Niven Paterson found Ye Olde Bridge Inn sitting quietly on Nottingham Road in Oxton — a small village tucked into the rolling farmland between Southwell and Nottingham — and decided it deserved to be something more than a roadside stop. The old stone building had good bones, a beer garden that faced open countryside, and the kind of easy calm that comes from being a long way from anywhere in a hurry. That felt like the right place to do things properly.
What grew here is a gastro pub that takes food seriously without taking itself too seriously. The kitchen turns out proper Sunday roasts, stone-baked artisan pizzas, steaks, fish and chips, and a vegan and vegetarian menu that's been thought through rather than bolted on. The Stables function room and the outdoor dining domes — wired up with fairy lights, floral arrangements, and personal Bluetooth speakers — sit in gardens that look out over the Nottinghamshire hedgerows. It draws families from Southwell, couples celebrating, parties large and small, and the kind of regulars who just wanted a good plate of food and ended up staying for the evening.
The events side grew naturally out of the venue itself. Weddings happen here because the setting lends itself to them — the gardens, the terraces, the private dining spaces, the kitchen that can handle a crowd. Alongside that, there's a rolling programme of evenings that have nothing to do with being a traditional pub: outdoor cinema nights under the Nottinghamshire sky, yoga sessions on the lawn, live music, themed dinners. The children's play area and the dog-friendly bar mean that families can show up and everyone — including the dog — has somewhere to be. Over 1,263 Google reviews and a 4.4-star rating reflect what happens when a place genuinely looks after the people who walk through the door.
The Bridge Inn is on Nottingham Road in Oxton — about ten minutes from Southwell, twenty from Nottingham city centre. Call 0115 965 2013 or book a table online.