Norwich – Nelson Pub [closed]

This is quite sad to see, the Nelson seems to be long-term closed and there doesn’t appear to be any activity going on at the moment that suggests that it might open again. The pub first opened in the 1850s and it’s fortunate that it’s still here as the owners attempted to demolish it in 1989 to build eight homes.

Located on the junction of Nelson Street and Armes Street, this is in a residential area and not far from the Fat Cat, so it certainly has some potential.

Unfortunately for the venue, it’s owned by Stonegate and that often means a tied pub and a hefty rent package so it would be a brave person who takes this on. Also, since it’s September and the open day was on 15 March, that doesn’t suggest they’ve found such a brave person yet. Likely Stonegate will spend £300,000 doing up the inside of the pub in some generic manner and then jack the rent up to something unachieveable. At the moment, and in support of Stonegate, they’re currently advertising the rent of this at £17,500 per year which is much lower than I’d expect from them although there are caveats to that.

Stonegate themselves describe this pub as:

“The Nelson is situated in a residential suburb to the Northwest of the city just outside the inner ring road and is considered a very traditional wet led venue. The décor is traditional, with a modern touch which creates a warm and relaxed atmosphere and welcomes the surrounding local community with traditional pub games and live sports. The pub has two distinct trading areas, which are divided by a double-sided central bar servery. The bars have a traditional style, fitting with the theme of the pub; one area having a pool table with space for up to 30 covers and the other approximately 50 covers. The Nelson also boasts an outdoor covered beer garden with a patio and spacious lawn, a great selling point during the summer season which has the potential to be very popular. Another great facility of this pub is its outbuildings which may be very useful for storage for the future publican. The light and spacious private accommodation consists of three-bedrooms, a lounge and a kitchen, ideal for a family. Stonegate Pub Partners are seeking an experienced publican who is willing to immerse themselves within the local community and maximise revenue.”

I’m not convinced that this will re-open, but the community would no doubt benefit by having another pub open in this area.