In our latest issue of Print, many of our writers made handy lists of the best places to go in Nottingham, whether for your aesthetic pleasure, musical delights, or gaming desires. In case you’ve forgotten some of these great places, or want to know more, Charlotte lists some of her favourite entertaining hotposts, check it out below!
The Bodega – Nottingham, Lace Market (23 Pelham St)
The Bodega is a venue and bar located a short walk from the Old Market Square which hosts gigs, club nights (Indie Wednesdays), and the occasional after-party for big-time bands. If you’re into the indie music scene, there’s a pretty impressive list of artists that have played here including Franz Ferdinand, Mumford and Sons, Coldplay, Two Door Cinema Club and more.
The venue capacity is 220 so it’s the perfect place to be if you like to brag about seeing that band live before ‘they really took off’. There’s a very aesthetically pleasing beer garden adorned with fairy lights and a quiz every Tuesday.
The Berliner – Beeston, (6-9 High Road)
A relatively new addition to the scene hiding out in Beeston (near Broadgate end of campus) is this trendy joint. It’s a cosy bar with a cosmopolitan vibe, conveniently close to the tram stop. Cocktails are 2 for £9 before 9pm every night and there are also cocktail making masterclasses to bring out the mixologist in you. There’s also live music every Friday and Saturday and an art class on the first Wednesday of every month.
The Hand On Heart – Nottingham (65-67 Derby Road)
Nottingham has its fair share of caves, and Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (near the castle) is normally the recommendation for a pub built into the caves, but that’s a pub for tourists. This unsuspecting pub on Derby Road (the way you’d walk into town from Lenton, Raleigh Park or SPC) is also built into the sandstone caves but has a much more chilled-out local vibe. It’s only once you walk inside that you can really appreciate how impressive this place is, and it’s got a roof terrace too! It was originally a Georgian House with stables, then a brewery and then a pub. Now it’s also got a fancy restaurant, so if you’ve ever fancied an evening wining and dining in a cave, this is the place to visit.
Jam Cafe – Hockley (12 Heathcote St.)
Hockley is the trendy, hipster, man-bun part of town. Most of the food and cakes are vegan, but it also has an occasional ‘pop-up’ restaurant hosted by local street food vendors. On a Wednesday night, there’s an open-mic featuring some of the best new local musicians. If you’re a musician yourself you can play and be entered in a competition on social media to win some recording time at a local music studio (you also get a free pint and vegan cake for performing). It’s a little off the beaten track for the town centre, but it has a certain individual and quirky charm.
Malt Cross – Nottingham, City Centre (16 St James St.)
There was a lot of disappointment in the city a couple of months ago when this bar and kitchen closed, but it is re-opening this September after a local charity stepped in to save it, just in time for freshers.
This venue is one of the last remaining Victorian music halls in the country giving it a unique interior. Apparently, it’s the only one of its kind with a glass roof. There’s a mixture of music and events held here, including an array of arts and crafts classes in the workshop downstairs.
The Bell Inn- Nottingham, Old Market Square (18 Angel Row)
This pub claims (along with Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem and Ye Olde Salutation Inn) to be the oldest inn in Nottingham, having been established in 1437. Apparently, Ye Olde Salutation is the oldest building, but the Bell has been used as a pub for the longest. These days the Bell is well renowned for its jazz (Monday evenings and the occasional Sunday afternoon).
“This pub claims (along with Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem and Ye Olde Salutation Inn) to be the oldest inn in Nottingham”
It’s a cosy and quirky place, with various rooms, bars, a restaurant and a function room. The cellars are located in caves in the sandstone beneath the building and are open to the public on guided tours if that’s your thing. There’s also a really chilled-out open mic every Wednesday evening.
The Embankment – Trent Bridge, Nottingham (282-284 Arkwright Street)
This pub is located down near the River Trent, city side, near the County and Forest football grounds and Trent Bridge Cricket Ground. It started life as one of the first Boots stores in 1907, then became the Boots social club. In fact, Jesse Boot used to have an office upstairs. The old medicine bottles are still on display in various cabinets on the ground floor and the wooden-clad decor gives the place a rustic charm.
“If you find yourself at a football match, it’s worth a visit.”
The pub is also one of Castle Rock Brewery’s pubs and, as you would expect, serves a fair amount of beer. ‘The Dispensary’ part of the pub hosts up to 10 craft beers at any one time alongside a selection of local real ales. If you find yourself at a football match, it’s worth a visit.
The Savoy Cinema- Nottingham, (233 Derby Road)
If you don’t fancy a bar or a pub, you could catch a movie at the Savoy. This retro cinema on Derby Road is the only surviving pre-war cinema in Nottingham, built in 1935.
There’s not many cinemas left like it, some of the screens only have three or four rows of seats! Student tickets are considerably cheaper than its competitors too at £4.85. If you live in the Lenton end of town, it’s certainly not to be missed.
Charlotte Evans
Featured image courtesy of ‘Rozsagab’ via Flickr. Image licence found here.
Article images courtesy of The Bodega via Instagram, Christopher Lanyon, Malt Cross via instragram, Savoy Cinemas via Instagram
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