Pub Facts

Ratings

• The pub opened in the 1830s and is named after William Roscoe (1753–1831), a Liverpool historian, poet, and leading campaigner for the abolition of slavery

• It is one of only five pubs in the UK (and the only one in the North of England) to appear in every edition of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide since its inception in 1974

• The Roscoe Head is a free house, independently owned by Carol Ross, who secured the freehold in 2020 after a lengthy campaign to save the pub from being turned into a managed house by national pub companies

• The pub has been run by the same family (the Joyce/Ross family) for over 35 years

• Its layout features four small, cosy rooms (including a snug), a lobby bar, and retains much of its 1930s interior, including leaded glass doors, fixed seating, and bell-pushes in the rear snug

• The Roscoe Head is known for its focus on conversation and real ale, with no piped music, fruit machines, or televised sport

• It offers six real ales on hand pump: two regulars (Tetley Bitter and Timothy Taylor’s Landlord) and four changing guest beers from local and independent breweries

• The pub serves hot pies all day but does not offer a full meal menu

• It is wheelchair accessible (ask at the bar for a ramp)

• The Roscoe Head has received numerous awards, including CAMRA Liverpool Pub of the Year and Pub of Excellence, and is a two-star Heritage Pub for its historic interior

• Regular events include a quiz night on Tuesdays and cribbage on Wednesdays

• The pub is praised for its friendly, professional staff, spotless interior, and consistently high-quality beer

• The clientele is diverse, and the atmosphere is described as warm, lively, and welcoming, with a strong sense of community