Nottingham

Over the past few years Nottingham has seen big developers flock to the city centre creating two brand new shopping centres.

• Intu Victoria Centre - was redeveloped in 2014 and is now home to some of the biggest shopping brands.
• Intu Broadmarsh Centre - located near the train station and is the second shopping centre brought to you by Intu and is currently undergoing redevelopment.
• The Exchange Arcade, The Flying Horse Walk and newer developments in Trinity Square.
• Bridlesmith Gate - this area has numerous designer shops, and is the home of the original Paul Smith boutique.

With over 500 restaurants and bars in Nottingham City Centre there is plenty to choose from.

Some places to check out are:

• The Cornerhouse – popular with many students with it containing a Nandos, Subway, Pizza Hut, Turtle Bay plus many more including a cinema, mini golf course and casino.
• Lace Market – this doesn’t only have a great nightlife scene but also full of some great places to eat such as Iberico or Merchant’s fine dining on High Pavement, The Larder on Goosegate and The Curious Townhouse. And you cannot forget about the famous Annie's Burger Shack!
• Market Square – there are plenty of hidden gems in Market Square such as Reds, Le Mistral and Alley Cafe.

Whether you prefer high-class cocktail bars, cheesy nightclubs, gigs or just a quiet pub, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Make sure these are on your list to check out in the near future:

• Coco Tang - a world of cocktail creations and late-night glamour, discreetly hidden under the cobbled streets. Always a hit on a Monday night and voted the classiest student night!
• Market Bar - a favourite with students, this late-night bar’s atmospheric lighting and leather booths make it one of the swankiest in Hockley. Their giant fishbowls are legendary and the music is always on the mark especially Tuesdays with the old school hip hop!
• Pryzm and Ocean - always popular with students, these two similarly themed clubs are sure to provide a memorable night out. Pryzm has themed rooms, including one with a light-up dance floor, while Ocean offers top-quality cheese and a carefree atmosphere.
• Stealth - adjoined to Rescue Rooms bar, Stealth is a maze of dance rooms playing dance, garage, R’n’B, live music and DJs.
• NG1 and Propaganda - these are vibrant gay and lesbian clubs in Nottingham. With four rooms, a variety of nights and a lively atmosphere, NG1 is popularly known as the ‘biggest and best’ gay venue in the East Midlands.

Nottingham has several large music and entertainment venues offering something for everyone’s taste and style:

• Rock City – renowned for being the UK’s best independent live venue and club, Rock City is the place to go for all you indie, pop and rock fans.
• Motorpoint Arena - the biggest venue in Nottingham with a capacity of 10,000 the arena has held some big names in music, comedy and sport. Their calendar has never failed to impress with previously hosting Usher, The Script, Dynamo, Strictly Come Dancing Tour plus many more.
• Splendour Festival - Wollaton Park hosts an annual family-friendly music festival, and it's always a big event pulling in crowds up to 20,000 plus.

If heading out on the town checking out the music scene or painting the town red is not for you then there are plenty of other things to do in Nottingham.

• The Nottingham Playhouse and Theatre Royal - with a capacity of 2,500 it hosts a variety of shows across a packed out calendar.
• There are several notable museums and art galleries:
  • Galleries of Justice
  • Greens Windmill and Science Centre
  • Nottingham Castle Museum
  • Nottingham Contemporary
• Cineworld and Showcase cinemas are located in the city centre showing the latest blockbusters. Cineworld is also an IMAX cinema for all you film enthusiasts.
• Independent cinemas include the Broadway Cinema and Savoy Cinema.

Nottingham is located in the East Midlands so getting around Nottingham is even easier as it has excellent transport links:

• By Bus: Nottingham City Transport (NCT) run the buses within Nottingham and Trent Barton run buses in Beeston and some surrounding outskirts.
• By Tram: due to a new expansion you can now get the tram from South Nottingham all the way the North Nottingham. The tram service is run by Nottingham Express Transit (NET)
• By Bike: The city has an extensive network of cycle routes and cycle parking. You can even hire bikes out for the day for as little as £1 and there is plenty of bike storage facilities across the city.
• By Road: Nottingham is situated near the M1 motorway with access from junctions 24, 25 and 26. The M6 is also easy to get to from Nottingham and the A1, which runs from London to Edinburgh, passes through Nottinghamshire.
• By Coach: National Express and Megabus run frequently to other UK cities to help get you abroad cheaply and easily. Tickets booked in advance can cost as little as £1.
• By Rail: Frequent rail services run from Nottingham to major UK cities, including London every 30 minutes.
• By Air: Nottingham is served by East Midlands Airport, just under 15 miles (24 km) south-west of the city centre.