Yin Yangs comment below, led my memory from school playground to my late teens!

Quote "All street games seemed to be ruled by undefinable seasons. One day everyone would be playing one game, then next day - for no obvious reason - we all switched to something else. [/quote]

Bit like the pubs when youre in your late teens . One minute the 'in' place would be one particular pub that everyone congregated at, and then suddenly for no apparent reason and to the fear and chagrin of the manager, it would fall out of favour and become dead as a dodo, and another pub took its profitable place.

"The Union" on Parkgate front was hub of teen-age brashness in my day --then it died overnight as everyone moved to The Green Bottle ,and struggled to recover . It lost its character and later changed its name to "The Ship" .

So where was the 'in' place when you became of age?

My place was The Black Horse on Church Rd, Hr Tranmere, that is until I was barred After that it was The Sportsman's just up the road. Then when I could drive I travelled further afield to the new pub-discos that popped up all over the place, such as The Twilight Cafe (at The Royal Oak, Bromborough) and Paradise Park (at The Pensby Hotel).

Clubs I frequented were Leighton Court and Westwood Grange. I once tried The Sir James (under duress) and never went back, it was a dreadful place!

i wonder if i know you elizabeth, some of your haunts were also mine, i can also add bakers arms, grapes hotel, north star,dock hotel.

It's possible Sunnyside, I think you also mentioned you worked at the Royal Oak years ago ? I'll bet I know you by sight

i was at the royal oak around 1978 i went to acre lane school

I remember queuing up to get in the Arrowe park, early 90s

I don't think I'd been to the Oak then, I left school in 78 so my haunt would have been the Black Horse at that time. I think I began going to the Oak around 1981-82 ish.

I remember also going to The Admiral's Inn which was part of the now demolished Parkgate Hotel. That place used to get sooo busy. There seemed to be so many really good places to choose from back in the 80's.
Also, the Milton was a favourite when it was trendy, and the Argyle and Sutherland in Eastham too. I think that was where I had my first ever taste of pizza sitting around what they called 'the drum'. The delish smell from that place was amazing

remember trying to impress one or 2 girlfriends by dining at Berni Inns (Pierhead and New Brighton i seem to recall)--putting on a brave face as you sipped a coffee with whisky and cream on top. Didnt marry either so they couldnt have been that impressed

Oh Yes, Bernie Inns were really posh back in the day

The Chelsea Reach - a couple of horrifying times - full of lecherous 40somethings (of both sexes) looking for fresh meat -aargh!

Yeh - Black Horse for me @1981 and the Prenton Hotel...

I went to the Tavern in New Brighton - never again. I was very niave...........