Bridge Inn

About

Hotel, Restaurant & Bar. Function Room 80 capacity

Story

The Bridge Inn is set in the beautiful and historic village of Port Sunlight. The village itself is tranquil and picturesque, featuring 900 grade II listed buildings. The entire area was purpose built by William Hesketh Lever, who was later to become Lord Leverhulme. Port Sunlight was declared a conservation site in 1978.

The Bridge Inn was built under the commission of Lever by the architects Grayson & Ould in 1900 but did not reach completion until 1906. It was designed in the fashion of an Old English Coaching House and was named after the Victoria Bridge which was buried when the estuary channel was filled in 1909-1910. The head stone of this bridge can still be seen from the front of the hotel.

Following Lever's belief in abstinence, the Bridge Inn was originally a temperance hall and did not serve alcohol until 1903. This decision was put to the vote of the village, by Lever. In the voting, he included the women, believing that this was a sure way to secure the Bridge Inn as a temperance hall. The women however, surprised him with their vote in favour of serving alcohol and it has been suggested that this was because they preferred to not have the men at home, under their feet.

For those of you visiting Port Sunlight for the day or weekend there is:
Lady Lever Art Gallery,Port Sunlight Museum, Garden Shop. The Dell (pleasant walk beneath road level), War Memorial, Hilsbre Memorial & Gladstone Theatre.