The Trent Navigation

Smart Community Pub/Restaurant

It has been several years since we visited the Trent Navigation and we’d heard that it had been refurbished so we thought it was high time that we paid it a visit.

What an improvement – in fact, it’s so different that we could scarcely recognize it! It’s smart, warm, comfortable with a light and airy interior. All the furnishings are good quality: leather armchairs and round-the-wall seating; stone and solid wood flooring, and their signature tartan carpets are all of very high quality.

There is an outside area that looks smart, (it was under cover by a marquee for a mini beer festival when we visited).

The bar staff are most welcoming and helpful.

Beer

Navigation brewery tap

We tried three different pints of beer. All were beautifully presented and as fresh as you would hope – the pub is the brewery tap for the newly opened Navigation brewery, after all. I particularly liked the IPA (5.2%): a traditional beer with good depth of flavour.

Trent Navigation - Bar

Sunday Roast

Dining area and beer garden

Affordable, home-cooked food

It was Sunday lunchtime, so it felt rude not to try the roast dinner. I think you can tell from my photo that all the vegetables are really fresh. I like vegetables, so this meal made my day. Parsnips, carrots, cabbage, roast and mashed potatoes. All nicely cooked. Portion sizes are large but not over facing. I thoroughly enjoyed my roast beef and Yorkshire.

It looks like their lunches are going down well with the locals as there were lots of families enjoying their Sunday roasts. Their menu offers 2 main meals for £10. If the rest of the food is as good as our Sunday roast, this is excellent value.

The pub has a varied and interesting schedule of events. The main emphasis is on sports coverage and live music nights. The Friday night blues sessions look terrific.

All in all, top marks to Great Northern Inns (who also own the Cross Keys) who have done a first class job upgrading this iconic pub both inside and out.

Lounge Bar

Lounge Bar