I see 'Revolver' and 'The Royal Castle' emblazoned on the front, anything other than 'The Hotel California' which it was popularly known as.
The Facebook page is still active with the owner spamming some event that happened five years ago, almost daily. Maybe the owner has a screw loose or something?
There's little doubt 'The Hotel California' was a hit once and not the same hit with Don Henley on vocals that even my unborn pet hedgehog has heard several thousand times on the radio. It was once known as the 'Cal' to locals.
In 2018 it hosted its last night and just a year later was scheduled for demolition. Fast forward four more years and there's still plenty of room at 'The Hotel California'.
As usual, the demolition has been postponed likely due to old-man politics giving the likes of us pause to visit.
Originally built as a private residence, ‘The Hotel California’ is said to have been occupied in 1795 by Benedictine monks expelled from France. The building was licensed from the early 1800s, at least since 1817.
It has been known by various names, Tranmere Inn & Ferry House, Castle Hotel, and became the Royal Castle by 1870. Acquired by Threlfalls in the mid-1890s and selling Whitbread beers into the 1980s. Later known as Hotel California, Mr. Davidson's Bar then Revolver before closure in 2018.
Source
…'the Hotel California was named the Royal Castle Hotel once, and has acquired many names over the last several hundred years'…
'The Hotel California' is completely surrounded by roads, and while this is not metaphorically speaking a castle containing a deep moat with man-eating crocodiles we still needed to make a mad dash across busy roads and anyone looking would think..., 'those two bastards are up to no good'.
What the fuck, we have stopped caring, become brasher, and upped the success rate. It seems to be working.
We hit the back and found a large chunk missing which was probably a door frame. Someone has tried to seal up 'The Hotel California' and made a shoddy job of it. Navigating the undergrowth was more of a challenge than walking in through one of the several access points.
The outside view was kind of telling. Inside was going to be a mess and we were hardly shocked by the vision bestowed upon our eyes when inside.
Sitting in there must have been special once, the pillared surround is stunning, but someone chose the wrong colour down at the local paint shop.
Fireballs seem cheap even at 2018's prices, though I am sadly out of date when it comes to bar-style alcoholic drinks.
The mandatory very expensive photocopier that nobody cares to steal, you have to expect to always see one of these.
Sections of 'The Hotel California' were sadly missing much of the roof. In summer during nice weather, you could still enjoy a beer while drooling at the poor-quality graffiti.
We would be going up there soon, oh yes.., floors or no floors.
At 1795 this must be one of the oldest derelict pubs I have ever visited, and they are planning on flattening it. Fucking terrible and shocking I say.
It must be the old stage; it’s a little more raised than everywhere else.
If nothing else, it's a colourful place and though I quite like red, it doesn't really fit the interior of a pub. That colour is better suited to cars.
It’s a long long bar, and you could slide cool iced beers down there if only it wasn’t full of fresh crumbling roof.
I did try to take a piss, but the damn Budweiser dispenser was in the way.
Sometimes you have to find alternative locations to drain the lizard. I was hardly going to get arrested.
Oh…, look at that staircase; it makes you want to climb by just gazing at it. If there's no floor up there you can simply worry about all that later.
These old buildings are made so well, even when they are falling to bits you can climb with confidence.
One of probably several arson attacks. It’s Liverpool and well known for it.
The floor was a little dodgy but I have walked on much worse.
A little hop, skip and a jump is much needed when you see such sights.
What remains of the owner’s kitchen and upper living quarters?
Halfway up we had the chance to exit onto an outside metal stairway. It was filled with rust but that is quite normal. This appeared to be the easiest way to climb to the very top and we ascended.
Up here was decidedly worse underfoot. You can get some amazing unique shots depending on your bravery level (or stupidity depending on your point of view.).
Most of the time edging your way past a rotting floor may simply yield you shots of burnt rooms such as these.
I do try and get as high as possible, one doesn’t want to miss all the action.
We descended looking for the cellar knowing from other explorers' posts that it was flooded and required jumping on overturned crates to get around.
Slipping past the overturned shopping trolley I could see this was the case, but did I really want to get in that far room jumping for the next crate while balancing?
There looked to have been a small bar in this basement area, containing yet another way into 'The Hotel California', albeit a soggy entrance.
Not being remotely related to frogs, neither of us fancied hopping around down there and instead headed back up the squalled stairway and out of the building.
… and yes I am humming ‘Hotel California’ while writing all this. How could I avoid it?
…‘Such a lovely place (such a lovely place), Such a lovely face’…
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