Review

Nottingham's The Salutation Inn, known as the 'Sal' doesn't have much to offer; sure, it's a classic old pub, but there's little to see inside to portray its antiquity. The wooden beams don't look genuine, and the plaster walls seem far too recent, as they're as sloppy as one would expect to find in a Greek Restaurant. All the wood looks 'reclaimed' and the windows are obvious imitations.

Originally a tanner's workshop, an older pub called 'The Archangel Gabriel Salutes the Virgin Mary' (hence the salutation) occupied this site until religious zealots demanded the pub be renamed to the 'Soldier and Citizen'. Ye Olde Salutation Inn was, like medieval offices of Reed, Adecco and Manpower, used for recruitment during the first English Civil War, and was used by both sides in a typically English diplomatic style! In more recent history, this was a biker and metal pub in the late 70s and early 80s.

The pub is sparsely decorated with no curios and little to amuse the casual drinker, apart from the several fruit machines and quiz machines. Of most interest is a large chalkboard, marked into 9 segments, onto each of which the daily food specials are hung and removed depending upon what the chef is cooking. The pub's not huge, with a small bar downstairs, another upstairs, a few smaller side-rooms, and little else. The haunted caves beneath The Salutation Inn are not open to the public for boozing - no spirits in there.

One of the small rooms at the rear is called the 'King Charles Snug', and it cannot be coincidental that 'Spaniel Row' can be seen through the window!

Situated in Maid Marian Way, a road obviously named in honour of the foxy Maid Marian (literally) in Walt Disney's tale of that robbing hood', Robin Hood. Robin Hood was a mediaeval crusty, stealing from the rich to give to the poor, an anti-capitalist, and he also lived in the woods like Swampy. If Robin Hood were alive today, he'd drag himself and his dreadlocks out of bed and onto the Midland Mainline service to London every May 1st, to participate in the May-Day Riots. It's a surprise MI5 hasn't forced Nottingham City Council to abolish its blatant symbolism for anarchy, close the Robin Hood exhibitions, and sent in the SAS to blow-up the Robin Hood statue.

There's a pub quiz every Sunday evening, with curries and pizzas served from 8 to 9:30. One assumes the food is free - in Robin Hood style - with the rich (pub management) giving to the poor (students).

It was Sparks - and later Siouxsie and The Banshees - who sang This town ain't big enough for both of us, and ultimatepubguide.com ain't big enough for 2 pubs called Salutation, especially considering Nottingham's Hammersmith namesake was one of the first pubs to be reviewed! No other 'Sal' could compare to Hammersmith's 'Sally'.

Review by mr_psm