View from Oban Bothy

View from Oban Bothy

Friday 4 January 2013

3rd January 2013, The Belvedere, Liverpool

Yvonne is one of my bestest mates, we go back a long way. She has perhaps the finest singing voice I’ve ever heard. When she mentioned that a weekly afternoon singaround at a pub in Liverpool might be up my street I didn’t need any persuasion.
Getting the train to Liverpool was favourite, so at around 1.20pm I left Liverpool Lime Street in search of The Belvedere….which isn’t this pub:
P1010039A rather strikingly attractive pub across the road from Liverpool Lime Street. A Cain’s Brewery van is in the foreground.
The Walkers brewery is sadly no more. It was bought out by Tetley (in the 1960s or 1970s?) and continued brewing, but as Tetley-Walker. Tetley’s then decided to shut the Walkers brewery and concentrate on their Leeds brewery. There beer wasn’t a patch on Walkers.  
P1010038A wet Thursday afternoon in Liverpool
Anyway, to the main reason for this expedition, The Belvedere singaround.
I had the address of the pub, I even had a street map. Liverpool Highways have decided that it would be a real wheeze if they removed many of the street signs in this part of the city. Hilarious it was.
P1010046 P1010047
Half an hour later I found the pub, and what a fine establishment it is.
That half hour wasn’t wasted. I wandered around the city and marvelled at the wealth that built this city. Although Liverpool has been through hard times, this part of the city has a wonderfully regal feel to it. Many of the buildings are graceful and serene. Street names (where the signs existed!) echoed the city’s connections with the sea. Liverpool was a very important sea port, sadly much of the trade was human: the slave trade.
P1010052I’ll be returning with more time to spare, this city has to be explored at a more leisurely pace.
Anyroadup. The Belvedere sing. And beer.
Both very excellent indeed. The beer I chose was Liverpool Organic Brewery’s Cascade Bitter, 3.7% abv, excellent session beer. I knew there was a reason to travel by train.
P1010044The pub is an unspoilt haven: good beer, pickled eggs, good company. Proper, if you know what I mean. 
The singing was as good as it gets, a dozen or so singers in attendance - eleven were very good......well I had a sing too.
Colin, who instigated this singaround, has much to be proud of with his weekly get-together. It attracts some of the very best....apart from me of course. There are no airs and graces to this event, it's just a very enjoyable singaround. There’s not much more to say – other than I’ll be back sooner rather than later.
      P1010045 P1010051
At 4pm I had to leg it back to the station to catch my train home – I wasn’t in too much of a hurry though:
P1010056
P1010055P1010042I shouldn’t REALLY have gone today, I couldn’t really spare the time - I’ve got loads of stuff to do. But I'm very glad I did make the effort, Yvonne's introduced me to something really special.

Anyway, a break is good for a chap.

Isn’t it?

6 comments:

  1. Brilliant. The Cain brewery tap is also worth a visit.

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  2. Ooh, tell me more....where's the brewery tap then?
    JJ

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  3. Its called The Brewery Tap (i think) on Stanhope st. Right next to Cain's brewery.

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  4. Anonymous09:04

    You 'ole charmer you!Lol. There is nowt wrong with your singing Lad either. I always enjoy your songs and company. I am glad you enjoyed the afternoon. I think Colin has something special going with it. Some lovely singers not least him of course. Roll on next time. Yvonne x


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  5. Glad you enjoyed the session John, and I certainly enjoyed hearing you sing as well. Looking forward to seeing you there again soon, now that you know the way. Cheers, Matthew. :-)

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  6. Thanks guys - I'll be back next week for another warble!

    JJ

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