We were devastated to report last month that the Malt Cross had suddenly closed. But there’s good news today – the YMCA have stepped in to save it.

And the even better news is that the cafe bar is set to reopen in the Autumn.

“As a charity already so invested in the rich history and values of the Malt Cross, this is an exciting development for us,” said Will Wakefield, Chief Executive Officer of Nottinghamshire YMCA.

“We are keen to preserve the essence and heart of a venue which has inspired such a strong sense of community, loyalty and historical intrigue for so many years.

“It is our aim to retain as many of the former staff and workers where possible and we will be talking to them about this. With plans to fully celebrate every wonderful and historical aspect the Malt Cross has to offer, we cannot wait to throw open the doors once again and breathe new life into this illustrious venue’s future.”

The Malt Cross cafe bar was placed into liquidation by the building’s trustees last month. At the time, poor trading conditions were blamed, with the Trustee’s chair citing the World Cup and the warm summer weather as just two of the reasons.

And while you might best know the Nottinghamshire YMCA as the folk who run a city centre gym, the organisation has extensive experience in managing other business and charitable ventures, including supported housing and the International Community Centre on Mansfield Road.

The Malt Cross is one of the last working Victorian music halls outside London, and in 2015 underwent an extensive makeover using cash from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project saw the subterranean caves reopened for tours and special events, and the addition of small retail units. These have continued to trade despite the main bar being closed.

At NottsNight, we can’t wait for the reopening party, which we very much hope will be full of constriction workers, cops and Native Americans. Sorry – we couldn’t resist that…