ONE of Merseyside’s longest-serving real ale haunts has been named Liverpool’s pub of the year.

The Roscoe Head, on Roscoe Street in the city centre, was honoured last night by members of the Liverpool and Districts branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra).

The pub is a longstanding favourite among Liverpool drinkers. It is one of only seven pubs in the UK to be named in every edition of Camra’s Good Beer Guide since the book was first published in 1974.

The tiny pub packs in two lounges and a snug around its central bar.

And it’s a family pub, as the current landlady is Carol Ross, who took charge in 1997 after her mum and dad retired.

Camra’s branch chairman, Geoff Edwards, said: “It’s a fantastic pub. It ticked all the boxes – good beer quality, friendly staff, and a nice environment.

“It was a tight competition this year. Half a dozen very good city centre pubs did very well. But our judges felt the Roscoe Head just edged it.”