Now, I’m a sucker for a ghost. When I was a little kid I was always the creepy one that turned up to sleepovers with a video of Ghostbusters and a Ouija board (homemade, obviously), telling people that I could channel the spirit of Elvis. I couldn’t, but my lip curling abilities were enough to convince my friends that I was indeed the King incarnate. So, when LeftLion told me about the Salutation Inn ghost hunts, and asked if I were interested in reviewing one, I got out the old ghost hunting apparel, donned my cross and sprinkled myself in holy water. Oh yes, I was ready to go.

Luckily for everyone involved, Haunted Happenings, the Long Eaton based firm running the vigil was a much better prepared event than your average teenage sleepover and straight away I knew I was in for some fun that didn’t involve discussing Take That. Upon arrival we were ushered into a side room from the main bar and fed tea and biscuits while we waited for all of the guests to turn up. Everyone got chatting and a sense of comradery was formed, as we knew, soon enough, our lives would be in each other’s hands.

There was a great mix of people, and conversation flowed as easily as the free coffee. When everyone had arrived and finished their drinks (no liquids allowed in the caves, I’m afraid) Ali, the Sal’s resident ghostly authority, and Lisa, from Haunted Happenings, took us into the depths of hell. Or, y’know, the caves under the pub. We all sat in a circle and Lisa went through the safety rules – this was a controlled environment, no chances being taken with the spirits of the dead here. After being thoroughly informed on the ghost security side of things, Ali got into the history of the pub itself and what lies beneath. She deigned not to tell us too much of the ghosts (apparently there are 47 in the Sal alone!), as she didn’t want to give the game away; we were there to find the ghosts, so we could find out about their pasts, by communing with them.

So herein started the real fun. We were split into two groups, with half of us going to the first floor of caveage to learn more about the enclaves there and play with electro magnetic monitors and the other half staying downstairs to cast protection circles and practice dowsing rods. I went upstairs first and was thoroughly grossed out by the cave of BLOOD!!!! and then saw a shadow that could possibly have been a ghost. Or a shadow. BUT MOSTLY IT COULD HAVE BEEN A GHOST! After a short while we swapped and I found that I was alright with the rods; apparently I was going to be terrified and Elvis was not, alas, in the building. He was missing out.

We all gathered back into the bottom cave and, after talking about what we’d seen and heard (a lot of EMF bleeps and stuff) the lights were turned out on us. As we huddled together, Lisa called the ghouls of the Sal’s nether regions to rise up and show themselves. Which they did, with some spooky happenings, bangs and crashes that caused many a jump. The bloke next to me kept accusing me of breathing down his neck and all, which I’m pretty sure I didn’t do, so it must have been a spirit. When our bums were completely numb we trucked back upstairs for more lovely tea and then it was table tipping, radio transmissions and going off alone, to sit, reflect and hopefully walk right into a ghost. I took myself back off into the cave of blood, hoping to see Rosie, the most famous of the Sal’s spirits playing with one of the creepy toys that people leave down in the caves for her. Sadly, there was no Rosie to be found, but I did get to learn about some more ghostly happenings after another chat with Ali.

By this time it was about 2.30 and I was yawning pretty hard. All of the customers had been turfed out, so we were allowed to up the game and take ourselves to the main parts of the pub. I did a planchet (a cross between a Ouija board and a toy truck) in the snug, and spoke to a child murderer through the radio and then did a Ouija board and spoke to a ghost of a dog, who, seeing as he was a dog and all, spelt exceedingly well. After I’d thrown a spirit bone to said dog, we had a little while to hang around and play with the EMF machine more - I freaked out when the bleeps and flashes went off and the needle disappeared off the chart, only to find that I was standing next to the electrics cupboard. Lame.  We returned to the caves for one last event, a recital of the Lord’s prayer. We all stood in a circle, chanted and, I lie not, some woman became….well, I’ll leave it there, but it was weird, I’ll tell you.

All in all, even if you are a skeptic, a ghost hunt at the Sal is proper fun. There’s history, gadgets and people to have a joke with, making an excellent night out all ‘round, regardless of if you see that kid from the Exorcist having an evil off with the one from the Omen. Now who’d win that fight, do you reckon?

Penny went to The Salutation Inn on Saturday 9 April.  Haunted Happenings run regular ghost hunting nights around Nottingham and the UK.

Original article