Historic Merseyside pub with great beer and roaring fire is perfect for a winter pint

The Volunteer Canteen in Waterloo
-Credit: (Image: Dan Haygarth)


Stumbling on a pub you have not been to before is one of life's great joys. A recent Saturday when my friends and I found ourselves in need of something to do presented us with that opportunity.

After a couple too many on the Friday night, we decided to head up to Crosby Beach to enjoy a crisp Autumn Saturday. A walk along the beach was the perfect way to clear the head, take in some fresh air and get back on track.

Many people in Merseyside would count Crosby Beach among their favourite places - it is a beautiful beach, with great views over Merseyside made even more atmospheric by the iron men of Anthony Gormley's 'Another Place' installation. But I think there is no better way to bring a walk to an end than to find somewhere for a pint.

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Just beyond Crosby Boating Lake and into Waterloo, we found our answer - and I was able to correct a glaring hole in my knowledge of Merseyside's hostelries. The Volunteer Canteen, known as 'The Volly' is found in a Victorian terraced building on East Street in the Sefton town, nestled among some very pretty houses.

Originally a house, the pub dates back to 1871 and was run by famous Liverpool brewery Higson's for more than a century. Unfortunately Higson's is no longer with us but the pub is now operated by another fine Merseyside beer producer - the Liverpool Brewing Company. As a result, you can find plenty of its ales behind the bar.

It is believed the pub takes its rather unique name from the Boer War. The nearby chapel served as a drill hall for soldiers before they departed for Africa and the pub would provide ample refreshment.

I had never been before but was impressed as soon as we arrived. The Volly is gloriously old fashioned. The façade is simple, with painted black brickwork brought alive by gold touches and hanging flower baskets. It still has the old Higson branding etched on its windows, while traditional street lamps flank the door and beckon you in.

When we arrived, just as it opened at 2pm, there was just a sole drinker inside, nursing a lager and reading the paper at the bar - completely at peace. Having ordered a drink - a pint of Liverpool Brewing Company's excellent golden ale 24 Carat for myself - we took a seat in the lounge, next to a heaving bookcase - laden with copies of The Good Beer Guide.

Like many older pubs, its space is split between the bar and the lounge and it is not hard to picture that it used to be a house. The bar is nicely compact and the pub's heritage is thankfully preserved, with the bar a fine combination of wood panels, metal touches and stained glass.

As the afternoon went on, more people made their way inside. A man who needed to put his feet up after a long walk down the beach enjoyed a pint as he caught up on some admin, before a regular brought his dogs in and a barman brought his regular drink to him without him needing to say a word. It feels, like any good pub should, like the heart of its community.

On Instagram, The Volly describes itself as an "award-winning pub in Waterloo with few distractions. No Jukebox. No Fruit Machines. No Pool Tables." It is exactly that - a welcoming, relaxed space where the focus is simply on the beer you're drinking, the attractive setting and the people you're with.

There are no bells or whistles and it is all the better for it. For a lazy Saturday afternoon, the lounge was a perfect spot - comfortable, relaxed and homely.

But I can imagine, on a cold evening such as those we are experiencing at the moment, it is ideal. With a roaring fire and people packed in, it will get nicely lively and will function exactly how such a traditional pub should.

I greatly enjoyed my first trip to The Volly and wondered why I hadn't been sooner. It is a tremendous pub and I will be back this winter to enjoy a Saturday night with a few cask ales (though I hear it also pours a fine Guinness) by the fire.