Wilsons Bar, Wood Street

**horseflaps** · 09-09-2007

Hi All, I'm not too sure if this is the right place to request photos but I would love to see some pictures of an old bar I used to frequent in my youth.

It was called Wilsons and was on the bottom of Wood Street in town. It would be great to see some pics of either the outside and especially the inside.

**stan** · 09-11-2007

I bet you were one of the ones who used to sit on that little balcony.
Did you ever go to Freewheelers too?

**horseflaps** · 09-11-2007

Originally Posted by stan

I bet you were one of the ones who used to sit on that little balcony.
Did you ever go to Freewheelers too?

I did occassionally sit upstairs on the balcony, always on the floor as i remember for some reason.
I never did go into Freewheelers, I had friends who went but I always went upstairs into Sloanes.
Was the bouncer there called Mark Thomas? he had spider web tattoos on his elbows, I wonder what happened to him, or Stu who worked behind the bar.

**stan** · 09-14-2007

I remember the bouncer.Didn't know his name though.
Freewheelers was great little place ,really laid back. Shame there's nowhere like that in town anymore (don't mention the swan).

**Devo** · 09-20-2007

Sorry got no pics
Last time I saw Tommo was about 8 years ago not seen his girlfriend Jane from Maghull (big t**s) either!
Used to play pool in the Wilsons during the day, Milo's bar in the precinct used to be a favorite (remember the sticky carpet) and what about the "Warehouse" some great bands played there.
In the early days before i had a car or could afford a taxi we used to have to get the last train home to Aintree (anyone remember the two bikers from burscough who would roam through the train shouting about the germans?)

**christy** · 10-20-2007

Know someone who bumped into Mark Thomas on a PGCE teacher training course

Apparently he didnt pass

Dont think I would like my kids taught by him.
Liked Sloanes, Rockfords and Rainfords were also good places but The Wilsons,Milo's and Freewheelers (nightriders) were my favourites.

**Motorhemp** · 10-21-2007

Can't find any Wilsons photo's but got this one of Wood Street circa 1985

Originally Posted by Devo

anyone remember the two bikers from burscough who would roam through the train shouting about the germans?

Don't remember them but do remember a German lad over here despatch riding on a white BMW (R80?) with "Chippy Bomber" written on the side!

**horseflaps** · 11-25-2007

thanks for the pic.

I remember some guy called Aurthur who went to Wilsons, he was about 40, maybe late 30's. He drank special brew, always wore combat gear and carried dead birds in his pockets, he was a right weirdo.

**Motorhemp** · 11-25-2007

Originally Posted by horseflaps

thanks for the pic.

I remember some guy called Aurthur who went to Wilsons, he was about 40, maybe late 30's. He drank special brew, always wore combat gear and carried dead birds in his pockets, he was a right weirdo.

I'm sure you mean 'Mad Arthur' ... mate of Andy Alehouse...

**H_Asbo** · 11-25-2007

Originally Posted by stan

I remember the bouncer.Didn't know his name though.
Freewheelers was great little place ,really laid back. Shame there's nowhere like that in town anymore (don't mention the swan).

There were 2 bouncers Foz ( Foster) and George the Fireman

Foz later managed Freewheeelers, if you remember the coffin near the Entrance that was when Foz had it.

Little Sadie took over after him.

PhilipG · 11-26-2007

Originally Posted by Asbo

There were 2 bouncers Foz ( Foster) and George the Fireman

Foz later managed Freewheeelers, if you remember the coffin near the Entrance that was when Foz had it.

Little Sadie took over after him.

Was that the Bar Royale?

**H_Asbo** · 11-26-2007

Originally Posted by PhilipG

Was that the Bar Royale?

Nope Freewheelers / Nightriders, but he may have taken over the Bar Royale too, but I wouldn't know it wasn't the place for me.

**Motorhemp** · 11-27-2007

Originally Posted by Asbo

Nope Freewheelers / Nightriders, but he may have taken over the Bar Royale too, but I wouldn't know it wasn't the place for me.

Thought Sadie owned the lease on the whole block of Wilsons, Bar Royale Wheelers/Riders? Bar Royale being the gay bar sandwhiched between the two biker places. When he died his sister took over and ran them (more) into the ground and sold bits off? Bar Royale briefly became a sort of punk place with bands like Arcoroc and the Go-Heads playing...this is causing me to unscramble some brain cells to remember the place now!

Seem to remember a film think it was called Coast to Coast that had Lenny Henry in it using a greatly disguised Wilsons as a location.

**H_Asbo** · 11-27-2007

Originally Posted by Motorhemp

Thought Sadie owned the lease on the whole block of Wilsons, Bar Royale Wheelers/Riders? Bar Royale being the gay bar sandwhiched between the two biker places. When he died his sister took over and ran them (more) into the ground and sold bits off? Bar Royale briefly became a sort of punk place with bands like Arcoroc and the Go-Heads playing...this is causing me to unscramble some brain cells to remember the place now!

Seem to remember a film think it was called Coast to Coast that had Lenny Henry in it using a greatly disguised Wilsons as a location.

Ahh I didn't even know Sadie had died, but not surprised having lost all the rest around there, Val Blundell ( Swan/Marlborough/Peppers ) Clive from the Swan ( and Joan who used to cook ), all nice people.

That block included the 147 at the back too, because one night it was Peeing down and Sadie let a gang of us through into the 147 from either Nightriders or the Wilsons there was a connecting door, but I can't recall which building.

Yes you wouldn't think a Gay Bar sandwiched between the 2 biker places wouldn't work would you? But in all my time drinking there, I never heard of any trouble between them.

I also remember going into Nightriders before it was a biker place. It was a skinhead hangout and its name was something to do with Scotland?
Wracking my brains and getting 'Swinging Sporran'? but not sure, that was a long time ago, and only went there to see a band ( can't even remember bands name ) but I was in Leathers and the skins gave me no hassle then either.

In the words of Foz "Happy Days"

**Motorhemp** · 11-27-2007

Originally Posted by Asbo

Ahh I didn't even know Sadie had died, but not surprised having lost all the rest around there, Val Blundell ( Swan/Marlborough/Peppers ) Clive from the Swan ( and Joan who used to cook ), all nice people.

That block included the 147 at the back too, because one night it was Peeing down and Sadie let a gang of us through into the 147 from either Nightriders or the Wilsons there was a connecting door, but I can't recall which building.

Yes you wouldn't think a Gay Bar sandwiched between the 2 biker places wouldn't work would you? But in all my time drinking there, I never heard of any trouble between them.

I also remember going into Nightriders before it was a biker place. It was a skinhead hangout and its name was something to do with Scotland?
Wracking my brains and getting 'Swinging Sporran'? but not sure, that was a long time ago, and only went there to see a band ( can't even remember bands name ) but I was in Leathers and the skins gave me no hassle then either.

In the words of Foz "Happy Days"

It was called the Swinging Apple - there's threads on here about it somewhere but a little before my time. Didn't know about Val - used to frequent the Marlborough a lot including very drunken stay behinds on Sundays with Caesar providing food from his Indian restaurant over the road and Peppers a bit.

Seem to recall the whole block was connected by little passageways and you could go out the 'Riders fire escape and get into Sloanes and once wandered into the 147 when we got lost! Was George one of the original Wilsons bouncers always wore a suit and had scar on his face?