Yankee Bar R.I.P
The iconic, legendary home of Liverpool mobs past (and
until its closure) present is no more.
The End incorporated couldn't let this go without a few
choice words could it now?
Here goes.
Known to all and sundry as The Yankee, “The American
Bar” has finally pulled down the shutters,….the last ozzie white has been
spilled, a piece of LIVERPOOL history slips quietly away. (Probably open next week
as a Himalayan coffee shop….just what Liverpool needs another fuckin coffee
shop).
Geographically situated (for all our international viewers
) on Lime Street a hop skip and a pair of Birmingham bags, Gaylon jumper,
LOIS cords (needle or jumbo), stan smith
(strap-over), Peter Storm jacket …stones throw away from our mainline station.
As the previous thread hints at, The Yankee attracted
an eclectic bunch. Keen chronicles myself, jones and Hooton sat, and just
waited…… rarely were we disappointed.
Ladbrokes pen in hand, jones with his no 6 box neatly
ripped in the glorious days of pub smoking,our ace reporting team simply listened.
The End fanzine could effectively write itself based on
tales and deeds observed in its hallowed sticky interior. Many an IN or an OUT, a tall tale of taking on 8 foot
wools, crop headed cockneys or copy-cat mancs and wild, trainee pilfering japes
across Europe was inspired by the stout hearted Yankee yeomen punters who
guzzled all sorts of weird concoctions seemingly in the 80’s.. at least without
Columbian pressed leaves to enhance proceedings. ... Of course all sorts of
NARCS were flying around after all it was an inner city boozer; trips, sold by
shady looking fuckers just checked out of Walton, bags of wallpaper paste masquerading
as amphetamines,MAGIC MUSHROOMS that had long since lost such magic (if any was
there in the first place) or maybe I’m confused….must be the mushee’s. The
legendary back room of the Yankee sometimes smelled like the exercise yard in
Midnight express but ahhhh this was the innocent pre nasty 90’s! The
clientle was a mishmash of FLEMINGS (Late of Scotland Rd as the sign said
outside the plush new premises on up market Walton Rd bragged) wearing Kopites
Toffees in Wrangler jackets, Cow shed Casuals from the Wirral on the Q.T (who
always insisted on "a clean glass please") all rubbing shoulders with
The, blue snorkel (parka optional) Samba glitterati. In this morass numerous
minesweepers who penetrated all the social classes listed before, alongside
some challenging women who frankly scared the fook out of me.
The pole which virtually blocked the entrance running
from the floor to the ceiling was a must use for would be hedonists especially
on derby night, undeterred it seems by anti-vandal paint. On reaching the top
would be exhibitionists simply clung on for dear fuckin life, goaded on by (well…in
some cases us!) to "get the fucked ale in”! A true tale…Skinny Bootle blue
avoids buying Kopites drink!
A bizarre mezzanine D.J. booth style veranda appeared (must
have been around the mid 90’s) where gaudy shirted spinners took untold stick
for not playing The Jam again, or was it Claughton combo, Half time mint biscuit*
Anyway who cares. Stevie who managed the place for years actually sold The END
behind the bar.. practically a perfect pairing in every way.
So that's our tale, what’s yours ? send us your stories
( to The End Fanzine Facebook page inbox or to fatskin2008@gmail.com and photos from
the yankee bars heyawayday and the best will make it onto The End Fanzines web
pages for many an old reformed, middle aged, ex train bunking, scallie to
enjoy.
* not to be confused with trash metal act Half Man Half
Biscuit
Paul Jones Remember being in there & a lad running in covered in blood - huge red lines dripping all down his back.
He disappeared into the bogs.
30 seconds later 2 policemen come running in with a hot-dog seller behind them with a ketchup bottle in his hand: "I'm sure I covered the little scrote..."
A song started - "kill the bill, kill the bill....."
He disappeared into the bogs.
30 seconds later 2 policemen come running in with a hot-dog seller behind them with a ketchup bottle in his hand: "I'm sure I covered the little scrote..."
A song started - "kill the bill, kill the bill....."
David Williams Never forget mid 80's when the jukebox wasnt working properley for a few days, John called the repair fella. When he opened it up the Yankee cat jumps out looking skinny and a bit worse for wear. Also the stag party in there when they made the stag climb the pole with his pants off, when he had been in the toilet they had smeared the pole with firery jack, fellas legs and bollocks were red raw.
Cabello Barber-Studio London Road The Yankee, Nation, The 05, all proper scouse institutions heartlessly confined to the history books to make way for generic flats & coffee shops. Nothing makes our city unique anymore
Vicky Smith Arrrr... nooooo.... lol.. is that where we all ended up one drunken night many moons ago...? haha... remember dancin the twist with some old geezer... funny as.. had a boss night... x
Jason Green Never been so sad about somewhere so terrifying! Match, American Bar, Bier Keller for Groundpig ...impossible to avoid the stare of numerous nutters and beer spilt on your new Trimm Trab ...boss memories!
Vivian Flusk Another great bites the dust, Liverpool gets so many stag and hen do's from out of town but all the history and great places are long gone or on the way out. What is the attraction?? Imagine Liverpool in the 60's 70's or 80's if we'd of had the internet. The tax on alcohol has killed our British night life ! X
Peter Gardner They did have s cracking j box Dillinger a knife a spoon a bottle an a cork that's the wry we spell New York Jim and lots a Dylan too great ale house in the
James Burns Aint been there in a long while but see the Thatcher dead celebrations in YouTube made me laugh.
Michael Potter seems La Americano bar as stirred up something in the deep souls of murkeysiders...book to follow
Marilyn Smith Burgess 1969 listening to tamla Motown will miss it lots of history there got its name cause the yanks drunk there in the war rip
Ivanov Paulo Pendleton r.i.p part of liverpool history especially the futurist fat joe and the council left to rot sadly is going also and lets build more student accomodation most probably, we will be called a student city soon go to town all wools
Thomas Mc Grath Cup winners cup final all meet in there before we got rattler and boat to the Dam great times
Paula Newsham Lianne Newsham Louise Newsham Derbhail Hornby Keeley Seddon gutted....didn't know this had closed down xxx
Amanda 'Justice' Tootle Aww that's a shame a great pub 2 b in and lots off fun times god I had my first daughters christening day in the Yankee bar in 1998 had a great day and night it's just a shame it has 2 go
Peter Hooton Brilliant write up - I don't think I ever collected the money for The End from the Yankee - I'm sure he only sold a couple of issues as he said it was attracting the wrong type of clientele
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Sad to hear about the closing. This is the reason I named my New York City bar " the Irish American Pub". The Pub is currently home of " the Bootroom NYC" and the NY Kopites supporters groups so we still have a Liverpool connection . Cheers
Brian McLaughlin
Brian McLaughlin
