Unearthed picture shows history of iconic city pub set to reopen this week

The Pig & Whistle has served drinkers for the best part of 150 years. Found on the corner of Chapel Street and Covent Garden in Liverpool city centre's business district, the building has a long history, dating back to the early 18th century when it was both a boarding house and a brothel.

It was in 1875 that the site became a pub, which took its name from crew bars on ships. Its location meant that it was a popular haunt for seafarers and dockers - as well as serving the workers from the offices in its vicinity.

The pub now stands alone on its block, with its neighbouring buildings all demolished. An urban legend meant many in Liverpool long thought that was due to the Blitz, but the surrounding structures were actually all knocked down by the city council in the 1970s, leaving The Pig as the last man standing.

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An unearthed picture (displayed at the top of this article) found in the Liverpool ECHO archives shows how The Pig & Whistle looked in 1992. In September of that year, the ECHO reported how the pub previously went by a different name and included the tales of the people who came through its doors.

The article said: "The Pig and Whistle (it used to be the Peg and Wassail) at the corner of Covent Garden and Chapel Street, has a long history and was once a venue where emigrants would sell their possessions before sailing to the New World.

"An old brass plaque inscribed 'Emigrants Supplied' is preserved on the premises. Always a maritime pub, the Pig and Whistle was a haunt of sailors, usually the last call before they boarded their ships and sailed."

The Pig & Whistle closed its doors in July, with many fearing this historic watering hole would be lost for good. However, the ECHO last week spoke to new licensee Bobby Dix, who hopes to reopen The Pig on Friday.

About the pub's impending return, he said: "I think this place has a lot more potential than it ever realised, even when I was here the first time around. If it's me pulling the strings and making the decisions, I think there's a good chance that we can get it going again.

"You've got big hotels nearby, you've got huge office buildings nearby, you've got the India Buildings. It's hard to make the place look open, but if you can make it look less derelict and let people know that something fun is going on here, then I think it could be back on the Scouse round of great pubs.

"You've got here, Tithebarn, Chapel Street, Dale Street - there are brilliant pubs around here. There's no reason why the Pig can't be part of that. We'll keep the name but just spruce it up a little. I'm keeping some of the nicer things that Neil added - the real nice designs and the mural are staying.

"Everything else around it is being painted and cleaned up a little bit. There are other little features that I'm looking to add. Mostly I'm just trying to brighten it up and making it a bit nicer.

"It isn't an overhaul, but I think I can do enough to make it the sort of place that is a more appealing venue than it was previously."