The Shandon Bells, Liverpool

A modernist building with funky 1960s carvings, inside there’s a very Irish theme and better done than many Orish pubs. A mix of wooden furniture of varying heights, decorated with Irish road signs, pictures of famous Irish people and drinks ads including just a couple from Guinness. Five pulls, pouring Boddingtons, Taylors, Weetwood, Higsons and a cider. Keg is supplied on 12 keg taps including of course Guinness and Murphys plus an Erdinger ceramic. Another 1936 pub but a different beer range and style to their other pubs. There’s a small snug at the front, another one at the back and a patio at the front on Hope St. It does Tayto crisps and toasties like a proper Irish pub.

The Shandon Bells is another pub owned by the 1936 Pub Company and it has a prominent location on Hope Street next to the Philharmonic (the theatre). Unlike other members of the chain, this pub is a faux-Irish pub. I'm not sure this works as well as other pubs in the chain. The pub has a large room with a smaller and windowless room to the rear centre. We sat in this smaller room due to no other tables being available. However, it does have its own TV showing live Premier League football. There are further TVs in the main room. Lots of references to Ireland on the walls, as you'd expect and the beer range also lends a nod to the Emerald Isle. The cask range here is more limited than their other pubs. JW Lee's Boddington's Bitter is a regular here. Guests for our Sunday afternoon visit were Timothy Taylor Dark Mild, Love Lane Higson's Best Bitter & Weetwood Harlequin. Lilley's Peach Cider occupied another handpull. It seemed quite popular for the timing of our visit and I suspect that even with a more limited ale range, this place has a location that will inevitably draw plenty of punters in. It may be one I will pop into from time to time but there are better pubs in the area.