Nottingham – Gooseberry Bush
A big part of the reason for this blog is solely for me to remember where I’ve been, as I had forgotten that I went here back in 2017. Which isn’t exactly that long ago, but there we go….
This pub was named Varsity for a while, primarily because it’s next door to Nottingham Trent University, but the Gooseberry Bush name is far better, named after the old maternity hospital which was previously on this site. The pub was opened in 1984 by Mansfield Brewery, a now defunct company which was formerly a major player in the area, although now subsumed by Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries, now better known as Marston’s Brewery. Wetherspoons acquired and modernised the pub in 2011 and it’s a slightly complex building as it has been built onto the site of a slope.
It’s a pretty bland interior, but all entirely functional. I can’t remember the choice of real ales (I struggle to remember for more than five minutes, let alone over two years), but I do know that I had a pint of Guinness, but this was before I became stupidly obsessed with the range of real ales and craft beers that were available in pubs…..
I had a little look on TripAdvisor for any reviews that intrigued me, and this one is actually quite good in terms of my being able to build up a picture of just what happened. Someone signed up for the site just to leave this review…
“I was waiting just fine in the line for proper 15 minutes waiting for the lady who served me earlier to come back to her place in the till. Then this thin lanky short guy turns out of nowhere and starts using the draft beside the till. I politely asked him where the lady was and he was proper rude and replied saying he was busy. I was thoroughly disappointed with that male who started insulting me for just trying to talk to a lady staff member who had served me earlier. Honestly I wasn’t even talking to him. He was proper rude and started moaning about how his day has been busy and all. All I wanted to know was where was the lady who was there before him cause she looked more skilled. I did not want to be served by him and I saw no point in him shouting at me for asking him to serve me. Where as I wasn’t asking him to serve me in the first place. I did not sign up for that. This one star is only because there was no option for no stars. Also I did not want to be served by him anyway cause he looked like an armature by the way he was using the draft beer taps. The pitcher he made for us later was terrible and I wish I could’ve asked for a refund. Everyone agreed with that. Also he kept on moaning to his coworkers about what happened. What a big petty drama seeking liar. My mate was too drunk to see what exactly happened. The guy beside me just literally entered when this happened. I did not bother explaining myself to any of the people who were drunk there. I kept that bar tender to mind his own business as I wasn’t even talking to him in the first place but he kept on and on. The other staffs were good. Security guards were pleasant.”
At least he was happy with the security guards.
