Ye Hole in Ye Wall, Liverpool

Beautiful interior in this 2011 Good Beer Guide pub. 6 real ales available and we chose Fullers Front Row and Robinsons Hannibals Nectar. Both the beers were fine, but at 3.7 and 3.9 we thought the price was steep at £3.00. Lovely fireplace with MDCCXXVI inscribed dating it.

In addition to the claim of being Liverpool's oldest pub - dating from 1726 - a less distinguished claim to fame is that it was apparently one of the last to admit female customers (as recently as 1977, which all seems rather incredible nowadays). You could easily walk past the old but unexceptional facade, but there is plenty of interest within the wood-panelled interior. The bar is divided between two rooms, the larger of which also has a nice part-screened snug area. I counted six handpumps, one of which was disused, although the signage above the front door states eight cask ales are available. However, my pint of Tetley's Headless Huntsman (£2.80) was fine, and this place is a reasonable alternative to some of the better-known establishments.

Claimed to be the oldest pub in Liverpool, the interior is divided into two splendid wood panelled rooms with wood and glass screens dividing the pub up into various drinking/seating areas. There are two bar counters each with a solitary handpull, each serving a different, well kept George Wright beer plus the familiar keg offerings. The staff and clientele are usually more mature people. The seating is traditional, largely comprising comfortable, well upholstered but battered bench seats. The decoration is mainly fascinating old photo’s and prints of the lost city that has been, and is still sadly being swept away by modern Liverpool.