Dale Harvey says there’s one thing that makes Scouse pubs special
Dale Harvey in Liverpool for The Great British Pub Crawl(Image: Dale Harvey)
A man who has visited over 6,000 pubs in the UK has named his favourite places to go in Liverpool. Dale Harvey, 37, is documenting his Great British Pub Crawl on social media. As of Thursday June 12, Dale says he has visited 6,139 pubs since starting the project in 2022 and wants to eventually visit every single one in the country. He has now named his favourite in Liverpool.
As a former pub landlord in Nottingham, he was motivated to embark on the project to highlight Britain’s amazing pubs, as well as the struggles that those running them face. Dale told the ECHO: “I was a manager of a pub with him for 16 years or so. I know how hard the industry is, so I thought, you know what, the best thing for me to do is go out and try and help the industry in a different way.
“The government needs to do more. It’s not just the current government, although they’re the only ones that can change it now, but it’s been the same for 30 odd years.
“It’s reached a crisis point. We’re losing 50 pubs a week and if that continues, we’re going to have nothing left.”
One of Dale’s most recent videos showed him enjoying a trip to The Ship and Mitre on Dale Street. He loved its wide selection of beer and ale as well as its Scouse, which he tried for the first time.
However, Dale was not surprised at all to find another great Liverpool pub. He said: “There are so many good pubs, I couldn’t even pick a top 10.
“The Philharmonic Dining Rooms is impressive. Peter Kavanagh’s is just an amazing place. The Big House (The Vines) is another stunning structure to go to and I absolutely love the Ship and Mitre.
“Places like The Ship and Mitre have an amazing beer lineup that I would head back for because you’re going to find something different every time.
“I tried Scouse for the first time there and it certainly won’t be the last. I was very impressed. But there’s so many in Liverpool that are so amazing.
“Ma Egerton’s is brilliant, The Lions Tavern, Doctor Duncan’s is one I love, the list goes on.
Dale says it’s Scousers themselves who make these pubs great. He said: “The thing that makes Liverpool unique in general is the people.
“The people are the friendliest people in this country. I won’t have anybody say anything different. You’ve got the best pubs, you’ve got the best people.
“Every time I come to Liverpool, the people couldn’t be more friendly. I absolutely love it. I miss the place when I’m not there and I always try and plan another journey before I’ve even finished the current crawl that I’m on.
Dale is a big fan of The Ship and Mitre(Image: Dale Harvey)
“When you go in, if you are made to feel welcome by whoever, it doesn’t really matter if it’s a rundown looking little pub or something that’s had millions spent on it.
“It’s the people that make you feel part of their family, their community. I like beer and places that just make you go the extra mile to make you feel welcome.
Dale is particularly interested in the offering on Dale Street and the adjacent Tithebarn Street. He said: “The whole of Dale Street and the street behind where Shenanigans and stuff like that is – what a wonderful little area to go out and do a crawl.”
When the ECHO spoke to Dale he had just finished reviewing the watering holes of Swansea and was on his way to Worcester to do the same. But he is already planning another trip to Merseyside.
Dale said: “I’ve done seven crawls in Liverpool now. I still find new things, new pubs and new areas. Every video I do in Liverpool, I call it my favourite city to visit in the country and I’ll stand by that.”
You can find out more by searching for The Great British Pub Crawl on all major social media platforms.