First look inside new micropub near Mansfield where owner is aiming to be registered as world's smallest pub

Adam France is the driving force behind The Nook which is 3m x 1.9m and seats four people inside the cosy den at Old Bolsover Yard, off Castle Street in Bolsover.

He said: "I am trying to get more footfall into the yard and piggyback off the castle being just around the corner.

"The Nook is cute, it's quaint and I'm going to try and get it registered as the world's smallest pub. There are things that you have to meet; you have to have seating inside, you have to pour draught beer which we will be doing and I don’t know if there is something in there about cask which we may struggle with but I will find a way.”

Opening on Friday, August 1 at midday, The Nook previously operated as a shop selling spirits that Adam made and distributed from his former premises, The Yard in Langwith. But when he was served notice and forced to close the operation in Langwith in June, he had to look for an alternative revenue stream as well as moving equipment to his home in Whaley.

His shop in Old Bolsover Yard lent itself to becoming a micropub. Adam said: “The majority of features in here are pub-esque; we've got the wrought iron tables and the stools which were all part of the decor originally. We had the back bar because we were serving spirits as well as selling them.”

Adam anticipates that The Nook will carve out its own niche in the micropub world. He said: “We're focusing on international spirits and national and international craft beer rather than local which the majority of places already do. We try not to compete with anyone.

“There will be some expensive products that people can’t necessarily get out there. We've got the Phantom spirits - they are from Copenhagen. We’ve got rum, whiskey, vodka, all with different processes - some are aged in beer barrels. There are some things on the shelf currently from New York, Canada and Denmark and some that I have made myself.”

Adam, who is 40, makes vodka, dark rum and flavoured gins. He said: “Customer favourite is probably the rum – I can’t make it quick enough. It’s pre-made rum and we flavour and spice it. You put the spirit in along with herb botanicals, spices, fruits and leave it until it’s ready. You are looking at one to two months in the barrel. The longest is probably the white whiskey that I've got on the go at the minute. That won't be ready until Christmas and that will have had a year.”

The Nook will be managed by Jacob Dodsworth, who lives in Hillstown. Jacob is looking forward to taking up his first ever job, having graduated in journalism from Salford University in 2024.

As luck would have it, Jacob approached another of Adam’s new hospitality businesses in Bolsover – The Market Place – to see if there were any jobs going. Jacob said: "The only thing I like more than coffee is beer. Knowing that The Market Place was a coffee shop that sold beer really intrigued me.”

During his interview with Jacob a few days later, Adam told him that he was opening a pub. Adam said: “We needed someone who knew and understood beer. When talking to Jacob he mentioned a few breweries around here that most people wouldn’t know and I thought you’re the guy.”

Jacob, 22, said: “I’m really excited for The Nook….it’s really interesting, the sort of pub that many places need.

"I’ve grown up around pub culture. I’ve been going to Chandlers in Chesterfield for eight years every weekend; I used to play board games there with my dad and family friends.”

With only four seats inside The Nook, it’s a tight squeeze for groups of drinkers but there is space for customers outside. The outdoor area includes seats placed around a couple of barrels, with additional seating at the discretion of a cafe owner, and in a heated shelter at the back of the yard.

The Nook is too small to serve food so businesses such as The Outside Gourmet, which sells pizzas from the back of a Land-Rover, will park up to feed customers. Adam said: “Going forward, we’ll be looking at burgers, tacos and other street food vendors which have become popular over the years.”

Opening hours for The Nook will be 12noon until 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays and from 12 noon until 6pm on Sundays.