True, spent many a happy hour in the Furnacemans. We were only discussing the Fingerpost 'Pocket Nook pubs with my brothers-in-law at a family meal last week. Is Holy Cross club still up and running? I've had a few late nights in there with my late father-in-law.

The Weatherspoons pubs must employ the most miserable bar staff in the country, talk about sack the charm school, I'm sure they all have the same training.

I think Holy Cross is still open.

Next nearest would be The Star Inn that is still open, not been in for quite a few years though.

Main issue with Weatherspoons pubs is the lack of bar staff it was chaos on Friday.

That's not good. Apparently the white building pub near the baths was one of the cheapest pints in St Helens.



I think that's as much to do with them running a skeleton staff team pretty much everywhere which is bound to impact upon the staff's general levels of happiness. They're a nightmare to get served at whenever there's more than ten people at the bar.

Might go the Phoenix with the ales. Isn't the Olde England real ales as well? What's that place like?

Not been Olde England since it was The Lamb so can't vouch for it. The Phoenix has won some CAMRA awards of late and I believe they stock George Wright which is a top local brew.

Not been in the Old England myself but saw stuff on it the other week when looking up real ale pubs in St.Helens looks a decent pub from the website pics 1854pub.com/ Cheapest ale they do is £1.29 a pint Oh and they have Moorehouse Blonde Witch on sale for £2.20, which is what we were supping in The Counting House during the England v Australia international at Wembley.

Not been in the Old England myself but saw stuff on it the other week when looking up real ale pubs in St.Helens looks a decent pub from the website pics 1854pub.com/ Cheapest ale they do is £1.29 a pint Oh and they have Moorehouse Blonde Witch on sale for £2.20, which is what we were supping in The Counting House during the England v Australia international at Wembley.

That Jaipur ale is pretty tasty too. Looks like one of Sydney's mates goes in on the photos.

Shows how out of touch I am since leaving St Helens. I had no idea about the Old England. I'll always try to get to the Turks Head if I'm not driving but that looks like a good addition/alternative.

In the Summer months does anyone reckon a few cans of from Tesco on the grass/wall near the stadium would be allowed?

A beer tent/seating around that area would be a good idea IMO.

Must admit I said the same , on a nice day it would be ideal.

I thought the town was a no-alcohol area? I would imagine that extends to outlaw mobs drinking white lightning to save a few coppers.

they could easily put some tables outside the founders bar so people could have a drink outside, it'd increase said bars capacity too

There are ways around no-alcohol areas. Have you ever been to the Mathew Street Festival?

It was just a thought for all fans to be mingling together before the kick-off.

Yeah but there's thousands and thousands of people scattered all around during that which makes it trickier to police and the police probably have more important things to look after during that as well. Besides, Saints should want to keep the place respectable. This is the town's flagship sporting and conference venue and should be treated as such, not as some downtown doss house for [iShameless[/i cast offs.

I like the idea of the club extending and opening some sort of patio thing but there's plenty of pubs around and in town where people can drink rather than littering our new pride of place with empty tinnies.