Notts County : Club Background

World’s Oldest… something or other.

‘The World’s Oldest League Club’. Wondering about that? How can one club be the oldest league club – there couldn’t have been a league of one? Did they just play against themselves? (In fact that’s exactly what these really old clubs tended to do when they started up and there was hardly any others: A Team v B Team etc.) Whatever. Notts County are old, very very old. Older than the Football Association. And that’s old. 1862 is usually the date given for their foundation, as Nottingham Football Club, though the club’s own Official History goes for 1864 when the name Notts County was adopted. Naturally they were among the twelve founder members of the English Football League, a mere stripling in comparison, in 1888. What’s really meant is “the oldest (known) professional club at which people (men in those days) received money to play football as opposed to those earlier amateur kick-about teams of gentlemen and student types” – but that’s not a very snappy title. Anyway, it’s something one hears much less from Notts County fans since 2019 when they were relegated out of the Football League.

Teams playing in black and white stripes in England are nicknamed The Magpies – it’s the law. Famously, Juventus adopted the Notts County black and white stripes in 1903; and it was County which was invited to play the first game when Juve’s new stadium was opened in 2011.

Jimmy Sirrel Stand, where away fans now go.

But what really grates with County fans is that for most of their history they have played second fiddle to those newcomers on the block, Nottingham Forest, not formed until 1865. They did win the FA Cup first – in 1894 – but annoyingly Forest has won it twice since, in 1898 and 1959. In terms of cup silverware the Magpies wouldn’t trouble the statisticians again until winning the Anglo-Italian Cup (which ran intermittently in various guises and under various names between 1970 and 1996 – Yeovil Town entering it in 1976-77 when it was going through a semi-pro phase) in 1995.

After an early nomadic existence, including two spells at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, the club has played at Meadow Lane since 1910. They have been up and down, more down than up in truth, the Divisions since. The last time the club was in Division One pre-World War II was 1926; and by 1959 it had reached the low point of Division Four. They had been bouncing around the lower two divisions for decades until two spells under manager Jimmy Sirrel (you’ll be in a stand built in 1993 and named after him) had them move through the divisions from Four to One in ten years. They survived in the top flight from 1981-84 before suffering back-to-back relegations.

After a third spell at Meadow Lane Sirrel finally retired from managerial duties and County were in danger of slipping back into Division Four under replacement John Barnwell. Barnwell was soon out the door and the new hoped for talisman was Neil Warnock, who had come to football’s attention as a manager by taking Scarborough out of Non-League and in to the EFL in 1987. Back-to-back play-off promotions, 1989-91, saw County back in the top flight. However the Magpies only lasted a single season this time and were relegated just as the Premier League was formed so can’t boast to have ever been members – another irritation for the fans as Forest can now claim six seasons in the PL in four spells. County still had expectations though, so sacked Warnock and appointed Mick Walker. They also had some money, so Meadow Lane was almost completely rebuilt in the early Nineties.

However the good spell was over and the next 25 years would mostly be shambolic, and at times totally chaotic, as Notts County lurched from crisis to crisis. 1994-95 was a season of four managers in the dug-out, Walker, Russell Slade, Howard Kendall and Steve Nicol, and unsurprisingly given that churn ended in relegation (though they did win the Anglo-Italian Cup, see above). Despite a patchy prior record as manager at a series of clubs, never lasting long anywhere, the Magpies then decided Colin Murphy would be their new man in the hot seat. A year and a half later he was sacked as County had a calamitous campaign, winning seven games all season, and even replacement Sam Allardyce couldn’t pull off an escape from another drop.

Haydn Green – the man who saved the club – Family Stand.

Allardyce got them back out of the EFL basement at the first time of asking but then headed off to Bolton Wanderers in October 1999. Meadow Lane then became a revolving door with 24 different managerial appointments in the next two decades.

Off the pitch things would be even more unstable. In November 2000, a sale agreement for the club fell apart and by 2002 County had collapsed into administration with debts of around £6 million. Another takeover also collapsed and the club was teetering on the edge of liquidation, kept afloat by supporters raising £250,000 and a consortium of three directors putting their hands in their pockets. However this was a drop in the ocean and it took the club 18 months to finally exit administration when an anonymous donor came up with around £2.7 million. It didn’t emerge for ten months who this was – a life-long supporter of the club, Haydn Green. He wanted no publicity or recognition, didn’t take the chairmanship or even a seat on the board. When it was clear the club had survived he gave all his shares to the Supporters Trust. Green died in 2007. The Family Stand at Meadow Lane is named after him.

One might think this dice with extinction would have been a salutatory warning, but football clubs are nothing if not hopelessly optimistic and all too often seemingly incapable of spotting even the most obvious wrong ‘uns. Enter, in 2009, Munto Finance. Promising all sorts Munto Finance rapidly unveiled Sven-Göran Eriksson as director of football, and Kaspar Schmeichel and Sol Campbell as the marque player signings amongst a number of others. Meanwhile, in the midst of the media circus, the Supporters’ Trust had voted to gift its 60% of club shares to Munto. John Armstrong-Homes, then chair of the Magpies’ Supporters’ Trust, had been flown out to Middle East and reported he’d been shown “the most incredible PowerPoint”, so that was OK then. Anyway, no problem, as the EFL went on to confirm that County’s new owners had met its “fit and proper persons” regulations, and that it had seen and approved “extensive disclosure” on the ownership structure.

Of course the whole thing was a scam, dreamed up by serial fraudster Russell King, already with a prison term behind him, on this occasion claiming to have a holding company worth $2 trillion, including the rights to all the gold, iron ore and coal in North Korea and control of the finances of the Bahraini royal family. So no warning bells there! As the whole deck of cards was beginning to collapse Hans Backe, Eriksson’s former assistant at Manchester City, was given the job of manager on a three-year deal. He resigned two months later. It would be another nine years before King was finally extradited and sentenced to six years on multiple charges of fraud and larceny.

Notts County Chief Executive Peter Trembling, who had acted as the public front of Munto Finance – it was never clear how much he was party to proceedings and how much a very simple gullible patsy, but for the record he was never charged with anything – tried a management buyout for the sum of £1.00. There was the slight snag that he had inherited millions in debts and a huge load of contractual commitments. Trembling lasted two months before the game of pass-the-parcel continued, with former Lincoln City Chairman Ray Trew taking over the mess, again for £1.00, with the additional task of dealing with HMRC breathing down the club’s neck with winding up orders for half a million in unpaid taxes. In such unpromising circumstances Trew deserves some credit that the club is still with us.

Meanwhile, on the pitch County were heading for promotion. At first sight, given the background chaos, that may seem surprising but the club had eventually made a sensible appointment a couple of months after Backe walked out in Steve Cotterill, on a contract to the end of the season. And there were still some players on the books well above the Magpie’s station – Kaspar Schmeichel for example played 43 games, despite confirming when he departed at the end of the season that he was never paid any of the £15,000 a week of his £3,600,000 five year contract.

The return to League One for 2010-11 was made without Cotterill who, having got them promoted, would not commit to the club according to the chairman and so departed in May. He would next turn up at Portsmouth in July. Trew may have saved the club from folding off the pitch but on it he chopped and changed managers at a ridiculous pace getting through an average of nearly two a year for the duration of his chairmanship. The main surprise was that with such instability County avoided returning to the EFL basement until 2015, Yeovil Town being relegated alongside them.

Trew had already resigned as chairman but couldn’t find a buyer for the club which was again teetering on the edge of financial crisis when John Sheridan was brought in as manager in May 2016. By January 2017 it was all change again at Meadow Lane, both upstairs and downstairs: the club at last found a buyer, local businessman Alan Hardy taking over; and Sheridan was sacked for “gross misconduct” following verbal assaults and threats against match officials. In truth it was possibly a convenient excuse, the new owner getting rid of Sheridan for free after a run of ten consecutive defeats.

Hardy’s pitch to the fans was he’d have Notts County in the Championship in five years. However he seemed no more capable of hanging on to a manager than Trew. Sheridan’s replacement, Kevin Nolan, was gone by that summer. His replacement, Harry Kewell, didn’t complete four months, and in came Neal Ardley. Hardy’s earlier big talk was all bluster, in reality he was a man of straw. The club was still weighed down by debt, another winding up petition from HMRC landed on the doormat, and Hardy was desperately trying to divest himself, putting the club up for sale yet again in January 2019. As a bit of light relief he also managed (accidentally, presumably) to post a picture of his penis on Twitter. The FA wasn’t particularly amused.

Main, Derek Pavis, Stand.

Football clubs can be impressively resilient bodies but there’s only so much mismanagement and chaos any institution can take and it had been continuing for years at Meadow Lane. A 3-1 loss at Swindon Town on 4th May 2019 saw the end of Notts County’s Football League status since 1888, only the second of the twelve founder members ever to drop out. Once again, as in 2014-15, they went down with the Yeovil.

Again it was hard to find a buyer for the mess the Magpies had become and negotiations had dragged on for months. Winding up orders came, and were adjourned; deadlines passed, and were extended. Eventually, with just eight days to go until the start of the new season and Notts County on the very edge of failing to start the campaign and being expelled from the National League, Danish businessmen Alexander and Christoffer Reedtz got a deal over the line.  Outstanding debts – including to staff whose salaries had gone unpaid for months – were settled and the transfer embargo lifted. Seven players were signed within the first 24 hours and another five over the next few days.

When the 2019-20 season was suspended early because of Covid-19 the Magpies ended in 3rd after PPG calculations had been done, one place above the Glovers. When the much delayed play-offs took place in July/August, unlike Yeovil who got knocked out in the first round, County reached the Final, only to lose 3-1 to Harrogate Town.

The following season both owners and fans clear expectation was that only automatic promotion would be good enough, so when County fell 14 points behind complete outsiders at the start of the campaign Sutton United in March Ardley was sacked, almost it seemed as punishment, as whoever came in – it was Ian Burchnall – was never going to bridge the gap from that point. The Magpies eventually finished 5th. This time they lost at the semi-final stage, 4-2 to Torquay United.

Last season Notts County finished 5th again so were once more in the play-offs, for the third consecutive season, this time going out at the first time of asking 2-1 to Grimsby Town. The Magpies board didn’t have time to decide whether to punish Burchnall in turn as Forest Green Rovers, who’d got all precious about Watford nicking their manager two weeks before, came calling and he departed for The New Lawn. Luke Williams was County’s choice to replace him.

Preparing for the visit of the Glovers on 19th November County has had a storming opening to the campaign, sitting atop the table with a 13-5-1 record.


Notts County : We’ve Met Before

Previous Results for Yeovil Town First Team vs Notts County

04/11/1961 Away FAC1 L 2-4 Foley, Taylor
21/08/2004 Away EFL2 W 2-1 5024 Terry 68, Jevons 81
29/03/2005 Home EFL2 L 1-3 7221 Jevons 86
04/09/2010 Away EFL1 L 0-4 6288
12/04/2011 Home EFL1 W 2-1 3533 Bowditch 32, 57
10/12/2011 Home EFL1 W 1-0 3663 A Williams 88
09/04/2012 Away EFL1 L 1-3 5852 Franks 79
08/12/2012 Home EFL1 D 0-0 3355
01/04/2013 Away EFL1 W 2-1 5004 Madden 45, Dolan 52
22/11/2014 Away EFL1 W 2-1 7746 Clarke 84, 88
11/04/2015 Home EFL1 D 1-1 3947 Own Goal 10
17/10/2015 Away EFL2 L 0-2 4030
12/03/2016 Home EFL2 W 1-0 3588 Zoko 50
06/08/2016 Home EFL2 W 2-0 3715 Dawson 16, Khan 23
25/02/2017 Away EFL2 D 0-0 7141
21/11/2017 Home EFL2 D 1-1 2338 Zoko 80
21/04/2018 Away EFL2 L 1-4 7359 Fisher 90
17/08/2018 Away EFL2 W 4-0 7439 Fisher 34, 36, 72 Arquin 83
19/01/2019 Home EFL2 W 2-0 2716 James 8, Dobre 90
31/08/2019 Home NLP W 3-1 2424 Own Goal 41, Wilkinson 82, Hippolyte 85
08/02/2020 Home FAT3 L 1-2 1986 Duffus 77
25/04/2020 Away NLP Season curtailed
20/03/2021 Away NLP L 0-2 0
23/03/2021 Home NLP D 2-2 0 J Smith 29, Reid 38
09/10/2021 Home NLP L 0-2 2438
05/03/2022 Away NLP D 1-1 6943 Bradley 47
19/11/2022 Away NLP D 0-0 16511
18/02/2022 Home NLP L 1-4 3020 Oluwabori 65

Results Summary For Yeovil Town First Team vs Notts County

Home Away Overall
W D L F A W D L F A W D L F A
6 4 4 18 17 4 3 6 15 23 10 7 10 33 40

Notts County : Club Statistics

RECENT RESULTS

24/09/2022 York City Away NLP W 3-1 6759 Castro 5, Langstaff 43, 80
01/10/2022 Altrincham Home NLP W 3-1 6458 Langstaff 42, 44, 60
04/10/2022 Wrexham Home NLP W 1-0 10741
08/10/2022 Woking Away NLP W 3-2 3267 Rodrigues 9, Scott 14, 43
15/10/2022 Coalville Town Home FAC4QR L 2-3 5063 Austin 9, 66
21/10/2022 Maidstone United Home NLP W 3-0 6765 Langstaff 44, Rodrigues 52, Scott 63
25/10/2022 Wealdstone Away NLP W 6-1 1710 Langstaff 2, Chicksen 24, 42, Palmer 30, Nemane 46, Bajrami 54
29/10/2022 Torquay United Home NLP W 4-0 7563 Rawlinson 25, Rodrigues 34, De Castro 88, Bajrami 90
01/11/2022 Bromley Home NLP D 1-1 6389 Chicksen 16
08/11/2022 Southend United Away NLP D 2-2 6603 Langstaff 34, Scott 60
12/11/2022 Eastleigh Away NLP W 2-0 3055 Chicksen 56, Rodrigues 74
19/11/2022 Yeovil Town Home NLP

ATTENDANCE STATISTICS

Highest League Attendance: 10,741 v Wrexham 04/10/2022
Lowest League Attendance:  5,607 v Aldershot Town 13/09/2022
Average League Attendance: 7,325

CURRENT LEAGUE SEQUENCE STATISTICS

Games Without A Win: 0 Games Without A Home Win: 1
Games Without An Away Win: 0 Games Without Defeat: 10
Games Without A Home Defeat: 9 Games Without An Away Defeat: 5
Games Without A Draw: 1 Games Without A Score Draw: 1
Games Without A No-Score Draw: 19 Games Without Scoring: 0
Games Without Conceding: 1 Home Results Sequence: WWWWD
Away Results Sequence: WWWDW Overall Results Sequence: WWWWWWWDDW

 


Notts County : Club Information

So you don’t confuse it with the ‘other’ ground.

Address: Meadow Lane Stadium
Meadow Lane
Nottingham
NG2 3HJ
(Click for map)

Telephone Number: 0115 9529000
Emailoffice@nottscountyfc.co.uk

Chairman: Christoffer Reedetz
CEO: Jason Turner
Stadium Operations: Dave Langton
Press Officer: Nick Richardson
Manager: Luke Williams

Capacity: 19,841 (current safety certificate for football 18,800)
Seated: all seater stadium
Terrace: n/a

Record Attendance: 47,310 v York City, F.A. Cup Sixth Round, 12th March 1955
Nickname: The Magpies
Colours: shirts – black and white stripes; shorts – black; socks – black
Programme: £3.00

Kop End, now for the home fans.

Ticketing:

When first started going regularly to Meadow Lane we were able to sit in the rather nice new Kop End. More recently we’ve been shoved into a corner of the Jimmy Sirrel Stand, with a poorer view. This is a side-facing stand. Away supporters are usually housed in the Z Block area these days. The default allocation is for around 1,300 spaces but County make this flexible if they think there’s more (or less) turning up. Enter through Entrance 7, Turnstiles 21-23 – at least that’s what says on my ticket – which are at the southern end of the stand.

Notts County has chosen the fixture against Yeovil Town on Saturday 19th November, 3.00 p.m. kick-off, for its Special Offer match this season, with prices at:
All adults: £5.00
Under 16: £1.00
(+60p administration fee if buying on-line or over the phone – 0115 955 7210)
On-line e-tickets can either be printed out or shown on your phone at the turnstiles.
When it did this last season, versus Solihull, a National League attendance record for a league game of 12,843 was set.
There’s normally a £2.00 surcharge at Meadow Lane for walk-up ticket purchases on the day, and although they haven’t specifically stated whether that will also be in place for this match it’s quite possible it will be. The away supporters’ ticket booth at the back of the Jimmy Sirrel Stand is CASH ONLY. If you arrive without cash the nearest cash point is at the Jet Petrol Station in Meadow Lane three minutes walk from the away turnstiles but it is one of those that charges a usage fee. Alternatively, one can walk right round to the other side of the stadium and buy an away ticket from the Main Ticket Office using card. County is strongly pushing for fans to buy in advance and states it will only be opening the ticket offices for walk-up sales in the final hour before kick-off.

Disabled Info :
Disabled supporters are admitted at the above prices. You’re entitled to take an assistant in free of charge if you are on the medium (or above) rate of disabled living allowance. Disabled car parking spaces (the number is very limited – it used to be six but a current number no longer appears to be specified) can be booked by phoning 0115 9557204 in advance of the match. This is also the number to use in case of any other special arrangements needed for the game, with Alice Kelk, the club’s Disabled Supporters Liaison Officer, the point of contact.
There are ten wheelchair disabled places in the Jimmy Sirrel Stand, with some of them provided in the away section – if those are fully booked they tend to use the Haydn Green Family Stand.
Toilets adapted for disability are located in the (away) Jimmy Sirrel Stand. Catering outlets on the concourses do not have disabled adapted counters – steward assistance on request.


Official Away Travel

The Green & White Supporters’ Club is running away travel to Notts County on Saturday, November 5th with a 3.00 p.m. kick-off.

Details are as follows:

Members: Adult £31.00; Concession £29.00
Non-Members: Adult £34.00; Concession £32.00
Coach departs Huish Park: 8.00 a.m.

To book, call Paul Hadlow on 07736 044570 or email him on paulhadlow@outlook.com.

If you are getting in touch by email, please make it clear which match you are booking for and that you give your full name, the names of people that are travelling and a contact telephone number.

You may be asked to pay a £5 deposit to reserve your seat.


Notts County : Directions To The Ground

View of stadium after crossing Cattle Market Road bridge.

General

Meadow Lane is the closer of the city’s two football stadiums to the centre, around a mile (20 minutes walk) from the heart of the city and 10 minutes or so from Nottingham Railway Station.

By Road

You’ll most likely be on the M1 as you near Nottingham.

For those coming from the South exit at Junction 24 of the M1, from where it’s c. 12 miles to Meadow Lane. Follow the signs for Nottingham on the A453 (Remembrance Way). Continue through Clifton, passing the Trent University on your left hand side. As the A453 approaches the junction with the A52 keep in the left hand lane, and keep in that left hand lane as cross the River Trent to stay on the A453 (this is now Queens Drive). At the end of Queens Drive get in the right hand lane for the traffic lights that allow a right turn into Waterway Street. Following this route as it becomes Sheriffs Way (you’ll see Castle Rock Brewery and Vat & Fiddle pub on the left) and Queen’s Road (you’ll see Nottingham Station to the left) takes you to the junction with the A60 (were Hooter’s is to your right). Turn right onto the A60 (London Road); and then taking the first left (across the canal) on to Cattle Market Road you will see the stadium to your right.

For those coming from the North exit at Junction 26 of the M1: take the A610 to Nottingham.
When reaching the Ring Road (A6514 on this stretch of its circuit), if you know where you are going much the shorter (though not necessarily quicker given city traffic) route is by carrying straight over and keeping on the A610. This takes you right into the heart of the city (the A610 eventually running out at The Orange Circus roundabout). Take the second exit, Maid Marian Way (A6008) and follow (it becomes Greyfriar Gate) until the traffic lights at the junction with Castle Boulevard (A6005). Immediately after the lights take the left option into Wilford Street which later becomes Wilford Road. At the mini-roundabout at the end of Wilford Road take the left into Waterway Street. Following this route as it becomes Sheriffs Way (you’ll see Castle Rock Brewery and Vat & Fiddle pub on the left) and Queen’s Road (you’ll see Nottingham Station to the left) takes you to the junction with the A60 (were Hooter’s is to your right). Turn right onto the A60 (London Road); and then taking the first left (across the canal) on to Cattle Market Road you will see the stadium to your right.

The simpler option is to go left on to the Ring Road, A6154 (though considerably longer in mileage as it takes one northwards in a big dog leg) along Western Boulevard which then becomes Valley Road, until reaching the A60. At this point head back south sticking to the A60 (Mansfield Road, then Huntington Street, then Lower Parliament Street, then London Road) all the way until after around 4 miles you’re looking for the left turn on to Cattle Market Road which takes one to the ground.

Parking:

There is no parking at the stadium itself for away fans (except see Disabled Info, above).

Parking up in the city centre is EXPENSIVE – one’s talking of charges from around £10 up to over £20 at some car parks for the whole of a Saturday afternoon.

In the past there’s been quite a lot of cheaper parking down closer to the stadium but be aware that with County expecting a particularly large crowd for this match spaces are likely to fill up quickly.

When driving rather than training we used the Old Cattle Market (just to the East of the stadium) which was really convenient providing one was happy squeezing and slaloming around the multitude of stalls to find a space to dump the car. However, a huge fire in November 2018 and then closure because of Covid means that whole area has been refurbished in the last few years and is not the free and easy anarchy with little regulation it once was, and it looks like general public parking is no longer available there.

The main streets around the boundaries of the Cattle Market and the stadium – Incinerator Road, Clarke Road, parts of Meadow Lane, Iremonger Road – are a flat rate £3.00 between 8.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. on a Saturday (free outside those times) but with both the market punters and (when Notts County are at home) football supporters competing these spaces quickly fill up on a Saturday.

On the other side of the A60 opposite the stadium (partly a residential estate and partly a commercial area) some of the roads are permit only and others have parking that is free for the first two hours and then 60p for each subsequent hour, so check the signage carefully.

At bit further away there is also parking on the Victoria Embankment, which is the road that follows the bend of the River Trent on its north bank, to the South and West of the stadium. This used to be free all weekend but when we went last season there was a flat rate £2.00 charge. This has now gone up to £5.00 for the first six hours, £10.00 if you go over that.

Nottingham Council uses the RingGo app.

The Nottingham Railway Station carpark (on Queen’s Road) has over 500 spaces and is about 10 minutes walk from the ground with a flat rate £5.00 charge at weekends.

By Rail

Unusually one can get to an away game and back to Pen Mill on the day for this one. As usual it’s expensive (though ticket splitting may reduce that cost). To avoid options that need three or even four changes the 07.29 only requires two (Bristol Temple Meads and Birmingham New Street), arriving Nottingham at 12.23. The return journey (same changes) departs Nottingham 17.41, getting into Pen Mill at 22.18.

Yeovil Junction via London is the more flexible option, with a larger number of trains; and somewhat cheaper (provided the services with deals remaining are selected). The last service out of Waterloo that allows one to get one back to Yeovil on the night departs 21.20, so leave Nottingham no later than the 18.12 to St Pancras to be relatively assured of catching that.

London and South-East Glovers, on the other hand, are spoilt for choice. There are various options out of both St. Pancras and King’s Cross but the most straightforward and quickest (avoiding changes at either Leicester or Grantham) are the two East Midland Railway direct services per hour, with journey times of between 1 hour 34 minutes and 1 hour 44 minutes, from and back to St. Pancras.

Meadow Lane is around a ten minute walk from Nottingham station. Coming out of the station entrance go  left, and then left again on to Queen’s Road. Follow Queen’s Road down to the junction with the dual carriageway (A60, London Road) and turn right. Cross to the left hand side at some convenient point and keep walking until you see the stadium to your left, access being over the canal bridge on Cattle Market Road.

By Air

If anyone fancies flying East Midland Airport is fourteen miles from Meadow Lane.

By Bus

Nottingham has comprehensive (and still relatively cheap) bus services. The stops nearest the ground are called Eugene Gardens and Ryehill Street (both on Meadow Way… a different road to Meadow Lane!) A whole host of services from all over the city pass through these: Nos. 1, 1A, 1B, 1E, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9B, 10, 10C, 10X.

If looking for services that run down to these stops from the city centre good places to board various frequent options are at Angel Row, Fletcher Gate or the Victoria Centre.

By Taxi

A selection of Nottingham taxi companies can be found here.


Notts County : Web Resources

Web Sites

Notts County Football Club – the Official Site.

Official_NCFC – the club’s official Twitter account.

Pride of Nottingham – Notts County Community – independent site. Carries news items, match previews and reports etc. Has its own forum, social media channels and You Tube presence.

Views From The Kop – the message board from Footymad Forums. Busy board. Read only unless one registers.

Local Press

Nottinghamshire Live – What the on-line version of the Nottingham Post is called. Has a dedicated section for Notts County stuff.


Notts County : Food & Drink

General :

Nottingham is, in our opinion, a great city. Loads to do and see; plenty of good pubs, places to eat and nightlife; a sporting Mecca, with two football clubs, a Test cricket ground, a racecourse, a major rugby club, Nottingham Panthers ice hockey…

The city is home to a lot of new wave breweries, from Blue Monkey, Castle Rock and Nottingham Brewery (a revival of the original, closed down by Whitbread in the Fifties), which can now be seen as well established veterans; through Black Iris, Lincoln Green, Magpie  and Navigation that are around a decade old; to newer kids on the block such as Angel, Beeston Hop, Good Stuff, Lenton Lane, Liquid Light, Neon Raptor and Totally Brewed. Some produce beers that can be found in numerous places all across the city (and much wider afield); while at the other end of the scale several are currently yet to expand beyond one or two outlets.

Beer outlets come in many shapes and sizes, and you’ll find examples of pretty much all of them in Nottingham, from (yet another) claimant to be The Oldest Pub in Britain (Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem, below) to the Tap House (10 Byard Lane, NG1 2GJ) which generated over-excited media headlines when it became the first in the UK to be ‘self-service’, with the beers obtained directly by the customer with a swipe card, and the tap then automatically dispensing the appropriate amount paid for.

The list of options below is lengthy, but we could easily have doubled it. It was a question of what to leave out rather than what to include. So if one of your favourite discoveries is missing we can but apologise. There are for example (depending where one chooses to draw the city boundary) up to ten of the Wetherspoon/Lloyds No.1 Bar chain in Nottingham – only the closest to Meadow Lane gets a space below. And Castle Rock Brewery has thirteen pubs in the city, all with varying degrees of excellence, so one could have done an entire guide just on them – choices had to be made. The Magpie Brewery is right by the stadium (wonder where they got that name from?!) – Units 4, 5 and 6, Ashling Court, NG2 3JA – and includes a Tap Room called The Crafty Warehouse. On our last visit it didn’t appear to open at weekends. The brewery’s website says it now does on Saturday, but only from 2.00 p.m. though CAMRA’s What Pub? says it opens from noon. Meanwhile The Crafty Warehouse website just has it opening on a Saturday if County or Forest are at home (which to fair will be most of them during the season) but doesn’t bother to say what time.

Magpie Brewery & Crafty Warehouse Taproom – adjacent to the stadium.

Leaving aside one outlier that is not duplicated closer to the ground, but is particularly special so couldn’t be left out, the suggestions break down into the following groups geographically (from nearest to furthest from Meadow Lane in each category):

1 (a). The three pubs that are closest to the ground (5 minutes walk or fewer): Trent Navigation, Embankment, Brewhouse & Kitchen; and 1 (b) three just south of the river over Trent Bridge (around 7 to 15 minutes walk): Waterside Bar & Kitchen, Trent Bridge Inn, Stratford Haven.

2. Around the railway station area (so from c. 10 to c. 15 minutes North-West of the stadium): Hooters, BeerHeadZ, Vat & Fiddle, Barley Twist, Newshouse, Fellows Morton & Clayton, Canal House.

3.  Sneinton district (East, just across the A60 from the city centre, due North of the ground and from 15 to 25 minutes walk depending on outlet chosen):  King William IV, Partizan Tavern, Neon Raptor Taproom, Liquid Light Taproom.

4. City centre (around 20 to 25 minutes walk depending on exact location, or pick up a bus, see By Bus, above): Annie’s Burger Shack, Angel Microbrewery, Junkyard Bottle Shop & Pour House, Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem, Six Barrel Draft House, BrewDog, Barrel Drop.

Club house – but it’s a NO to the away support.

Club Bar :

The Supporters’ Club does not admit away fans. Availability of alcohol for away supporters in the Jimmy Sirrel Stand is decided on a match by match basis. There’s no indication what is served when they do. Apart from that expect the usual fairly basic fare that football stadiums tend to dish up: burgers, pies, hot dogs, tea, coffee, fizzy drinks etc.
Away fans wishing to smoke can use the designated smoking area to the rear of the visitors’ Jimmy Sirrel stand under the supervision of a steward during the half-time interval – if recalling correctly they stick up a few barriers creating a little corral in the street.

Local Pubs :

The Angel Microbrewery.

Angel Microbrewery (4): Longstanding Nottingham pub the Old Angel was heavily refurbished and given a new direction with the installation of a microbrewery in 2016. Obviously it features a lot of its own Angel beers (usually three on at a time); but also frequently gives space to another small local brewery, Black Iris, on the total of six hand pumps. Guests from other independents crop up regularly. Has a courtyard to the rear. Another of those pubs that doesn’t think displaying business hours is important. Hunting elsewhere: food appears to be served from opening up to 10.00 p.m. And still hunting elsewhere, that opening appears to be from 12.00 noon. Closing time? 1.30 a.m. one source says. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. If only the Angel Microbrewery could be bothered to say. 1.1 miles from the ground.
Angel Microbrewery, 7 Stoney Street, (Lace Market Quarter), Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 1LG. Tel: 0115 9483343. Map: Angel Microbrewery.

Annie’s.

Annie’s Burger Shack (& Tavern) (4): There are two branches of this, one in Derby and the original one in Nottingham. Although they haven’t been around that long it’s fair to say they have already become something of an institution. The Burger/Tavern aspect trades from noon every day, but Friday to Sunday it also offers breakfasts from 8.00 a.m. – 10.30 a.m. Has two bars, with the Ocean State Tavern area being distinct from the main restaurant area. There’s a wide range of cask (CAMRA member discount of 20p) and keg beers, both from small producers and the mainstream. The House badged beer, Annie’s Pale Ale, is brewed by Adnams. One real cider. Offers over thirty different burger varieties (with about a dozen of those additionally available adapted into vegetarian options as well). There’s also a children’s menu. Food service closes at 10.30 p.m. (11.00 p.m. Friday and Saturday) with the bars shutting at 11.00 p.m. (midnight Friday and Saturday). Exactly one mile from the stadium.
Annie’s Burger Shack, 5 Broadway, (Lace Market Quarter), Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 1PR. Tel: 0330 0948200. Map: Annie’s Burger Shack.

Barley Twist.

Barley Twist (2): Small two floor craft beer bar (converted from a sweet shop hence the name) which has two hand pumps (generally, though not always, from Castle Rock which owns the place), 10 craft keg lines from small independent brewers and a wide range of bottles and cans from the more obscure and rare end of the market. Just over a hundred yards north of the railway station (there’s a screen in the bar displaying train departure times live) and with 30% off marked prices for carry out bottles and cans, there’s your train beers home right here! Opening times: 4.00 p.m. – 9.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday; noon – 10.00 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Had a rather excellent range of beers on when called in during last season’s Nottingham trip, though 90% of the youthful punters were slamming back Bitburger – presumably cuz only name recognised from the supermarkets.
Barley Twist, 91 Carrington Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 7FE. Tel: 0115 9505456. Map: Barley Twist.

BeerHeadZ, right outside station.

Barrel Drop (4): Single room micropub that opened at the end 2014 and then was bought by Magpie Brewery in 2018. Has up to five cask beers on, always with something by Magpie, and the others changing. Keg and bottled options are also from small independent breweries. Four real ciders. Children allowed until 8.00 p.m. Opening hours are 4.00 p.m. – 10.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, noon – 11.00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon – 9.00 p.m. Sunday. Towards the far side of the city centre from the ground, so 30 minutes walk (1.5 miles) or catch a bus.
The Barrel Drop, 7 Hurt’s Yard, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 6JD. Tel: 0115 9243018. Map: Barrel Drop.

BeerHeadZ (2): BeerHeadZ have locations in Grantham, Lincoln and this one at Nottingham Railway Station in the former Cabman’s Shelter which opened at the end of 2017. They focus entirely on small independent breweries, with four hand pumps and a similar number of keg taps. There’s also a small bottled/canned range in the fridge. Have real cider. No food (but no objection to eating your own in their premises). Card payment preferred. Opening hours: noon – 10.00 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, noon – 11.00 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
BeerHeadZ, Cabman’s Shelter, 1A Queen’s Road, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG2 3AS. Tel: 07914 136055. Map: BeerHeadZ.

Brewhouse & Kitchen.

BrewDog (Nottingham) (4): Everyone knows of BrewDog as their beers are in every supermarket these days, even if they’ve not been in one of their now many bars. The Nottingham branch was the fifth one it opened, way back at the beginning of 2012. This one has 28 keg lines. Food served noon – 10.00 p.m. every day (children allowed until 8.00 p.m. Opening hours from noon, to 11.00 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, midnight Friday and Saturday. 25 minutes walk (1.2 miles) from the ground.
BrewDog (Nottingham), 20-22 Broad Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 3AL. Tel: 0115 9583613. Map: BrewDog.

Brewhouse & Kitchen (Nottingham) (1a): Third closest pub (see Trent Navigation and Embankment below) to the stadium, right by the Trent Bridge, with a 6 to 7 minute walk to the ground. The building has been five different hospitality joints already this century (such a level of churn is never a good sign) so you may recall it by a different name. This is the present incarnation, since 2017.  If you haven’t come across the small (24 outlets at the last count) Brewhouse & Kitchen chain before each of their pubs brews its own lines of real ales on site (keg offerings mostly come from other breweries). Have found the ones been in rather variable in beer quality, and having now tried this Nottingham branch wasn’t particularly impressed. The landlady/manager(?) mentioned in conversation that the Forest supporters used it in numbers when they were at home but the County supporters less so, though gave no indication why she thought that was. Food is served from opening time up to 10.00 p.m. everyday except Sunday when it’s 9.00 p.m. Have found it good value in the past (though again can’t speak for this branch). Disabled access, child friendly (no mention up to what time), beer garden, car park, Sports TV, smoking area. Opens at 11.00 a.m., closing 11.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, midnight Friday and Saturday, 10.30 p.m. Sunday.
Brewhouse & Kitchen (Nottingham), 318 Arkwright Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG2 2GS. Tel: 0115 9867960. Map: Brewhouse & Kitchen.

Canal House.
Unusual interior – the Canal House.

Canal House (2): A listed three storey pub that used to be a canal warehouse. It’s on one side of a yard by the canal with the Fellows, Morton & Clayton (below) opposite it on the other side. Although run by Castle Rock Brewery it is less wedded to their beers than some of their other pubs. There are six hand pumps and over a dozen ‘craft’ keg taps. It also carries more ciders than perhaps any other pub in Nottingham; and has around 200 different bottled beers. A canal spur actually runs into the inside of the building, making this one of the more unusual pubs in the city and worth it just to see the location. You’ll find some of the narrow boats moored up inside and there’s also a bridge inside the pub. Some issues for disabled customers because of interior design but there is an adapted toilet accessible via a lift. Food served daily from opening up to 8.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 9.00 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 7.00 p.m. Sunday. Large mostly covered beer garden, BT Sports, smoking area. Situated about a three minute walk north of the railway station, and exactly one mile from Meadow Lane Stadium. Opens at noon every day, closing 11.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, midnight Friday and Saturday, 10.00 p.m. Sunday.
Canal House, 48-52 Canal Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 7EH. Tel: 0115 9555060. Map: Canal House.

Fellows, Morton & Clayton.
The Embankment.

Embankment (1a): Second closest pub to Meadow Lane, five minutes walk away, it naturally gets pretty busy on matchdays. Originally one of Boots earliest shops (founder Jesse Boot had his office upstairs, which has been conserved) it’s a listed building, becoming a pub operated by Castle Rock Brewery in 2015. Disabled access, family friendly, outdoor area, Sports TV, own car park (enter your number plate on the tablets at the bar to get free parking and avoid clamping) which even has one EV charging point. Food served all day, from noon weekdays and 11.00 a.m. at weekends (with breakfast from 11.00 a.m. to noon then switching to the main menu) up to 9.00 p.m. (5.00 p.m. on a Sunday). Cask beer lines reach double figures as do the keg beer lines. Opening hours are: noon – 11.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, noon – midnight Friday, 11.00 a.m. – midnight Saturday, 11.00 a.m. – 8.00 p.m. Sunday.
Embankment, 282-284 Arkwright Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG2 2GR. Tel: 0115 9864502. Map: Embankment.

Fellows, Morton & Clayton (2): Three minutes north of the station and exactly one mile from Meadow Lane Stadium this pub is on the other side of a yard from the Canal House (above). Sounding like a firm of solicitors, the listed building housed a coal carrying company in Victorian times and the pub is named after that company. Moving into the Ei Group (Pubco) stable in 2017 it was closed for a period in 2018 while having a major refurbishment and is now under its ‘Crafted Social’ badged chain. Food is served from opening up to 9.00 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 8.00 p.m. Sunday. Beers (eight hand pumps) are mostly from the Pubco’s list but sometimes offerings from a couple of local breweries put in an appearance. Disabled access (via an entrance at the rear of the pub), family friendly, outside area, both Sky and BT Sports. Opens 11.00 a.m. every day expect Saturday when it’s 10.00 a.m., closing 10.00 p.m. Sunday, 11.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday.
Fellows, Clayton & Morton, 54 Canal Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 7EH. Tel: 0115 9241175. Map: Fellows, Morton & Clayton.

Hooters.
Junkyard… not the easiest to find.

Hooters (2): Just off the A60 half way between the station and the stadium, so about five minutes walk from each. A bar/restaurant with er, special attractions in the waitress service… the clue is in the name. Don’t expect a family atmosphere. Food and drink is in the American style. Hours are: 11.00 a.m. – midnight Monday to Saturday, 11.00 a.m. – 10.30 p.m. Sunday.
Hooters, Hicking Building, London Road, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG2 3AS. Tel: 0115 9588111. Map: Hooters.

Junkyard Bottle Shop & Pour House (4): Independent Craft Beer Bar in the heart of the city centre. Easy to miss as Bridlesmith Walk is a narrow alley running between Bridlesmith Gate and Fletcher Gate with entrances that aren’t particularly obvious. Has 15 keg taps as well as a large range of bottles and cans. Food available from opening to 10.00 p.m. everyday (except Sunday when it stops serving at 9.00 p.m.). Yard to rear and outdoor seating to the front. It gives its opening hours as a simple noon to 1.00 a.m. every day, though elsewhere there’s a suggestion it shuts at midnight on Sunday. (The sign on the door had 10.00 a.m. – 1.00 a.m. Mon-Sat and 11.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m. Sun but this may well have been superseded.) Just over the mile to Meadow Lane Stadium so around 25 minutes walk.
Junkyard Bottle Shop & Pour House, 12 Bridlesmith Walk, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 2FZ. Tel: 0115 9501758. Map: Junkyard.

‘King Billy’ – traditional old school pub.

King William IV (3): Known to locals as The King Billy this is a traditional pub that dates back to 1832. A serious cider outlet – generally has between five and eight on – there’s also up to eight real ales from independent breweries, and a dozen keg taps (a mixture of ‘craft’ and multi-nationals). Food is Pizzas. There’s a roof terrace space outside, pool and darts room upstairs, Sports TV, smoking area. Children welcome until 7.00 p.m. Opening a simple noon – 11.00 p.m. every day except Monday which is 2.00 a.m. – 10.00 p.m. A little under 20 minutes walk (0.9 of a mile) from the ground.
The King William IV, 6 Eyre Street, Sneinton, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG2 4PB. Tel: 07888 887465. Map: King William IV.

Liquid Light Taproom (3): Taproom of the Liquid Light Brewing Company which began brewing in 2017, the Tap opening in 2021.  They only stock their own beers as far as can tell, with up to eight lines on. Mostly brewers of ‘craft’ keg I’ve only come across their beer on cask once. Food is provided by pop-up street vendors. Children allowed until 7.00 p.m. Card payment only, no cash. Given the limited and football unfriendly opening hours – 5.30 p.m. – 10.00 p.m. Friday, 2.00 p.m. – 10.00 p.m. Saturday, 2.00 p.m. – 8.00 p.m. Sunday – this one is probably only for the really determined beer geek or those staying over the weekend. 1.2 miles (25 minutes walk) from Meadow Lane Stadium.
Liquid Light Taproom, Unit 9, Robin Hood Industrial Estate, Alfred Street South, Sneinton, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG3 1GE. Tel: None found. Map: Liquid Light.

Neon Raptor brewery & taproom.

Neon Raptor Taproom (3): Tap room that opened 2018 for the Neon Raptor Brewing Company. They are very much a new wave brewery focusing on keg, bottles and cans. Disabled access, children allowed, small outside patio (smoking area). Opening hours currently appear to be 4.00 p.m. – 10.00 p.m. Friday, noon – 10.00 p.m. Saturday, noon – 6.00 p.m. Sunday. Marginally over the mile, so 20 minutes walk, from Meadow Lane.
Neon Raptor Taproom, Unit 14, Avenue A, Sneinton Market, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 1DT. Tel: 0736 735 8661. Map: Neon Raptor.

The Newshouse.

Newshouse (2): Situated in the same road as the Canal House and Fellows, Morton & Clayton (both above), somewhat further east. A two roomed pub that includes pub games such as darts, table skittles, shove ha’penny and what’s claimed to be the only bar billiards table in Nottingham. Not doing food at present. Although owned by Castle Rock it has a reputation for giving bar space to some of the younger smaller breweries around Nottingham such as Black Iris and Totally Brewed. The small discount available for CAMRA members, students, and ticket holders for football (on day of the match) that was available on our last away trip is no longer mentioned so presumably has been discontinued. Has BT Sports. Opening hours: 5.00 p.m. – 11.00 p.m. Wednesday to Friday; noon – 9.00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. About 15 minutes (0.7 of a mile) walk from the away turnstiles, 5 minutes from the railway station.
The Newshouse, 123 Canal Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 7HB. Tel: 0115 9523061. Map: Newshouse.

Partizan Tavern.

Organ Grinder: This is the outlier, 1.9 miles from Meadow Lane, but included as the brewery Tap of Blue Monkey. The brewery remains committed to cask and is one of the best producers in that format around IMO. A wet-led pub, the only concession to food is locally made pork pies. Has good sized beer garden to rear and heated smoking shelter. Opens from noon every day, closing at 11.00 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday.
The Organ Grinder, 21 Alfreton Road, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG7 3JE. Tel: 0115 9700630. Map: Organ Grinder.

Partizan Tavern (3): Nottingham doesn’t appear to be big on micropubs – possibly because it already has so many good pubs and bars – but this is one (opened summer 2021), and closest have found to Meadow Lane Stadium, exactly one mile (20 minutes walk) due north. The owner actively follows Partizan Belgrade (hence the name) and there’s club programmes around the walls. No website but has a Facebook page. Four hand pumps and four keg taps all dispensing beers from small independent breweries. Also four real ciders/perries. Food is filled rolls, available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Opening times are 4.00 p.m. – 10.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, noon – 11.00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon – 10.00 p.m. Sunday.
Partizan Tavern, 15 Manvers Street, Sneinton, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG2 4PB. Tel: 07974 361645. Map: Partizan Tavern.

Six Barrel Drafthouse (4): There are two Six Barrel Drafthouses in Nottingham city centre. This is the closer one (opened 2016) to the stadium; but if interested the other (opened 2019) is at 14 Mansfield Road, NG1 3GX. Always aims to carry six cask lines, mostly from small independent breweries, and six keg lines (thus explaining the name) – have to say the keg lines were rather uninspiring when checked the site recently… maybe it was just a bad week? Also has a selection of cans and a real cider. Oh and it’s another of those businesses that has taken a fair bit of effort with its website, yet then doesn’t inform potential customers when it’s open. Searching elsewhere, it is maybe from 10.00 a.m. (but possibly only operating as a coffee shop then?), definitely from noon, and closing a midnight… and maybe later than that on Friday and Saturday nights. Just over a mile from Meadow Lane.
Six Barrel Drafthouse, 14-16 Carlton Street, (Hockley Quarter), Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 1NN. Tel: 0115 9501798. Map: Six Barrel Drafthouse.

Stratford Haven.

Stratford Haven (1b): Furthest of the three pubs across the river listed in this guide, 0.8 of a mile from Meadow Lane, it was a former pet shop (until late 1990s), but is a full on pub not a micropub, which one tends to think of when seeing “shop conversion”. Owned by Castle Rock there are 14 cask beer lines and 10 keg lines. Food in ‘pub grub’ style served noon – 8.00 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday. Disabled access, children friendly (during the day – not specified what time ‘the day’ ends), outside courtyard, sheltered smoking area. Opens at noon every day, closing 11.00 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday and midnight Thursday to Saturday.
Stratford Haven, 2 Stratford Road, Bridgford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG2 6BA. Tel: 0115 9825981. Map: Stratford Haven.

Trent Bridge Inn – nearest Spoons.

Trent Bridge Inn (1b): Bought by Timmy in 2011, with a million quid spent doing it up, this is the nearest of the many Nottingham Spoons, right by the cricket ground, just over Trent Bridge and 7 to 8 minutes walk from Meadow Lane. As well as the Spoons chain’s usual ‘house beers’ in the form of Greene King’s IPA and Ruddles Best etc. this outlet has a genuine badged House Beer: Trent Bridge Inn Ale produced by Nottingham Brewery. There are twelve hand pumps in total. Disabled access. Opening hours are 8.00 a.m. until midnight every day (children up to 8.00 p.m.).
The Trent Bridge Inn, 2 Radcliffe Road West, Bridgford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG2 6AA. Tel: 0115 9778940. Map: Trent Bridge Inn.

Trent Navigation Inn – right by the stadium.

Trent Navigation Inn (1a): Back in the early years of this century the pub was rough and tatty looking, was up for sale, and looked ripe for demolition, its only redeeming feature being that it was very close to the ground – just yards away from the Jimmy Sirrel Stand in fact. It got a total refurbishment around 2009-10, and although actually owned by a small Pubco group called Great Northern Inns it operates very much as the Tap Room for Navigation Brewery which started brewing in former stables behind the pub in 2012. Usually has five real ales and two or three keg options from them; a couple of further cask beers from other breweries; some more international keg beers and lagers; up to three real ciders; and sometimes a perry. Serves food in traditional English Pub Grub style every day. Children allowed (if these hours are restricted we don’t know what to). Disabled access. Four screens showing TV Sports inside. Has a massive garden/patio area to the rear including a section with a recently added huge screen showing sports called The Big Shed. The only snag is that, with it being in Meadow Lane itself and the closest pub to the ground, it is absolutely rammed to the rafters with home fans on match days. That said, have never had any issues (and that’s as away fans in colours) – apart from the crowding – on the four or five occasions have used this particular pub. Opening hours: from noon, except Saturday when it was 11.00 a.m. and the website suggests that’s now been made even earlier – 10.00 a.m.; closing is 11.00 p.m. Distance to the away turnstiles: less than 100 yards.
Trent Navigation Inn, 17, Meadow Lane, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG2 3HS. Tel: 0115 9865658. Map: Trent Navigation.

Vat & Fiddle.

Vat & Fiddle (2): A couple of hundred yards from the railway station, and 0.7 of a mile (so c. 12/13 minutes walk) to the away turnstiles. The Tap for Castle Rock (one can see some internal workings of the brewery from one of the bars), it serves their ales, and guests – anything up to 13 different ones in total at a time on hand pump – plus half a dozen or so keg lines, including a lager or two for those who must. Several ciders are also usually available. They’ve also upped their food options over time – when first started using it was a bit minimal, rolls basically – but there’s now a fairly simple but traditional pub menu available lunchtime and early evening during the week and from opening up to 8.00 p.m. at weekends. Children allowed until 9.00 p.m. The beer has always been absolutely top notch – kept and served perfectly: the brewery’s Harvest Pale was the Supreme Champion Beer of Britain 2010. Outside areas front and back. Completely unpretentious, and have loved this pub on our trips for closing in on twenty years now. Opens from noon, closing 11.00 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, 11.30 p.m. Thursday, midnight Friday and Saturday and 10.00 p.m. Sunday.
Vat & Fiddle, 12 Queen’s Bridge Road, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG2 1NB. Tel: 0115 9850611.  Map: Vat & Fiddle.

Waterside Bar + Kitchen.

Waterside Bar & Kitchen (1b): This was Southbank Bar until a major refurbishment and upgrade in 2020 was accompanied by a name change. Less than half a mile (6 or 7 minutes walk from Meadow Lane), but across the river. Good venue if you want to wander taking in an inspection of the other football stadium and the cricket ground. Up to five changing real ales. Disabled access, decked outside area overlooking the river, Sports TV, smoking area. Opening hours are noon – 11.00 p.m. Monday to Thursday, noon – midnight Friday, 10.00 a.m. – midnight Saturday, 10.00 a.m. – 10.00 p.m. Sunday. Food is served all day.
Waterside Bar & Kitchen, 1 Bridgford House, Bridgford Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG2 6AN. Tel:0115 9455541. Map:Waterside Bar + Kitchen.

Ye Olde Trip…

Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem (4): Although a good walk (1.2 miles, so about 20-25 minutes – or one could get a bus or taxi) to the stadium – suppose this has to get a mention as it’s one of those pubs claiming to be the oldest… blah, blah… in this case: “continuously used site for an inn in England, dating to 1189”. (Regular readers over the years will know my cynicism about all the tedious “The Oldest Pub” claims: this one, and all the fantasy history layered on top by the Nottingham tourist industry, is particular garbage, there being absolutely no evidence of anything prior to the 17th Century at the theoretical earliest. Even the name is a con – changed from The Pilgrim). However it is atmospheric inside, with a warren of small rooms cut into the rock to the rear beneath the castle; though the external building one sees is merely a rather desperate attempt to appear photogenically old to the gullible tourist. Greene King (owned since 2019 by CK Assets, a Cayman Islands registered Hong Kong based property development company – so probably if one digs down deep enough, by the People’s Republic of China) took over the pub from local brewers (and previous owners) Hardys & Hansons during the mid-2000s. It has subsequently scrapped all but a couple of the beers they originally brewed – and the odd ones remaining are no longer brewed at Kimberley, but in an industrial plant at Bury St Edmunds. There are three regular beers and up to six changing beers – but these are mainly from Greene King’s multifarious collection of brewery names… thus overwhelmed by Greene King yeasts, so the predominant taste is pretty much the same as every other one of their beers. The menu is fairly extensive and boring chain pub cuisine (served 11.00 a.m. – 9.00 p.m.). There are children’s food options. Quite attractive courtyard to sit in in good weather. Very touristy, as one would expect. Opening hours: 11.00 a.m. – 11.00 p.m. Sunday to Thursday; 11.00 a.m. – midnight Friday and Saturday. (As may be gathered, this place encapsulates so many aspects I dislike about the ‘British Heritage Pub Scene’, all in one place. They’ll even sell you a tacky souvenir T-shirt. But as ticked it off on the 2004 Notts County trip, and thus thankfully having no reason ever to visit it again, don’t let me put you off ticking it as well.)
Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem, 1 Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 6AD. Tel: 0115 9473171. Map: Ye Olde Trip… Etc.


Likelihood the Natives Will Understand You :

Pretty cosmopolitan place, Nottingham, providing you stick to the more central areas of the city. Venture into some of the remoter corners at your peril though.

Top-Tip :

Relive your memories of THAT 5-2 play-off night at the other ground in Nottingham with County fans – they’ll genuinely love you for it.

Other Points Of Interest

There’s a ‘castle’ (though not the original), a City of Caves (accessed bizarrely from one of the shopping centres), the Lace Market district, the County Ground, Trent Bridge, and many bridges over the Trent if you’re into bridges. Some one must be.

[No responsibilty is taken for any inaccuracies. This page is entirely the product of bias and prejudice.]