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Home , Lace Market Theatre, National Ice Centre, Nottingham Arts Theatre, Rock City (venue), Wollaton Hall

This guide was produced by The University of , June 2015. Photography page 10-11: www.ashleybird.com

Cover image: Fashion icon, Sir Paul Smith’s flagship store on Low Pavement, .

City guide for students www.nottingham.ac.uk #LoveNotts Contents #LoveNotts

4 Hey big spender! If you’re just discovering Nottingham, 8 Be a sport lucky you… 10 And the beat goes on... “Nottingham is a city of legends. And not just that Sheriff-bothering man 14 Lights, luvvies and laughter in tights or the two-time European Cup champions or the world’s oldest 16 Top nosh football league club or the world famous Cricket Ground 20 After dark or those literary heroes DH Lawrence and Lord Byron or international fashion icon Sir Paul Smith or commercial giants like Boots and Raleigh… 22 The great outdoors (Editor’s note: get to the point!) – Nottingham is also home to the UK’s 24 Culture vultures oldest live , three of the world’s oldest pubs and the biggest 28 Seasonal sessions entertainment venue in the East Midlands (where you can see everyone 30 Business is booming from Peter Kay and Michael McIntyre to Beyoncé and Metallica). It’s recognised as one of the UK’s top shopping cities, has hundreds of 34 The sensible stuff restaurants and bars and three comedy clubs – Ricky Gervais made his stand-up debut here, as did Ken Dodd but that’s another story. In fact, it’s so good, I wish I was a student again. Happy exploring!” TheUniofNottingam @UniofNottingham Simon Wilson, Entertainment Editor at The Nottingham Post

Cafe by day, bar and music venue by night, the Malt Cross is known for its friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

2 3 Hey big spender! #LoveNotts

If you love to shop, Nottingham offers an enticing mix of high street and vintage clothes stores. All the big names, including Urban Outfitters, Topshop, Office and H&M feature within the city centre, while one-off boutiques and treasure troves of antique furniture, jewellery and gifts can be found in the side streets and cobbled roads of the and Hockley.

What the celebs say “I used to come to Nottingham when I lived up here. I’d always head straight for Hockley, but now the city has so much more to offer, it has all the brands to choose from.” TV fashion guru Gok Wan (from Leicester)

Page 45 is the one-stop shop for your comic book fix.

4 5 #LoveNotts

From quirky outlets and vintage boutiques to giants of the high street, Nottingham’s got it all. Here’s our top of the shops:

intu Wild Mansfield Road Broad Street Good for: all things high street. Good for: interesting retro and American-style clothing. Beeston’s charity shops Beeston town centre Victoria Centre Market Good for: fancy dress, vintage rails Upstairs in the intu Victoria Centre and second-hand books. Good for: fruit and veg, fabric and the odd clothes bargain. Rough Trade Broad Street Page 45 Good for: an eclectic and extensive Market Street collection of music, from CDs to Good for: quality comics, graphic vinyl. novels and a warm welcome.

Tokenhouse The Bead Shop Bridlesmith Gate Market Street Good for: wiling away an hour Good for: when you want to create, looking at trinkets and quirky cards. rather than buy, jewellery.

Bridlesmith Gate Backlash Good for: Everything from Market Street American Apparel to Ted Baker, Good for: vintage clothes and complete with cobbled streets accessories from every decade. and Tudor shop fronts. A bit more expensive, but a great shopping experience.

Nottingham’s vintage shops offer retro and modern fashion and jewellery made from an eclectic mix of fabric and memorabilia.

6 7 #LoveNotts Be a sport

What the celebs say Nottingham has loads of sports facilities throughout “It’s not just famous for Robin Hood. Its vibrant the city as well as on campus. What’s your game? sports and arts scene caters to all ages and it’s no surprise so many people love living here.” Nottingham Forest and Notts Nottingham Tennis Centre Phil Spencer, Location, Location, Location, County football clubs Good for: all levels, from pay-and- Channel 4 Good for: a day on the terraces. play to high-level tournaments.

Trent Bridge Cricket Ground Nottingham Racecourse Good for: international cricket on a Good for: dressing up and strutting summer’s afternoon. your stuff in the enclosure.

National Ice Centre Cycle trails around Nottingham Good for: taking lessons through Good for: getting around the city the Learn to Skate Programme and for free. watching the play . River Trent Good for: getting out on the river in National Water Sports Centre a canoe or rowing boat. Good for: adrenaline-inducing water sports. The Robin Hood Marathon and Half-Marathon Nottingham Climbing Centre Good for: pushing yourself to the Good for: bouldering, top-roping limit for a good cause. and lead-climbing.

In addition to all the sports facilities across the city, the University has invested over £50m in sports facilities in 2015-16.

8 9 And the beat goes on… #LoveNotts

“Nottingham is undoubtedly the East Midlands’ buzzing music capital, with a handful of the best small-medium sized venues in the UK, heaps of intriguing bar and back-room stages and even a genuinely great arena – right in the heart of the city – for the superstar acts. You can pretty much find an interesting gig to go to on any given night if you look hard enough, and that makes Nottingham a special place to be.”

Ashley Bird, music journalist and photographer

Rock band Not Advised play , an alternative music venue described by NME as ‘sweaty but truly indie’.

10 11 Making music is second nature in Nottingham – #LoveNotts so many live gigs, so little time…

Capital FM Arena The Bodega Social Club Royal Concert Hall Not forgetting Good for: big-name acts from Good for: watching bands up Good for: classical, pop, rock Kasabian to Rihanna. close before they make it big. and musical theatre from If you want to showcase your international artists. talent, there are lots of open mic Rock City Spanky Van Dykes nights across the city. Start your Good for: alternative bands and Good for: cool surroundings and Splendour Festival, search here big names in intimate venues. pretty much any kind of live music Park www.nottinghamgigguide.com/ you can think of. Good for: big and small bands act/open_mic_night Rescue Rooms in a beautiful park. Good for: great gigs – and it’s a Jam Cafe bar, live venue and club all in one. Good for: open mic nights, bistro Dot-to-Dot Festival food and a boho vibe. Good for: a whole load of bands, at venues across the city. Glee Club Good for: a beard-heavy mix of No Tomorrow Festival indie folk, Americana and blues. Good for: underground and mainstream music.

Rock City is just one of many live music venues across the city. But it’s so good, we had to picture it twice.

12 13 Lights, luvvies and laughter #LoveNotts

This city’s got cinemas and stages aplenty and with no My Nottingham less than three comedy clubs, it’s true that people in Ibtisam Ahmed, BA History and Politics Nottingham laugh more than anywhere else in the UK “I love the Savoy Cinema. I can’t think of anywhere else (note: this claim is completely unsubstantiated). you can watch a good movie for less than £4 (with a student card of course). It’s relatively close Broadway to campus as well, so I can always meet friends for dinner on Good for: arthouse and mainstream Good for: its outdoor campus and then head off for a night of cinematic magic.” cinema in ultra-cool screen rooms. theatre season.

Cineworld Nottingham Lakeside Arts, Good for: catching the latest University Park Campus blockbuster in one of 14 screens. Good for: an eclectic mix of music, theatre, dance and visual art. Good for: drama, dance, new Theatre Royal writing and a beautiful outdoor Good for: the big touring musicals terrace. and plays, and a panto at Christmas. Savoy Cinema Good for: “I’ve-spent-all-my- student-loan” moments. Good for: opportunities to contribute to a community theatre. The Castle Micro Moviehouse Good for: catching the latest films in a cosy setting. Good for: friendly amateur theatre – get involved! Glee Club, Jongleurs and Just the Tonic Good for: laughing at the latest comedians.

With Sir Paul Smith helping with the decor, not to mention food and films to tickle all taste buds, Broadway is a “reel” attraction (see what we did there?).

14 15 Top nosh

My Nottingham Harriet Goodwin, BA History of Art “In Nottingham there are plenty of alternatives to mainstream coffee shops. Lee Rosy’s is a great little tea shop with a huge variety of teas. Not to advocate spending loads of money on meals out or anything but I have to recommend Jamie’s Italian as well as Le Petit Paris as my two favourite restaurants in Nottingham. Good if you feel like treating yourself.”

Delilah’s Delicatessen offers a huge array of cheese, meats, breads and unique gifts for foodies.

16 17 #LoveNotts With more places to eat and drink per square mile than any other city in Europe, Nottingham has earned its way into the Thinkmoney Six Great Universities for Foodies list.

Crocus Cafe Annie’s Burger Shack Church Square, Lenton Broadway, Lace Market Good for: affordable, ethically Good for: authentic American sourced dishes and friendly service. burgers and Real Ale.

Fred Hallam Ltd (traditional Alley Cafe Bar greengrocers in Beeston) Long Row West High Road, Beeston Good for: imaginative vegetarian Good for: a quaint alternative to the and vegan meals. supermarket – fruit and veg, herbs and fresh fish. Homemade Pelham Street Sir John Borlase Warren Good for: a spot of lunch in a cosy Canning Circus independent cafe. Good for: steak night, open mic and chilling out in a beer garden. Edin’s Deli Cafe and Edin’s Kitchen Mayfair Restaurant Broad Street and Carlton Street Mansfield Road Good for: tapas specials, scrummy Good for: cheap but moreish lunches and continental-style Chinese food and the option decor. to bring your own alcohol. Lee Rosy’s Mogal-e-Azam Broad Street Goldsmith Street Good for: tea – they sell over Good for: purse-friendly Indian 100 varieties. dishes and student discount.

The Alley Cafe Bar is perfect for vegetarians and vegans.

18 19 After dark #LoveNotts

When darkness falls on the city, there are plenty of places Malt Cross NG1 to play – from high-class cocktail bars to with Good for: a quiet drink, live music Good for: partying at one of or gallery showing of local artistic Nottingham’s biggest nightclubs. more cheese than Cheshire. talent in a Grade II listed former music hall. Stealth Saltwater Tilt Good for: dance, garage, live Good for: pre-club cocktails with a Good for: live blues music and a Cookie Club music and DJs. view of Nottingham’s rooftops. tailor-made cocktail menu. Good for: indie, , retro, pop and rock and cheap drinks on Pandora’s Box Junkyard Das Kino a Wednesday. Good for: live music from local Good for: craft beers – from lagers Good for: food, drinks and ping bands in a bespoke boutique club. to stouts. pong. Boilermaker Good for: a quirky take on cocktail Rock City Oceana and Ocean Coco Tang classics hidden away in Hockley. Good for: popular student nights, Good for: themed rooms at Good for: a secret world of cocktail as well as live music. Oceana and top-quality cheese creations and late-night glamour. at Ocean.

Saltwater in Nottingham’s Cornerhouse entertainment complex boasts a great view of the city’s rooftops.

20 21 The great outdoors #LoveNotts

For a healthy dose of fresh air, we’ve got parks, Not forgetting forests and even spots of tranquillity nestled neatly Nottingham is not far from the in the city centre. Peak District, a stunning national park packed full of pretty market Sherwood Forest Nottingham Castle towns and dramatic landscapes. A Good for: playing tourist and Good for: learning about kings, favourite with filmmakers, the Peak looking for Robin Hood’s conquerors and the city’s maze District has been featured in films Major Oak. of caves. such as Jane Eyre, The Duchess and Pride and Prejudice. and Deer Park Attenborough Nature Reserve Good for: walking round the lake Good for: getting in touch and, you’ve guessed it, deer. with nature. Also, was filmed here. Twycross Zoo (aka The World Primate Centre) The Arboretum Good for: a fun day out. Good for: taking a break from shopping in the city centre with Newstead Abbey a blanket and a book. Good for: getting all poetic – Lord Byron used to live here. Rufford Abbey Country Park Good for: exploring the abbey ruins Highfields Lake, and taking the sculpture trail. University Park Campus Good for: hiring a rowing boat Clumber Park in the summer and relaxing Good for: hiring a bike and between lectures. exploring part of Sherwood Forest.

Wollaton Hall and Deer Park is just a short walk from University Park Campus and is a great spot for a picnic.

22 23 Culture vultures #LoveNotts

“I’m excited by Nottingham because I think it has a fantastic creative scene... the scene that young artists have created has been very, very exciting... Nottingham is one of the places to be right now.”

Alex Farquharson, Director,

Nottingham Playhouse’s website says it produces bold and thrilling theatre in one of the region’s most popular landmarks. We agree.

24 25 From contemporary art galleries to social history museums, #LoveNotts Nottingham has a host of cultural offerings to inspire you.

Nottingham Contemporary True Colours Art Gallery Museum of Life at Not forgetting Good for: world-class Good for: ceramics, paintings, Brewhouse Yard contemporary exhibitions and photography and jewellery by Good for: learning about There are lots of arty events to get quirky cultural events. local artists. Nottingham’s social history. involved in. Lee Rosy’s tea shop runs a writing group, Nottingham The New Art Exchange Surface Gallery The Bonington Gallery Contemporary hosts spoken word Good for: African, African Good for: discovering new talent. Good for: a glimpse of the future night Scribal Gathering, and Caribbean and South Asian through interesting displays Broadway screens special film contemporary art. Nottingham Castle and events. events throughout the year. And Good for: its permanent exhibition that’s just for starters. Djanogly Art Gallery at of major historical works. Galleries of Justice Museum Nottingham Lakeside Arts Good for: immersing yourself in a Good for: fascinating exhibitions Wollaton Hall history of crime and punishment. right by the lake on University Good for: its natural history museum. Park Campus.

What better way to enjoy a day out on a budget than visiting one of the great exhibitions at Djanogly Art Gallery? It’s completely free and world-class.

26 27 Seasonal sessions #LoveNotts

Temporary markets, festive events and a city centre beach What: Robin Hood Beer Festival My Nottingham all roll in with the seasons to ensure Nottingham is never When: October Where: Nottingham Castle Ros Kino, quite the same. Here’s just a few: BA Geography What: bonfire celebrations “The city is big enough to not be What: farmers’ and food markets What: Britain’s biggest urban beach When: either the big night itself bored but small enough to feel When: regularly When: summer or the nearest weekend personal. I’ve had the best three Where: Market Square Where: Market Square Where: Forest Fields years of my life here.” Recreation Ground What: Riverside Festival What: the legendary Goose Fair When: August When: autumn (usually soon after What: Christmas market Where: next to the River Trent, West Freshers’ Week) When: usually sets up at the end Bridgford Where: Forest Fields of November Recreation Ground Where: Market Square

If you love mulled wine, tall rides, mini pancakes, festive tunes, warmed up Vimto, potatoes mixed with German sausages and novelty hats, you’ll love the Christmas market.

28 29 Nottingham is full of quirky places to eat and drink, including #LoveNotts Pitcher and Piano, which is housed in a restored church.

Business is booming

“The best thing about Nottingham is that it is not dissimilar to London, obviously on a much smaller scale, but in terms of its cultural mix, eclectic restaurants, shops and retail offer, some fantastic theatres, and a great asset to the city, the Nottingham Contemporary Art Gallery. Another important factor is Nottingham’s excellent road connections. It’s reasonably close to the A1, very close to the M1 and it’s got great rail links to London and the rest of the country.”

Victor Ktori, Director, Savills

30 31 Once you’ve studied here you’ll probably want to stick What the celebs say #LoveNotts around. Nottingham attracts many major employers, is a “Nottingham is on the up. With affordable designated Science City, offers affordable housing and is housing, huge investment in public transport and many big businesses calling it home, well connected to the rest of the country. this city is booming.”

• Nottingham is one of Europe’s John Lewis, Mercedes-Benz, Kirsty Allsop, Location, Location, Location, leading Science and Technology Nottingham City Council, Channel 4 Centres of Excellence with many Ofsted, Rolls-Royce, Siemens, strengths including biomedical Specsavers, Speedo and Toyota. sciences, low carbon technologies, ICT, and advanced engineering. • The cost of living is considerably less compared to other cities in • Major employers in Nottingham the UK, meaning that you can live include Boots, Browne Jacobson, in trendy and prosperous areas of Capital One, Coutts, E.ON, Nottingham for a fraction of what Eversheds, Experian, Geldards it would cost in equivalent areas LLP, KPMG, HBOS, HM of London. Revenue and Customs, HSBC,

Few British cities have trams, but Nottingham does and the network is expanding, which will provide fast links from key student areas to the centre.

32 33 The sensible stuff #LoveNotts

Nottingham is a compact city with an excellent transport network and a national award that recognises it as a safe and Airport Keep up to date enjoyable place for a night out. The Skylink bus runs from the city Use the links below to find out centre to what’s happening on campus. Trams 24-hours a day. The airport offers Getting around www.nottingham.ac.uk/connect The tram network runs to certain flights, some at bargain prices, to a www.nottingham.ac.uk/events Cycling towns outside the city centre and is range of European cities including A poll by Cycling Plus magazine set to expand to take in some of the Amsterdam, Barcelona, Edinburgh, found Nottingham to be Britain’s popular student areas. If you’re not Paris and Rome: Useful websites second best city for cycling. The used to trams, look before stepping www.eastmidlandsairport.com www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk Nottingham City Council website out as they are almost silent: www..gov.uk has information on cycle routes www.thetram.net Safer city www.experience around the city: nottinghamshire.com Safety is a key priority for the www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk www.thisisnottingham.co.uk Trains authorities in Nottingham. The

Nottingham is right in the centre of latest police stats show crime in Buses the country and is very well the city is at one of its lowest points Contact us Nottingham City Transport run connected to all other major cities for 30 years, with figures from the t: +44 (0)115 951 5559 buses in and around the city – by the train network: Government revealing that offences e: [email protected] www.nctx.co.uk – while other www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk in Nottingham have recorded one of w: www.nottingham.ac.uk/faqs student areas, such as Beeston, the highest reductions in are serviced by Trent Barton – Be sure to book as far in advance and Wales. The has made every www.trentbarton.co.uk. Both as possible for the cheapest tickets effort to ensure that the information in this companies offer good late- brochure was accurate when published. Please and check out East Midlands The city was also named one of the night transport alternatives and note, however, that the nature of the content Parkway Railway Station – it’s best and safest places for a night means that it is subject to change from time discounted rates for students. close to Sutton Bonington Campus to time, and you should therefore consider the out in the UK in 2013. It retained its information to be guiding rather than definitive. and often does deals on fares. Purple Flag Award, an accolade that Megabus coaches also run from recognises excellence in the running © The University of Nottingham 2015. All rights the centre and East Midlands Taxis of town and city centres at night. reserved. Parkway Railway Station, linking There are plenty of taxi ranks in town, Nottingham to London, York and most notably around the outside other cities across the UK from as of Market Square. If you want to little as £1: www.megabus.com book a cab in advance, google ‘taxi This publication is available Nottingham’ for numbers. in alternative formats. t: +44 (0)115 951 5559

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