Nottingham Pubs

By Dave Mooney

Nottingham has long been famed for its pubs. In the Middle Ages the city was already a prosperous centre of trade for the East Midlands, and three of its pubs date from this era – Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, the Salutation and The Bell Inn. The city continued to grow during the Industrial Revolution, attracting many new industries such as lace making, bicycle manufacture and tobacco, and many new pubs were opened. The city continues to thrive and is today the largest city in the East Midlands.In Nottingham Pubs, author Dave Mooney takes the reader on a fascinating journey through some of the city’s most interesting, oldest or most famous watering holes, following nine walks around different parts of Nottingham and nearby areas, including Kimberley, which was home to one of Britain’s largest independent breweries until its closure in 2006. Many of the pubs have retained features and traditions of previous ages, and the variety of Nottingham’s pubs today is revealed here, including the characters that have frequented or run the public houses, for which Nottingham is justly renowned.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amberley Publishing
• Release date: Jun 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9781445684567

Book preview

Introduction

Using the water that is filtered through the sandstone upon which the city is built, Nottingham’s brewers have historically produced some of the finest beers in the country. Until relatively recently the city and much of the surrounding area were dominated by three brewing giants – Kimberley Ales, Home Ales and Shipstone’s. Their vast premises still stand as a testament to Nottingham’s drinking past.

In the wake of these felled giants, a whole wave of new microbreweries have sprung up, often utilizing expertise derived from the defunct firms and creating award-winning tipples that are a credit to the city’s past.

Not surprisingly, given the quality of the beer, the city is home to a wealth of very fine pubs – including one that claims to be the oldest in Britain. In this book, I have set out a selection of little walks around some of the best and most interesting of them – from medieval drinking houses, old coaching inns, Victorian music halls and backstreet boozers, to the new crop of micropubs and purveyors of craft beers. Along the way, I have taken the time to look at some of the sights that are passed by on the walks, giving something of the history and character of the city. This is by no means an exhaustive list and there are many fine watering holes that I have been forced to leave out for sake of space. So come with me now for a pint (or five) as we go in search of some Nottingham ale.

Nottingham Ale

Fair Venus, the goddess of beauty and love

Arose from the froth which swam on the sea

Minerva leapt out of the cranium of Jove

A coy, sullen slut, as most authors agree

Bold Bacchus, they tell us, the prince of good fellas

Was a natural son, pray attend to my tale

Those that thus chatter, mistake quite the matter

He sprang from a barrel of Nottingham Ale!

Chorus

Nottingham Ale, boys, Nottingham Ale

No liquor on earth is like Nottingham Ale!

Nottingham Ale, boys, Nottingham Ale

No liquor on earth like Nottingham Ale!

And having survey’d well the cask whence he sprung

For want of more liquor, low spirited grew

He mounted astride to the jolly cask clung

And away to the gods and the goddess flew

But when he look’d down and saw the fair town

To pay it due honours, not likely to fail

He swore that on earth ‘twas the town of his birth

And the best - and no liquor like Nottingham ale

Chorus

Ye bishops and deacons, priests, curates and vicars

When once you have tasted, you’ll own it is true

That Nottingham Ale, it’s the best of all liquors

And who understands the good creature like you

It expels every vapour, saves pen, ink and paper

And when you’re disposed from the pulpit to rail

T’will open your throats, you may preach without notes

When inspired with a bumper of Nottingham Ale

Chorus

Ye doctors who more execution have done

With powder and bolus, with potion and pill

Than hangman with halter, or soldier with gun

Than miser with famine, a lawyer with quill

To dispatch us the quicker, you forbid us malt liquor

Till our bodies consume and our faces grow pale

But mind it what pleases and cures all diseases

Is a comfortable dose of good Nottingham Ale

Chorus

Ye poets, who brag of the Helicon brook

The nectar of gods, and the juice of the vine

You say none can write well, except they invoke

The friendly assistance of one of the nine

Hers liquor surpasses the stream of Parnassus

The nectar Ambrosia, on which gods regale

Experience will show it, nought makes a good poet

Like quantum sufficit of Nottingham ale

Chorus

1

Around Town

As with most cities in the UK, the centre is where it’s at. In the daytime, there is the hustle and bustle provided by work and retail; in the evening the town is alive with bars and restaurants. With two major theatres, two universities and one of the nation’s leading rock venues (Rock City), Nottingham is an active social hub. From a cheeky lunch hour snifter to a quick one before the panto, this chapter contains the pick of the crop from around the city centre.

Starting on Angel Row, facing away from the Old Market Square and the Council House, walk along the right-hand side of the road, passing a Yates Wine Lodge and a number of shops. You will eventually come to our first pub, The Dragon

1. The Dragon

It seems odd that anywhere so close to the town centre could ever be described as a hidden gem, but the narrow, attractively fronted Dragon is often skipped over when people are ‘doing’ Nottingham. This is a shame as it is a pub with a lot to offer.

Long and thin, it writhes sinuously, like the mythical wyrm after which it is named, from the quiet seating area at the front, through a lively bar area and out into the patio at the back. These are all pleasant enough, as is the home-cooked food (large portions) and real ales that are on offer. The true joys of this pub, however, are to be found in the music and other activities that it provides.

Thursday to Saturday evenings are vinyl DJ nights, with particular mention going to the man who provides music on alternate Thursdays. He plays an eclectic range that covers most of the last hundred years, and usually leaves the punter with some obscure earworm or other to go away and look up. The DJ nights are popular, convivial and generally result in people dancing on the tables (indeed, one of the barmen was lucky enough to find love while gyrating off ground – a long-term romance that has recently led to them setting up home together).

If music is not your thing, then The Dragon has something a bit sportier out the back. In a small outhouse, just off the patio, is a Scalextric set. Bear with me. This is not the little circuit that your dad pretended was actually for you when you were a kid. No, this is a huge, looping track, with screens mounted on the walls that follow the race. Around the course are an army of toy spectators. Recognise the buildings? It’s the area around Nottingham’s Old Market Square and Angel Row. Look – there’s The Dragon in miniature!

The Dragon, viewed from the street.

The Dragon viewed from a much smaller street!

Tuesday night is Scalextric night (a snip at just £5), although it is also available for private hire, should you fancy an evening spent racing around our tiny city.

Exit the pub and turn left to retrace your steps. After a few hundred yards, you will pass a narrow alleyway (‘jitty’ in the local dialect) immediately next to the entrance to a kebab, pizza and fried chicken shop. The shop’s sign overhangs the alley, but under this there is a smaller sign that reads ‘Hurt’s Yard’. Go up