Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral Pubs Past & Present 690 The Dale Inn Seacombe

photos by dwavey
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hard to picture now innit?

Jan Molby use to play Pool there on a Wednesday afternoon in the late 80s.

Is this the one that used to have a rocking horse in the ceiling?

Don't tell me...It's been knocked down...right?

Seems like most the rest of Wallasey has been.

it got `mysteriously` burnt to a crisp 1st.

Don't tell me...It's been knocked down...right?

Seems like most the rest of Wallasey has been.

Huh? How did THAT happen?

Any way thanks for the answer.

fookin hell! the dale- only went there once or twice. Dunno why but i was scared of it? rumour? reputation? i was only a baby- hypothetically speaking rather than literal.

The only Wallasey pub I used to go to, only to see the bands that played there.

Scared of it? lol

Wipe yo feet on the way out darlin

yer- dunno why?

it did have a reputation for being a dive

Missed tho, bloomin big tescos in t view now!

One of my old friends met her hubby there, they loved it.....then they emigrated to Melbourne, Oz in the 80's. She couldnt believe it when I told her it had gone! She suspects the council arson department... so do I

The landlord did loads for charity 80's & 90's. I saw Benrard Manning there twice. He know the landlord and worked for free, all the ticket money went to charity.

I was the landlord for 12 years in the 80s/90s, any questions contact me, it upset me when I saw it demolished.

Anyone got any info' on the original'Dale Inn'? It was in Oakdale Road.

Whereabouts Bezzy?

On the same side as The Bird,going towards Wheatland Lane.

Actually, it was not on the same side of the Bird, it was right next to the Library, we ran it for 10 years, we came from Manchester and thought we were going to hate it, we had the best time of our lives and made great friends there.

The question I asked was concerning the original Dale Inn. I am aware of the position of the new Dale Inn,as I grew up in that area!

Which is nowhere near the Bird.

That must have been the next building along from the Bird. As I recall, there is not much between the Bird, as it is now, and the backs of the houses on Wheatland Lane. (?)

Right,let me post this again!
Has anyone got any information on the 'Dale Inn' that was in Oakdale Rd.It was on the same side as 'The Bird in Hand',heading toward Wheatland Lane.
The only conection to The Dale that was at 'Lloyds Corner',was the name!

That is why I am looking for any info'.I know that there is a large gap,but I think it was nearer the top of the road.
I will email my friend in the USA who lived in that road to see what she can remember.
Her brother was named Dale after the pub!

Im confused too! Bezzy, your recollection 'rings a bell' (my dad reminiscing-i think)
yet, am confused by your location description? Are you saying the corner of wheatland lane/ oakdale road? What era we talking about? X

It was prob' pulled down in the 60's.I only have a vague recolation of it being in Oakdale Rd.
On the left heading toward Wheatland Lane,there was a row of terraced houses.Opposite towards Wheatland Lane was the original Dale Inn. Jeez I feel old if nobody else can recall it!

Had many a good nite in the Dale....I THINK!!! lol
Pity about the council BBQ, Tesco must be a good sponsor of our glorious council....just look at the Plough Inn in Moreton!!!!!

The Dale Inn (Charley Fairs) Oakdale Road.

O.K. So opposite the Bird. NEXT to the bird +- was a chippy that served you through a hatch in the door, which was kind of in the vestibule of a house. Further away from Wheatland Lane was the old wash house. On the other side from the bird was houses, and a few shops, and, again, further away from Wheatland Lane, was Johnny Lodges off licence. But was that one time a pub? As I recall it it could well have been. All the drinks were behind a very pub looking "Bar" (counter), and you had to know what you wanted, and old Johnny Lodge (his real name?) would go to the back and get it for you. (Looked a bit like a Yates's wine lodge).

But I was only 4 or 5 at the time (1964/5). I remember being able to stand under the "packing table) which ran under the front windows.

We lived in Clarence Road at the time, and it was through the wide entry from there. Crossed Clarence and went through to York Road).

I DO remember that the parents talk was about TWO pubs in that area, one being the Bird. So the other may well have been the Dale.

I was about 5 or 6 when the area was knocked down leaving only the Bird like a single tooth left in a desert of rubble.

The Chippy, Johnny Lodges, the Wash house, a load of houses,(and the Dale?) all gone.

I remember the Dale Inn & the washhouse around the corner!

Oh thank god for that, I was beginning to doubt myself!

They used to have a cracking football team in the '60s, as did The Bird in Hand. Full of what we used to call 'jug hunters' though.

Is that beer-jugs or milk-jugs

It was a term used to describe lads who were good players and moved from team to team, which ever was successful at that time, so that they could win cups and medals.
I wasn't amongst them

I really hope that someone has a photo!

yes it is, i remember years ago when it was quite a nice pub, with a rocking horse on the ceiling, i definatly remember the rocking horse.

now its another tesco express

The new Dale Inn had a rocking horse suspended from the ceiling.But obviously the original Dale Inn,did not!

Makes one wonder WHO paid to have it burned down, doesn't it?

The dale pub in oakdale road was a gable end with an entry "jigger" behind it leading through to milton road and also came out at the other end just past the "bird in hand" pub which WAS on the same side of the road as the Dale.
The chippie was "Mac's" chippie which didn't serve from a hatch it was a proper shop, the chippy that served "from a hatch" must have been the tiny one just past the wash house further down Oakdale road (near the boys club).
My mum Mona used to work in the (old) Dale Inn which was a fabulous little pub which even had waitress service in its tiny lounge.

Oh,thankyou so much for that info'.I remember the chippy by the wash-house,don't remember the hatch though! It was small and painted blue.My auntie used to say the Germans bombed it in the war.This could have just been a story though.My nan had two shops over the road in Ashville.

Could be. When I say a "hatch" It was like a stable door, where the top and bottom were on seperate hinges, and the bottom had a fold down "counter" when they were serving.

Like I say, I was only 4 or 5, so considering it was about 45 or 46 years ago, not a bad memory.

O.K, may be a bit askew from the topic, but does any one know if Johnny Lodges off licence WAS a pub at one time?

I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW THAT AS WELL....Next door to Johnny Lodges was a double fronted general shop which was run by a guy who wore a pork pie hat (I think?)....but he was a relative of Nigel Lythgoe the tv dancer who later did a similar job to Simon Cowell

I seem to remember a small bar to the side of it.I have a blurred pic of it,see if I can spot anything!

My Dad worked with NL's Dad on the docks.In his day NL was a local celeb'!

Ooh' now that rings a bell.

Oakdale Road

I think this was the year of the Queen's Coronation going by the pics in the shop window.

thats Johnnie Lodges on the left corner of your picture...yeyyyy!

not the photo with the woman and the lad ....the other one!

I bought the photo from a History Fair. The man said that he found the original folded up and used to wedge under the backdoor.

It deffinately LOOKS like a pub. the "Strong" on the window I will guess is followed by "ales". And I can, I think, JUST make out "Grants" on the right end of the plinth over the window. Did they HAVE off licences outside of pubs then?

I can remember it from about 59' or 60' and it was only an off licence then....and it had a very tall counter which made Johnny tower over you.
It was laid out like a pub but it had no furniture...I'd love to know if it had ever been a pub

I wonder where this sign is now?

I remember it like that too! I seem to recall as you looked at the counter{that was like a bar} to the right was a door that lead into a bar.It was very small,more of a snug.

If John Smiths is anything like Whitbread, the signs go into storage in a kind of company "museum". The only exception I know of was the Angel in Birkenhead, and Cerberus MC (Bike club) got that.

i used to live right behind the old dale in milton rd if you can remember in the middle of the building there was a door which was called "the out-door" kids would go in for crisps and pop i also remember "adams brothers" the bike shop run by two sisters and at the bottom of milton rd you had "mrs braithwaites" sweet shop there was also a "coffin makers" and at the bottom of shakespeare "the pipe cleaners" i remember the wash house and "johnny lodgers" which was a pub many a moon ago there was also a bookies over the road from "the bird" called ashmans

Hi Wilson. Can I ask around what decade this would be?

yes bezzy we moved from milton rd about 1972-73 having lived there since i was born in 1962. milton shakespeare and byrom were quickly demolished. the earlier poster was right about the "chippy" next to the bird was called "macs" i seem to remember the houses between the old dale and the bird were knocked down in the late sixties and the waste ground at the bottom of milton rd was called "the stables"

Do you remember the Dennis family? They lived op' The Dale.

yes mate debbie and dale from america i remember there dad had a very powerful sports car

I'm back intouch with Debbie on FB, she lives in Colorado!

they lived in oakdale rd then if my memory is right they moved back to the states before we moved out.

Probably!

Theres a reunuion going on at The Royal Oak for the 'Dale Inn' customers. I saw a poster for this at our chippy the other day.

I didn't get the specific details, but I will later, if anyones interested?

Saturday 13th August from 7.30pm at The Royal Oak.

I know that The Dale often hosted local bands, but my spouse (who lived locally at the time) insists that the Sex Pistols once played there. Now, I would ordinarily dismiss this as utter nonsense or possibly even a wind-up, but it's a matter of record that a Pistols date in Birkenhead was advertised and then cancelled. Did they play a low-key gig elsewhere in the area?

He's having you on , the Pistols never played the Dale & I'm reasonably certain they never played Merseyside .

The Sex Pistols played at Eric's Club in Liverpool and Mr Digby's in Birkenhead during 1976. I think all the 1977 gigs in Merseyside were cancelled (Liverpool Stadium and The Hamilton Club, Birkenhead) but I'm sure they played at Eric's at least twice.

where was Mr Digbys dd

Yes it did have a rocking horse on the ceiling, that room was called the carousel.

The landlord was named Brian Bowmer.

Hi, after the Dennis's moved from Oakdale they went to Demesne St for a few Years. Debbie married John Parry, he was my next door neighbour. I also keep in contact with the two of them.

John still comes over to vist his family, but shame that Debbie wont fly, I would love to see her again.

Yes, I last seen John about 5 Years ago in the shepherds Rest pub, He was with his cousin Clod.

Yes, I last seen John about 5 Years ago in the shepherds Rest pub, He was with his cousin Clod. [/quote]Sure he has been over this year to see his Mum.

does anyone know this guys name many thanks

What guy?

You went down Oakdale from Wheatland Lane and the first pub was The Dale Inn also known as 'Charlie Fairs's' after a long dead landlord. Then there was some houses and then the Bird In Hand. The new 'Dale' was going to be called The Carousel and part of the lounge was shaped like a carousel from the outside anyway. Locals petitioned the brewery John Smith's and the name was changed to The Dale. Hope this clears it up. The old library was built as a hotel but never opened as a local church 'known as the 'marble' or 'white' church petitioned against it and it was not granted a licence. As a child 50 years ago I remember being in the children's library and the librarians sat behind the 'bar'! When the library closed and moved to it's new site it occupied the same site where the marble church had stood which was knocked down to make way for the library. Revenge is sweet.

BUMP

I wanna know who this guys on about. Ta.

Wasn't the white church dismantled and taken to America? I seem to recall that was the story at the time.

I heard that story too but sadly I think it was just an urban myth to make people feel better. I remember seeing it have demolished. It was a beautiful building like many others in Wallasey and Wirral it fell victim to the mindless vandals in the planning department who have done more damage to Wirral than all the hoodies and yobs combined int he last 60 years. Even the Luftwaffe failed to destroy so many nice buildings.

Thinking about that area,I'm sure the library and possibly The Dale,occupied the site of the old prefabs.Not quite the revenge but near enough!

Yes the Dale was on the site of the prefabs infact part of the the prefabs hedging survived for a while (maybe still does). The library actually is on the site of the white church. The prefabs were only supposed to be around for ten years but were still in good condition when they were pulled down.

Iremember "The Old Dale Inn " my mum an dad were good friends with the people that ran it who moved here from Barnsley I used to stay there sometimes . There was also a chippy in that little Road opp The Bird .