We catch up with landlord Ben Rose as The Angel Microbrewery opens a new upstairs lounge

If you’re looking for a memorable pub, or even just a long-established but constantly exciting local business, run with love, then you could do worse than visit The Angel Microbrewery in Hockley. I didn’t discover the venue until Hockley Hustle 2023, when I’d already lived in Notts for three years. Looking for more live music, I walked down a side-street which I’d generally missed until then, and was struck by the timeless look of the building: it had vaguely old-worldly style coloured in intensely modern blue and white. Once inside I enjoyed a beer and watched some cool young artists from Nottingham’s Confetti Institute. 

When I visit to speak to the owner, Ben Rose, and hop upstairs to see the building's new addition: The Chesterfield Lounge, that timeless effect still feels just as vivid. The lounge has an off-kilter vibe when I walk inside, probably because of the wallpaper: which is almost entirely made from early 20th century newspapers.

“We were taking down an old ceiling and these magazines fell out,” says Ben. “They were from 1907 or so, and in mint condition. I was um-ing and ah-ing about how to do these walls, before I had an idea, got a printer to scan the magazines, and make them into wallpaper. I think it works. It compliments the fact that the building is centuries old, and is trying to be in keeping with its age.”

Ben is a little modest about the thought that he put into the wallpaper, but it fits a pattern all the same, inasmuch as there are quirky and unexpected details to The Angel’s history. Back in the 19th century, its patrons were falling out of windows and downstairs at a concernedly high rate, while The Chapel, next door, hosted a party for the Grand Order of Druids in 1871. In the 1980s the Chapel became a music venue, going on to host acts like Oasis, Kasabian and Arctic Monkeys over the years. As Ben continues to evolve the building, he’s still making eclectic discoveries about its history. 

“We dislodged some sticking out bricks upstairs and found a cricket ball. Later, we also found a cotton bobbin in the walls. We did some research and found that they were put into the building when someone died, as a sort of time capsule, so we’ll be framing them. I’ve always liked derelict buildings and really enjoy evolving this pub. It’s been eight and a half years but I still want to do more.” 

Ben took over The Angel in 2016, after making his name in Notts running The Alley Cafe, a beloved vegetarian spot in Cannon Court. Ben continues to honour vegetarian cuisine at The Angel, which has become known for its diverse menu, inclusive of all culinary preferences, from vegan and gluten free to meaty dishes. 

“We tried not to make a song and dance out of being vegan or vegetarian, we just tried to make good food. This place basically does what the Alley Cafe did, but bigger. It was a challenge when I made the decision to sell meat, but if I hadn’t I probably wouldn’t have made it because of the cost of running such a big building. The overheads are phenomenal. If we’d been a little too streamlined or niche in our approach, it wouldn’t have been suitable. We had to accommodate everybody for the greater good of keeping The Angel open, otherwise it’d probably have been turned into a Wetherspoons to be honest.”

Ben’s inclusive approach to running The Angel not only encompasses the food, but also the events regularly hosted there and in the adjoining Chapel. Throughout the year there’s live music of all genres, from indie, rock and folk, to dance and reggae. This comes to a peak when The Angel participates yearly in Hockley Hustle and Dot2Dot festival.

“I’ve always felt like there needs to be more diversity and options, without much judgement,” says Ben. “I’m not pigeonholing us in any style. If somebody asks me ‘What’s your demographic of customer’, I’ll say anybody who likes coming into a pub that’s a bit alternative and welcoming. I couldn’t really classify what this place is but it’s meant to be open to anyone: not somewhere that’s too aggressive, or judgemental, or loud or offensive. It’s meant to have a bit of everything.”

If there’s any room that best embodies that ethos of ‘a bit of everything’ then it would be The Chesterfield Lounge, which Ben says he added to expand the kinds of atmosphere and types of enjoyment that the pub can offer. Having recently hosted an Irish folk night, the lounge is set to cater for all kinds of events in the future. 

“We’re going to quizzes. We also do a Greek music jam night now too,” Ben adds, “The idea is that, while the pub is downstairs doing its thing, we have events here. Sometimes you’ll go to pubs and realise that it’s a quiz or open mic night. You’ll be trying to catch up with friends and think ‘ah I’ve got to go somewhere else.’ Now people have the option to come upstairs to listen to music or socialise downstairs. Now it’s got its own space, which accommodates everybody.” 

As a whole Ben says the lounge is intended to bring people together and imbue The Angel with ever-more creativity, especially on occasions when people in Notts come together to show off their talents, skills and artistry. For him it’s still vital to keep The Angel as one of the most buzzing, social hubs in Hockley, for the near and more distant future. 

“During Pride, there were DJs downstairs, while this lounge was used as a market stall space. We moved a lot of the furniture out and it worked really well. After that we had a metal festival, and all the bands hung out here,” Ben says. “I’ll be interested to see how it works for Hockley Hustle, because we’ll have bands playing upstairs, and people chilling in here. It’s going to be nice to see the room evolve and come into its own.”

For a pint, a meal, or an evening of live music visit The Angel on Stoney St, or follow their social media for event updates.

@theangelmicrobrewery