The pub opened its doors over 200 years ago
Inside the Post House in Liverpool city centre in April 1973(Image: Courtesy of Liverpool Central Library and Archives)
A famous Liverpool pub has been tucked down a city centre street for over two centuries. Located on Cumberland Street, The Poste House first opened its doors back in 1820 and has welcomed thousands through its doors overtime.
Set over two floors, the intimate venue is affectionately known as The Postie and has long been loved for its charming interior, décor and traditional furnishings. As well as welcoming customers from across the city and tourists, the likes of Bob Dylan, Debbie Harry, Noel Gallagher, Prince Philip, Jack The Ripper suspect James Maybrick and allegedly a young Adolf Hitler are said to have been there.
The pub is also said to be one of the oldest LGBTQ+ friendly establishments the city has to offer and today, upstairs is a popular choice among the LGBTQ+ community. Earlier this year, we shared a number of lost photos of the pub back in the 1970s that still stir memories today.
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Courtesy of Liverpool Central Library and Archives, they offer a glimpse inside and outside of the pub 52 years ago. Taken in April 1973, we can see how the exterior of the venue looked at that point in time.
You can also see the bar area with a member of staff pulling a pint. They offer an incredible window into the past of one of our oldest city centre pubs.
The Poste House Pub, Cumberland Street, showing the entrance. April 1973(Image: Courtesy of Liverpool Central Library and Archives)
Through the years, The Poste House has also been known as The Muck Midden, although there are several different explanations as to how it came by such a nickname. Back in May 2000, landlady Brenda Lancaster said: “I’ve heard conflicting stories – some of them aren’t suitable to print – but one theory is that the pub got that name because it was once used by the binmen’s bosses.”
But the following year, it looked as if the Georgian ale house was to be no more after big name property developers wished to turn Cumberland Street into flats and apartments. According to the developers at the time, the pub wouldn’t fit into their plans and therefore had to go.
Sahir has stepped in to help facilitate and coordinate the community-led Pride. However, with only a few weeks’ notice, the charity has created a GoFundMe to help with the costs. The target is £60,000 to deliver the celebrations, with any surplus of the funds raised being used to protect the life-changing work Sahir does all year round. You can donate here
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After careful consideration, an application to demolish the century old pub was recommended for approval by Liverpool City Council’s planning officers and fans of the venue began to fear for the worse. In 2001, ECHO journalist, Paddy Shennan, wrote: “The Poste House MUST be saved!
“Please don’t expect your friendly ECHO pub columnists to ever sit on the fence. If you sit on the fence, you get splinters in your bottom – and that’s no way to enjoy a pint of best bitter.
“As all good drinkers and ECHO readers will know, The Poste House is in danger of facing the very worst last orders you can ever face. Last orders for the very last time.
The Poste House in 1973(Image: Courtesy of Liverpool Central Library and Archives)
“But if licensees Brenda and Mike Lancaster, together with an army of indignant regulars, have their way, the bulldozers will be barred from the Cumberland Street boozer. Forever. Iliad and David McLean Contractors Ltd, who bought Liverpool city council’s former Municipal Annexe on Dale Street and education offices in Sir Thomas Street for £2m last year, are planning a major development for this and the surrounding area which would include apartments, restaurants, café bars and public squares.
“The entire proposal is due to be considered at a planning committee meeting at the end of this month. But whatever the merits of such a scheme, I can’t see any merit in calling time on one of Liverpool’s most famous pubs.”
Mike Carr, who was the press officer for the Merseyside branch of the campaign for real ale, alongside the pub’s regulars put up a fight to keep the place open. A petition opposing the plans was signed by more than 700 people and 50 individual letters of objection were also presented to the council from people wanting the pub, which was then locally known as The Muck Midden, to stay.
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Alongside this, was a successful co-ordinated media campaign, which reportedly culminated in a delegation marching behind a coach and horses to the planning committee hearing at Liverpool Town Hall. In 2001, Mike told the ECHO: “If a pub is in a prime site it will get plenty of passing trade, but The Poste House is a pub for regulars – and those in the know. It really is like walking into the perfect living room: a friendly place where non-regulars are made to feel very welcome.”
According to Paddy, Mike even “threatened to chain himself to the fixtures and fittings should the go-ahead be given to the controversial plans.” Mike’s grand gesture didn’t need to take place as much to everyone’s delight, councillors disregarded the advice of their officers and threw out the demolition plans.
If you’re visiting Liverpool’s Pride Quarter, be sure to add The Poste House to your itinerary for its history alone. And if you’ve been visiting for decades, these brilliant images are bound to stir some memories.