The King Billy, Nottingham

A fairly short walk from the Lace Market part of town, this is a cracking traditional Victorian boozer with a slightly opened out two bar interior. The pub is focussed around a nice dark wood centrally positioned servery, surrounded by a number of distinctly separate areas. The front bar has tiled flooring, white walls and several small round tables around the perimeter, served by the unusual sight of alternate light and dark wood chairs. A row of traditional pewter mugs hang from the bar canopy and the room has been enlivened with various Victorian era paintings and some decorative touches such as the light fixtures and several mirrors. To the right of the bar there is a seating area with half panelled walls in a black and red colour scheme and from here you can access a cosy side room with some comfortable looking seating and what might be described as comparatively modern art and décor. The second bar to the rear is carpeted and offers a good amount of seating in slightly comfier surrounds than the front bar area. Some marvellous paintings fill the walls alongside clocks, mirrors and other such appropriate items that enhance the traditional feel of the room. Stairs apparently lead up to a pool and darts room as well as a roof terrace of all things, which all presumably helps broaden the pub's appeal a little. On entering you are immediately confronted by a fine row of hand pumps, which on this visit were offering Oakham Bishop's Farewell, Inferno and Citra, Shiny Wrench, Brewster's Hophead, Falstaff Escher, Dukeries Furnival and Oldershaw Posh Blonde, as well as Weston's Old Rosie cider. Keg options included another Shiny brew, Leffe and a few mainstream brands. I had a magnificent pint of the Hophead served to me by a very friendly barman who was busying himself with the production of sausage rolls which were offered around to grateful punters for feedback. This is a great little pub that is slightly out of the way compared to the city's other fine ale houses, making it a bit awkward to easily incorporate into a crawl but marking it out as the must-do pub on this side of town. I loved the beer and ambiance in here and very much look forward to a return visit.

I assume that this pub dates to the 1830s, hence the name. It is an end terraced pub in white and red. It has a plain but nice look, with its sash windows. The blocked doorway, satellite dish and the bars on the windows show how times have changed for this pub. The interior has a couple of rooms served by a central island serving bar. The rooms were in white, with a red ceiling and the bar had a fakey brick floor. General prints populated the walls and general bar tables and chairs the room. The TV had cricket on and the background music was general and at a decent level. The service was fine and the clientele a mixed bunch of locals - a real community feel. Beer, usual tap stuff with Everard's MILD (decent) with several handpulls; Blue Monkey Infinity; Oakham JHB, Bishop's Farewell (decent) and Citra; Ossett Yorkshire Blonde and Nottingham Brewery Extra Pale Ale. A great beer choice, a nice little pub - if you can get over the bars on the windows.