Affectionately known as 'The Big House', The Vines is named after Alfred
Beard Vines who had the previous pub on this site, Alfred B Vines &
Son, Wine And Spirit Vaults, 77-87 Lime Street, Liverpool, which
opened in 1867. It occupies a corner plot at the junction of Copperas Hill and Lime Street with principal elevations onto both streets. In 1907, Alderman Berkley Walker, the man who gave us our famous
Walker Art Gallery in 1877, took over and commissioned architect Walter Thomas to redesign the pub in a lavish baroque style, reflecting the Edwardian era's love for opulence.
The architect was a very interesting character; Walter W. Thomas, who
also designed The Philharmonic pub, had a hand in designing the The
Crown. He was quite an interesting character, a jovial man, of large
proportions, always immaculately dressed, wore spats and 'made a great
marriage'. He married into the Lewis family and they gave him the opportunity of
designing the original Lewis’s store, the store that was damaged in the Blitz.
He also designed the Coffee House in Wavertree. The Vines itself is one of the only pubs in
the British Isles that can boast its own art collection. At the top of
the pub both the Lime Street and Copperas Hill elevations
are signed in gold letters that read 'WALKERS WARRINGTON ALES', with
additional
letters to Lime Street that read 'THE VINES'.
Rebuilt in 1907 as a Cains pub and like its
sister pub, the rather earlier Philharmonic, is one of the great show pubs
of the country, and is on CAMRA's National Inventory of Historic Pub
Interiors. It is a Grade II listed building, recognized for its architectural significance and the beautiful Edwardian interiors. The interior retains high-quality original fixtures and fittings,
including elaborate fireplaces, carved baffles with Art Nouveau stained
glass, ornate wall panelling, arcaded screens, a striking wave-shaped
beaten-copper bar counter in the lounge, and Art Nouveau fireplaces in
the upper-floor accommodation. It has
an impressive neo-Baroque design with flamboyant principal elevations
that maximise its prominent corner location and its imposing composition
and highly ornate interior reflect the status,
wealth and ambition of Robert Cain who sought to create public houses of
great beauty. The interior decoration is of a superior quality and
includes plasterwork
by the Bromsgrove Guild and H Gustave Hiller, a Liverpool-based
designer and manufacturer of stained glass, carved mahogany woodwork
throughout, repousse copper panels, and a stained-glass dome in the
former billiards room. Plasterwork, on the theme of 'Harvest', in the smoke-room of the pub was created by sculptor Walter Gilbert 1908. The Bromsgrove Guild of Fine Arts was established in 1898 by Walter
Gilbert as a means of promoting high-qualify craftsmanship in metal
casting, woodcarving and embroidery in the style of a medieval guild,
and included the creation of apprenticeships.
The Vines has reopened after a stunning revamp with the pub bought by The 1936 Pub Company, which owns a number of venues across the city. Restoration experts worked painstakingly to peel back layers of vinyl and carpet, revealing the original 1907 tiled floors, which had been hidden for decades. The stained-glass dome, was cleaned and restored to its full glory, allowing light to once again pour into the room below. The intricate plasterwork, featuring cherubic figures, zodiac motifs, and Viking ships landing in England was carefully repaired, with the original detail brought back to life. Large fan-leaved plants and intricate lamps give the space a Great Gatsby-esque feel and the seating in the booths has been stripped of their faded fabric and replaced by plush leather seats, and the fires are stocked with wood so people can enjoy a cosy pint.
see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2026/04/liverpool-pub-crawl-crown-hotel.html
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