Many head to the spot on Merseyside to photograph it
A small lakeside pub that’s been serving customers for years in Merseyside is also well-known for being a great spot to watch the sunset. Earlier this week, the ECHO took a midweek trip to visit a venue which was once crowned Britain’s Smallest Pub by the Guinness Book of Records.
Still one of the country’s tiniest pubs to date, The Lakeside Inn has been a standout landmark on the promenade for years. Tucked away on the edge of Southport’s Marine Lake, husband and wife Stephen and Sue Kirkbride took over the popular pub a decade ago.
Boasting a red-tiled exterior – decorated with big, beautiful hanging baskets, the inside is also full of charm and combines original features with framed photos of music icons like David Bowie and The Clash. The venue also has seating out front, with a hatch window to order drinks from the bar, as well as seats indoors and more seating on decking outside, offering views out over the water.
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And it’s worth a trip if you want to see the sunset out over the lake. This summer, owner Stephen, 59 and many customers have taken hundreds of photos capturing the stunning scenes seen outside the pub and a number of these beautiful moments have since been shared with the ECHO.
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Stephen has worked in the hospitality industry for almost 40 years and the couple previously owned The Victoria pub down the road for around 14 years. He said they have welcomed loyal, regular customers for years and that alongside the cask ale they offer and the atmosphere at The Lakeside Inn, one of the biggest attractions of the pub is its views.
Stephen said he has “been all over the world but never seen sunsets like it.” He recently told the ECHO: “I think it is the views over the lake.
“It’s just the setting of where you are, you’re away from traffic and can’t hear much. There’s no music outside. It’s picturesque and beautiful.
“There are hundreds of photos of the sunset and every night I take one. I’ve got a Whatsapp group with all the locals and loads of them say you should get them printed. Even now we’re still getting great sunsets.”
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The pub has continued to welcome customers who have been visiting for years, as well as new who are fascinated by the venue and its history. You can also see the Guinness Book of Records certificate and a red plaque proudly on the wall from when it was named “Britain’s Smallest Pub.”
Stephen said: “We’re totally independent, It’s just Sue and I who run it. It’s small and picturesque. It’s fantastic in the summer, but also lovely in the winter. It’s really welcoming and the views are still spectacular, they don’t go away. It’s just beautiful and we have good beer and good company. The customers and staff are really good.
“When we took over, we just modernised it a little bit with new paint inside and out. It’s old but we like to keep it fresh – you don’t want to change it, what would you change it to? Customers like it the way it is so if it’s not broken don’t fix it.
“The building has been here a long time, but it‘s had numerous occupations before it was a pub. I don’t think it’s been a pub as long as people think it has, maybe 60s, early 70s, I think.”
I wouldn’t change anything – it’s beautiful.”
