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Detail Pages
Bell Inn, Nottingham
Nottingham
NG1 6HL
Pub Type
Greene KingReviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about Bell Inn
A terraced Georgian styled pub and eatery with a small frontage compared to neighbouring buildings and a front patio area. The façade is in white render with black paintwork, having been repainted after the lovely Hardys and Hansons frontage was considered an anachronism after Greene King swallowed it up. There is a nice entablature with a bell as centrepiece and coloured glass in the windows, but sadly, the front is now more an advertisement for the oldest pub in Nottingham.
The interior has a passage entrance, with stone flag floor. There are bar rooms to both the left and the right. This is the oldest part of the pub – with the famous 1437, King Henry VI timber. Just how this means the building was a pub then is a statement worthy of Henry VI himself. Anyhow, the side rooms are great – with their own serving bars, they are in (well, the one to the right is) cream and wood panel with, white and wood beam ceiling, as well as old photos of the pub etc on the walls. The main room is at the back. The large serving bar is to the right here and the décor sees yellow and a fantastic wood panelled room, with a raised area right at the back. The ceiling is yellow and wood beam, with some sky lights. The floor is a lovely mix of wood, tiles and red carpet. Again, old photos decorate. I didn’t note a TV and there was no music at my visits. They do food and we did eat here – the food being fine. The service was friendly and there was a busy and very mixed clientele.
Beer; the usual tap stuff with a mix over a few days that included GK IPA, MILD (which was so-so) Abbot, Olde Trip; Notts Brewery’s EPA and Legend, Burton Bridge Bitter and a decent Nelson’s Brewery MILD on handpull.
Class really and there are always guests so you don’t end up with just Greene King. I think it is a must do, but then, so many pubs in Nottingham are. The review was from May, but was back in the other day.
On 17th November 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3077 recommendations about 3072 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Bell Inn
Quite an interesting pub this one with its two front lounges and rear larger bar. It was like being in a couple of pubs in the same building. The rear bar was a cross between a hotel bar and a posh pub and for some reason they had a sandwich cake to purchase by the slice on the bar, which I sampled along with two of the ales, Bell Inn Bitter and Holdens Black Country Bitter. Will return.
On 16th November 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3684 recommendations about 3684 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about Bell Inn
A first time visit to this pub which was busy being centrally located and near to tram stop. Greene King and Nottingham beers and although we do not usually drink Greene King, had the Abbot Reserve, a grand one at 6.5% along with Nottingham EPA. Packed so only seating available were the high chairs to tables - not my favourite type of seating.
On 14th November 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Bell Inn
A really interesting pub interior ,with the two lounges either side of the entrance having their own bars with differing selection of ales,while the larger room to the rear has an even wider beer choice.There are many from Greene King complemented by a good array from smaller brewers but due to my flying visit and cumulative consumption I failed miserably to make an adequate note.
It is easy to be spoilt for choice in Nottingham,but I would like to spend a little longer in here next time to fully appreciate the fine fitments and touch that ancient wood.
On 12th November 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2971 recommendations about 2971 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
train man left this review about Bell Inn
Originally off-map (greedyk), but persuaded by local knowledge to include as they at least offered guest ales, and so it proved. Gkipa, Abbot, OSH, Olde Trip, Milestone Raspberry wheat beer, Nott’ Brewery Legend, Dent Aviator & Rambrau. Claims to be the oldest Inn in England (c.1437) but despite the lovely york-stone slabs at the entrance and what I was informed was a truly ancient timber in the rt-hd front bar (which closed at 15:00), I’d have to opine that not much else bears witness to its age. The beers listed above were on hp in the large rear room, long bar to the right, seating booths to the left, busy & rather noisy Sat pm but no probs, a list of previous licencees (1759 to present) decorates the upper wall. The front bars (that on the left being more modern in décor & style) offered far fewer beers on tap but I did additionally notice gk XX Mild & Refectory English Ale. (review refers Sep08)
On 12th November 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about Bell Inn
Called in twice on both Sunday & Monday of the recent Bank Holiday. Good range of ales in the rear room and after getting our drinks we moved to the small room to the right of the entrance passageway. It's nice and peaceful in this room with a pleasant chatty atmosphere. Dropped from the GBG 2012 for some reason, but its still a good pub with good beer.
23/04/2010
Called in on a Saturday lunchtime prior to heading to the Canalhouse. Flag floor entrance with a small room on each side. Larger room at the back with the Belfrey restaurant upstairs. The restaurant sells exactly the same food as the pub but has full service rather than order at the bar. The small bar on the left has a couple of handpumps but the back bar has 8. Nottingham Rock, Legend, Extra Pale, Holdens Devil Dunn plus a couple of nationals. Had a Rock and an Extra Pale, both excellently kept. Pub was pretty full with shoppers even at 12.10. It's still pretty good is this place.
On 14th September 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3296 recommendations about 3206 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about Bell Inn
One of Nottinghams oldest pubs and just off the square.There is a stone floor corridor as you enter with two small rooms either side that have a bar with a limited amount of beers on the bar three or four handpumps with a couple from Greene King as this is now a Greene King tied house if you walk through to the back room this is a lot bigger the bar is on the right [used to be on the left hand side] there are about 9 or 10 handpumps a couple of Greene King beers not worth drinking the rest are micro brewery beers with a good amount from Nottinghamshire,Nottingham rock Bitter seems to be permanent,this pub is well worth a visit but its usually very busy so dont expect to get a seat.
On 16th May 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]