Festive Bath Inn, aglow with 35,000 Christmas tree lights, has become 'Covent Garden of Nottingham'

"They laughed when I said we were going to turn it into the Covent Garden of Nottingham but we have done," said landlord Piers Baker, whose pub is aglow with 35,000 Christmas lights.

Piers has gone to enormous lengths to make the Bath Inn a real landmark in Sneinton. Over the summer outside was awash with 80 colourful hanging baskets. Now for the festive season, 60 real pine trees adorn the walls - each lit up with nine metres of vintage gold bulbs.

"We want the height of sophistication. It could be the most festive pub outside of London. No one's ever gone to this effort in Nottingham. We have made a real feature of the exterior of the pub. We can't put any more Christmas trees up. They have caused quite a stir."

Helped by his friend Jeremy Furnell, it was a mammoth task to give the pub a festive makeover. "He and I were in the freezing weather last week for 12 hours a day, for four days, lighting Christmas trees. I used thousands of cable clips till my fingers were blistering," said Piers, a former rose grower.

"Someone just stopped me and said they'd walked past the decorations and they were amazing. The local response is really good. It's turned out to be a real landmark." Asked about the electricity bill Piers said: "Let's not even think about that."

Fans of the pub have described the festive display as magical, stunning, and amazing. One said: "The heart and soul of the community. Great boozer as well." Brew Cavern commented: "My first thought was RIP to your January leccy bill. Looks bangin' though, fair play."

When Piers took over the pub in Handel Street in 2021, he said he hoped the area would become "the Covent Garden of Nottingham" with the creative, community pub offering real ales, craft beers and excellent wines.