The Trent Navigation Inn

by  D. A. Allen

January 2009

Striking a balance between sensitivity, costs and the need

to ensure operational ease & efficiency

A key element in the sensitive process of renovating an historic building is the preservation, wherever possible and practicable, of original features, particularly those exuding character.  This approach was certainly intended to have been applied to the Trent Navigation Inn.  One would have expected an historic canal side public house, built in the early- mid 1800s and ultimately owned for many years by the renowned Truman, Hanbury & Buxton brewers of London & Burton, to have been brimming with well-preserved, characteristic design features and perhaps, with any luck, some highly unusual ones.

From the outside, and particularly on the upper two floors, the pub still looks like a building with an interesting history, as the windows (and old bricked-in windows), roof, chimney pots and the imposing size of it, are all definitely representative of a bygone era. Whilst all window frames required replacing, wood rather than the much less expensive PVC was used - in keeping with the historic character. This also applied to the soffits & fascias. New signage was installed to look as close to that shown in the oldest pictures & drawings available. Although tiles were not an original feature, the tiles that were installed on the front in the early sixties (according to a 1962 drawing that was found in the local archives) were subsequently rendered over. The tiling and rendering unfortunately impaired the surface of the original brickwork and it was decided, primarily due to costs, to install new tiles rather than to attempt to recover the brickwork.  As shown in recent photos the impact of these positive changes to the exterior of the pub is quite stunning.

There was not much in the way of original features left in the interior of the pub when the present owners took over in early 2008, as it had apparently been changed many times over the years. The toilet block, the lounge bay window, and the bars (two) were all of rather inferior quality and were relatively recent additions in any case. The public area had been opened up considerably before and since 1962. The latter drawing shows that the lounge was the only part which could effectively be closed for privacy, but this had also been opened out since 1962. The challenge of the interior renovation became not so much one of preservation, but one of functional and tasteful improvement.

There is, however, something of an historic nature definitely worth seeing inside the pub. As you enter the new ‘brewery room’ (to your right if you are facing the bar), there is an old, framed Truman’s mirror on the wall.  This was acquired by the owners at a recent, local auction. Considering that there were only ever 5 or 6 of this brewery’s pubs in Nottingham, this may be an actual surviving relic from the Trent Navigation Inn’s bygone days.  This mirror is definitely worth a look-see, as there cannot be too many of these left in the country.

The Cellar

The most striking and least changed of the building’s interior is the cellar, and is characteristic of the kinds of cellars that were installed in these pubs as an integral part of their original construction. With the exception of the new cellar drop (more on this below) and aside from the stripping out of loose, superfluous items and the installation of improved lighting and plumbing, no structural or renovation measures were necessary. The cellar is fit for purpose: exceptionally spacious with high, vaulted ceilings and large, separate rooms – the key requirements for a multi-faceted, high-barrelage pub. It was definitely a key factor in the owners’ decision to move ahead with the restoration project.

Brand new systems and equipment have been installed in the cellar -   cooling, cellar gas, beer dispense, pythons (beer chillers), with new beer and soft drink lines running from the cellar to the bar.   The extensive and exciting range of products now available on the bar is described in The Bar section below.

Anyone interested in taking a look at our cellar and seeing how everything works? Just give us a call to arrange a convenient time. Better yet, why not get a group together for an informative tour?

The New Cellar Drop

The new cellar drop installed at the Trent Navigation Inn has immediately improved the efficiency of the beer delivery process and the operation of the cellar. The original cellar drop was located at the rear of the pub which meant that delivery vehicles had to come off the road and traverse the property.  With the future plans for a conservatory and a brewery in the same area, using this cellar drop would have been highly impractical. The decision was therefore made to dig another drop at the front of the pub. This was a rather costly job, as it entailed excavating straight down to a depth of almost 3 metres immediately in front of the pub and then opening up through the building wall into the cellar, followed by lining of the drop with high density brick and making a concrete floor.  Interestingly, the excavation revealed the presence of a former window in the wall below street level, indicating that at one time – certainly prior to the 1940s - the street was much lower than it is today. 

The New Toilet Block

The new toilet block is of exceptional design and perfectly located within the pub. As mentioned above, the old toilet block was of poor construction and in a very sorry state indeed. Further, its location at the rear of the pub with access via the cellar passage-way was totally unsuitable as it could not be monitored by bar staff. This made the decision to demolish the block and build a new one to the west of the pub an easy one, albeit an expensive one. Due to the instability of the soil in this area, the foundation required several piles of 25 metres depth in some areas.

The new toilet block admirably serves the purpose, making it easy for customers to access and for staff to monitor its use.  Demolition of the old toilet block has allowed space for a future brewery with the ability for viewing into the brewery by customers from within the pub.

The New Catering Kitchen

The new catering kitchen is a chef’s dream – fully equipped with modern equipment, spacious and expertly laid out. The old kitchen on the ground floor was a relatively recent addition to the pub, as the area is shown in the 1962 drawing as a ‘cases’ storage room. In any event, with due consideration to the proposed style of operation for the Trent Navigation Inn, a fully equipped, large kitchen was deemed necessary. Owing to the fact that the pub is a three story building, it was decided to allocate half of the first (middle) floor to the creation of a brand new kitchen. This again was an expensive part of the project and required not only the fitting out of the allocated area (structural, electrical, plumbing and extraction) but the installation of two food hoists (dumbwaiters) and, of course, the acquisition of several items of key catering equipment, including a walk-in chiller room.  The old kitchen area is now being used for storage as well as for washing up of glasses during busy times such as on match days.

The Lounge

In a departure from the trend exhibited by many public house renovations in recent years, it was decided to incorporate a snug room in the Trent Navigation Inn. To make this room as unique and attractive as possible the old small bar was removed and the back of the new bar with glass was incorporated into one wall.  The fireplace has been retained and is awaiting future re-work to enable either a wood-burning or gas fire. It is a cosy and rather charming room, perfect for small meetings and private functions. This room is referred to as ‘The Lounge’ just as it was on the 1962 drawing. It is definitely worth a visit to enjoy a meal and a pint (or glass of wine), and to soak up the gentle ambience.   

The Bar

The new bar in the Trent Navigation Inn is a marvel to behold, particularly when one considers what was there prior to the start of renovations. The old bar, which had been installed sometime after 1962, was long, low, red in colour and of mdf construction; it was neither user friendly nor particularly attractive, and certainly not conducive to upgrading. Further, the drainage from the bar was routed straight to the cellar for disposal in the cellar sump. (This must have made for an oftentimes malodorous working environment in the cellar).

For the proposed style of operation of the Trent Navigation Inn, it was imperative that a new bar be constructed with user-friendly features, having compatibility with the new cellar dispense equipment, and enabling plumbing from the sink and glass washer direct to sewer rather than to the cellar.  To provide the necessary space behind the bar without having to sacrifice too much space between the front of the bar and the front wall, it was decided to move the back wall (behind the bar) further into the lounge area. This was a rather fortuitous decision, since it was found that the existing wall (with opening into the lounge) was not properly supported and was deemed to be a structural hazard. A large RSJ beam was necessarily installed along the entire length of the lounge/ back bar at ceiling level.

The new oak bar is of exceptional quality and a stunning focal point of the public area.  There are seven cobra fonts and eight hand pulls, dispensing a wide variety of local ales, lagers and continental beers.  There is also an extensive range of international bottled beers and wines available, as well as soft drinks, teas and coffees.

 In Retrospect

Renovating an historic building is a costly affair, particularly when there are bound to be many hidden problems to resolve not apparent when the project is first envisaged.  But once embarked upon, there is no turning back and problems must be resolved effectively without resort to cheap, makeshift solutions. The final result is a testament to the owners’ commitment to the quality of the renovations which were done with due sensitivity to the pub’s historic value, in balance with costs and the need to ensure an efficient and user-friendly business that will meet the demands of discerning customers and endure for many years to come. 

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Was it all worthwhile? For the owners, aside from the long term investment possibilities inherent in a well-operated traditional public house, the satisfaction gained in rescuing an historic pub from certain demolition cannot be understated.  As for our customers, we leave it up to you to decide, but we feel you will not be disappointed in the results of the renovations,   the drink and food offerings available, and the ambience.