Elegant new-look first floor for this historic city pub

BUILDING WAS DESIGNED BY WATSON FOTHERGILL

- By LYNETTE PINCHESS

ONE of Nottingham's most handsome pubs is on the up.

The owners of The Castle Pub and Kitchen, opposite the gatehouse of Nottingham Castle, have transformed the first floor - which for the past five years has been closed to the public.

Last used for storage and as a production kitchen, it has been returned to its former glory as an elegant function room, but the plans go beyond parties or business meetings.

The revamp celebrates the building's rich architectural heritage. The Castle Road pub was originally part of Mortimer House, a grand turreted building, designed by prominent Victorian architect Watson Fothergill, whose distinctive Gothic revival style shaped much of the Nottingham cityscape.

The Castle's upper floor has been christened The Archer's Attic and restored to highlight its original character, from the tall arched leaded windows overlooking the castle to intricate woodwork, period lighting and colour schemes inspired by Fothergill's designs.