Leaving the Ship and Mitre on Dale Street in Liverpool on a bright, sunny day recently, I noticed, not for the first time, the old Higsons sign engraved on the neighbouring building, which used to be offices of the long-gone Higsons brewery, disgracefully closed in 1990 by Whitbread. Higsons Bitter is fondly remembered by many of us Merseyside beer drinkers. I rather liked the reflection of the Ship and Mitre's art deco exterior in the marble wall.Saturday, 24 April 2010
Reflecting on the past
Leaving the Ship and Mitre on Dale Street in Liverpool on a bright, sunny day recently, I noticed, not for the first time, the old Higsons sign engraved on the neighbouring building, which used to be offices of the long-gone Higsons brewery, disgracefully closed in 1990 by Whitbread. Higsons Bitter is fondly remembered by many of us Merseyside beer drinkers. I rather liked the reflection of the Ship and Mitre's art deco exterior in the marble wall.
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I too walked past this exact spot when leaving the Ship & Mitre on the Friday afternoon of their recent Belgium Beer Festival. Higsons bitter has to be one of my all time favourites, their mild was also excellent. I used to drink in the Kensigton. In those days they still had a bell you pressed and a member of staff would come and serve you at the table. Ah happy days...........
ReplyDeleteI remember when I worked in Norris Green, the Wheatsheaf in West Derby used to have table service, as did the Willowbank on Smithdown Road around 30 years ago. The only pub I know that does now is the Volunteer Canteen in Waterloo in the lounge. All of these used to be Higsons houses.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the Crows Nest in Crosby? Again an ex Higsons house, I am sure they used to serve you in there as well
ReplyDeleteHigsons were one of the best accounts we had, when I worked for a branch of a major Clearing Bank in Liverpool some years ago. Good, long-established attitudes prevailed - they were grateful to us, it was a profitable business. Higsons' Directors wined and dined us and vice versa, customers were happy,
ReplyDeleteshareholders were content, back in the days before big bang deregulation. "Could it be that it was all so simple then or has time rewritten every line?"
The Imagined Bank huh?
David: I think you're right about the Crow's Nest.
ReplyDeleteClive: the rot set in when the Captain Mainwarings were replaced by spivs.
We noticed this sign also the other day. Was the original brewery on this site?
ReplyDeleteNo, it was only ever offices. The original brewery was at 64 Dale Street, which is now occupied by the Barber Shop. It later moved to the site more recently used by Cains Brewery.
ReplyDelete