The Old Fort, Prescot St, Liverpool Feb 10 2007

by Mike Chapple, Liverpool Daily Post

WE USED to joke about The Old Fort. It was dubbed The Old Fart, not so much for the nature of its clientele, but because it looked like your average crumbly, gradually falling apart.

Which indeed it was.

The subject of a compulsory purchase order, it was to be demolished to make way for Merseytram and was subsequently allowed to fall into disrepair. But then, quelle surprise, that scheme went off the rails and the pub was saved.

It was then that someone at Punch Taverns must have woken up to what a potential little goldmine it is. Number one, it’s slap bang opposite to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

Now the Royal may be the second most foulest, ugliest building in the city (Castle Greyskull holds the distinction of being number one).

It also occasionally has what looks like the cast of Dawn of the Dead shambling around its perimeters.

But it’s possibly the biggest potential customer catchment building in the city - and there is the pub literally on its doorstep.

Also, with the ever-increasing popularity of the city as a choice for study, the immediate area has a burgeoning student population multiplying faster than a warren of rabbits on Viagra.

So new investment seemed a very sensible option compared to demolition.

Consequently, a 14-week refurbishment, costing over £300,000, was completed just before Christmas.

The Pub Column’s most faithful companion, Arts Editor Mr Phil "all right moosh" Key and Yours Truly sneaked out of Greyskull Towers one dinner time (it’s lunchtime, mate - Mr Key) this week to investigate for ourselves - and were suitably impressed.

Unfortunately, the one drawback about the work is that the pub is now entirely a no smoking zone, pre-empting the ban due to be introduced nationwide this summer.

Now for the normal person, this may not present a problem - in fact it could be considered a positive boon. But, as the Arts Editor has the propensity to smoke more than the collective daily intake of a lab beagle, there was a slight hesitation as we crossed the threshold.

"Ere, mate," he exclaimed with concern. "The hands will start shaking if I can’t have me fags."

He could have actually used the yard out back, which has been tastefully re-tiled and set aside for puffing Billies.

But, given the awful weather, even the hardy Mr Key found that he was able to curb his habit while he supped his trademark Large Famous Grouse With Lots Of Ice while Yours Truly nursed a pint of Stella and took in the scenery.

From something that was ultimately dark and dank, the new Old Fort is now beautifully bright and airy.

Fashionably open plan, it’s a mixture of laminate and carpeting which gives the impression somehow of being three rooms in one, its pastel walls awash with intriguing pics of Liverpool’s yesteryear.

The landlady, Karen Fagan, says the pub has duly become a big hit with its core customers, doctors and nurses, students and patients. As if to prove a point, one of the latter was gamely trying to sup his pint with an arm in a sling as we talked.

It’s also open for breakfast from 8am Monday to Friday - a service which is only gradually taking off because Karen says people are not used to pubs serving breakfast up at this top end of town.

Maybe after this word will get around and more will pop in to explore The Old Fort, because it’s a perfect example of how to do a pub makeover properly.

Or you could say the Fort’s gone from "fart" to "state of the art".

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