White Star, Liverpool

The White Star, named after the famous White Star Shipping Line which was founded in Liverpool, is an excellent traditional pub in the heart of the city centre. Famed as the pub in which the owners of the nearby Cavern Club would pay their acts, which would of course have included The Beatles, the place dates back to at least the 1880’s and much of its Victorian charm is still in evidence today. Entry is to a compact front bar with limited leather seating around a crescent shaped area formed by the curved bar counter. This tiled floor room is decorated with lots of White Star Line posters and other such memorabilia which is well worth nosing through. A passageway decorated with a lot of boxing photographs and mementos as well as an old juke box, leads to an immaculately presented lounge with a nice carpet and lovely curved leather banquettes as well as plenty more White Star Line posters including some of the Titanic. The etched glass windows are a standout feature, as is the tiled fireplace and patterned ceramic wall decorations. I thought this was a great spot to gather with friends or spend time enjoying a few pints. A sign on the wall explains that quite unbelievably, the pub had no ladies toilets until 1987, due to a ‘no unaccompanied women’ policy designed to deal with prostitution problems in the area. Some of the locals know the pub as Quinn’s, which is the name of a former owner whose name was etched into the front windows, although I think this has now been replaced. The pub is twinned with another White Star pub in the Czech Republic as well as two Norwegian establishments. Ales consist of regulars Deuchars IPA and Bass, plus a selection from the Bowland brewery, which on our visit consisted of Pheasant Plucker, Nicky Nook, Great Jemima and Bowland Gold. I gave the Pheasant Plucker a try and thought it was a well kept pint and I wouldn’t have minded trying more of their range if I’d had the time. It was nice to see beers from a brewery not otherwise well represented in the city, although I couldn’t help but think that, given the theme of the pub, a partnership with the Titanic brewery would have been a perfect match. The people that run this place clearly take great pride in what they do, as evidenced by the efficient service and near pristine condition of the interior. I’d be very happy to call this place my local and will most certainly make a return visit the next time I’m in town.

Great pub. Fantastic choice of beers and real ales.

As you walk down Mathew Street and into the heart of tourist land ,your heart sinks at the tawdry array of bars,clubs and lock ups that must feature on millions of holiday snaps (facebook walls in the modern idiom).However The White Star is an oasis and has rejected any temptation to pander to it's location.After all it was here before The Beatles.The tiled exterior gives way to a large front room with a central bar offering 5 handpumped ales,a few from Bowland and changing guests.My Bowland Gold was indifferent but that was more the brew than how it was kept in the cellar.The highlight is the back room with wonderful buttoned down red leather upholstered benches and many prints of the White Star fleet.Elsewhere there is a strong boxing theme to the pictures and even an old telephone alcove has survived without a quiz machine being installed within.Apparently Beatles numbers are never played on the sound system. A scouse institution,this is surely the only place worth drinking in around The Cavern Quarter.