The Vine

My first trip to The Vine at night. A great reception by the landlady. No real ale but a disco and plenty of happy regulars in the proper old fashioned back street boozer. 

Liquid Light

Liquid Light is so cool that you really do have to know how to find it. It's in an industrial warehouse off the beaten track in Sneinton and to be honest is far too cool for the likes of me. It was Halloween and they had great ales, a DJ and some amazing costumes worn by the young crowd in here. It's very chilled and very cool. 

Bustler

Bustler is a very cool new place in Sneinton market. Bustler's Market as it's called has very much a Camden Market or Covent Garden feel. It boasts street food, live entertainment and the usual array of lagers, gins and craft beers. No real ale though. Worth coming for the very cool vibe.

Partizan Tavern

A micropub just a few doors from the King Billy in Sneinton. Sneinton really is becoming a cool destination in its own right. We were made very welcome here - the real ale is excellent and the place has an interesting story as told by our hosts. Notts County gave their black and white colours to Italian giants Juventus - quite common knowledge. But what is less known is the fact that Juventus then gave their colours to Partizan Belgrade in the former Yugoslavia. Memorabilia of the latter is everywhere in the pub and they clearly have a loyal bunch of regulars. 

Binks Yard

The first new venue at Nottingham's new Island Quarter. One of its standout features is a permanent outdoor stage and PA system for live bands and DJs. There is a real buzz about the place and it's clearly popular already. The food is excellent as is the real ale. I had London Pride which was incredible.

Hops

Located in the refurbished Hopkinson Building next to the station which also houses the Haunted Museum, Hops has a very quirky and bohemian vibe. Craft beer and coffee are the order of the day. No real ale unlike their sister bar, Cured. A really friendly welcome in a wonderfully repurposed building. 

Old Dog and Partridge

 Probably the last old fashioned pub in Nottingham city centre for me to visit. Not sure why it's taken me so long. I didn't have any expectations of this place. It turns out that although it's a Greene King chain pub it is actually full of character and great ale. The regulars on a Saturday night were of an older vintage and dressed a good time. The architecture is worth a mention too with its stained glass ceiling. In the most unexpected of twists I found myself not wanting to leave and earmarking this place as a future favourite. 

Cured

Something worth celebrating; a beautifully restored bar on two levels overlooking the canal with outdoor seating. No real ale but a good range of craft beer and the usual fizz. The draw to this place is the decor and location. Very laid back atmosphere.

The Jolly Pug

Another new bar in Sherwood. Actually, it's more of an eatery if I'm honest. Tapas. There's a decent drinks menu but it isn't what I'd call a pub. There's fizzy beer like Estrella on draft but no real ale. 

A thriving little place though and apparently you need to book for food at weekends. A buzzing atmosphere when we went and yet another reason to go out in Sherwood. 

The Winchester

Having found out about this new boozer from my friends at The Gladstone I finally paid it a visit with my good lady on 19th Feb 2022. Up the stairs at the bottom corner of Winchester St to an outdoor seating and drinking area complete with outdoor TV. There is also the shipping container hosting karaoke, presumably the one that used to sit downstairs when it was a café. Lots of decorative lighting. Then through a door to quite a quirky bar. The owner and host was very welcoming. Two real ales on from the Welbeck Abbey brewery. 80s music playing. Quite a loud place with a varied demographic. There was a group of young lads in there as well as older couples. It certainly has an atmosphere and was good fun. The ale was good too.

The Bath Inn

My first blog post in a while and the first since losing my wingman, fellow pub lover and father-in-law, Stan. We went to the Bath Inn when it reopened about 8 years ago. However, this latest restoration and reopening is stunning and Stan would have loved it. It's already up there as one of my favourite pubs in Nottingham after just one visit. There are so many reasons. It's a classic corner pub, my favourite design, in one of the best areas for drinking in Nottingham in my opinion, Sneinton. You've got the restored Fox and Grapes, King Billy, Lord Nelson, Vine, New Castle to mention some of the company that the Bath Inn is keeping. The landlord Piers is a welcoming and reassuringly commanding presence behind the bar and the regulars seem to be very well established and a friendly bunch. The ale is great. 4 hand pulls including two Blue Monkeys when I went. But it's the restored architecture and interior design dating back to the 1920s that is most striking when you arrive. To quote the Nottingham Post, "the pub's beautiful façade is a rare example of Egyptian revival style architecture, hardly seen anywhere else in Britain." 

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/sneinton-pubs-high-class-establishment-6163380 

It really is absolutely incredible. Upon entering I was made very welcome by the landlord and regulars alike and was given a full tour. I was texting friends recommending the place within minutes. Given the style of building, the location, the historical significance, the design, the attention to detail in the restoration as well as the fact it's a cracking boozer for a great pint of ale this really is a gem of a pub and one for Nottingham to be proud of.