New Nottingham underground bar Ned's Cavern to fill the gap left when Ned Ludd pub closes

It will become the new home to a soon-to-close watering hole's loyal customers

Regulars at Nottingham's Ned Ludd pub were in uproar when they found out it was destined to close and be converted to offices. But now they've got the next best thing - and it couldn't be handier.

Ned's Cavern has been opened by the pub's owners Amanda and Adam Cropper just across the road. Having recently launched it will run in tandem with the pub and when the Ned Ludd eventually closes it will become the new home of loyal customers.

The underground haunt is reached via an entrance in Friar Lane, where a passageway leads downstairs to the hidden space that used to be Southbank City's VIP basement bar, known as the 1998 Club.

Drinkers signed a petition to save their beloved pub when they found out about the plans to redevelop the property back in January. The closure date has not been decided by the landlords but it won't be this side of Christmas.

The next few months will be spent building momentum at Ned's Cavern which has been remodelled to include an 8ft American championship pool table and boasts a darts room - both free to play - and multiple televisions showing the biggest football and rugby games.

Ned's general manager Jordan Spencer, who is overseeing both venues, said: "At the moment this is essentially the sister pub to the Ned Ludd. The goalposts keep moving with the time over the road but we will be at the Ned for as long as we can be.

"Obviously it's down to what happens with the landlord but we are taking as much time as we can graciously but this gives us a place to naturally move over into rather than us just closing and not having another bar. The owners and the team weren't ready to give up.

"It's very cool. It took us about six weeks in total of 17-hour days building the place. It's like the Ned on steroids. It's got the same kind of feel, the same colour scheme and the same yellow wallpaper as the Ned Ludd. There are certain nods. You are subconsciously meant to feel like you are in the Ned already, that's the idea. I think it will evolve with us over time."

When the Ned Ludd closes furniture and quirky artefacts will be moved over to join a life-size cardboard cutout of David 'The Hoff' Hasselhoff which stands next to the armchairs and a miniature one on the bar.

Pub-goers are already settling in across the road. "We're getting a really good following already. We've got some of the regulars coming over plus a lot of new student clientele," said Jordan. For now, Ned's Cavern operates from 5pm Monday to Friday and from noon Saturday and Sunday. The bar stays open until 3am, giving hospitality workers a place to party or unwind after their shifts - and they get 20 percent off too.

Jordan said: "At the moment obviously we still need the Ned Ludd to thrive for everything to work and we didn't want to run the risk of being in direct competition with ourselves. At the moment people aren't bothered when the Ned closes at 2am because they just toddle over here and have a nightcap which is really nice."

It's just drinks for now but in a few weeks a menu of sandwiches, burgers and pizzas will be launched. "Just a small menu done really well, stuff to mop up the beer essentially.

"At the moment we are taking it day by day and will definitely still be at the Ned Ludd for Chrsitmas. Our Christmas menu is already out. December is completely packed out which is great and then we will see where we go from there.

"I think January is almost a definite and then beyond that there will be meetings to determine [when it closes]. Working for those guys I'm so happy they made this decision, it also gives my staff another place to go as well. We have another home."

• Share

• Share

• Share

• Share

• Share

• Share