Cosy Club and its strong links to snooker

Located in one of Nottingham’s most iconic Grade II listed buildings, Cosy Club – which opened in January 2020 – was previously known as the casino and fine dining restaurant Victoria Club. Prior to that, from 1913 to the 1960s, it was the Reform Club, which was a place where Nottingham ‘s new wealthy middle classes would meet for lunch, to drink and to engage in political discussion. Its members included the industrialist Sir Jesse Boot.

Behind the Victorian property’s majestic facade at 16-18 Victoria Street lies a stunning interior over three floors. The top floor, which is now a function room, previously housed the Club’s snooker tables. Alex Higgins and John Spencer both played there and celebrity names from world of TV and sport, amongst them William Roach, Alf Garnett, Harry Secombe, Brian Clough, Peter Taylor, Sir Garfield Sobers and several Miss Worlds, all visited the Club.

The building was designed by architect Robert Evans, who also designed the Cross Keys pub on Fletcher Gate. It was originally built to house the offices of the Imperial Life and Fire Insurance Company and those with a keen eye will note that Cosy Club’s function room is called the Imperial Room in a nod to the past.