The Bath Inn, Nottingham

Amazing detailed and painstaking renovation of a worn out pub and chippy, the pub is originally a 1920’s building with Egyptian revival hints so it has been restored in a deco style with Egyptian and Tutankhamen motifs. It’s stylish and idiosyncratic but retains the better remnants of a fine past in older patterned wallpaper, the owner is extremely proud of his baby. There are four pulls, Bass, White Rat, Doombar and Oakham Bishops Farewell on this occasion, there are also two horseshoes of less than prosaic kegs.

The Bath inn is a long standing pub next to Sneinton market and the Victoria leisure centre swimming pool were I presume it took its name. A rounded corner pub that is whitewashed on the outside it now boasts a very unique concept….an in house fish and chip shop. Judging by the numbers om my Thursday evening visit the Bath likely thought that other revenue streams were the only option to keep the pub going. Were there would have been two rooms the left hand side lounge now has the chip shop that serves the public through its own entrance and hass an indoor seating area. This is connected the right hand side bar room and fish and chips purchased from the chip shop can be taken and consumed in the bar, something I would have taken advantage of on my visit but unfortunately it was late and the chip shop was closed. This left just the sole bar room which was quite small and oblong shaped with the bar running the right hand side. The decor was pretty minimal and aside from some bench seating at the top and bottom the atmosphere was very droopy and it was not the comfiest place in the world to sit and have a beer. The pub was almost completely empty on my visit but there was very surprisingly one real ale being swerved and this was Brampton Brewery Best bitter for a very wallet friendly £2.40and aside from being a little basic and boring was actually kept very well and was much more enjoyable than I would have predicted. The chip shop is a nice touch and shows that they are determined to stay open. Not really a place to come back to but to be honest with them having one well-kept beer I might be tempted if drinking at the batter pubs in the area to come for a cheeky pie and pint at the end of the night but overall nothing special. The presence of real ale means I could possibly retain if area and although there is a long way to go they are making a better effort than most of the dire pubs surrounding it.

The Bath used to be a Shipstones tied house and it is opposite the victoria leisure centre where the Nottingham beer festival was held untill 2007. This pub has had its ups and downs over the years and was closed for a while but it is now open again and has been smartened up inside. The pub sells real ales sometimes but not always and the beers are nothing special that are on.