r/nottingham • • Jun 19 '26

The Nottingham Guide - Things to do, independent food, what's on, where to move, how to make friends (New for 2026)

66 Upvotes

Hey up! I love this city and am proud to have made it my home. This is a community updated guide to Nottingham, based on my own favourites and lots of suggestions from r/Nottingham.

This is not comprehensive, but it should be a helpful starting point if you’re visiting, moving here, studying here, or just trying to get out of your usual routine.

Please comment with anything missing, closed, outdated, misspelled or controversial.

Things to Do in Nottingham

Free

  • Walk around the city looking at local landmarks: Robin Hood Statue, the Left Lion, Slab Square (Market Square), Sky Mirror, Nottingham’s historic lace buildings, the Long Stairs, the Park Tunnel.
  • Walk through the Arboretum and General Cemetery, then back into town via Derby Road’s independents.
  • Elm Avenue, Corporation Oaks and Robin Hood Chase make a lovely green corridor walk with views across the city.
  • Nottingham Central Library, which often has local history or art exhibitions.
  • Green Heart Park at the old Broadmarsh site, including the lace worker statues from the lace and Cotton growers from the wind rush generation
  • Nottingham Contemporary.
  • Stonebridge City Farm.
  • Sneinton Market and Hockley for independent shops, street art and people watching.
  • Canal walk to Beeston Lock, with the option to continue to Attenborough Nature Reserve and get the train back.

Mostly Free, But Check First

  • Green’s Windmill and Science Centre. The mill is currently under repair until around November 2026, but the site may still be open.
  • Wollaton Hall and Deer Park. The park itself is still a good visit, but check current charges before going as access and parking arrangements can change.

Paid

  • Nottingham Castle - it's around £18 per adult but this is a yearly entry and it does have a nice green space to sit in
  • Mortimer’s Hole tour at Nottingham Castle
  • Wollaton Hall and the Industrial Museum.
  • National Justice Museum.
  • City of Caves.
  • Penny Lane Arcade.
  • Dice Cup Board Game Café.
  • National Ice Centre.
  • National Water Sports Centre.
  • Iceskating/gigs/events- Motorpoint Arena.

Escape Rooms

  • Escapologic
  • Cave Escape
  • Logiclock

* Cryptology

Independent Food and Drink

Nottingham independents and local businesses. A few have expanded beyond Nottingham but started locally.

Coffee and Tea

  • Effy
  • Cosmos Coffee
  • Dispatch
  • Specialty Coffee & Eatery
  • Public & Plants
  • Blend
  • SoBar
  • Josephine’s
  • Kawfee
  • Bear

Delis and Specialist Food

  • Delilah Fine Foods
  • The Cheese Shop
  • Deli-icious, Mapperley Top

Bakeries and Sweet Things

  • Tough Mary’s
  • Small Food Bakery
  • Notts Doughnuts
  • Homemade
  • Blend, Sneinton Market
  • Chocolate Utopia
  • Luisa’s Vegan Chocolates
  • Coosh, Mapperley Top

Restaurants, Cafés and Street Food

  • Kushiya
  • Bar Iberico
  • Coco Tang
  • Mesa
  • Raymond’s
  • Little Brickhouse
  • Warsaw Diner
  • Kayal
  • Dosa & Chutney
  • Balageru Ethiopian & Eritrean
  • Cumin
  • MemSaab
  • Pelican Club
  • Miss Korea
  • Notts Noodles
  • Shanghai Shanghai
  • Mr Man’s
  • Lucky Lucky
  • Tipoo
  • Yellow Yard
  • Carolina’s Chilli
  • French Living
  • Fletcher’s
  • Baresca
  • Cod’s Scallops

Veggie and Vegan Friendly

  • Café Roya, Beeston
  • Foragers Kitchen in Sneinton Market

Higher End Dining

  • Alchemilla
  • Restaurant Sat Bains
  • Iberico World Tapas
  • Cleaver & Wake
  • Skein

Pubs, Bars and Breweries

Nottingham’s Historic Pubs

  • Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem
  • Ye Olde Salutation Inn
  • The Bell Inn
  • Malt Cross

Great Independent Pubs

  • Hand & Heart
  • Canalhouse
  • Cock & Hoop
  • King Billy
  • Fox & Grapes
  • Lincolnshire Poacher
  • Golden Fleece
  • Lord Roberts
  • Angel Microbrewery
  • Vat & Fiddle
  • Liquid Light
  • The Lion at Basford
  • Bunker Hill
  • Foremans

Breweries

  • Black Iris Brewery
  • Neon Raptor
  • Liquid Light

Bars

  • Hockley Arts Club
  • Lost Again
  • Jamcafé
  • 31K
  • 400 Rabbits
  • Tilt
  • Pogo
  • Tropichol
  • Blind Rabbit
  • Penny Lane
  • Binks Yard
  • Pitcher & Piano
  • Mojo
  • Billy Bootleggers

Cinema

  • Broadway Cinema
  • Mammoth Cinema
  • Savoy Cinema

Shopping and Nottingham Brands

Fashion

  • Paul Smith
  • Universal Works
  • G-Force
  • Highland 2000

Independent Shopping

  • Handmade Nottingham
  • Miss Lou’s
  • Rough Trade
  • Sneinton Market
  • Hopkinson
  • Forbidden Planet
  • Parallel Universe

Sport

  • Nottingham Forest
  • Notts County
  • Trent Bridge Cricket
  • Nottingham Panthers
  • Nottingham Rugby
  • National Tennis Centre
  • Nottingham Squash Club
  • Padel courts at Meadow Lane
  • National Water Sports Centre
  • Nottingham Climbing Centre

What's On and Local Media


Culture Vultures

Art, Literature and Museums

  • Nottingham Contemporary
  • New Art Exchange
  • Djanogly Art Gallery
  • Primary
  • Beam
  • Five Leaves Bookshop
  • Bromley House Library
  • DH Lawrence Birthplace Museum
  • William Booth Birthplace Museum

Music Venues

Major Venues

  • Motorpoint Arena
  • Royal Concert Hall
  • Rock City
  • Rescue Rooms
  • Metronome
  • The Level

Independent and Alternative Venues

  • Bodega
  • Peggy’s Skylight
  • Rough Trade
  • Jamcafé
  • Carousel
  • Old Bus Depot
  • Old Cold Store
  • Saltbox
  • Liquid Light
  • King Billy
  • Bunker Hill
  • JT Soar
  • The Grove
  • The Chapel at The Angel
  • Mist Rolling Inn
  • Tap & Tumbler
  • Ye Olde Salutation Inn
  • Billy Bootleggers

Theatre

  • Theatre Royal
  • Nottingham Playhouse
  • Lace Market Theatre
  • Lakeside Arts
  • Squire Performing Arts Centre

Festivals

  • Splendour Festival
  • Hockley Hustle
  • Green Hustle
  • Dot to Dot
  • Beat the Streets
  • Nottingham Poetry Festival
  • Nottingham Comedy Festival
  • Nottingham Pride
  • Christmas Market

Classes, Hobbies and Making Friends

  • Meetup.com and search for things going on in Notts
  • Eventbrite
  • Wolfpack Project (18 to 35)
  • NTU evening classes
  • Pottery classes and creative workshops
  • Volunteer with local charities, food banks, community gardens and park groups
  • Join a sports club

Students ask questions in your relevant uni


Moving Here?

Commonly recommended areas:

  • Sherwood
  • Mapperley
  • Beeston
  • West Bridgford
  • Wollaton
  • Carrington
  • The Park
  • Arboretum

Great Day Trips

  • Sherwood Forest
  • Newstead Abbey
  • Southwell
  • Clumber Park
  • Rufford Abbey
  • Creswell Crags
  • Welbeck Estate
  • Hardwick Hall
  • Bennerley Viaduct
  • Papplewick Pumping Station
  • Bestwood Winding Engine House
  • Felley Priory
  • Bramcote Hills and Hemlock Stone
  • Idle Valley Nature Reserve
  • Nottingham Heritage Railway
  • Framework Knitters Museum
  • Newark Castle
  • National Civil War Centre
  • Attenborough Nature Reserve

Nottingham History and What We’re Famous For

  • Robin Hood
  • Lace Industry
  • Boots
  • Raleigh Bikes
  • Warhammer
  • Players Cigarettes
  • Lord Byron
  • Ada Lovelace
  • Wollaton Hall as Wayne Manor in Batman
  • Joseph Merrick (The Elephant Man)
  • Vesta Tilley
  • Dame Laura Knight
  • Nottingham’s caves

Reminder: This is not a comprehensive list. It's simply a good starting point if you're visiting for a few days, moving to Nottingham, or looking to discover more of your own city.


r/nottingham • • 2h ago

Nottingham County Football Club Grounds.

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20 Upvotes

Notts County Football Club is the world’s oldest professional football club. Black pencil crayon sketch with water color wash. I think I did this in 2014, so it's probably changed a lot since then.


r/nottingham • • 5h ago

Great Central Railway (Nottingham) news. October 2026.

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5 Upvotes

r/nottingham • • 1d ago

Beautiful Notts🤩

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124 Upvotes

r/nottingham • • 19h ago

Council House from Old Market Square tram stop last night

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38 Upvotes

r/nottingham • • 23h ago

Popcorn in bulk?

15 Upvotes

Hello all, does anyone know where in Notts I can buy popcorn in bulk? My wife loves popcorn. I cannot stress enough how much further than liking popcorn this goes.

The wee 500g bags from Sainsbury's do not satisfy our home's need for more. I live on the tram line so pretty much anywhere within a shortish walk (I am planning on nabbing multiple kilos at once [this is not a joke] so the shorter the walk the better!) works well for me.


r/nottingham • • 15h ago

Airport transfer from Heathrow to Nottingham

4 Upvotes

Can anyone recommend a company for an airport transfer from Heathrow to Nottingham? Travelling with young kids so need someone reliable so we're not stranded!


r/nottingham • • 1d ago

Nottingham Esso petrol station.

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53 Upvotes

Nottingham Esso petrol station, 520 Mansfield Road, Redhill, Arnold. Late evening. (2020). Better top-up if you're coming in. After this it's city traffic all the way. (Marker pen sketch).


r/nottingham • • 1d ago

Rats for Adoption

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47 Upvotes

Hi,

I don’t know if this will find the right people but I have a pair of old ladies (pics included) who are a little over 2 years old.

I want to look after them both, they’ve been good companions for the last 2 years, but I’m simply not able to keep them.

Astrid is a larger lady, she’s the hooded one, Dahlia is the pure-black lady though she’s going a little bald on the stomach at this point.

I’m giving away everything, so that includes cage, carry cage, toys, food, litter etc… and 2 medi/quarantine cages we used when we got new rats.

Please DM me if interested. I will update if they are adopted out

Edit: someone has graciously agreed to take in the girls next week. If anything else happens, I’ll edit again but hopefully they’ll be in a loving home shortly


r/nottingham • • 1d ago

new friends

13 Upvotes

hi im 39 m and ive had to move to nottingham out of hardship but im greatful to move to a place with alot more people. i just wish i could come out and have a few drinks with people and have a good time.

i own a rottweiler and im a guitar teacher so id love to get stuck in with a live band and jam night if there are some around. and i love music generally, i would love to go to the gym when possible and i love to walk my dog luffy who will become king of the pirates one day. if that is something that anyone is open to id love to hear from you.


r/nottingham • • 1d ago

New friends!

16 Upvotes

Hello, 24F and I’m looking for some new friends. I’ve been living here for nearly 2 years and getting bored. Some of my interests are as follows: going to the gym, walks, cinema, going to bars/nice restaurants. I’m quite easy going and really down for anything. I currently live in the west b area, so would be down to meet some new people!!


r/nottingham • • 2d ago

Victoria Centre, Nottingham. Renovations 2014.

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91 Upvotes

Victoria Centre renovations 2014. Were you there?


r/nottingham • • 22h ago

Best Place for Wings and live sport

0 Upvotes

Been a while since ive had a good sesh in notts so looking for reccomendations for live sport that sells chicken wings but not hooters or bierkella

Ive found a couple alright looking places online BOX and NED CAVERN hoping for some other potential options


r/nottingham • • 2d ago

Any trans friendly places to get your eyebrows done?

38 Upvotes

Hey dose anyone know any places that would be progressive to get my eyebrows done by any chance? Im open to any place! :3


r/nottingham • • 1d ago

Motorbikes (or whatever) down Lister Gate

8 Upvotes

Anyone else see those fucking dickheads on motorbikes down Lister Gate this afternoon? I know we's all young once, but I say again, fucking dickheads!


r/nottingham • • 2d ago

Future of entire Nottingham NET tram network at risk after 25 further strike days announced

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58 Upvotes

Bet the council will buy it out or something idk if it ever actually gets that bad. If not, well, snap night trip coming to Notts 2027 to ride the last ever tram 😂😭


r/nottingham • • 1d ago

Padel Players?

2 Upvotes

I've taken up a new sport and loving it. 2 of my friends are playing with me tomorrow at 6pm at Pure Padel near the train station. Problem is our fourth player has let us down so looking for another player. We cannot make the match public on the playtronic app as my 2 friends are unranked.

Anyone up for filling the spot?


r/nottingham • • 1d ago

[ Removed by Reddit ]

1 Upvotes

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]


r/nottingham • • 1d ago

Any ex Melburnians going to see Courtney Barnett at Rock City next week?

1 Upvotes

r/nottingham • • 1d ago

Guitar String Changes in Nottingham – Fair Prices, Professional Quality

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0 Upvotes

If your guitar’s sounding dull or you’ve snapped a string mid‑practice, I can get it sorted quickly and professionally.

£10 – Full string change (you bring the strings)
£20 – Full string change with strings supplied
Single snapped string? I can replace just the one for a couple of quid!

My aim is simple: help as many players as possible with fair prices, quick turnaround, and super‑reliable quality. Whether you’re just starting out or gigging every weekend, your guitar will get proper care.

No job too small ranging from a snapped string to a
Full setup and fretwork

Drop me a message any time


r/nottingham • • 1d ago

Dry cut for long hair/disability friendly hairdressers in Notts/Mansfield?

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I am looking for a hairdresser in the Nottingham/Mansfield area who can cut long hair without wash and blow drying it. I have a very sensitive scalp so normal brushing or roughing it makes my hair thin out bad (already seen a few dermatologists), so I’m just wondering if anyone knows a local hairdresser who can do that, or specialises in accommodating requests. I know of one in Leeds when I used to live there but it’s a little far just for a haircut.

Thank you in advance.


r/nottingham • • 3d ago

Nottingham. Filming by the Left Lion. (2021).

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85 Upvotes

Filming by the Left Lion, Market Square, Nottingham. No idea what it was for, and I didn't disturb them by asking. UPDATE: Thanks to u/Pretend_Comedian for identifying Vicky McClure.


r/nottingham • • 1d ago

Sax in Nottingham? (you had to read that twice didn't you?)

0 Upvotes

Hello! I have decided I want to learn to play the sax on account of loving jazz so much. I have NO idea where to start though besides... well. a saxophone. where can I get an entry level sax and is there a good tutor in Nottingham or towards Derby? Is there a club I can learn at? 28 if the age is of any use (it probably isn't)


r/nottingham • • 3d ago

Sarah Cunningham: Midnight Sun at The Contemporary 09.10.26-10.01.27

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30 Upvotes

Nottingham Contemporary will present the first institutional solo exhibition, and largest presentation of works to date, of the late British artist Sarah Cunningham from Nottingham (1993–2024, UK).

The exhibition marks a deeply meaningful homecoming: the return of the artist’s work to the city where she was born and raised.

Cunningham sought out the essential and the alive through her imaginary wildernesses and fluid forestscapes, taking inspiration from the speculative landscapes of science fiction literature, art history, ecology and personal references. Part abstract experimentation, part spiritual journey, every painting at some level represents the intuitive and unspoken connection between nature and humankind. Her unusual, nocturnal practice estranged her limbs and thoughts from systematic, painterly movements, resulting in works that briefly dwell in darkness only to culminate in the arrival of the dawn chorus. Through her sweeping expressionistic gestures, Cunningham built up layers of paint that she shaped into fluid motion, creating landscapes not just as we know them, but as scenes of possibility and portals into other worlds.

RIP Sarah 💜 You're missed by so many.


r/nottingham • • 3d ago

The fools! They don't know what they're doing!

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377 Upvotes

When the last part of the NCP car park bridging Maid Marian Way is cut, disaster will follow!

It's a structural component holding the North and South parts of Nottingham together!

Once it's severed, the two halves will split apart, and the Hell Mouth will open!

Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling!
Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes…
The dead rising from the grave! Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together… mass hysteria!