The Magazine, New Brighton, Wallasey

It was a bit of an effort to get here after the injuries to my knees and ankles by a slip on some ice over the weekend, but it needed doing. A combination of the Merseyrail to New Brighton and the 411 bus got me here. This is a handsome white-painted pub, and is on CAMRA's inventory of heritage interiors, though it seems a bit underwhelming to me on that score. Nothing wrong with the beer though. I looked at the guest beers but didn't see any reason to swerve the Bass, which was pretty decent (NBSS 4, £4.50/pint). I sat in one of the bay windows at the front, with hints of a view across the Mersey, and at one point it seemed like a bit of blue sky was visible, but I dismissed it as wishful thinking. Nice pub though. They wrote to the Queen in 1953, to congratulate her on her coronation in the same year as the centenary of the pub's bowling club. A copy of the letter, and the reply stating how impressed her majesty had been by the calligraphy, are framed and hanging on the wall. There, another reason for visiting this fine pub.

Known as “The Mags” to its locals this pub dates back to the 1750’s. Tucked away in the residential back streets of Wallasey But a short down hill stroll to the Egremont Promenade, it’s elevated position affords it fine views over the River Mersey to Liverpool. Internally it has a lot of character and there are three separate rooms that lead off the main central bar area. It apparently also has a very pleasant garden, but I didn’t utilise this. The bar has five real ale hand pumps and all five were in operation for my early Saturday evening visit. This used to be a Bass owned pub apparently and Bass still features as a permanent ale. Alongside that there was two from Beartown Brewery, Peach Melbear and Glacier, Well Drawn Brewing 2nd Breakfast IPA and one I failed to make a note of. The Bass was on fine form and the Glacier was a decent pint also. The Mags has been the local CAMRA groups Pub of the year for the last three years and it’s not difficult to see why.