Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Entertainment
Lynette Pinchess

Sisters reopen Arnold tea room as a bar in 'last ditch effort' to survive

It's all change at what was once a tea room and bakery in Arnold. After closing earlier this month, Brown Bird Bakery has undergone a transformation to turn it into a micro bar.

Named The Saxton, after co-owners Nikki and Rebekah Saxton, it will be opening from 5pm today (November 18). Nikki said the change was a "a last ditch effort" to survive since the tea room had suffered from increasing competition in the town towards the end of its 18 months' trading.

By reinventing itself as a bar, she hopes it will bring something new to Arnold and breathe new life into the business. The Saxton, in Croft Road, will be serving cocktails, beer, cider, wine, coffee, cakes and food.

Read more: One of world's most influential chefs to serve £75 secret menu in Nottingham

Birra Moretti and IPA Neck Oil from Beavertown will be on draught, with pumps for Amstell and Strongbow cider arriving on Monday. Bottles and cans of craft beers, IPAs and ciders will also be on sale.

The flower wall remains (Joseph Raynor/ Nottingham Post)

Cocktails, made from scratch rather than on draught, include all the classics: Dark n Stormy, Pornstar Martini, Tequila Sunrise and Pina Colada and many more.

To begin with, nibbles will be served and there will be cakes from Brown Bird Bakery, which will still be to operating upstairs despite the changes. Hot drinks will continue to be served. Children will be allowed into the bar until 8pm.

Nikki told Nottinghamshire Live earlier this month: "It was sink or swim and the micro bar was the swim option. Arnold High Street is just saturated now. From when we opened to currently there have been four more cake shops and cafes pop up.

(L-R) Izzy Corbally, Nikki Saxton, Rebekah Saxton and Morgan Delton pictured at The Saxton (Joseph Raynor/ Nottingham Post)

"We just thought there is too much . Revival Coffee has just shut. We didn't want to go down the same route so it was a last ditch attempt to keep us afloat. There's just too many cafes in Arnold."

The 30-seater venue had been given a facelift with new decor designed to appeal to a male crowd as well as women, who mostly frequented the tea room. However, the statement flower wall remains in pride of place.

READ NEXT:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.