Tales of the Urban Explorer: The William Shakespeare

How old is the ‘*William Shakespeare*’? There’s mention of the 1960’s, but in the UK, that is considered new. Someone else comments... the 1860's, but I doubt it, it does not have the look of a Victorian building, especially since I have been inside. My personal struggle to get into this pub goes back farther than this story. During 2023, I attempted with @anidiotexplores, and after pulling up the metal shutter where the beer barrels are emptied, we had to call it a day.  It was flooded down there, up to our knees. The back was sealed, the upper windows broken, but climbing up there was out of the question. Liverpool is still full of middle-aged Karens, complete with Hilda Ogden rollers who will roll down the windows and yell... '*what the fuck are you doing*’? While the city is rife with crime, the locals do try to circumvent underhanded events, and most places, even derelict ones, are locked up tight. Like most of these shitty places I go to, the '*William Shakespeare*' has suffered some fire damage, was closed in 2018 and fire-bombed a few years later. There is a local article [here](https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/inside-abandoned-pub-ravaged-huge-30643211), if you are interested.  One year later, and I was back, this time with @lpff and things had changed. The backyard was filled with bedding, mattresses, and sheets, which can be cumbersome to walk over. However, if you can spot an open door, they are quite manageable with care. We found ourselves in what looked like an old kitchen and issued an extended *Shhhhhh*. Was there anyone in there? Liverpool is the only place I have found to date with homeless people inside during the daytime, and I didn't want to be threatened again with a rusty saw.  I recognised the fire damage immediately, having once inadvertently set fire to my own kitchen; there is no mistaking it.  The only way is up? I know Yazz told us this long ago, [fucking awful song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjD3EVC1-zU), but it somehow sticks in my memory.  Ahhhh, it’s one of those lovely safe houses, where there’s no chance of falling through the floor, wonderful.  This is the back of the '*William Shakespeare*', which backs onto a housing estate full of [Scousers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scouse). Now you can see why crawling in through here was not on the cards?  I think that leather sofa was very comfortable once upon a time, and I'm sure if you were to place the springs back, it would only hurt your arse a smidge.  Finding the Ice Cream maker should be the priority, with the heat that once raged here, I'm thinking the contents are melted, and the electricals are busted. ![7_IMG_0792_7.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/slobberchops/EoCj22cS5P7AyW3BjT1udfWonB7T5tXhkJA4THxUbGQ1t9nbGKS3A6ue6s8PuiaNBbb.jp […]