I went to the 'best pub in Liverpool' and could instantly see why it's so loved

“It’s got some history in these walls,” the barman tells me as I order my drink at the bar. Walking in I thought to myself ‘I can’t wait to see this place in winter.’

That’s because Peter Kavanagh’s is a dark, cosy and warming pub in the Georgian Quarter, that I imagine is snug in the cold winter months - especially near Christmas. I can imagine popping in for a red wine surrounded by merry customers, who too are enjoying the inviting atmosphere.

Since moving to Liverpool I’ve been recommended many pubs by different people and Peter Kavanagh’s is always one that appears on their lists so, probably a few months later than I should have, I finally paid it a visit.

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Peter Kavanagh’s was voted the best pub in Liverpool by ECHO readers, and it's easy to see why. The pub is located on the corner of Egerton Street in the Georgian Quarter, which is probably one of my favourite parts of Liverpool. The buildings are stunning and to be honest some of my favourite pubs are located there.

When I first pulled up outside my thoughts were ‘this is a pretty pub,’ I’m a bit cross with myself for never walking past and falling inside before. Walking in I genuinely fell in love with the quaint venue - although the fairy lights strewn everywhere may have helped. All I could think to myself was ‘I can’t wait to see it at Christmas time.’ I could just picture the pub heaving with punters splurging out into the street, merry and enjoying a vino - or maybe a cheeky mulled wine - on a cold winter's night in December.

One thing really did shock me inside however. I learnt I was the barman’s first customer of the day since it opened at 12pm. It made me sad to learn that such a brilliant pub was sitting dormant for two hours - especially when you can picture its full potential. Although, he says come 5pm his regulars will trickle in for their evening bevvie after work - which warmed my heart a little. For me, a good pub has its regulars, if someone loves it enough to come back on a regular basis that just automatically means it’s a good boozer in my opinion.

I ordered a pint of diet coke (I was working, after all) and a packet of mini cheddars for less than £3 - that is pretty unheard of in the city these days. But the most impressive thing about this pub is how every single nook and cranny is bustling with quirky memorabilia, antiques, pictures and so much more. I sat there, drinking my coke, with a crocodile next to me, a bike opposite and many more weird and wonderful things in between. I loved it. Oh, and it had a brilliant playlist on in the background too.

Although, what I think makes this pub so different and special is its history. Landlady Rita Smith took over Peter Kavanagh’s 27 years ago and has been a driving force behind the pub's success since. She transformed it into a quirky local filled with curiosities and retro bric-a-brac hanging from the ceilings.

The 81-year-old previously told the ECHO: “I took over the pub on March 19 1992, a date imprinted in my brain.” The first ornament Rita put up when she took over the pub was a retirement clock she had been given by her colleagues at Liverpool Polytechnic, now Liverpool John Moores University.

Rita said: "I always said when I figure out where I'm going to be I'll put the clock on the wall, so the first thing I did when I came here was put it up. People always say, 'when are you going to retire Rita?' and I say, well, I already have - years ago."

From there the huge range of curiosities on the walls and ceilings have been added gradually over time. She said: "It all started because I had some things in my old house and I didn't know what to do with them. I thought, 'I know, I'll stick an old radio on the ceiling' and there's all kinds up there now.

“I wanted stuff from the past and Liverpool's past to teach the younger people what we did and how we lived. It's all there - things I remember. I remember when we got electricity coming in - we used to have gas lamps before that.

Although Rita has been landlady since 1992 the first time she went to Peter Kavanagh's pub was in the late 1950s, and at the time she was working in the army - you can just imagine the tales that this pub could tell - and for that reason, it’s one of my favourite places in this city. Oh, and I can fully see why you voted it the best pub in Liverpool.