Arion closed, Oast House closing, Lilford reopen

 The SDis very sad to report that the Arion in Ainsdale has closed. Likable licensees Denise Kern and her partner Roy Vicars made a great fist of the pub, doing their best to please the football-mad scally, real ale drinker and family diner alike.

However, they have been badly let down by their PubCo (Enterprise, I think) who reneged on a refurbishment deal and left them thousands of pounds out of pocket. Talk in the village of moonlight flits is wide of the mark. 

The couple is looking for a new pub. Meanwhile, there is talk (just talk) that the Arion might become a Spanish restaurant. Let’s hope it stays as a pub, first because I used to work there and secondly because it’s a gem of 60s modernist boozing that should be preserved.

Meanwhile, Southport survivor the Oast House looks like its luck is finally running out, with the throwback boozer getting three months to wind things up. Let’s hope it can be born again.

Finally the loathed Lord Lilford pub in Tarleton has reopened. This was a 80s nightmare of an ale house, a real ugly bug with a rotten attitude.

Let’s hope the new owner does something good with it.

It’s a topsy turvey time for pubs for sure.