The Test Match Hotel, Nottingham

The Test Match is an imposing pub at the end of the main street in the well-to-do area of Bridgford. There are fake grass areas with picnic tables either side of the revolving door front entrance that leads to a large and impressive high ceilinged lounge area. To the right is a dining room with a thick red curtain that can be pulled across to create a private area. On the rear wall a flight of stairs lead up to the advertised function rooms, but a red velvet rope deemed these out-of-bounds during a recent Wednesday afternoon visit. The décor is impressive art deco and there is a cricket theme throughout, including a huge wall painting of two cricketers from yesteryear. The main bar counter is found towards the rear where it faces some open plan seating where televisions, that are found throughout, air Sky Sports. Doors at the rear lead to the toilets and a second smaller bar that houses a dartboard and pool table, but this was empty and the bar was unmanned. Premium and craft keg were available and the six hand pumps on the main bar were drawing the regular TT Landlord, GK IPA and Abbot Ale alongside Blue Monkey Brewery’s Infinity Plus 1, Abbeydale’s Moonshine and Dancing Duck Brewery’s Ay Up. The Greene King pub co food menu is in operation, the pub grub mains start at £11. The service was very polite and there was lots that I didn’t see during my short visit so I’ll pop back in for another look if I find myself in the area again.

Official site of The Test Match Hotel - gkpubs.co.uk

Imposing 1930s façade, and plenty of Art Deco features retained inside the Grade II* listed building once you pass through the revolving front doors. Four, partly opened-out rooms forming the main 'L'-shaped bar / lounge. Smaller public bar to one side housing the pool table, etc. Although a Greene King house, there are more guest ales on offer from the eight handpumps than those from Bury St Edmunds, e.g. Extra Pale Ale and Pinta Cha Cha (£3.20) from the local Nottingham Brewery. A 'must visit' pub.

Official site of The Test Match Hotel - gkpubs.co.uk

This large, imposing pub, built by Hardy's and Hanson back in 1938, is a real architectural gem, boasting a well preserved art deco interior. Just entering the pub is a novelty, with access gained through a revolving door, which leads you into a spacious lounge with high ceiling and plush carpeting. Banquettes and tub chairs run along the front wall with a mixture of high tables and stools or sofas and padded low stools providing the remaining seating options. A few more tub chairs can be found arranged in front of a typical art deco fireplace and the whole room has some wonderful wood panelling, which is apparently English ash and uses the wood grain to great visual effect. To the left of the entrance, a huge wall painting catches the eye, depicting cricketers George Parr and Wm Clarke playing a match with Nottingham Castle in the background. To the right, a curtained opening leads through to the former Smoke Room, which has now been set up for diners, with all the tables laid with pristine white tablecloths and cutlery. The main bar is to the rear of the lounge/lobby area, and boasts an attractive counter which runs into the rear part of the pub. This sees another very large room, this time with much more limited seating options, plus a small stage. A snug-like area has been created opposite the bar and looked like quite a comfortable spot to enjoy a few drinks. A sign noted the availability of the Carlton Bar, which I presume is the Public Bar to the left of the building. I didn't get round to exploring this room, but the sign noted that it has a dartboard and pool table and is available for private functions. A sweeping staircase leads up from the lobby to yet another bar, but the stairs were roped off, so I was unable to take a look. As you might expect, décor throughout is in keeping with the art deco era and although the pub has been altered in recent years, it has very much retained a sense of its time and was accordingly awarded an English Heritage pub design award in 2002. This is a Greene King house, so all the usuals - IPA, Abbot Ale, Old Speckled Hen and Ruddles Best, were on at the bar, but a stroll along the counter revealed more hand pumps offering Nottingham Rock Bitter and Pale Ale, Black Sheep Bitter and Taylor Landlord. I gave the Pale Ale a try and thought they kept it pretty well. Food comes courtesy of a standard Greene King menu, with most mains priced around £9. This is undoubtedly a beautiful building and well worth making a bit of effort to check out, but for all its splendour I'm not sure all those large open spaces help generate much of an atmosphere and I did have to keep reminding myself that I was actually drinking in a pub. Still, this should be an essential port of call if you find yourself this side of the Trent, even if it's just for the one visit.