The curse of my late adolescence was that one of the best off licenses in Formby was located…read moredirectly opposite the police station. I'm not saying they would have served me when I was only seventeen, in fact they almost certainly would not have, but I am saying that it completely removed the option of buying white cider and Glen's vodka from here. Completely. Now that I am of legal drinking age and I can come here whenever I please I find that I am drawn to think about the place less, now that I can buy Glen's Vodka whenever I want I find that really, I don't want to. When I do visit though I am always pleased with the broad selection of product on offer - imported lagers (this was the first place I ever bought a bottle of the now ubiquitous Brazilian Brahma beer) real ales (a healthy stock of Badger ales which, whilst not earth-shattering, are at least consistent) and wines (from bog-standard Banrock Station to my favourite Campo Viejo Rioja Reserva). It's local and independent too and if they don't have something in they are more than happy to order it for you. Brilliant.

Back in the day, this off-licence would be busy with youngsters trying to buy two litre bottles of…read moreWhite Lightning or an even cheaper version (urgh) which the little scamps would then consume in the nearby park. These days, the teens that terrorised the park and the surrounding area have subsided somewhat and the off-licence has changed owners and become more vigilant, although I still don't envy them having to try and get rid of some of the people that hang around outside. The shop itself is a pretty standard off-licence - quite small with a fair selection of beer, wine and spirits on offer. It's not particularly cheap, with the supermarkets undercutting them by a few pounds a lot of the time, and they only have one small fridge in the whole shop so be prepared for your first can or bottle to be quite warm if you don't want to wait for it to get cold in a fridge when you get home. However it is close to the station, meaning that you can grab a few tinnies or a bottle and hop on the train with ease. Not a bad offy if you don't fancy trekking to Tesco.

This is a small shop, and although there's a decent variety packed in here, you are going to pay…read moremore than you would at a grocery store. I guess if you want to support local businesses, you might still shop here. I personally wouldn't. I guess alcohol is not something I care enough bout to try to save small shops like this. They also sell some grocery items, like bread and milk, and a few other food items.

If there's one thing you can always rely on at the end of a hard day's work, it's a nice cold…read moreglass, bottle or pint of beer. Whether it's a more exotic brand or just your bog-standard Foster's or Carling, you can always rely on them to quench your thirst. The Inn Beer Shop is a lovely little café/bar up the far end of Southport's busy Lord Street that offers customers a chance to take the weight off their seat and have a coffee and some cake for a small price. However, unlike the other cafes in the area, The Inn Beer Shop also specialises in a great range of interesting beers that are both unusual and very refreshing. Their selection is gloriously wide and you can even browse them as you sit and drink as they have a large selection of bottles on display, all lined up for your perusal. The café itself isn't massive but they make good use of the space, and there's even a pleasant seating area outside if you can't find space inside, enabling you to enjoy the perfect combination on a sunny day - great weather and great beer.

The 1st craft beer shop in town,great place,outdoor seating if it doesn't rain,mind boggling array…read moreof bottled beers,and 2/3 pumps,local sandgrounder brews

Threshers wine shops always remind me of my teenage years, trying to sneak in and get away with…read morebuying a few bottles of cider without being asked for ID! They remain traditonal off licences where you can browse the wine racks, ask advice, place special orders, and appear to dying off in favour of the brasher, cheaper bargain basement off licences. I still enjoy visitng this Threshers, the service is good, friendly and helpful, and they stock an excellent range of wines, beers and spirits. they may be a little bit pricier than the supermarket, but they have much better quality products, if you're keen on your wine.

Chells is next do Min-Kel, which is strange enough as it is, but why try to compete with another…read moresmall grocery store right next door? Perhaps they are owned by the same person? Either way, I wouldn't shop here with a 39 1/2 foot pole as the Grinch might say. Don't get me wrong. I like independent grocery shops. But this one is kinda dinky to be put it kindly. They could use a good tidy up job and maybe some new paint outside. The same goes for their neighbour.