Besides having a notorious eye for the ladies (and occasionally the men), Romantic poet Lord Byron was, apparently, rather partial to a good public hanging. He would book a room above the County Tavern, opposite the old courthouse in central Nottingham, for a prime view of the action – and would no doubt have enjoyed a few tankards of ale at the bar.
The pub still exists as the Cock & Hoop, although the court is now the Galleries of Justice museum and the entertainment the night I arrive is a rather less macabre quiz night.
The pub is part of the Lace Market Hotel, in a striking Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse on the cobbled High Pavement, in the prettiest part of town. Closed for 18 months, the 42-room property reopened late last year after a £300,000 refurb by new owner Compass Hospitality – the rapidly expanding Thai management company that now has six hotels around the UK.
There’s an art deco feel as soon as you step inside: a beautiful curved wooden reception desk and lots of mirroring. Our immaculate third-floor room is as opulent as befits a hotel in what was the centre of the world’s lace industry in the 19th century, with striking artwork, a mountain of pillows on the comfy beds (both goose and natural fibres), more mirrored table-tops and Orla Kiely toiletries. My one niggle, that the windows are sealed shut, is something they’re working to rectify, I’m told (starting from the ground floor).
“It feels much more glam than it did,” says my sister, who’d visited pre make-over, as we browse the impressive cocktail menu at Saint Bar. Barman Jack shakes up two of his favourites – a Disaroono sour (amaretto, egg white, lemon and sugar, £8.95) and Eat, Gin, Sleep (gin with cranberry and apple juice, £7.95), which has a more enlivening effect than the name suggests. We argue over which is more delicious.
Next door, the hotel’s Merchants restaurant is a beautiful space. With a vast antique Venetian mirror hanging at one end, metal-panelled ceilings, sparkling chandeliers, huge windows (which do open) and bold modern art on the walls, it is rather more grand than I had expected.
The food from head chef and Nottingham boy Ben Chaplin, lives up to the setting. We forgo the new five-course tasting menu (£45, wine pairings £24.50) and opt for crab ravioli and langoustine with morels and broad beans (£14), followed by sea trout with samphire and a lamb rack and breast with pistachio and arancini (£23). It’s all beautifully presented and hard to fault.
Ben pops out to say hello, phone in hand. His wife is about to give birth to their third child and he’s on stand-by. He’s just 26. “I want to get it all out the way early,” he says.After dinner we head back to the pub – a characterful space with wood panelling, brick walls and candlelit alcoves downstairs. Ben’s in charge of the proper pub grub served here, too (fish and chips, £11; homemade pies, £12). Several local chefs come here to eat and bar manager John organises lots of fun events, such as monthly brewery takeovers, regular live music evenings and a Wednesday wine club (a fiver off all bottles).
Breakfast the next morning – served in Merchants (£10pp extra) – is a spread of cereals and pastries, plus freshly cooked mains, which sets us up for exploring. The location, in the creative district, is perfect – Nottingham Contemporary arts centre is on the same street, and it’s close to the best shopping in town: Paul Smith’s flagship store and several independent boutiques are around the corner. The Motorpoint Arena’s just a stroll away too (Ellie Goulding stayed here when she was in town).
All in all, the Lace Market is a great option if you’re in town, but one thing puzzles me. Though the hotel is almost full, on a Thursday evening the bar and restaurant are very quiet – the only other diners are a table of six. Maybe it’s because word isn’t out yet, or maybe it’s because so many new restaurants have opened in Nottingham recently (restaurant manager Kieron says bookings vary wildly from night to night), but more diners would have added to the ambience.
Perhaps the enticing deals the hotel is currently running will rectify this. If you spend £80 in the restaurant on a Friday evening, for example, you can bag a room for just £25 (until November), or a two-course meal for two people with wine costs just £29.95 most evenings in June.
I hope so. Because with its friendly staff, lovely decor and a chef with talent and ambition to match, the Lace Market Hotel deserves to be busy.
• Accommodation was provided by Lace Market Hotel (0115 948 4414, lacemarkethotel.co.uk). Doubles from £135 room only, see website for offers
Ask a local
Ade Andrews of Ezekial Bone Nottingham Tours
• Walking
The Lace Market is worth a stroll for its stunning buildings: the old County Gaol, Broadway and the Adam’s Building are some of the finest Victorian industrial architecture in the country. Plus The 21st-century Nottingham Contemporary art gallery.
• Visit
The medieval St Mary’s Church was, so minstrels sang, a haunt of Robin Hood. Views from the churchyard evoke Nottingham’s garden town era, and also tell the story of the age of steam and an empire in lace. Friendly volunteers are happy to give guided tours of this beautiful building and unveil its hidden gems.
• Drink
A fine, airy, European-style bar, Kean’s Head has great local and craft ales. Further along is The Pelican Club, a cool, shady place with blues and jazz bands.
• Culture
Next to the Lace Market is Hockley Village, the creative quarter of Nottingham. Small shops, independent boutiques, cool bars and diverse restaurants abound. Also worth checking out is the National Video Game Arcade and the independent Broadway cinema, cultural institutions both.
