Words: Steve Brown

Nottingham’s oldest gay pub is set to close for a massive refurbishment.

The New Foresters will be closing its doors on January 27 until February 7 as it gears itself ready for a massive refurbishment which will make the pub ‘upmarket and classy’.

Landlady Debbie Law – who has been running the award-winning establishment for more than 18 years – told The Nottingham Post that customers won’t recognise it when it reopens in February.

Debbie said: “It's the first time the New Foresters has closed for more than a day. Customers won't recognise the place. It will look upmarket and classy.

"I don't want to give too much information because we would love to surprise everybody with our little gem.

"We have mainly concentrated on night time trade in the past. We will still have all the live entertainment, karaoke and disco in the evenings but we want people to come in during the day too.

"It's a gay bar but we welcome everybody and it's one of the safest bars in Nottingham," added Debbie. She's not just saying that, she's got the certificate to prove it.

"We don't judge anyone in our bar because we have been judged in the past.

"I'm really excited. I have been drinking in here since I was 18, 38 years ago, and my main aim is to keep the pub going for as long as I possibly can.

“This has given me a new lease of life.”

When it reopens, there will be a resident drag queen and DJ every Friday night.