Iconic sports bar to cease trading

The Southbank Bar on Trent Bridge in Nottingham is set to close its doors for the last time.

Great Northern Group’s popular sports bar will serve its last pint on New Year’s Day.

The bar, which first opened its doors in 1998, is known for its close proximity to the City Ground and Trent Bridge Cricket Ground.

The Group says it will replace the Southbank with a new bar and kitchen and that its city-centre counterpart on Friar Lane will continue trading as normal.

Managing director Dave Willans said: “Southbank has been here for 21 years, it’s a spiritual home to many and we’ve shown thousands of matches on our screens, hosted some real stars of sport and served many great people including almost every fan of Nottingham Forest at some point. We feel it’s time to change direction altogether so in its place will be an exciting new bar and kitchen that’s nearer to Copper and Refinery in its ideas and it will be a high quality bar with a superb terrace and an innovative but simple menu.”

Following a restructure earlier this year, Great Northern Group now boasts a portfolio of 11 pubs and bars in and around the city.

Willans added: “We’re not going to expand for the sake of it but we are interested in the right venues, we want to do our own thing in our own way and are in the fortunate position of not answering to investors. We’re agile enough to take advantage of opportunities as they arise and we’re always thankful to our customers for continuing to visit us.”