For years, an urban legend has surrounded the former Durning Arms pub on Wavertree Road in Edge Hill, Liverpool, where flocks of feral pigeons gather on the roof. Speculation has ranged from a cannabis grow operation to racing pigeons resting, but the real reason is far simpler: people feed them.
The Durning Arms was built by Higsons brewery in the late 1960s, replacing a previous pub called the Durning Hotel. After a short vacant period in the 2010s, it remained a pub until 2024, when it closed permanently and was replaced by a mini-market chain on the ground floor.
Social media speculation
Over the last two years, social media accounts in Liverpool have posted light-hearted, speculative content asking why the pigeons settle on the roof, garnering tens of thousands of interactions and comments across TikTok and Instagram. One TikTok video captioned: "Has anyone noticed the grass pigeons on Wavertree Road? Had anyone else had the same thought as me?"
When the pub closed, Facebook tributes included comments like: "Pigeons live there now, bloody hundreds of them on the roof every time I drive past!!" A Reddit post titled "Am no grass but the pigeons are" prompted hundreds of comments, with one user noting snow and ice on the roof in winter, contradicting the prevailing theory.
Police debunk cannabis grow theory
The implicit suggestion in most posts was that the roof space was used for a cannabis grow. The ECHO contacted Merseyside Police, and a spokesperson said: "We have previously received information suggesting that a cannabis farm was present at the location but following enquiries, this was not the case."
During a visit in the week commencing October 5, dozens of pigeons were seen on the pub roof and on the Iceland supermarket building opposite. When the ECHO returned on Monday, October 12, no pigeons were on the pub roof, with about 100 stationed on the Iceland rooftop and car park. Wind-powered spinning bird deterrents had been fixed to the pub roof, appearing to have a transformative effect.
Simple explanation: feeding
Speaking to people at the retail park, one long-time worker offered the most compelling explanation: a small number of people regularly visit the location to feed the pigeons. This is supported by a sign on the side of Iceland, installed between August 2024 and last summer, reading "Do not feed the birds" with a graphic of a hand, crumbs, and a pigeon in a red circle with a diagonal line.
Academic research shows pigeons have extraordinarily advanced long-term memory, helping them pinpoint exactly who, where, and when they will be fed. In instances of 'mercy feeding', pigeons flourish, increasing overall population and creating localised flocks where food is most likely present. The mystery of the pigeons on Wavertree Road has a simple explanation: they are there because someone is kind to them.
