I went for a drink in Hull's former Fisherman's mission with the prettiest pool room
With Dagger Lane in Hull City Centre dominated by the towering nightclub Atik and other quayside bars, The Mission pub can easily get lost in all the noise despite its huge size.
The hefty building opened back in 1866 as The Seamen's Mission for all the seafarers operating out of the fishing fleets that dominated Hull's economy. Extending to form The Mariners' Church of The Good Shepard in 1926/27, the huge chapel-like windows are a feature synonymous with the pub nearly 100 years on.
Now a pub and night-time venue, I had a drink in The Mission.
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Walking along Princes Dock Street to Dagger Lane shows the contrast. Quayside, with the likes of Atik and Furleys, makes it look modern, and off the side street to get to Dagger Lane is like stepping through time with narrow, cobbled streets and this huge Church building slap bang in the centre. The colourful glass artwork is cut in half by a carvery advertisement.
Meeting a mate who was already seated, I grabbed a pint of Guinness and headed over to him. We both asked each other, "When was the last time we were in here?" trying to reminisce about countless nights out. Having been a good few years, we got to see Mish' in a different light during the day with sober eyes.
During the night-time, the pub turns into quite a booming destination, with the dancefloor usually packed out by those pre-drinking before heading next door. Though by then, you're a few drinks deep and only fussed about what song is playing, we now get to take in missed things.
Two different parties were making the most of the free pool every day. The pool tables must be in the most picturesque spot in town, with the sun shining through the Minster-esque glass and chandeliers, giving a mix of natural and artificial lighting. One of the older fellas saw me looking up at the glass, came over and joked, "It's not bad for a sticker," before grabbing his cue for another shot. In a cool turn of events, this "sticker" was used as a backdrop for Liam Gallagher's interview ahead of his MTV Unplugged set.
The bare brickwork scattered throughout the pub is a distinctive feature, with empty whisky bottles interwoven with the cement. Originally, I thought the filled bookshelves were for decor, but the one near us mentioned book donations. As expected, there was plenty of seafaring memorabilia used as decorations, such as rope and paintings of ships.
Callum, who joined me at Mission, works on the trawlers. Rather fittingly, while we were in a building designed for homely respite for seafarers 160 years ago, he had just got the message that he was due back to sea the coming weekend. Though that text wiped the smile off his face, we both enjoyed our pint in there for its chilled vibes - probably more of a sign that we're getting old.
The Mission is open Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday from 11:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.