The Guest House

If you're knocking about town and need a place that's a solid all-rounder, The Guest House is a decent shout. It's got a 4.5 star rating from over 700 reviews on Google, so they must be doing something right. I wouldn’t call it a proper local boozer, it's more of a town centre bar that tries to keep everyone happy.

They've got a pretty extensive drinks menu – cocktails, beers, the usual – and the prices are what you'd expect for Southport town centre, maybe a bit on the higher side. It gets pretty lively on weekend nights, especially with the younger crowd. During the day it's much more chilled though. I've never had a bad pint in there and they seem to keep the place pretty clean so that's a plus.

The atmosphere is usually buzzing, but can get a bit loud. They do play music, usually chart stuff, and show sports on the TVs. It's not really a place for a quiet chat, more for a social drink with mates. I think they welcome dogs, I've seen a few in there before.

They're open pretty much all day and evening, every day, but opening times vary slightly – best to check their hours if you're planning a late one. Give them a ring on 01704 537660 if you're unsure or want to book a table, especially on a Saturday.