The venue will open a new sports bar next year
17:11, 16 Dec 2025Updated 17:45, 16 Dec 2025
The Jawbone Tavern in Bootle(Image: Bond Media Agency)
One of Merseyside’s oldest pub has announced it will open a new sports bar in January. The Jawbone Tavern reopened back in September 2024, after being taken over by new owners who updated the popular local, whilst preserving its history.
Located on Litherland Road, the pub originally opened in 1802 and was named after the whaling fleets based at the Bootle Docks. Once owned by a Liverpool FC title winner, The Jawbone Tavern has survived two world wars and served thousands of people in Bootle Village for over 200 years.
During Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939, the pub was run by Jock McNab – a Red midfielder who helped bring home the title in 1922 and 1923.
After his success on the pitch, Jock hung up his boots and worked in the pub for over two decades.
The pub, which is also reportedly haunted, was a popular venue with premier league players who would come in to see Jock – including legendary Everton forward Dixie Dean.
Now, the pub is set to open a new sports bar at the start of the new year.
The bar will include three electronic dart board lanes, a pool table and seven big screens so customers will be able to watch “all the big sporting action”.
Artist Paul Curtis with his work at Bootle’s Jawbone Tavern(Image: Paul Curtis)
This expansion will create an additional eight jobs at the venue.
Since taking over the pub, the new owners have also built an extensive beer garden with local artist Paul Curtis creating a huge whaling image for the exterior as a nod to the pub’s past.
Dave Mcnally, General Manager of the Jawbone Tavern, said: “When the new owners took over the Jawbone Tavern they had plans to create a new outdoor space and that was completed earlier in the year.
Dave McNally, manager of The Jawbone Tavern(Image: The Jawbone Tavern)
“This was a big hit with our locals across the summer months and now we have expanded upstairs and are in the process of creating a 80 customer capacity sports bar.
“The sports bar will be an extension of what we currently offer and we look forward to welcoming customers both new and old from January onwards.”
The Jawbone Tavern also helped spread some Christmas cheer this festive season after paying for the Bootle community Christmas tree.
For more information head to The Jawbone Tavern’s Facebook page.