Tucked away down a narrow side-street and hidden from the main road is one of Merseyside's best-kept secrets.
The Mason Arms in Southport lies just off London Road and most visitors probably walk right passed this "hidden gem". With a facade of white-washed walls and ornate widows, this Victorian watering hole is one of the finest examples of an old school pub in Merseyside.
Little is known about the pub's early history except that it was built in the 19th century and is situated behind what was once Southport's main post office. With one main room, the surroundings are enhanced by wooden panels, glass cabinets, and a snug as you walk-through the door that is fuelled by a roaring fire in the evenings.
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Ran by husband and wife Victoria Dutton and David Brown the pair took over the pub in 2019. Speaking to the ECHO Victoria said: "Obviously we don't want it to stay unknown but when you go out somewhere new it is nice to get off the beaten track and find somewhere hidden that only locals know.
"We have got barrels outside of the pub and on one of them it says "hidden gem" and that is what it is. It's hiding in plain sight right in the town centre a two minute walk from the train station tucked away up a little side street."
Victoria and her husband have been in the industry for twenty years and upon first seeing the building they knew instantly that they had come across a "gem of a pub". Victoria said: "People describe it as a bit ecclesiastical as it has all these arches carved into the bar.
"It's just a small quaint pub with an old-fashioned traditional atmosphere that is missing in today. These pubs need to be cherished because once they are gone they're gone.
"Most have been open out and modernised but with Southport being a traditional Victorian resort it's a part of the town's history that needs to be preserved."
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