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Hole in Ye Wall, Liverpool

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Operator: Independent
4 Hackins Hey, City Centre, Liverpool, L2 2AW (View on Google Map)
  • Historic Interior

A traditional side street pub rumoured to be the oldest hostelry in the city. Wood panelling and stain glass abound. Having been built on the site of an old quaker graveyard the beer cellar is unusually on the first floor above to bar. Another claim to fame is that it was one of the last pubs in the city to allow women entry in 1977. Guest beers are offered on rotation and may be from local and smaller-breweries. A great hidden gem.

Information for this venue is provided by the Liverpool & Districts Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Local Authority
Liverpool District (B)
Last updated
16/05/2025
Last surveyed
26/09/2023
Leasehold owner
unknown
Freehold owner
individual
Pub ID
MER/51
Asset of Community Value

Two star - A pub interior of very special national historic interest

Listed status: Not listed

This side-street pub retains much from a pretty spectacular inter-war refit and has a rare (former) first-floor cellar.

Leaded screens form seating areas and while the lower parts of these and the wall panelling are from the inter-war period: the upper parts were restored/replaced around 1984. The pub boasts working bell-pushes but these are now rarely used ( a bell-box with three working indicators is behind the bar): but if things are quiet it will probably be responded to. This claims to have been the last 'Men Only' public bar in Liverpool, only admitting women when the Sex Discrimination Act came into effect in 1976. As for the upper cellar, these used to exist in quite a number of pubs: here, until quite recently, ale was fed down the columns on the bar counter but the pipework has not been replaced so all real ales are now served on handpumps. Note the old telephone booth from the days before mobile phones!

General information about historic pub interiors

Tucked away off Dale Street, this pub retains much from an inter-war refit and has a rare first floor cellar. One reason suggested for the unusual cellar is that the pub was built on consecrated land - a cemetery for a Quaker Meeting House. Until recently, some real ale was served from a keg looking dispenser by gravity feed down the columns on top of the bar counter but the pipework has not been replaced recently so all real ales now served on handpumps. Look for the framed note titled 'Gravity Fed Traditional Ales'.

Leaded screens form seating areas and while the lower parts of these and the wall panelling are from the 1930s, the upper parts were restored/replaced in c.1984. The lower parts of the bar-back fitting look to be original 1930s work but the top section is modern. Note the marble counter top in one area from the days of serving food from it. The counter front of copper panels could be from the 1960s and the ornate copper fireplace hood could date from that time. Note the telephone booth with a door covered with studded leather – from the days before mobile phones!

Look for the three window bell-box still situated behind the bar - the bell pushes are still in working order but rarely switched on due to both accidental and purposeful over use of them! It claims to be the last 'Men Only' public bar in Liverpool only allowing women in when forced to by law on 1 January 1976 when the Sex Discrimination Act (1975) became law! This is the reason why the present ladies' toilet can only be accessed by walking across the servery and going upstairs to the former staff toilet on the first floor! The gents' are little altered with an interwar terrazzo floor and dado.

General information about historic pub interiors
Monday
Noon - 11:00pm
Tuesday
Noon - 11:00pm
Wednesday
Noon - 11:00pm
Thursday
Noon - 11:00pm
Friday
Noon - 11:00pm
Saturday
Noon - 11:00pm
Sunday
Noon - 10:30pm

TasteMatch

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Current beers

This Pub serves 6 changing beers and 0 regular beers.

Regular and recently seen

Hawkshead - Windermere Pale TasteMatch Prediction

View beer
Hawkshead - Windermere Pale
Hawkshead - Windermere Pale Session Blond Ale • 3.4% Spotted twice.
Hawkshead - Windermere Pale
Hawkshead - Windermere Pale

Spotted twice. recently. Last spotted 1 day ago at Hole in Ye Wall, Liverpool.

ABV 3.4%
Style Session Blond Ale
Colour
Vegan No
Gluten Free No

Frome - The Usual TasteMatch Prediction

View beer
Frome - The Usual
Frome - The Usual Premium Bitter • 4.4% Spotted twice.
Frome - The Usual
Frome - The Usual

Spotted twice. recently. Last spotted 1 day ago at Hole in Ye Wall, Liverpool.

ABV 4.4%
Style Premium Bitter
Colour
Vegan No
Gluten Free No

Moorhouse's - Blonde Witch TasteMatch Prediction

View beer
Moorhouse's - Blonde Witch
Moorhouse's - Blonde Witch Premium Blond Ale • 4.4% Spotted 4 times.
Moorhouse's - Blonde Witch
Moorhouse's - Blonde Witch

Spotted 4 times. recently. Last spotted 1 day ago at Hole in Ye Wall, Liverpool.

ABV 4.4%
Style Premium Blond Ale
Colour
Vegan No
Gluten Free No

Weetwood - Cheshire Cat TasteMatch Prediction

View beer
Weetwood - Cheshire Cat
Weetwood - Cheshire Cat Session Blond Ale • 4% Spotted 4 times.
Weetwood - Cheshire Cat
Weetwood - Cheshire Cat

Spotted 4 times. recently. Last spotted 1 day ago at Hole in Ye Wall, Liverpool.

ABV 4%
Style Session Blond Ale
Colour
Vegan No
Gluten Free No

Source: National


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Facilities
Sports TV Sports TV
Lunchtime Meals Lunchtime Meals
baguettes
Live Music Live Music
Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons.
Events Events
Separate Bar Separate Bar
Wi Fi Wi Fi
Features
Cask Ale Cask Ale
Real Heritage Pub Real Heritage Pub
LocAle LocAle
Transport
Close to bus routes (20m)
Arriva/Stagecoach: Dale St routes (Victoria St outbound)
Nearby Station (100m)
Moorfields
Directions
Off Dale Street

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