The Smithdown Road pub where Liverpool legend John Parrott is said to have learned his trade

The pub has won many Guinness awards11:47, 22 Aug 2026A much-loved Smithdown Road pub has been at the heart of the community for more than a century. From its days as The Dudley and a former snooker room where snooker legend John Parrott is said to have learned his trade, to its transformation into Fogherty’s during the 1990s Irish pub boom, the venue has seen generations of customers come through its doors.‌Pub co-owner Stephen Sloan, 71, from Wavertree has spent two decades behind the scenes at the pub, where live music, loyal regulars, and a reputation for a good atmosphere keep people coming back, with some customers having been drinking there for 50 years.‌Stephen chatted with the ECHO about his unusual route into pub life, the pub’s history, and how live music is at the heart of Fogh