Cross Keys, Nottingham

Roughly T shaped with servery across the T and down the side. Sport, well footy, looks to be the big thing here with umpteen big screens and blackboards advertising what’s up next, it was showing on the plethora of screens with the volume up (high!). Mix of old light wood, darker blue woodwork and light grey walls. Three pulls on each counter face with a less than scintillating choice of Doombar or Black Sheep, the Sheep was ok but a little sticky. Covid rules clearly explained and followed seamlessly.

What an anti-climax! The cross keys like a lot of Arnold pubs had for years attracted a bit of a rough crowd but this in particular had a bit of a reputation of not the nice4st of places. Imagine my intrigue when I learned of £200,000 refurbishment of the pub. I visited last on a Wednesday evening in November shortly after the refurb an interior wise things are fairly similar, there has been no alteration of the basic layout but lots of redecoration and influx of new fixtures and fittings as well as new carpets. The modernisation isn’t that great in my opinion with it still retaining a shabby feel alongside modern and airy which doesn’t fit that well. There are also some questionable photos on the walls now with one showing the old Home Brewery which I thought was a little out of place, I know Arnold was home to the brewery but being the only Shipstons pub in Arnold I think it looks a little strange and out of character, I doubt the owners even realise this is the case to be honest. There has now been a renewed influx of real ale into the pub with them now giving it more of a serious effort because they are competing with better ale establishments. Real ales were very competitively priced here and there are three pumps on the bar facing as you enter and another three on the other side as the bar bends around the corner. The ale selection had some stinkers such as GK IPA (£2.10) Hobgoblin (£2.35) and a cider as well as one specially brewed by Nottingham Brewery for them called Keys Ale (£2.35) that was repeated on both bars and Dancing ducks award Winning Dark Drake(£2.35). It wasn’t my round so I requested a Dark Drake off my friend who ordered (Dimple mugs were offered which I like but appreciate some people don’t, a nice touch I thought though to offer) asked for a Keys ale and a Drake and ended up with a Keys and a Hobgoblin which he brought to the table, I couldn’t be bothered to cause a fuss so decided to keep with the Hobgoblin, Big mistake! This was a truly terrible pint, no conditioning whatsoever and served far too cold, void of any flavour whatsoever it was truly crap. I tried my friends Keys ale and detected a distinct taste that should not be there, possibly line cleaner, I was really unimpressed, my grandmother could keep a better pint that what we were served and she’s been dead for eight years! Aside from this the old regulars have remained and on the less desirable end of the social spectrum. This is such a massive waste, they have the opportunity to re-invent the pub and breath a new life into nit with good beer and crate a nice environment, instead it’s just the same as it was with the same people and cellar management that is atrocious, thousands of pound wasted as no benefit has been gained, very poor and one that will probably take me another 22 years to get round to visiting again.