WIRRAL's favourite pubs - according to CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale - are The Crown, Birkenhead, followed closely by the Old Colonial, Birkenhead, and the Irby Mill, Greasby.

Voting was at November's successful Wirral Beer Festival, staged by the Campaign for Real Ale at Pacific Road, Birkenhead.

Chairman Allan Machin agrees that festival goers made a good choice but commented that Wirral CAMRA is concerned over the future of both The Crown and Irby Mill.

The Crown is an a redevelopment area and CAMRA fears it could be demolished. Irby Mill's licensee recently retired. Despite picking up six CAMRA awards in as many years, members fear the brewery may be planning to change the nature of the Mill from being 'Wirral's best traditional country pub'.

Best Beer award at the festival was jointly won by Passageway of Liverpool, with St Arnold, a Belgian-style strong brown ale, and by Plassey, of Wrexham, with Dragon's Breath, a Winter warmer ale. Both brews now enter for CAMRA's Champion Beer Award of Britain.

While drinking at Wirral Transport Museum, visitors were able to learn of further improvements to the Pacific Road sheds. Indoor toilets and a gallery are being sited where the anti-aircraft gun and military vehicles are now parked. The hall will be able to provide exhibition space throughout the year. In the adjoining tram shed, a Victorian street scene is proposed where the working trams now operate from.

There are plans for a new tram shed at Taylor Street, which would mean an extension of the tram tracks, passing the rear doorstep of Cain's Old Colonial Pub.

Further details of CAMRA on 648 6807 (evenings).

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