One customer told the ECHO that the neighbourhood pub pours ‘the best pint’ in the area
The Old Tavern’s manager Tommy Powell serves customers(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
Adam Marnell comes from a family of publicans. “My auntie used to run The Arkles up in Anfield. My dad’s uncle had three or four bars in town – he had The Lisbon at one point,” he explains, adding: “I think it’s always been there and was an itch I had to scratch.”
And he did. Founding The Old Tavern on Prescot Road, Old Swan during the coronavirus pandemic, Adam says that the bar offers “something different” to an area which is dominated by pub chains such as Greene King and Wetherspoon. Sat in his pub, which he owns with business partner Bob, Adam spoke to the ECHO about the venue’s origins and what makes it unique.
Just after 2pm on a Tuesday, there’s already a few customers enjoying an afternoon pint courtesy of The Old Tavern’s manager Tommy Powell, who’s behind the bar, in conversation with the daytime crowd. One shouts out that the pub pours “the best pint in the Swan,” adding: “They go down very well. The more the merrier!”
The Old Tavern first opened its doors in the months after lockdown, in the same unit that previously operated as a real ale bar called The Ale House.
Opening a bar at a time when the industry was on its knees came with obvious risks, but Adam says the local response was encouraging from the outset, adding: “It was tough, but we had a lot of people in. Because it’s something a bit different to the likes of the Masons, The Black Horse and Wetherspoon, I think it’s become a bit of a niche in Old Swan – something a bit different.”
That niche has been carved out with a blend of quality drinks, regular entertainment and a conscious decision to make the venue more inclusive. Adam said: “We play live music every Friday and every other Saturday. We’ve brought a quiz in now, on a Tuesday. It’s going from strength to strength really.
“We also cater more toward the female sector than the other pubs, I would say – cocktails, wines, spirits.” He jokes: “A husband can come with his wife and she’ll be happy to sit there and have a drink.”
The Old Tavern(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
Adam, a project manager by trade, hadn’t always planned to go into hospitality, but says he saw an opportunity to bring something new to the area. He said: “We were looking at areas outside of town. We thought it’d be nicer to bring something to an area that hasn’t got something like this.
“We were looking at here and West Derby Village. West Derby Village already has quite a few places in it, so we came here. It was nice to add something a little bit upmarket to the area, that’s also affordable.”
When it comes to choosing what’s on the bar, Adam says there’s been a balancing act between novelty and familiarity. He continued: “When we first opened, we wanted to be niche and different, but we also understood that too niche can be a problem. You’ve got to provide good quality beer that people want to drink.
“We went with German/Czech beer, at first, on the draught system, with a couple of known beers that weren’t in chain pubs. We’ve stayed along that sort of path.”
The venue now attracts a mixture of customers – from locals and regulars to younger crowds and NHS staff from the nearby Broadgreen Hospital. Adam believes it’s the atmosphere – and the music – that keeps people coming back.
He said: “We get a lot of regulars and we get a lot of nurses coming in from the hospital. I think one of the big attractions is the live music – and it’s not too loud. We get people coming in for that.”
Four years on from that initial gamble, The Old Tavern has established itself as more than just a place to drink – it’s become part of the social fabric of Old Swan. And Adam, whose family roots in Liverpool’s pub scene run deep, has no regrets about scratching that itch.