Pictured above: The Jester Pub

The Hazrat Sultan Bahu Trust  is set to transform a city pub into a thriving community centre.

The Jester pub, which closed down earlier this year, went for £400,000 at auction last week. The purchaser was a nationwide charity , the Hazrat Sultan Bahu Trust, which intends to use the former pub for community use.

There was swift bidding at the auction, which took place on the premises, and the pub went for more than the guide price of £250,000. Due the high demand of the property, the pub was auctioned at a "one off sale" on site, said heb partner Matt Hilton who was in charge of the hammer.

"Sometimes residential properties are sold like this, but never on commercial properties - so this was a real first," he added.

The spacious, two-storey brick public house is on Sneinton Dale, at the corner with Trent Road. It has parking space for 20 cars. The pub has living accommodation on the first floor.

Zaheer Khan of the Trust , said:" The local mosque identified the need for larger premises a number of years ago in order to provide the local community with greater facilities. This building is ideal as it is just around the corner from the mosque so the Trust purchased it for the benefit of the local community".

Peter Noble, head of licensed property at heb, said: "We are delighted that the Trust has taken this building, which is perfectly placed for the people who worship there. The pub is in a good prominent, main road location on Sneinton Dale. It's within easy reach of shops and on a street that's central to the area, with plenty of footfall."