Grapes Hotel, Freshfield

The Grapes Hotel on the corner of Green Lane in the Freshfield district of Formby is a Victorian pub. Built in 1880, the original structure included assembly rooms and a bowling green and the adjacent buildings in Ryeground Lane probably formed a brewhouse run by the Licensee, Mr Jones. Today the pub sits within the Green Lane conservation area.

This busy pub is no stranger to celebrities; in the early 20th century, Freshfield was the hotbed of the new technology on Merseyside – aviation. In 1910 C. Compton Patterson celebrated his first successful flights at Freshfield with a dinner (and no doubt some beer!) at the Grapes, which had become the hang-out for the Freshfield pilots and their friends. He then made the headlines the next day by flying from Freshfield to Hoylake and back. Today it is more likely to be a Premier League footballer, many of whom live in the surrounding area.

The building has a number of separate rooms on different levels, served by a large central bar. They have an individual feel, some with soft furnishings and some more basic. The outside areas have been refurbished; the beer garden is landscaped with decking and the outside seating areas are fitted with heaters. The Grapes has a large number of TVs which are located around the bar and dining area. Food is served most of the day; there is a weekly quiz night on Mondays and regular live music can be enjoyed at weekends. Poker is played on Thursday and Saturday afternoons and teams play in the local darts league.