The Pines real ale café bar in Hillside

Customers sunning themselves
outside The Pines

Looking in my local paper, I read an article that stated a new café bar had opened in Hillside, just around the corner from the Grasshopper micropub that I wrote about in March. I've been watching this site for a while and it seemed for ages that nothing much was happening. I decided there and then to drive over to have a look (two buses otherwise).

It's called The Pines, and it serves two real ales, which when I called were Old School Brewery Hopscotch and Southport Golden Sands. I went for the Hopscotch, and was charged £1.65 for a pint. It seems I had called during their happy hour when on weekdays drinks are half price. My pint was fine. They also serve food, coffee, wines and spirits. It was a nice sunny day and the front doors were wide open, with everyone sitting outside.

I stuck with one pint as I was driving, but will pay a proper visit soon. In the space of a few months, Hillside has gone from no pubs or bars to two; you can have a mini-pub crawl there now. It's easy to get to: the 47 bus passes just yards away, and it's a five minute walk to Hillside Station.