In the heart of Wavertree, the Historic Coffee House stands as one of Liverpool’s oldest surviving pubs and a landmark packed with stories. Local history groups point to a date‑stone marked 1641 and records from 1777 that confirm the site as a licensed venue, making it a fixture of community life for centuries.
Through wars, industrial booms, trams, buses and football crowds, the Coffee House has seen everything, and that weight of history now feeds into its eerie reputation as a hotspot for paranormal activity and ghost hunts.
From Assemblies to Ale and Ghosts
The Coffee House began as more than just a place to drink. Eighteenth‑ and nineteenth‑century records show it hosting summer assemblies, civic meetings and travellers arriving on horse buses and later horse trams that terminated outside the pub.
Its Assembly Room even hosted early public health meetings, placing it right at the centre of Wavertree’s civic life. With that constant flow of people – celebrations, arguments, politics and farewells – it is no surprise that many guests feel the atmosphere in certain rooms shift the moment the lights go low and the doors close.
Architectural Layers and Lingering Energy
Architecturally, the Coffee House is a patchwork of centuries. The current building shows strong nineteenth‑century character, including work attributed to architect Walter Thomas, the man behind some of Liverpool’s most ornate pubs. A cobbled forecourt, bricked‑up archway to the old Crown Brewery, and thick sandstone walls all add to the sense of stepping into another era.
Inside, the pub’s cosy rooms and period details create perfect conditions for ghost hunts. Quiet corners hold onto sound, the layout encourages subtle drafts and shadows, and the building’s age means every creak or tap could be either an old timber settling – or something less easily explained.
Reported Hauntings at the Coffee House
Stories from staff, locals and investigators describe a range of strange activity inside the Historic Coffee House. People report the sound of footsteps crossing the bar after closing, the clink of glasses in empty rooms and sudden temperature drops in specific spots near the bar and stairways.
Others speak of figures glimpsed in doorways or at the edge of the bar – often described as old‑fashioned drinkers or a stern female presence, sometimes linked in local lore to early licensees from the 18th century. Disembodied voices, unexplained knocks in response to questions and occasional feelings of being “hemmed in” near certain tables all make the Coffee House a compelling site for structured vigils and spirit‑box work.
A Pub Built for Ghost Hunts
From a ghost‑hunting point of view, the Historic Coffee House offers everything: history, atmosphere and manageably sized rooms for small‑group investigations. The bar area, snug corners and any upstairs rooms available on the night can each be used for focused sessions, with teams rotating to test whether similar activity repeats in the same spots.
Because it remains a working pub, guests also enjoy the social side of a ghost hunt, with chances to compare notes between vigils and soak up the building’s character during breaks. It is the kind of venue that works well for both experienced investigators and first‑timers who want a classic haunted pub with a rich backstory.
Ghost Hunt Dates Coming Soon
DeadLive ghost hunts at the Historic Coffee House have already proven popular, with previous nights selling out quickly thanks to the venue’s age and intimate feel. New dates are being planned and will be added to the DeadLive website, giving you more chances to join small‑group investigations inside one of Liverpool’s oldest pubs.
Once schedules are confirmed, this article can be updated with a full list of upcoming Coffee House ghost hunts, each linked directly to its booking page so you can secure your place as soon as tickets go live.
DeadLive would love to spend even more nights uncovering the stories of the Historic Coffee House, but right now events are focused on locations such as Lark Lane Old Police Station Liverpool, Mayer Hall Wirral, Vernon Institute Chester, Penrhyn Old Hall, Coffee House Wavertree, and the Transport Museum Manchester.
DeadLive – taking you where the haunting is happening.