Perch Rock Hotel, New Brighton

1920s pub for Yates Manchester Brewery (who originally had a second brewery in Birkenhead) with a buff terracotta ground floor and brick above. Note the splendid Yates Manchester Ales and Stouts mosaic in the porch. The name comes from the fort on New Brighton seafront. This basic pub retains its original layout of passageway drinking and four rooms with the majority of the present fittings come from a refurbishment of the early 1960s.

The narrow Vaults at the front left is a classic mid 1960s refitting with ply panels on the walls, brown Formica bar counter front, blue Formica bar top, bar back shelves including glass ones and leatherette fixed seating. Note the ‘Vaults’ etched panel in the door and etched ‘Gentlemen’ in top of door to gents’, which has a black and white tiled floor, inter-war tiles and 3 original big urinals. Note the figure ‘1’ on the inner door the floor to ceiling glazed screen that leads to a drinking lobby with more 1960s fittings and which is a very popular place for drinkers. It has a small counter with light blue Formica on the counter front, counter top and around it and the walls, also a small piece of 1960s seating under the stairs.

Until 2009 the pub was still offering room bell service during the day if not busy, from 7pm 10.40pm each evening and throughout most of Sunday. Staff say if they are in a good mood they might still do table service but this is on rare occasions. The bells in all rooms still work and original 'indicator box' is situated within the servery above the hatch/small bar counter in the drinking lobby. Off to the right are 2 small rooms – the front snug retains the original 1920s bench seating and bell pushes but the fireplace and ply panelled walls around it were added in the 1960s; rear snug has fireplace and ply panelled walls around it added in the 1960s as is the fixed seating and bell pushes above, and the tables are 1960s Formica top ones.

At the rear the darts room or Windy Nook’ has more 1920s bench seating, more working bell pushes, an old baffle and Formica top tables fixed to the floor. The passage on way to gents’ has Ply panels on walls of passage to rear and all the way up the staircase. Gents toilets at the rear have intact 1920s tiled floor, wall tiles and 4 big urinals. Ladies at rear has original tiled walls.