UK’s roughest pubs: Five lost Merseyside boozers named among UK’s most notorious

A number of Merseyside pubs have been named in a search for the UK’s ‘roughest’ boozer.

They were among hundreds of suggestions from people across the country in response to a question by X (formerly Twitter) user @ROUNDTHEBEND_, asking: “What’s the roughest pub you’ve ever been in and why?”

A number of people shared stories about Merseyside pubs, including someone trying to sell a monkey stolen from Knowsley Safari Park.

Here are five former Merseyside pubs that local residents believe to be the roughest. They may have since been closed down or demolished, but their bizarre stories live on.

The Eagle & Child, Huyton

The Eagle and Child had a pretty bad reputation for being rough, with a large number of people having stories to tell. It has since been demolished but it seems its reputation remains.

One Twitter user said: “The Eagle & Child in Huyton was nuts. I think it burned down in the end when they had a bbq and fireworks party indoors. I’ve just been laughing my head off reading the funny stories online.”

He also attached screenshots of people sharing their stories about the pub, with one person saying: “Was in there one night. Some big fella said to me you want to buy a watch? Showing him my wrist... no thanks mate I’ve already got one. That’s the one I’m selling he said. Had to buy my own watch.”

Another Twitter user said: “My dad told me that some fella stole a monkey from Knowsley Safari Park and tried to raffle it in the pub.”

The Peacock, Kirkby

One Twitter user said: “That Peacock in Kirkby. A fella got accused of being a bizzy cos he was reading a book.”

To which another replied: “Not having been in the boozer before is enough to have you marked as a copper in half the boozers in Kirkby.”

We couldn’t find any information to warrant The Peacock being notoriously rough, however, there have been reports of fights outside the pub - which is not unusual. TripAdvisor reviews actually suggest The Peacock is a well-liked local.

Moodz, Birkenhead

One user uploaded a photo of Moodz in Birkenhead with no explanation as to why it’s a ‘rough’ pub. However, we have to admit the photo of a horse walking into the boozer is a little bit odd.

When researching the now-closed pub, we did find a number of poor TripAdvisor reviews, with one stating: “Just a warning to anyone that isn’t local, this is the local smack heads bar.”

Dale Inn, Seacombe

The Dale Inn was built in the 1970s, but closed in the 1990s. It was left to rot and branded by locals as a ‘public disgrace’ before being demolished in the early 2000s.

A Twitter user said: “Dale Inn Seacombe. Too many stories to tell. It looked dead posh when it opened but it was in the heart of Seacombe. It had a beautiful inside pond with koi and goldfish, by throwing out time no fish were left as they had been eaten live for bets.” He added: “Sub note - Oyster in Leasowe.”

The Bow and Arrow, Liverpool

The Bow and Arrow was known for being rough, with fights often breaking out. Ricky Tomlinson previously said he ‘feared for his life’ when performing a gig at the now lost pub.

One Twitter user uploaded a photo of the former pub, and said: ‘No story needed for this gaff.”

Another Twitter user added: “One lad I know went in on New Years Eve and saw someone getting a fruit machine thrown at them. Stopped the “party” at 10.30.”