The Martin's Arms

The Martin’s Arms School Lane, Colston Bassett, NG12 3FD.
Tel. 0845 2025144 www.themartinsarms.co.uk

It may already seem an illusion and prove a fleeting benediction, but the other Saturday Nottingham awoke to the blue sky of a perfect spring morning. Here in the village the horse paddock across from the cottage suddenly looked verdant, grass bursting with healthy colour, an almost electric green. Windows, closed for too long, were forced open to let in a warm (yes warm) breeze. The cottage seemed to tremble and sigh, the miasma of a bottled up winter bleeding away as fresh air began to circulate, as old brick and stone drank in sunlight thirstily. Villagers passing by stopped to chat. All those months spent trudging through foul weather to the local shop for a morning paper, a bottle of milk, a loaf of bread, enduring a season of sniffles, of snow and sleety rain, muffled by hoods and scarves... could it really be over? The general topic was still the weather but how positive it was that day. Even the noisy lady with the dogs seemed less irksome as she made her way up Main Street, her fingernails-on-blackboard screech broadcasting what was plain to see: Spring had arrived.

With that realisation came a certain responsibility. A Saturday off and one blessed by glorious sunshine must not be wasted. How many BBQs were being dragged out of the shadows and cobwebs, unearthed from sheds, produced with a magician’s flourish from plastic covers? How many of you, confronted with the promise of summer to come, were hastily putting together picnics, gathering the troops for an all-day expedition to Nottingham’s canal side bars or heading down to the river at Gunthorpe; group-texting, Twittering, Facebooking, putting out the shout? Well, the first and foremost thing on my mind when offered such a treat is put very simply: beer garden.

What is more quintessentially British on a warm afternoon than idling with the newspaper in a pub beer garden? A few cheeky pints, a bottle of chardonnay lifted glistening from an ice bucket, an early season jug of Pimms packed with slices of fresh fruit; it is the smell of mown grass, the light breeze that rustles the review section of a broadsheet, the tantalizing aroma of lunches brought out from a bustling kitchen and delivered to where you relax, sun-drowsy and content. The only question is venue. Living in The Vale of Belvoir there is plenty of choice, an abundance of tidy village locals on the doorstep. However, one of the best – in terms of quality of food, drink, ambience and timeless picturesque charm – is The Martin’s Arms at Colston Bassett.

An historic and unspoilt village surrounded by estate parkland (and, importantly, the home of world renowned Colston Bassett stilton) forms the perfect setting for this award-winning Inn and dining rooms. Built originally in the 1800s as a farmhouse, this Grade 2 listed building is the perfect example of a British country hostelry, ivy clad and inviting. Not to forget that The Martin’s Arms is equally rewarding to visit when the weather turns. In winter you will discover snug period rooms bursting with cosy charm, open fires crackling in the grates, the soft glow of candles and subtle romantic lighting, wooden beams and plenty of traditional features. The bar area is full of character (note the lack of an electronic till). There is plenty of choice of wines, whiskies and brandies for the discerning drinker, and the real ale connoisseur is suitably catered for: Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, Marston’s Pedigree, Green King IPA and Bass, Elgood Black Dog, Jennings’ Cumberland and, recently added, the superb Castle Rock’s Harvest Pale. The weekly changing, seasonal menu for the restaurant is not cheap – but it is superb. How about warm wood pigeon and black pudding salad, quail egg and spiced mulled wine dressing for a Starter, followed by slow poached loin of lamb, black olives and basil, rosemary fondant, sautéed spinach and red current jus, with warm chocolate and beetroot sponge, vanilla mascarpone and chocolate sauce to find space for as pudding?

The Martin’s Arms has a well-earned reputation for exclusivity and peaceful refinement. No loud crowds, no lager-swilling bleary lads, no gaggles of ladette Lolitas comparing ringtones, no bass-heavy music thumping from speakers, no nonsense. And the only DJs you will find here are the ones worn on New Year’s Eve. On a glorious afternoon with a pristine beer garden to enjoy you had better arrive early to claim a table for very soon it will fill up. I recommend the Ploughman’s lunch from the bar menu with its Melton Mowbray pork pie, Colston Bassett stilton, home-cured ham, homemade pickles and breads. The Gastrosexualist will already be there. He will raise a glass of Harvest Pale.