Ah, Yates Wine Lodge....One of the great Nottingham institutions.
I spent a lot of time there when I was 18/19 - OK, that's only a year, but it feels like so much longer at that age. I should probably take into account I may have been going at 17 - but we won't talk about that, other than to say I had some of my first drinks here. Located on Long Row in the Market Square, I was stood up here, visited Thursday - Saturday night giving out flyers when I worked at the Ritzy Nightclub, and had my leaving do here when I left Ritzy to go and work and Haven and was made to drink a mixture of Baileys and Blue Bols all night.
The place would be heaving, having standing room only as resident DJ Neil Harvey played the tunes. I imagine it's a place full of memories for many Nottingham folk, so it came as a surprise when it was announced it was to close and reopen as a new Slug & Lettuce.
Though was it a surprise really? In recent years its reputation hadn't been so great so perhaps it was a move for the best. No sooner had we bid Yate's farewell, £450,000 later and faster than you can say '60 Minute Makeover', Slug & Lettuce was open and I was invited along to see the changes and sample the food!
The first thing that strikes you when you enter is that the bar has completely switched sides, once you process that you then take in how much nicer it looks, and so much more...girly. Now an instagramers dream, the building has been given a generous dose of glitz and glamour. Neon signs and a selfie wall mean finding that all important backdrop easy. The original or should I say #instaglammable.
The dark timbers remain as thankfully does the old clock, but the tired interior is now replaced by bright and bold botanical prints, neon hues, plush velvet fabrics and flashes of gold to create a dramatic aesthetic within the space, whilst the venue's indoor balcony has been astro-turfed to offer the ultimate hangout for cocktail lovers.
There are now striking birdcage booths decorated with cherry blossom which can provide a VIP experience for lunches, dinners or drinks with the girls and can be booked in advance. There's also a VIP cocktail masterclass station which is where we took our seats to sample just some of the food offerings and the venue along with a little Pornstar Martini with sparkle.
Alongside a host of dishes on the menu is their take on Afternoon Tea. We tried both the Traditional Afternoon Tea and their alternative version. As expected the Traditional Tea had a layer of fresh sandwiches. The second tier was my favourite with rich chocolate brownies and something I can only describe as resembling a profiterole with a delicious filling that tasted like it probably had a dash of alcohol in it. The top tier of course had fresh scones with cream and jam.
Of course, that might not be your thing, so as an alternative they offer a similar three tiered option but the bottom tier has spicy chicken and dips, the second tier has chicken wings, onion wings and garlic bread, and the top tier and mini burgers and fries. Both options were tasty, so make sure you visit the your hungry.
I'm not going to lie. We eat, we drank, we laughed, took photos and generally had a great time. Yates who? I ask you.
For more details visit: https://www.slugandlettuce.co.uk/market-square-nottingham
Love Tx
*Press visit but my views and hangover are my own.