A pub which once proudly stood in Liverpool city centre became famous after appearing in a classic 1980s television show.
The Green Man on Vauxhall Road became an iconic place for many people who hadn’t even set foot in Liverpool thanks to BBC drama Boys from the Blackstuff. The five-part series used various Merseyside locations, with the show being set in Liverpool and writer Alan Bleasdale also being a Scouser.
Of all the locations used in the series, The Green Man is arguably the most memorable, with it being the place where the well-known "shake hands" scene played out. The show, which was a sequel to the play The Black Stuff, followed five unemployed men as they navigated their lives.
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The BAFTA award-winning series was said to have reflected writer Alan’s own experiences of growing up in Liverpool. Each episode focused on a different character and showed the struggles of unemployment, from the emotions experienced to the lack of social support.
Despite being written before Margaret Thatcher came into power, many felt the drama depicted what was to come. The cast included Bernard Hill as Yosser Hughes, Julie Walters as Angie, Alan Igbon as Loggo Logmond, Michael Angelis as Chrissie Todd, Peter Kerrigan as George Malone and Gary Bleasdale as Kevin Dean.
The Green Man pub featured in a famous scene in the fifth and final episode of Boys from the Blackstuff, called George’s Last Ride, which aired on November 7, 1982. In the scene filmed in the pub, many characters are reunited following the death of George.
The manager of the pub is struggling to cope with the bustling atmosphere that’s getting more and more rowdy, resulting in him knocking back whiskey and drugs. While he's drowning his sorrows, Yosser is approached by a character known as Shake Hands - thanks to his famous catchphrase - who Yosser ends up headbutting.
Did you ever visit The Green Man? Share your memories in the comments section below.
After falling to the ground, Shake Hands demands another pint of bitter, clearly not too phased by Yosser’s headbutt. As if this wasn’t enough drama at The Green Man for one night, a whistling “Ronny Renaldo” is thrown through one of the pub’s windows.
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Like Shake Hands, Ronny wasn’t particularly phased by his journey through the glass. While lying on the pavement surrounded by shattered glass, he gave his best rendition of Singing The Blues, before the final ever scene from the show plays - Chrissie, Loggo and Yosser walking through Liverpool's streets with demolition crews in the background.
The Green Man was demolished in 2017, with flats being built in its place. For fans of Boys from the Black Stuff, it wasn’t only the sad demolition of another Liverpool pub, but the loss of an iconic piece of TV history.
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