On the Hunt in Hucknall

Sometimes, during the course of these excursions, the more impromptu trips have been some of the most rewarding and enjoyable. This is particularly the case when the area in question is in much need of a revisit and reappraisal. Such was the case with our weekend antics. Following a series of misfortunes regarding our current house, chief amongst which was our boiler breaking down during the coldest week of the year, Amy and I are now very much back on the house hunting game and have been arranging viewings left, right and centre in recent weeks. One of these viewings would, last Saturday, take us to Hucknall where, with the rare advantage of a weekend off together, we thought it would be only fair to visit the various drinking spots in this historic town. This would be especially helpful as it's been many a year since Hucknall first graced these pages and the drinking scene has changed, significantly for the better, in the intervening time. Our plan was simple: arrive in Hucknall in plenty of time for the viewing, view our potential dream house, and retire to the first of many pubs to mull over our thoughts and opinions. In essence, we were hunting for good beer as much as a new place to live. As it turned out, the latter part of the itinerary would prove to be much more successful than the other. 

Our house viewing was scheduled for 1pm and, with the house located conveniently close to the tram stop, we arrived in the town shortly after 12.30, in decidedly unsettled weather, and made the short walk over. The viewing itself went swimmingly. We both decided that we really liked the house and would happily make it our future abode. Thoughts turned to our next move and, as is often the case when important issues are to be discussed and acted upon, it made sense to begin this discourse in a pub. Retracing our steps back in the direction of the Hucknall tram stop, the northbound terminus of the service, we continued down Station Road. Shortly after, we used a pedestrian crossing to negotiate a busy road junction and gain access to the first pub of what would be an octet for the afternoon. Our day of exploring Hucknall would begin, in earnest, at The Station Hotel.

Originally built in 1892-93, this former railway hotel was formerly a Home Brewery premises but has been in the very capable hands of Lincoln Green since 2017. Internally, there are two rooms. The main entrance leads through into a traditional bar with scrubbed wooden seating and original features. The second room is a large, comfortable lounge with similar seating but altogether more spacious. Toilets can be found in the corridor adjoining the two rooms. A number of hotel rooms are located on the first floor, two of which are en-suite. A second entrance, to the side, leads directly into the lounge. The lounge features photos of the Hucknall of old, including one of the pub roughly a century ago. The decor is a mix of modern styles but the traditional feel and layout has remained largely untouched. Long time readers may remember that this pub featured in my previous Hucknall trip as the final stop on my journey. At that time, the extensive refurbishment was just beginning and the Station Hotel has benefited massively from the time and money invested in it by the current owners, and was awarded Nottingham CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2018. This investment is particularly noticeable on the bar. The bar itself is central and serves both rooms with 10 handpulls on each side, 20 in total. These handpulls are doubled up across both sections, with all beers served in both the bar and lounge. As to be expected given the pub's ownership, Lincoln Green features strongly. When we arrived, we entered directly into the bar, which was occupied by a small number of regulars, mostly Notts County fans pre-drinking before the tram journey into town for what would subsequently be a 2-1 home defeat to Walsall. Pausing to fuss a lovely Staffie, we turned our attention to more pressing matters. Our beer choice here was between 8 of the 10 hand pumps, the majority of which hosted Lincoln Green, namely Marion, Hood, Archer, Tuck, Major and Sherwood Forester with the remaining two featuring guest beers from Dancing Duck, in the shape of Waddle It Be and Abduction. I'm a fan of Lincoln Green beers and, even more so, of their pubs so starting off here as an excellent idea. I opted for the Archer (4%), whilst Amy chose the Abduction (5.5%). We opted to make our way through to the quieter lounge where we could better discuss house matters, and took a seat at a table in the window. Archer tends to be my go to beer when visiting a Lincoln Green establishment and there's a good reason. It's a delicious beer when kept properly and that was certainly the case here. As opening beers go, this definitely hit the target. Amy's choice of the Abduction proved to be a good one too. This is an IPA and it certainly had the preferred balance of bitterness and hop notes. It was also surprisingly easy to drink given the ABV. We had decided that we liked the house enough and, no doubt aided by a small amount of Dutch courage, had come to the decision that we would put in an offer. This we did outside the door of the pub after finishing our beers. We would now wait with baited breath for a response. As it would transpire, we would not have to wait long. Starting our day at The Station Hotel had been a great idea. This is a very very nice pub and it's good to see it thriving under the steady hands of a respected local brewery. There are also rumours of darker things afoot. Whilst I've been unable to uncover any reports of alleged supernatural activity, a ghost hunting vigil at the pub earlier in the year claimed to uncover evidence of former residents and staff lurking in the building, alongside ethereal miners from the long-closed Hucknall colliery. That last point makes the building's proximity to the local mining memorial rather striking. 

With our glasses empty, and our stomachs fluttering as we awaited house news, we left the Station Hotel by the lounge door and turned right. Continuing on, we reached the town centre proper, turning right again when we reached the Arc Cinema. Our next destination was a few doors down and just over the road, at the Plough & Harrow.

Dating back to at least 1869, the Plough & Harrow is a former Hardy's & Hanson's tied house and underwent extensive renovations and improvements in 2015 and a more recent refurbishment in 2019. Single roomed, the layout has been arranged to create a number of different areas. The largest space, to the front, is the main bar area, featuring wooden tables and chairs, drinking ledges, fruit machines and a dartboard. Smaller, snug-like spaces with banquette seating are to one side. A corridor to the rear leads to another raised seating area, along with the toilets and an outside heated patio area with a large TV. TVs predominate throughout with every section boasting several, including one behind the bar. The pub is carpeted. The bar occupies most of the space along the back wall of the main room. When we arrived, the Plough was busy, helped in no small part by the early Premier League kick off, which was being televised. The bar was serving one beer from its bank of 3 handpulls, with Timothy Taylor Landlord being our sole option. Undeterred, we decided to imbibe for the ridiculously reasonable price of £2.10 a pint! Seating was in short supply but we were able to find a high drinking ledge at which to perch and also keep an eye on the Liverpool game. Not long after our arrival, Amy's phone rang. The estate agent! The call we'd been waiting for! The outcome: not good. Our offer had been rejected. Another party had submitted an offer way over the asking price and so ours would not be considered. We felt deflated. Disheartened. But we knew we'd done all we could on our end. It made our trip to the Plough & Harrow rather bittersweet. This pub, like the Station, had improved significantly since I'd last been in. The Landlord, as well as being reasonably priced, was well kept. And Liverpool overturned a 1-0 deficit to win 2-1 so it wasn't all bad. 

We knew we would need a moment at our next stop to decompress and process our disappointment at another house slipping away from our grasp. Luckily, one such destination stands a short walk away. Slightly further along the high street, we made our way to The Red Lion.

The Red Lion is one of the many places in Hucknall inextricably linked to the 18th century poet Lord Byron, whose family owned Newstead Abbey and who is himself buried in Hucknall, along with his daughter Ada Lovelace, one of the earliest computing pioneers. In the 18th century, the building that is now the Red Lion was the rent house of Lord Byron, where tenants came to pay their rent. A previous landlord, in 1749, was the churchwarden Theophilus Allcock. Later publicans included John Allcock (1832), S. Hibbard (1855) and Mrs. Mary Ann Kirk (1876). Another former resident was Ben Butler, who lived in a cottage that is now incorporated into the pub. He was the last person to have won 'the wrestling contest at Bunny' emerging victorious in 1810. He was also a famed breeder of fighting cocks, keeping them in his cellar, from where they would often escape and run amok through neighbouring gardens and roads, putting him at odds with his neighbours. One can only assume that he was asked to keep his cocks to himself on more than one occasion. The pub in its current form was refurbished in 2019 and is now operated by Greene King. The Red Lion made local headlines recently when the, now former, landlady was asked to leave by the owners due to the pub allegedly not turning over enough money. This was met with a degree of consternation in the town and further animosity towards Greene King in general. Internally, the pub is laid out into a number of small rooms, with one small bar just inside the entrance. The appearance is designed to resemble a number of 'living rooms' that act as separate drinking areas. A split level beer garden is to the rear. In general, I don't mind Greene King pubs as long as Greene King don't involve themselves too much and don't try and affect change where none is required. By all accounts the decision to change management was not based on anything performance based. It's that kind of knee-jerk thinking that gives pub companies such bad press. The new team are pleasant enough people but we were dismayed to find no real ale available. The pair of handpulls on the bar stood empty. We contented ourselves with Guinness and Staropramen and retreated to a long table opposite the bar. After a few minutes chatting, we resigned ourselves to the fact that perhaps the house we'd viewed was never meant to be ours. We couldn't offer more than we had and there was nothing else we could have done differently. It still stings a little but the search will continue. Our search for more good beer in Hucknall would continue too. I was very excited about the next few pubs, representing as they do, the recent upturn in the pub's drinking scene. What to make of The Red Lion? It's disappointing that they had no real ale on, especially seeing as it was a Saturday. Whether this will be a temporary measure during the transition to new management remains to be seen. What the alleged ghost thinks of the change is also up for debate. Again, details are scant but rumours abound. Perhaps Byron is checking up on things or Ben Butler has misplaced a chicken. 

We made a brief detour after The Red Lion. Nearby, on the market place, is the church of St. Mary Magdalene, within which lies Byron's resting place. Whilst the church itself was closed, we had a wander round the churchyard to locate his memorial, which set us up nicely for our next location. The first of four micropubs on our itinerary, we now made our way to Byron's Rest.

This former sewing shop was converted into a micropub and opened on February 3rd 2018. The name comes from its proximity to the aforementioned grave of one of Nottinghamshire's most famous sons, and also reflects a former premises that used to stand on High Street until its closure in 1938. Over its time, the pub has gained an excellent reputation for its beer and cider. Byron's Rest is the 2023 Nottingham Cider Pub of the Year and was the runner-up in the overall Pub of the Year competition. It's perhaps no wonder that Byron's Rest is the only Hucknall entry in the Good Beer Guide 2023. At first glance, the narrow frontage of the pub makes it look small. However, it extends considerably to the rear. A single, long room features scrubbed wood tables and chairs and interior decoration featuring beer and brewery memorabilia, old photos and taxidermy animals. The layout creates the illusion of separate drinking areas. A 'hidden' snug, through a door by the entrance, was added in 2019. A 'secret garden' has also been added, creating a wonderful beery oasis in the middle of the town. Speaking of beer, the bar is at the very end of the room and along one side. Next to the bar you will find stacks (literally) of bag in box ciders, a testament to the pub's recent award. On the bar are 6 hand pumps and all of these were in use at the time of our visit. The options were primarily local and we were faced with an interesting choice between Dancing Duck Christmas Quackers, Titanic Plum Porter, Grasshopper Nymph, Black Iris Demon Cleaner, Black Iris Snake Eyes and Lenton Lane Henton. I decided to give the Nymph (4.2%) from Langley Mill based Grasshopper Brewery a go. Amy went for the Demon Cleaner from the always excellent Black Iris. We were lucky enough to have timed our arrival with a table becoming free so took a seat at the first table in the room, by the window, next to a table of lads who I strongly suspect were using an illegal stream to watch the Forest game. Forest scored shortly after. You can imagine how that went down. I thoroughly enjoyed Byron's Rest. As micropubs go, it's exactly the sort that I like. Character, charm, atmosphere and fantastic beer, all in a smaller package. Some micropubs go for more of a minimalist approach but the Byron's Rest goes all in and is all the better for it. The beer, as expected, was also excellent. Nymph is a red rye beer, something which first drew me in, made with a combination of 6 malts and 3 English hops. It's bitter but not overly so and the hop character lends a good sweetness and a fruity backbone to the beer. It was very nice indeed! Amy enjoyed the Demon Cleaner just as much. 

The rain and wind had returned with a vengeance but we would not be deterred. Battling to stay dry, and to keep a tight hold of the umbrella, we made our way down South Street to where it forms a junction with Yorke Street. On the corner, we found our second micropub in quick succession: The Hideout.

Opening in November 2018, what was formerly a shop is now a smart 'city-bar' style micropub. Previously known as the Dog House, it has recently converted to its current moniker. The pub is laid out over two levels. The bar is on the ground floor and there is seating a short distance away. A flight of stairs leads down to a snug, with soft furnishings, wooden tables and a wood burning stove. The Hideout is independently run and prides itself on local ales and wood-fired pizzas. The small bar, to the right of the entrance, holds a bank of 3 handpulls. On the day that we sought sanctuary from the cold December rain, all of the trio were occupied. We were faced with a decision between Milestone Santa's Porter, Red Dog Ales Snowball Run and Blue Monkey Ape X. Amy and I both went for the Snowball Run, a Christmas themed beer, although I had to order for Amy as her glasses had steamed up and, at that point, she was unable to see. We managed to procure the remaining table in the downstairs snug, between a couple enjoying an afternoon drink and a larger group that appeared to be two separate families with small children. This was another very cosy place to wait out the weather with a beer. There are some quirky details that didn't go unnoticed, particularly coat hooks shaped like the rear end of dogs, presumably a holdover from the pub's previous name. The service was also excellent. The beer we had chosen was rather lively and so we were encouraged to take a seat, shortly after which the lady behind the bar delivered the drinks to our table, much to the barely disguised chagrin on the gentleman on the table next to us. The beer was a good one. Red Dog Ales are based out of Ilkeston and Snowball Run (4.2%) is a sessionable pale ale hopped with Rakau and Motueka hops from New Zealand. A combination of oats and wheat in the mash produces a fuller mouthfeel with haziness, whereas the hops introduce lemon lime and grapefruit flavours. It's a very drinkable beer. All in all, the Hideout had been a pleasant surprise. We hadn't known what to expect but it had been a positive experience. We even got to laugh at the 'joys' of parenting from the neighbouring group telling their toddler not to chew the table, before he started eating bread out of his father's hands like a bird. 

We had gotten very much into the swing of things by now and our next location had been a personal highlight of mine from my previous visit. Leaving the Hideout, we turned right and followed South Street. Upon reaching Derbyshire Lane, we turned left and followed the road to the end, whereupon we located Beer Shack.

Hucknall's first micropub opened in 2013, in what was previously a shop on the end of a row of retail premises. Beer Shack is a single square room, with furniture taking up the remaining space. A door to one side leads through to the toilets. A bank of 5 handpulls is complemented by up to 12 ciders, served from the box. The bar is well equipped with spirits, particularly rums and gins, and there are shelves at the end of the room filled with bottles and cans that are available to takeaway. The walls are decorated with brewery related items, as well as the signs from two lost Hucknall pubs, namely The Flying Bedstead (which closed shortly before Beer Shack opened) and The Harrier. Given the time of day, it was late afternoon after all, it was no surprise to see that the pub was almost full. With the pub being the size that it is though, filling it is no big task. Whilst Amy again demisted, I perused the ale choice. The options here were varied: Milestone Cupid, Tindall Ales Extra, Brentwood Winter Warmer, Parker Centurion and Beermats Matterhorn. It was the latter of these that immediately caught my eye. Matterhorn (4.5%) is a raspberry and white chocolate stout. As I recall, I've never had a disappointing beer from this particular brewery so I ordered one each for myself and Amy and we found a spot to perch, at a high table just inside the door. I really enjoyed this beer! As expected it's dark and malty with underlying bitterness but the sharpness of the raspberry cuts through like a knife, balancing against the sweetness of the white chocolate. It's gorgeous. I am surprised that I hadn't come across the beer before but you can bet your lederhosen that I'll be actively seeking it out again!

We had a duo of pubs remaining on our itinerary and these were both very close by. Leaving Beer Shack, we took an almost immediate right onto Watnall Road where, a few yards away, near a small supermarket, you will find the Green Dragon.

Recently reopened after a period of closure and now under new management, the Green Dragon has been a pub since at least 1832, when it was run by John Truman. In 1855, the publican was T. Porter. Formerly a Shipstone's tied house, the pub was renovated in 2012 and repainted in 2020 and consists of one large room divided into sections. A raised seating area, with a mix of wooden furniture and banquette seating, is opposite the large bar. To the left of the entrance there is an area primarily used for dining but which can also be used by drinkers. A large outside seating area is to the front. The Green Dragon has undergone a tasteful upgrade prior to its most recent period of opening. Most pleasing to see was that real ale remains. 4 handpulls sit on the bar and 3 of these were in use, offering a choice between Black Sheep Best, Timothy Taylor Landlord and Blue Monkey BG Sips. You can't normally go wrong with anything from Blue Monkey and so it was BG Sips for the both of us. We made our way up to the raised seating area and took in our surroundings. It turned out that we'd both been here before, although not together. I came here on my previous Hucknall pub trip and Amy had visited many years ago with friends. We couldn't work out how much it had changed in the meantime, although the overall layout remains the same. Considering that the pub has not long reopened, it seems that the citizens of Hucknall are largely not aware. Seeing as this was a Saturday evening, and every other pub had been relatively busy, there were only about 6-8 customers present, including us. The beer was passable enough. It was well kept without being sensational and it's always good to see a pub given a new lease of life, particularly after troubling times. 

The early Winter sun had well and truly set by now but we didn't need much by way of illumination to locate our final stop. Retracing our steps from the Green Dragon, we continued down Watnall Road and then crossed over. A short distance away is where we would finish our pub journey. Final stop: Baker & Bear.

The building that now houses the Baker & Bear dates from 1874, when it was the site of the No. 1 Co-Op in Hucknall. The side passageway, where horse and carts would deliver, is still visible. In more recent times, the building was home to a gym which then moved to the first floor, leaving the downstairs room to be converted to its current form as a one-roomed micropub. Whilst the decor is primarily industrial/urban, some original features from the 19th century building remain, including bare bricks, original beams and supports. The bar sits at the back of the room and looks out over a mix of furniture, with tables and bar stools on one side and a Chesterfield sofa on the other. Unlike a lot of micropubs, the pub televises live sport on a large projector screen opposite the bar. A doorway to one side leads to the toilets, up a small step. As well as selection of mainstream keg products, spirits, wines and snacks, there is also a bank of handpulls, 4 in total. When we popped in, we were faced with the options of Titanic Plum Porter Grand Reserve, Bombardier, Castle Rock Harvest Pale and Theakstons Triple Hop Best Bitter, a collaboration between the Yorkshire brewery and TV chefs the Hairy Bikers. I went for the Theakstons, Amy opted for the extra strength version of Titanic's flagship porter and we successfully found a table a short distance from the bar. This was an interesting place to finish our day. The decor here is best described as modern and minimalist and whilst it is a comfortable place for a beer, I personally found it slightly lacking in character compared to other pubs on the trip. Amy disagreed though and actually said this was her favourite pub of the day. This just shows how these sorts of trips can be subjective! We both agreed that the beer was good though. Amy very much enjoyed the Plum Porter, especially in its stronger, heftier form which still drinks as easily as its little brother. My beer was an odd beast but not an unpleasant one. At 4.2%, it's a malty, sweet bitter hopped with Challenger, Pilgrim and Admiral, giving a full body with overtones of cedar and subtle spiced orange. We finished our beers in comfort, just before Aston Villa v Arsenal was due to get underway and headed out into the night. 

As we boarded the tram back home, our thoughts turned back to the house we saw and reaffirmed that we were just unlucky on this occasion. If anything, this was balanced out by how lucky we are to have a beer destination like Hucknall within easy reach. Whilst it might not stand out in a lot of ways, the beer scene has taken a massive upswing in recent years. There is still room for improvement, as there always is, but, by and large, making a trip out to this area is worth it. It's not often you find so many unique micropubs in such close quarters and these are both a compliment to, and a point of difference with, the bigger chain pubs. As far as changes of plan go, this trip proves that, if you do it right, they can pay off. For all that its links with Byron are what put it on the map, Hucknall is coming into its own with beer as the focal point. 

As the festive period draws inexorably closer, I intend to squeeze one more excursion in, all being well, during that strange liminal period between Christmas and New Year. All that remains to be said for now is: Merry Christmas!

Pub of the Day: Me - Byron's Rest was the undoubted highlight. Exactly my kind of micropub.

                           Amy - Baker & Bear. Amy really liked the atmosphere and the feel of the place.

Beer of the Day: Me - Beermats Matterhorn is a dark, sweet, delicious delight.

                            Amy - Titanic Plum Porter Grand Reserve. Everything good about the original beer dialled up to 11.

Biggest surprise: The Hideout. Unexpectedly cosy and cool.