Merseyside has always boasted great pubs and bars - and while we've lost a number over the years, they are certainly not forgotten.
We all have that one pub we remember from some of our favourite nights, from fond memories of our student days to family celebrations and match days with mates. At the heart of our community, they are more to us than just a place to enjoy a pint.
And often the friendships staff and customers strike up are the best of them. Through the generations, many Merseyside pubs have changed hands or changed names, or have been refurbished or reconstructed for an entirely different purpose.
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While we might wish we could bring these venues back for one more night like we had in the 1980s, it's nice to reminisce. Here, we take a look back at 13 Merseyside pubs we loved during the decade.
This list is by no means complete, our list captures a number of pubs readers loved to visit in the 80s and we asked members on our Liverpool memories and history Facebook group and asked for your suggestions. But if you can share memories, tell us more about them or want to tell us about your favourite, let us know in the comments section.
1. The Legs of Man, Liverpool
The Legs of Man was a popular pub in Liverpool for years. Located on the corner of Lime Street and London Road, next to the Empire Theatre, it was a familiar sight in the city.
In its heyday, it was a regular haunt of Empire actors, theatregoers and lawyers working at Liverpool’s main courts at St George’s Hall. Despite fierce opposition the pub was demolished in 1999 to make way for an extension to the Empire.
2. The Dove and Olive, Speke
The enormous Dove and Olive pub was situated where Hale Road meets Dungeon Lane in Speke. As well as a bar, 'The Dovey' had a large lounge complete with a dance floor, and remained popular with private parties up until its closure.
The Dove and Olive was demolished following improvements to the airport in 2003. It was only a two minute walk from the original Liverpool Airport site, and at one time it was popular with residents and the occasional passenger arriving in the city.
3. The Pineapple Hotel, Dingle
The Pineapple Hotel was located on Park Road, Dingle. In 2017, the ECHO reported how it had been sold to Liverpool Construction Group and how it could potentially be turned into flats.
The Pineapple was sold by Michael Simons, who has owned the property for more than 25 years. At the time, he said: "I had a long-standing tenant who was still trading in her 70s. The time was right for her to retire so I decided to dispose of the freehold."
4. Bluebell, Huyton
Now demolished, The Bluebell was situated on the junction of Prescot Road and Bluebell Lane in Huyton. Located a stone's throw away from where ex-footballer Steven Gerrard grew up, it was landmark on the busy road.
Can you name a lost Merseyside pub you loved in the 80s? Let us know in the comments section below.
5. The Red House, Old Swan
A coaching inn is said to have been on this site since the late 1800s. It is also understood this pub briefly changed its name to The First Avenue.
Located on Prescot Road in Old Swan, the Red House has been closed for some years. It is now home to a Costa Coffee.
6. Dog and Gun, Croxteth
Fond memories were made at The Dog & Gun in Carr Lane East, but in its later life, it faced a lot of controversy. It was closed down after gaining an unenviable reputation as a crime haven and was stripped of its licence and later demolished.
The Croxteth pub had laid derelict for some time, after police shut it down following a raid in 2004. By 2007, work began on the demolition.
7. The Tenterhook, Kirkby
The Tenterhook pub was situated in Tower Hill, Kirkby, near Ranshaw Court flats. Above shows the Tenterhook pub circa 1982 in an oil painting entitled "where's the party" by Steve Randall.
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8. The Mulliner, Smithdown Road
The Mulliner, on Smithdown Road, was once part of the famous Smithdown Ten pub crawl and a favourite with students. But it was put up for sale in 2013 and later demolished.
The former pub was knocked down as part of the redevelopment of the area. It stood close to the site of the new building for Archbishop Blanch School.
9. The Pipe and Gannex, Knowsley Village
The Pipe and Gannex was located on Sugar Lane in Knowsley Village. It was named after the former Prime Minister and Labour Party MP, Harold Wilson.
It was said to have been named after what the MP smoked and wore. The site has since been demolished.
10. The Red Lion, Garston
In 2003, it was locally reported how one of Garston's oldest buildings, The Red Lion, could be bulldozed to make way for a new housing development. It was located on the corner of Woolton Road and Church Road.
Many will have memories of visiting this pub in the 1980s. The site is thought to have later been demolished and replaced with flats.
11. The Eagle & Child, Page Moss
Many from Page Moss will remember spending time here in the 1980s. The East Prescot Road pub closed in the mid-1990s, after a major disturbance and three arson attacks.
In March 1996, police surrounded the pub after an arrest and the recovery of a gun on nearby waste ground. Five months later, the pub was targeted by arsonists three times in a week - all but destroying it. A McDonalds restaurant now stands on the site.
12. Painted Wagon, Tuebrook
For kids growing up in Tuebrook, the Painted Wagon pub looked impossibly glamorous. Many will remember it had a big wagon wheel nailed to the outside of the building.
The pub was located on West Derby Road/Green Lane. It later changed its name to Lords.
13. The Leather Bottle, Halewood
The Leather Bottle was a favourite to many in Halewood. It was located on Leathers Lane and closed in 2006.
It has since been demolished. The space is now part of the Halewood shopping centre and bus terminus.
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