A much-loved Wirral pub is being demolished to make space for houses, as locals remembered the great memories it gave them.
The Ship Inn, on Wallasey's Breck Road, was built in the early nineteenth century and has been slowly torn down over the last few days.
Planning permission has been granted for two applications, one at the site of the pub and one at land adjacent to it.
Nine three-storey townhouses will be built on land next to the pub, after a plan by Leftfield Investment Holdings was approved in 2018.
On the site of the pub itself, six three-storey townhouses will be built under a plan by Goodwin Construction Group which was approved last year.
All 15 homes will have three bedrooms and will be available for shared ownership through Redwing.
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Both plans will be delivered at the same time and will be identical in design. It is expected that the houses will be completed in just over a year’s time.
Explaining the virtues of the pub site, the design and access statement for the six townhouses plan, read: "The site is within 10 minutes walking distance of shops, public transport links and primary and secondary schools, which makes the location ideal for young families.
"[The development] is also ideally located for commuters working in Liverpool, with bus, train and ferry links to the city."
On the design of the houses, the statement added: "Due to the steeply sloping nature of the site, to minimise excavations and to work with the gradient of the site, each floor of the proposed dwellings is split along a centre line, so that the rear of the properties is half a storey higher than the front.
“As such, the proposed dwellings are of three storeys."
Locals recalled some great nights spent in the Wirral pub.
Commenting on the Facebook group Wallasey Gossip, one person said: “Used to go there many years ago with my now husband. Few drinks, steak and quiz night. Will be missed.”
Another member of the group said: “Had some great times in this pub with my dad and mum and friends. Sad to see it being knocked down.”
Summing up the local mood, a further post read “certainly is the end of an era, was a great community pub”, while one member of Wallasey Gossip said “another icon” had gone.
