It's the jarring sight of the Blue Anchor that first strikes you. This huge pub, a furlong from the Melling Road, is usually such a bouncing venue for the three days that horse racing decamps to Liverpool.
On Grand National Saturday, it is open from early in the morning, with food being served, champagne being poured and music blasting out. Liverpool is a city that loves to party and the Blue Anchor’s proximity to Aintree means its popularity is assured.
Today, though, the doors are closed and the shutters are down. A warning message is plastered where the main entrance should be warning that trespassers will be prosecuted.