‘IT’S all that Jolly Jack Tar stuff, mate.� Penge’s only honorary Scouser, Mr Phil “Wotcha Cock� Key, was reflecting on The Liverpool pub, in James Street.

The maritime theme is everywhere with special attention given to framed pictures of the city’s own flagship HMS Liverpool in its seven different incarnations since the first one, a fifth-rate frigate, built in the city and launched on July 19, 1741.

Since the current HMS Liverpool, a Type 42 destroyer, was launched in September, 1980, the pub has been adopted by the ship’s crew who will descend on the place whenever the ship berths in its home city, as it did last time in late October last year.

Which is understandable since every self-respecting Liverpudlian will always make a bee line to a hostelry named after his or her home city.

They are all over the place – Mexico, France, Antarctica . . . Indeed, one of the Pub Column’s own favourites is the Liverpool Arms, in Conwy, North Wales.

But, despite the long lifeline of the pub’s maritime namesake, its own origins are relatively recent, a factor the Pub Column got to know about thanks to Daily Post reader Adrian Wood, of Storeton, Wirral.

Adrian’s Dad, Frederick, bought and ran the old Dod’s Hotel which formerly stood on the site until the May Blitz of 1941 when it was virtually destroyed by German bombers.

It was later incorporated with the old Mona Hotel to eventually become The Liverpool and fell under the helmsmanship of Peter and Val Smith. Now they are semi-retired, this lively boozer is now run by the couple’s daughter, Paula Billingsley, helped by sister Debra.

Paula says that the HMS Liverpool bond is very strong and that when the ship’s in town her Mum and Dad get treated like royalty.

“They’ve been invited on board for a meal and a few drinks – in fact, my Dad’s nearly fallen off the gangplank a few times,� laughs the gregarious 42-year-old Paula, adding that the ship even presented them with a Liver Bird shield wrought from gun metal which takes pride of place above the bar.

Not surprisingly, given this potent symbol and its name, the place has become a haven for football fans – and not just those of a Reds persuasion.

“Evertonians don’t mind coming in here and we get a lot of away fans, too – PSV supporters took over the place when they played at Anfield earlier in the season,� she says.

Legend even has it that Kopites have used The Liverpool as the principal venue for composing some famous chants, which was confirmed by local writer, pub regular and Reds poet Dave Kirby.

There have, however, been less welcome visitors in the past. The evidence was outside the front door with two tell-tale posters – one saying “All machines on these premises are emptied every night� and the other “Toilets for customers only.�

Paula maintains that the latter one refers to the steady overflow of Merseyrail customers popping in from the bogless James Street underground station next door.

But we digress – this ostensibly friendly and bubbly pub proved to be just the place for a weary Mr Key and Yours Truly, alternately sipping Double Famous Grouse With Lots Of Ice and Stella in a welcome work-time break from Castle Greyskull.

“I’m feeling quite comfortable here, mate,� said Mr Key, taking a leisurely toke on his ciggie. “In fact, it’s the sort of place where you think ‘I should be getting back to the missus’.

“Then you say, ‘sod it. Let’s have another one’.�

Which is precisely what we did.

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