The Lock Vaults

You'll find yourself in one of those proper neighbourhood pubs that's been quietly doing its thing for years—the kind where regulars know the bar staff's names and the jukebox actually has decent tunes. The Lock Vaults sits right by the Shropshire Union Canal on Hoole Lane, giving it that slightly removed, tucked-away feeling that makes you feel like you've discovered something the tourists haven't. It's the sort of place where you can nurse a pint for hours, the sort where conversation actually happens.