6th November 2023
Listen
Listen
On the way home from campus, you may find yourself walking through Crown Street Park, heading down Smithdown Road because the bus drivers won’t let you buy a MyTicket anymore, and as you leave this park, you see in front of you the bastion of beer. The Boundary pub.
The Boundary sits at the top of Smithdown Road, and with its almost comically huge square footage, it’s hard to miss (even if you are distracted by trying to read about post-modernism on the 86). Stopping at the red lights next to the Boundary almost every day has grown my pub curiosity almost exponentially, and upon finishing a rather run-of-the-mill day learning about some sort of film theory or other, I felt the need for a few crisp pints of beer.
It’s Valentine’s day and there’s no better remedy to a broken heart than being informed that it’s “£2.90 love” for a pint of Denmark’s finest (Carlsberg). Though I was hoping to tap my phone to my heart’s content, spending all of my life savings on beer, I was informed that they were cash only at present (this problem was rectified by my third pint). Thankfully the three-pound scratch card winnings in my wallet managed to cover my tab for now.
Upon finishing my first pint, I felt an insatiable urge to stay and get rather drunk (after all, it is Wednesday). After making my way to the cash machine near the Post Office by Ragga’s, I was excited to head back to a welcoming atmosphere such as that of The Boundary. Though the beer selection may not tickle the pickle of some Brewdog enthusiasts among us, their offering of Carling, Carlsberg, Tetley’s, Guinness, Strongbow and Strongbow Dark Fruits will surely be enough to satisfy any booze-hungry student who finds themselves in this lovely establishment. The bar also has a huge variety of spirits on offer for those more inclined to a short drink (or those who just like to get tipsy quick)
The Boundary also has a pool table in the large backroom of the pub, so our aspiring cueists can get some practice in (especially as it comes free of charge as the bartender informed me). You can even keep your ears entertained with their NSM music jukebox (my personal favourite) or even if it comes to it, gamble some of your money on the fruit machine whilst your mate clears the pool table, ripping you of any masculinity you thought you had left.
You can keep your stomach lined here with their offering of Jamaican Patties and fried chicken (alongside our regular customers such as Walkers crisps, KP nuts and pork scratchings) which really helps to add to The Boundary’s all-round charm.
Though the trust fund Surrey babies of Liverpool University may feel a tad out of place in a boozer as Scouse as The Boundary, even the most lacrosse-loving Barbour-wearing folk among us are sure to feel welcome in this absolute testament to the English pub. With chatty bar staff and even chattier punters, The Boundary exemplifies my philosophy of walking into any old pub and giving it a go… you never know what sort of gold mine you may find yourself in.
I rate The Boundary a 9 out of 10, only for their lack of a premium lager for those pubbing on payday. This pub has a great feel, and as the punters and bartender call each other by name (with some even having a chat with me) I can’t help but feel a real sense of home after my four pints of Carlsberg in this severely underrated boozer.
Hemley Recommended.
For more of our articles on Food and Drink click here!
To keep up with all things Student Media follow our Instagram here!
Header Image – Josh Olalde on Unsplash
