Worth the wait! Bar opens after four-year pause

Formerly the Beer and Bean and prior to that the Nag’s Head, The Ivy opened last Monday after more than a year of delays due to Covid restrictions.

It is managed by Bev Sambridge and Emma Woods and has been named after the new owner’s young granddaughter, Ivy Mitchell, of Sleaford.

William Alvey School pupil Ivy has had to contend with being diagnosed with the genetic condition DiGeorge’s syndrome (22q11 deletion) which can cause heart defects, learning difficulties, a cleft palate and other complications. Ivy underwent open heart surgery and suffered kidney failure she needed a tracheostomy to breathe, before finally recovering enough to return to school and be nominated for a Sleaford Town Award and a Rotary Club Children of Courage Award.

Bev said the owner also has the Electra Club and the Marquis of Granby in Northgate in Sleaford, as well as a pub in Boston.

“The first few days have been really busy and everyone has been happy with lots of positive feedback. It looks totally different to when it was the Nag’s Head, with the bar right across the back of the pub, which looks like a piano keyboard and it is really open on the ground floor with neon lights and disco lights.”

She added: “It looks like a 1950s American diner. One area has real cinema seats that have been reupholstered, we have various tables and chairs spread out to comply with covid social distancing. There is music right through and we will be having live music later.”

There will be a range of gins, cocktails, five lagers, resident real ales and a guest ale.

Bev said it has been a frustrating four years since the Southgate pub was purchased – the pandemic halted renovation work, with tradesmen furloughed and materials in short supply. She said they had been about a week away from opening when the lockdown first hit.

They have a pavement licence for around eight tables outside at the front and there is a beer garden to the rear as well, plus parking.

The managers have taken on six staff plus two cleaners and kitchen staff who will join once the kitchen is finished being equipped in a couple of weeks’ time. They have a function room for hire upstairs and four rooms to let.

l See more images of the bar at: www.lincolnshireworld.com