord, Lytham Ice King, Hambleton Nightmare, Wentworth Flip Flop and Porter Street Brewery Oval 6. I thought compared to the Dispensary down the road that this was a pretty dull selection. I went for the Lytham Ice King (£3.30) which was in excellent condition but uninspiring. I think this business of being in every GBG is a poisoned chalice for the local CAMRA branch where they are damned for leaving it in and damned if they remove it. All I can say about this one is that it's a nice unspoilt pub with very well kept beers but I prefer the Dispensary.

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.