The Old Police Station, Retford

As the name suggests, the Old Police Station is in an old police station, although the front entrance now leads up to the hotel above, so the bar is accessed through a side entrance. The bar area is to the left of the entrance where a long serving counter supports premium keg options. In the right rear is a pool table where I met a friendly young guy who challenged me to a game of pool. The four old cells are in the left rear where one of them has been turned into a kitchen, the other three are very bleak and the space isn’t utilised. I would class this place as a bar rather than a restaurant, although I think I may have missed the restaurant part.

This is a smart bar and restaurant, part of the Kings Park hotel and difficult to envisage as a police station - an enlarged photo on one wall is there to help. There are three hand pumps on the bar, but it was so quiet here in January that they have not stocked real ale since having to throw away most of a barrel. I had a very nice Talisker malt whisky and a chat with the manager. He told me they have used the quiet month to train kitchen staff and will be reopening the restaurant this week.

Facebook page of The Old Police Station - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Old Police Station - www.facebook.com