From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nottingham
—  City and Unitary Authority area  —
City of Nottingham
Central city centre skyline
Arms of the Nottingham City Council
Nickname(s): Queen of the Midlands, The Lace City
Motto: Vivit Post Funera Virtus (Virtue Outlives Death)[1]
Nottingham shown within England
Coordinates: 52°57′N 1°08′W / 52.95°N 1.133°W / 52.95; -1.133
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	East Midlands
Ceremonial county	Nottinghamshire
Admin HQ	Nottingham City Centre
Settled	600
City Status	1897
Government
- Type	Unitary authority, City
- Governing body	Nottingham City Council
- Leadership	Leader & Cabinet
Area
- City and Unitary Authority area	28.8 sq mi (74.61 km2)
Population (2008 est.)
- City and Unitary Authority area	292,400
- Density	9,673.6/sq mi (3,735/km2)
- Urban	666,358(LUZ:825,600)
- Ethnicity (2005 Estimate)[2]	81.6% White (76.5% White British) 7.7% S. Asian 4.7% Black British 3.2% Mixed Race 2.8% Chinese and other
Time zone	Greenwich Mean Time (UTC+0)
Postal Code	NG
Area code(s)	0115
Twin Cities
-  — Ghent	Belgium (since 1985)
-  — Harare	Zimbabwe (since 1981)
-  — Karlsruhe	Germany (since 1969)
-  — Ljubljana	Slovenia (since 1963)
-  — Minsk	Belarus (since 1966)
-  — Ningbo	China (since 2005)
-  — Timişoara	Romania (since 2008)
Grid Ref.	SK570400
ONS code	00FY
ISO 3166-2	GB-NGM
NUTS 3	UKF14
Website	www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/

Nottingham ( /ˈnɒtɪŋəm/ (help·info)) is a city and unitary authority area in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, and is one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group. Whilst the City of Nottingham has a historically tightly drawn boundary which accounts for its relatively small population of 288,700, the wider Nottingham Urban Area has a population of 667,000 and is the seventh-largest urban area in the United Kingdom, ranking between those of Liverpool and Sheffield.^[3] Eurostat's Larger Urban Zone listed the areas population at 825,600 as of 2004. Nottingham is famed for its links with the Robin Hood legend and, during the Industrial Revolution, obtained worldwide recognition for its lace-making and bicycle industries. It was granted its city charter as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria in 1897 and has since been officially titled the City of Nottingham.

History

In Anglo-Saxon times, around 600 AD^{[citation needed]} the site formed part of the Kingdom of Mercia and was known in the Brythonic language as Tigguo Cobauc, meaning Place of Caves. In Welsh it is known poetically as Y Ty Ogofog, "The Cavey Dwelling". When it fell under the rule of a Saxon chieftain named Snot^[4] it became known as "Snotingaham"; the homestead of Snot's people (Inga = the people of; Ham = homestead). Snot brought together his people in an area now know as the Lace Market.

Nottingham was captured in 867 by Danish Vikings^{[citation needed]} and later became one of the Five Burghs - or fortified towns - of The Danelaw.

In the 11th century Nottingham Castle was constructed on a sandstone outcrop by the River Leen. The Anglo-Saxon settlement developed into the English Borough of Nottingham and housed a Town Hall and Law Courts. A settlement also developed around the castle on the hill opposite and was the French borough supporting the Normans in the castle. Eventually, the space between was built on as the town grew and the Old Market Square became the focus of Nottingham several centuries later. On the return of Richard Coeur de Lion from the Crusades, the castle stood out in Prince John's favour. So, it was besieged by Richard, and after a sharp conflict, captured.^[5]

By the 15th century, Nottingham had established itself as the centre of a thriving export trade in religious sculpture made from alabaster^[6] The town became a county corporate in 1449^[7] giving it effective self-government, in the words of the charter, "for eternity". The Castle and Shire Hall were expressly excluded and technically remained as detached Parishes of Nottinghamshire.

The Adams Building in the Lace Market - a former lace warehouse

During the Industrial Revolution, much of Nottingham's prosperity was founded on the textile industry; in particular, Nottingham was an internationally important centre of lace manufacture. However, the rapid and poorly planned growth left Nottingham with the reputation of having the worst slums in the British Empire outside India.^{[citation needed]} Residents of these slums rioted in 1831, in protest against the Duke of Newcastle's opposition to the Reform Act 1832, setting fire to his residence, Nottingham Castle.

In common with the UK textile industry as a whole, Nottingham's textile sector fell into headlong decline in the decades following World War II, as British manufacturers proved unable to compete on price or volume with the output of factories in the Far East and South Asia.^{[citation needed]} Very little textile manufacture now takes place in Nottingham, but the City's heyday in this sector endowed it with some fine industrial buildings in the Lace Market district. Many of these have been restored and put to new uses.

Nottingham was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, and at that time consisted of the parishes of Nottingham St Mary, Nottingham St Nicholas and Nottingham St Peter. It was expanded in 1877 by adding the parishes of Basford, Brewhouse Yard, Bulwell, Radford, Sneinton, Standard Hill and parts of the parishes of West Bridgford, Carlton, Wilford (North Wilford). In 1889 Nottingham became a county borough under the Local Government Act 1888. City status was awarded as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria, being signified in a letter from the Prime Minister the Marquess of Salisbury to the Mayor, dated 18 June 1897. Nottingham was extended in 1933 by adding Bilborough and Wollaton, parts of the parishes of Bestwood Park and Colwick, and a recently developed part of the Beeston Urban District. A further boundary extension was granted in 1951 when Clifton and Wilford (south of the River Trent) were incorporated into the city.^[8][9]

Demographic evolution of Nottingham

Architecture

King Street with Alfred Waterhouse's and Watson Fothergill's buildings

Nottingham is home to a multitude of different architectural styles, with buildings dating from the 1100s.^{[citation needed]} Architects such as Alfred Waterhouse, Thomas Chambers Hine and Nottingham's own Watson Fothergill produced elaborate buildings in the 19th century to meet the expansion generated by increasing industrial output.

The Prudential Building

Architecture from different eras side by side

The central focal point of the City is Old Market Square which is the largest in the UK and is dominated by the Council House. This was built in the 1920s to display civic pride, ostentatiously using baroque columns and placing stone statues of two lions at the front to stand watch over the square. The Exchange Arcade on the ground floor is an upmarket shopping containing high-end boutiques. Portland Stone was used to construct the Council House and Exchange Arcade.

West of the centre

The western third of the city has most of the city's modern office complexes.^{[citation needed]} Tall office buildings line Maid Marian Way. The Georgian area around Oxford and Regent Streets is dominated by small professional firms. The Albert Hall faces the Gothic revival St Barnabas' Cathedral by Pugin. Nottingham Castle and its grounds are located further south in the western third of the city. The central third descends from the University district in the north, past the Gothic revival Arkwright Building - Nottingham Trent University now owns this building as well as many others in the area. Theatre Royal on Theatre Square with its pillared façade was built in 1865. King and Queen Streets are home to striking Victorian buildings designed by the likes of Alfred Waterhouse and Watson Fothergill.

South of the centre

To the south is Broadmarsh Shopping Centre. The Canal-side further south of this is adjacent to the Nottingham railway station and home to numerous redeveloped 19th Century industrial buildings reused as bars and restaurants.

Nottingham Council House and Queen Street

East of the centre

The eastern third of the city centre contains the Victoria Shopping Centre, built in the 1970s on the site of the demolished Victoria Railway Station. All that remains of the old station is the clock tower and the station hotel (now the Nottingham Hilton Hotel). The 250 feet-high Victoria Centre flats stand above the shopping centre and are the tallest buildings in the city. The eastern third contains Hockley Village. (Photos) Hockley is where the vast majority of Nottingham's unique, independent shops are to be found. It is also home to two alternative cinemas. The Screen Room claims to be the smallest in the world with only 21 seats (Link), and Broadway Cinema.

Lace Market

The Lace Market area just south of Hockley has densely packed streets full of four to seven-story red brick warehouses, ornate iron railings and red phone boxes.

Typical red brick lined street in the Lace Market

St Mary's church in the Lace Market

New College Nottingham occupies the Adams Building, built by Thomas Chambers Hine for Thomas Adams (1817-1873). Many buildings have been concerted into apartments, bars and restaurants. St. Mary's Church, Nottingham on High Pavement is the largest medieval building still standing in Nottingham. The Georgian-built Shire Hall is home to the Galleries of Justice and was Nottingham's main court and prison building for 200 years from 1780, although the site's use as a court stretches back as far as 1375.

Galleries of Justice in the Lace Market

Pubs

Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem, partially built into the cave system beneath Nottingham Castle, is a contender for the title of "England's Oldest Pub" due to its supposed establishment in 1189. The Bell Inn on the Old Market Square, and Ye Olde Salutation Inn on Maid Marian Way have both disputed this claim. An episode of the Channel 4 TV documentary series History Hunters tested attributes of the three claimants and found that, while each has its own evidence, none can claim exclusivity. The Trip, whilst the oldest building, was for most of its early life a brewery and not a public house. The Salutation sits on the oldest recognised public house site, but the current building is comparatively recent. The Bell, although not in such an antiquated location, boasts the oldest public house building. There is also conflicting information available: dendrochronology from roof timbers in the Salutation give a date for the building of c.1420 with similar dates for the Bell. Ultimately, the roots of the multiple claims can be traced to various subtleties of definition in terms such as public house and inn.

Education

Secondary Education

Nottingham's state schools consistently rank poorly in national league tables. Despite a lot of investment, the closure of numerous schools and the opening of new city academies, Nottingham City LEA remains near the bottom of the league tables at both primary school and secondary school levels. At primary level, Nottingham was ranked fourth from bottom in the country, at 147th out of 150 local authorities rated in 2006,^[10] whilst at secondary level, Nottingham came eighth from bottom nationally in terms of GCSE results attained.^[11]

Nottingham also has a number of independent schools, with Nottingham High School, which was founded in 1513, being the city's oldest educational establishment by far. Nottingham High School came 8th nationally for A-Levels in 2008 according to the Sunday Times.

Further Education

Four further education colleges are located in Nottingham. Castle College is the largest and was formed from the merger of Broxtowe College and the People's College. New College Nottingham is the result of the merger of four smaller further education colleges, whilst Bilborough College is solely a Sixth Form college. South Nottingham College also has a campus in the city centre.

Higher Education

The University of Nottingham, founded in 1798, situated in Highfields Park

Nottingham is home to two universities: the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University (formerly Trent Polytechnic). Together they are attended by over 40,000 full-time students. The University of Nottingham's teaching hospital, University of Nottingham Medical School, is part of the largest hospital in the UK, the Queen's Medical Centre (aka QMC). The city is home to the headquarters of the National College for School Leadership, whilst the Nottingham School of Fashion is notable for having trained the famous fashion designer Paul Smith.

Economy

Nottingham is home to the headquarters of many well-known companies. One of the best known is Boots the Chemists (now Alliance Boots), founded in the city by Jesse Boot, 1st Baron Trent in 1849 and substantially expanded by his son John Boot, 2nd Baron Trent.

Part of the HMRC complex in Nottingham.

Other large current employers include the credit reference agency Experian, the energy company E.ON UK, the tobacco company John Player & Sons, betting company Gala Group, engineering company Siemens, sportswear manufacturers Speedo, high street opticians Vision Express, games and publishing company Games Workshop (creator of the popular Warhammer series), PC software developer Serif Europe (publisher of PagePlus and other titles), the American credit card company Capital One, whose European offices are situated by the side of Nottingham station. Nottingham is also the home of HM Revenue and Customs and the Driving Standards Agency.

Although Boots itself is no longer a research-based pharmaceutical company, a combination of former Boots researchers and university spin-off companies have spawned a thriving pharmaceutical/science/biotechnology sector. BioCity, the UK's biggest bioscience innovation and incubation centre, sits in the heart of the city and houses around thirty science-based companies. Other notable companies in the sector include Perceptive Informatics (ClinPhone plc before being bought by Parexel) and Pharmaceutical Profiles. The city was made one of the UK's six Science Cities ^[12] in 2005 by the then Chancellor Gordon Brown.

Until recently bicycle manufacturing was a major industry, the city being the birthplace of Raleigh Cycles in 1886 and later joined by Sturmey-Archer, the creator of 3-speed hub gears. However, Raleigh's factory on Triumph Road, famous as the location for the filming of Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, was demolished in Summer 2003 to make way for the University of Nottingham's expansion of Jubilee Campus.

Nottingham is also joint headquarters of Paul Smith, the high fashion house.

Creative Industries are a target growth sector for the city^[13] with graphic design, interiors and textile design being a particular focus. There is already a thriving design industry in the city including Distinction, Jupiter, and Purple Circle.

Nottingham City Council has recently announced that other target sectors include Financial and Business Services, Science and Technology, Public Sector and Retail and Leisure as part of their economic development strategy for the city.^[14] The global Business SMS company Esendex was founded in the Lace Market district and now operates in 6 markets across the world. Ceramics manufacturer Mason Cash was founded and continues to have operations in Nottingham.

The schools and aerial photographers, H Tempest Ltd were Nottingham-based for many years, until relocating to St. Ives (Cornwall) around 1960. A skeleton office remained for many years in the original building next to Mundella School.

Many of the UK's railway ticket machines and platform departure boards run software written by Atos Origin in their offices in Nottingham. Other major industries in the city include engineering, textiles, knitwear and electronics. An increasing number of software developers are located in Nottingham: Reuters and Monumental Games are based in the city, with Free Radical Design located in nearby Sandiacre and Serif Europe based between Wilford and Ruddington, south west of the Trent and east of Clifton.

Nottingham is progressively changing from an industrial city to one based largely in the service sector. Tourism — particularly from the United States and the Far East — is becoming an increasingly significant part of the local economy.^{[citation needed]}

In 2004 Nottingham had a GDP per capita of £24,238 (US$48,287, €35,529), which was the highest of any English city after London, and the fourth highest of any city of the UK, after London, Edinburgh and Belfast.^[15]

Shopping

The Exchange Arcade inside the Council House

In 2007 Nottingham was positioned fifth in the retail shopping league of England (CACI Retail Footprint 2007), behind London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

There are two main shopping centres in Nottingham: Victoria Centre and Westfield Broadmarsh. The Victoria Centre was established on the site of the former Victoria Railway Station, and was the first to be built in the City, with parking for up to 2,400 cars on several levels, two levels of shopping with bus station, and topped by 26 floors of flats. Work on redeveloping Westfield Broadmarsh at a cost of £400 million (creating 400 stores, 136,000 m² of shopping space) is to start in 2008 although this could be offset by closures elsewhere in the city. Debenhams and Marks and Spencer are to be the anchors of the new centre, which may be open in 2011. Smaller shopping centres are the The Exchange Arcade, the Flying Horse Walk and new developments in Trinity Square and The Pod. The new developments will increase the shopping sales area in the city centre by 28% to 4,300,000 square feet (399,000 m²). The Bridlesmith Gate area has numerous designer shops, and is the home of the original Paul Smith boutique. There are also various side streets and alleys that hide some interesting and often overlooked buildings and shops - streets such as Poultry Walk, West End Arcade and Hurts Yard. These are home to many specialist shops as is Derby Road, near the Cathedral and once the antiques area but now home to some the city's most interesting independent shops.

Nottingham has a number of department stores including the House of Fraser, John Lewis, and Debenhams. Hockley Village caters to alternative tastes with shops like Ice Nine and Void, famous across the city.

Culture

Nottingham Playhouse and Cathedral reflected in Anish Kapoor's Sky Mirror

Theatres

Nottingham has two large-capacity theatres, the Nottingham Playhouse and the Theatre Royal (which together with the neighbouring Nottingham Royal Concert Hall forms the Royal Centre) and a smaller theatre space at the University of Nottingham's Lakeside Arts Centre. The city also has smaller theatres with the Nottingham Arts Theatre and the Lace Market Theatre.

Galleries and Museums

There are also several art galleries which often receive national attention, particularly the Nottingham Castle Museum, the University of Nottingham's Djanogly Gallery and Wollaton Park's Yard Gallery. Both of the city's universities also put on a wide range of theatre, music and art events open to the public throughout the year.

• Brewhouse Yard Museum., the museum of Nottingham Life based within five 17th Century cottages at the base of the rock of Nottingham Castle. Once a refuge for persecuted members of dissenting religious groups, today, the museum investigates over 300 years of local history.
• The Galleries of Justice - Museum of Law Trust based at the Shire Hall in the Lace Market
• Green's Windmill and Science Centre - A unique working windmill in the heart of the city that was home to the 19th Century mathematical miller, George Green.
• New Art Exchange. - an award-winning contemporary art gallery based in Hyson Green. Focus on African, African Caribbean and South Asian art.
• Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery - home to the city’s Decorative Art and Fine Art collections, along with the Story of Nottingham galleries, and the Sherwood Foresters Regimental Museum.
• Nottingham Contemporary - Nottingham's newest art centre.
• Nottingham Industrial Museum
• Nottingham Natural History Museum - based at Wollaton Hall.
• Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre in Ruddington is a museum of local transport. It has an eight mile (13 km) long railway where Heritage steam trains and Diesel locomotives are used on passenger runs, a classic Road Transport collection with many Nottingham associated vehicles, a miniature and model railway.
• Nottingham's Independent Arts Centre.
• Lakeside is the University of Nottingham's unique public arts and craft centre.

Cinemas

The city has several multiplex cinemas, the largest being the Cineworld complex sited within The Corner House as well as two arthouse cinemas in Hockley. The independent cinemas are the Broadway Cinema, one of the major independent cinemas in the UK and Screen Room, which claims to be the world's smallest cinema (at just 21 seats). Broadway was redeveloped and expanded in 2006. Quentin Tarantino held the British premiere of Reservoir Dogs there in 1992.

Music

The Albert Hall, Nottingham, an important music venue.

There is a classical music scene, with long-established groups such as the city's Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra, Nottingham Harmonic Society, Bach Choir, Early Music Group Musica Donum Dei and the Symphonic Wind Orchestra giving regular performances in the city.

Nottingham is known for its large teenage alternative scene (rock, punk, emo etc.), the heartland of which is Old Market Square.^{[citation needed]} Another focus for their activities is the Rock City concert venue, along with its sister venues - Rescue Rooms, The Bodega Social Club and Stealth. The Sumac Centre based in Forest Fields has for many years supported local upcoming musicians, artists and film makers, and a variety of campaign groups. There are also a large number of live music venues promoting rock and metal music throughout the city, including The Central, The Old Angel, The Maze and Ye Olde Salutation Inn.

Wollaton Park in Nottingham hosts an annual family-friendly music event called Splendour. In 2009 it was held on Sunday 19th July and was headlined by Madness and The Pogues. Splendour will return in 2010 on July 24th and will feature The Pet Shop Boys with more acts to be announced.

Nottingham has a strong grass roots "Do it yourself" music culture, and is very in touch with underground trends in modern music. Nottingham is renowned as one of the biggest cities supporting the Dubstep movement of dance music.^{[citation needed]} It also has a strong 'DIY' music scene, with a large number of independent promoters using a variety of venues, pubs/bars, warehouse spaces and gallerys to host gigs throughout the city.

DiY was also the name of a Deep House Collective in the city that where early pioneers of what became a flourishing Deep House scene

Food

In the 1980s, Nottingham was barely mentioned in the Good Food Guide; but now there are several restaurant entries and a range of cuisine reflecting the ethnic diversity of the city. The Nottingham Restaurant Awards play a leading role in promoting the industry.^{[citation needed]}

Tourism

Ferris Wheel in Old Market Square

Nottingham receives around 300,000 overseas visitors each year.^[16] Many visitors are attracted by Nottingham's nightlife and shops, by its history, and by the legend of Robin Hood, visiting Sherwood Forest and Nottingham Castle. Popular history-based tourist attractions in central Nottingham include the Castle, City of Caves, Lace Market, The Galleries of Justice, and the City's ancient pubs.

Parks and gardens include Wollaton Park (over 500 acres) near the University Highfields Park on the University of Nottingham campus, Colwick Park, which includes the racecourse, and the Nottingham Arboretum, Forest Recreation Ground and Victoria Park which are in or close to the city centre. Sherwood Forest, Rufford Country Park, Creswell Crags and Clumber Park are further away from the city itself. A new park is being developed in the city at the Eastside City development.

The Nottingham Robin Hood Society was originally formed by Robin Hood historian Jim Lees^[17] and two Nottingham teachers Steve and Ewa Theresa West in 1972. Steve and Ewa Theresa played the part of Maid Marion and Robin Hood and attracted a ' band' of like minded followers who ' costumed up ' nearly every weekend for a function. The then society acted in street theatre, appeared at charity events and functions and for several years ' held up ' the appointed Sheriff of Nottingham at the opening of the annual Nottingham Festival. The society also made a film for Japanese Television and joined in picnics and midnight vigils around in Major Oak to promote tourism. Although a Nottingham Robin Hood Society remains, the original society members disbanded after the death of Jim Lees.

In 2009 the Sheriff of Nottingham, Councillor Leon Unczur set up a Commission to look at the possibility of setting up a World Class Robin Hood Attraction. The Commission is due to report in May 2010.

In February 2008, a Ferris wheel was put up in the Old Market Square and was a major attraction of Nottingham City Council's 'Light Night' on February 8. The wheel returned to Nottingham in February 2009 to mark another night of lights, activities, illuminations and entertainment. Initially marketed as the Nottingham Eye, it was later redubbed as the Nottingham Wheel, to avoid any association with the London Eye. ^[18]

In 2010, Nottingham has seen a rise in recommendations from publications around the world, including a positive write up in the New York Times^[19] as well as being touted as one of the Top 10 Cities to Visit in 2010, alongside Delhi, Nara, Tel Aviv and Reykjavik, by DK Travel.^[20]

Entertainment

New Buildings on the South Side of the Lace Market area.

The 2,500-capacity Nottingham Royal Concert Hall and 9,500-capacity Nottingham Arena attract the biggest names in popular music. For less mainstream acts and a generally more intimate atmosphere, Nottingham has a selection of great smaller venues including Ye Olde Salutation Inn, Seven (formerly Junktion 7), The Old Angel, the award-winning dedicated rock music venue Rock City and the smaller sister venues The Rescue Rooms, The Bodega Social Club and Stealth. These venues, with their packed listings and close proximity, make Nottingham one of the centres of live popular music in the UK.

The large number of students in the city bolsters the night time entertainment scene. There are several well established areas of the city centre for entertainment such as Lace Market, Hockley, The Waterfront and The Corner House.

Miscellaneous

The annual Goose Fair in October is always popular, being one of the largest fairs in the country.

Nottingham won the Britain in Bloom competition, in the Large City category, in 1997, 2001, 2003 and 2007. It also won the Entente Florale Gold Award in 1998.

Nottingham is home to the acclaimed GameCity annual videogame festival, which attracts leading industry speakers from around the world.

Nottingham also boasts one of only 20 remaining Turkish Baths in the UK which are now under threat.^[21]

Sport

The City Ground and River Trent

Nottingham is home to several high profile sports clubs, including former double European Cup winners Nottingham Forest F.C., Notts County F.C who are the world’s oldest professional football club and 2005 County Champions Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. Championship Nottingham Forest’s home stadium is The City Ground which has a capacity of just over 30,000 and was one of the stadia for Euro 96, whilst League Two Notts County are based at the 20,000-seater Meadow Lane stadium on the opposite side of the River Trent which is also where Championship Nottingham Rugby play their home games. The two grounds are notable for being the closest in English league football, whilst Trent Bridge, the home of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club, is a major international cricket venue with a capacity of 17,000.

The National Ice Centre is also located in Nottingham and is the home venue for the Nottingham Panthers ice hockey club, whilst the National Watersports Centre is situated at Holme Pierrepont. Notable sporting events that take place in the city include the annual tennis AEGON Trophy which is staged at the City of Nottingham Tennis Centre and the Robin Hood Marathon.

Transport

Nottingham Railway Station

Nottingham is served by East Midlands Airport at Castle Donington which is within 20 miles of Nottingham and is the 10th busiest airport in the UK in terms of passenger traffic. It is connected to the city by the Skylink bus service. Nottingham is also well connected by both road and rail. The M1 motorway is close by and rail services to other major cities which are all operated by East Midlands Trains with the exception of the Nottingham to Cardiff line which is run by CrossCountry. The Robin Hood Line links the city with Mansfield and other towns in the north of the county.

The opening of Nottingham Express Transit in 2004 made Nottingham one of only six English cities to have a light rail system. The trams run from the city centre to Hucknall in the north, with an additional spur to the Phoenix Park Park and Ride close to Junction 26 of the M1. Two new lines are in the planning process to the southern suburbs of Wilford and Clifton and the western suburbs of Beeston and Chilwell.

British Waterways building (formerly the Trent Navigation Company warehouse) on the Nottingham Canal

The vast majority of Nottingham’s local bus services are operated by Nottingham City Transport which runs a colour-coded network of 68 routes and is the city’s fifth largest private employer. Trent Barton is the other major bus operator, running services from Nottingham to locations throughout the East Midlands. Both companies are frequent winners at the National Bus Operator of the Year awards.

Nottingham’s waterways have been extensively used for transport in the past, with the River Trent, up until the mid 20th century, providing important industry transport links, along with both the Nottingham and Beeston Canals. These are now primarily used for leisure.

Crime

Nottingham Magistrates' Court

Nottingham is served by Nottinghamshire Police and has a Crown Court and Magistrates' Court.

In 2000-2003 the press and other media claimed Nottingham was the 'gun-crime capital of the UK', and been dubbed "Shottingham" in some quarters.^[22][23] In 2005, it had one of the worst criminal records in the country, with 115.5 crimes per 1000 people,^[24] although by 2007 the BBC reported that the number of shootings in the City had fallen from 51 (in 2003) to 13 (in 2006).^[25] In January 2008, however, it was reported that gun crime in the city had risen for a second consecutive year with a 50% increase in gun crime during 2007.^[26] The incidence of many crimes in Nottingham is several times higher than the English average.^[27] A crime survey stated that Nottingham topped the crime rankings for police statistics on murders, burglaries, and vehicle crime, and "had almost five times the level of crime as the safest town in the rankings". The survey was condemned as inaccurate by Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire Police^[28] due largely to the use of out of date (2001) population figures, and The University of Nottingham argued that the way in which statistics such as these are calculated is severely flawed, and if the population of the entire conurbation were taken into account instead of just the centre of the city then a more accurate picture would be revealed.^[29] A revised survey based on 2004 population estimates, however, appears to back up the original rankings.^[30] In 2007 a property focused TV programme named Nottingham as the 4th worst city to live in, stating the city has "loads of good aspects but crime lets it down".^[31] Interestingly the same programme also ranked the neighbouring Nottinghamshire borough of Rushcliffe, which contains suburbs of Greater Nottingham, among the best 20 places to live in the UK.^[31]

While the crime figures in the city are high, initiatives introduced to tackle the levels of crime appear to be having an effect, with a 2006 Home Office survey showing that the overall level of crime in the city is down by 12% since 2003.^[32] Initiatives include the Community and Neighbourhood Protection Service developed by Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire Police and Nottingham City Homes to take an uncompromising stance to anti-social behaviour.^[33] It comprises Community Protection Officers (CPOs), Police Officers, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and Anti-Social Behaviour Officers who work with internal and external agencies to reduce anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime.

Community Protection Officers (also known as City Wardens) highly visible in their bright yellow stab vests, are accredited by the Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire Police to issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for littering and are employed to tackle other anti-social behaviour.

Religion

The Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Barnabas from Derby Road

In Nottingham one can find places of worship for all the major world religions, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism and the smaller, but prominent Judaism. The Nottingham Inter-faith Council works to make connections between faith groups and show the wider public the importance of spiritual aspects of life and the contribution faith groups make to the community.

The Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Barnabas on Derby Road was designed by the architect Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, it was consecrated in 1844 and is the cathedral church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nottingham established in 1850 which covers Nottinghamshire (except Bassetlaw District), Leicestershire, Derbyshire (except Chesterfield and parts of the High Peak), Rutland and Lincolnshire (pre-1974 boundaries).

St. Mary the Virgin also known as St. Mary's in the Lace Market

Nottingham has three notable historic Anglican parish churches all of which date back to mediæval times. St. Mary the Virgin, in the Lace Market, a member of the Greater Churches Group is the oldest foundation (dating from the eighth or ninth centuries) but the building is at least the third on the site dating from 1377 to 1485. St. Mary's is considered the mother church of the city and civic services are held here, including the welcome to the new Lord Mayor of Nottingham each year. St.Peter's in the heart of the city is the oldest building in continuous use in Nottingham, with traces of building starting in 1180. St. Nicholas' was rebuilt after destruction in the Civil War.

Unitarian Chapel on High Pavement, now the Pitcher and Piano public house

Non-conformism was strong from the 17th century onwards^{[citation needed]} and a variety of chapels and meeting rooms proliferated throughout the town. Many of these grand buildings have been demolished, including Halifax Place Chapel, but some have been re-used, notably High Pavement Chapel which is now a public house. The offices of the Congregational Federation are in Nottingham. William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, was born in Nottingham in 1829.

Media

Television

The BBC has its East Midlands headquarters in Nottingham on London Road. BBC East Midlands Today is broadcast from the city every weeknight at 6:30. Central Television the ITV region for the East Midlands until recently broadcast regional news from the city, but has now been moved to Birmingham. This decision was controversial and although a petition was set up to try to stop it, the TV studios were shut down in early 2005. Central News still keep a news bureau outside of the city at Chilwell, though. The former studios were purchased by the University of Nottingham to accommodate their administrative departments.

Radio

The Nottingham area is served by four licenced commercial radio stations (though all broadcast to a wider area than the city), three community radio stations, one student station broadcasting on a Low powered AM Restricted Service Licence and a BBC local radio station.

Nottingham is the home of Trent FM, a commercial radio station in Nottinghamshire, which is licensed to broadcast to Nottingham and Mansfield. The old building that housed Trent FM until 2007 was a converted Victorian hospital which connects to the underground network of caves. Many famous presenters have been employed at Trent FM (formerly Radio Trent), including Dale Winton, Kid Jensen, John Peters and Penny Smith. The station was also the home of the award-winning Jo and Twiggy, but Jo left for Absolute Radio, and the breakfast show became "Twiggy and Emma at Breakfast" on 20 October 2008. Twiggy and Emma at Breakfast has been broadcasted for one year.

The other professional radio stations broadcast from the city are BBC Radio Nottingham (BBC Radio Five Live's Simon Mayo appeared on this station and was the rival to Trent's Dale Winton), Gold (formerlyClassic Gold GEM), and the East Midlands' regional stations Heart 106 (formerly Century FM) and 106.6 Smooth Radio (formerly Saga 106.6 fm). Heart 106 has its headquarters in the same business park as the BBC, while Trent FM's (and Classic Gold GEM's) building is on the other side of the Nottingham City Centre near the Nottingham castle.

Student Radio is broadcast in the city permanently by URN (University Radio Nottingham). URN has won many awards for quality and which is broadcast on medium wave (AM) around the main campus (University Park) at 1350 kHz and from Sutton Bonnigton campus on 1602 kHz. It is also streamed over the Internet.^[34]

There are also three community radio stations serving the city; Faza FM on 97.1FM is aimed at Asian women and their families. Faza has been broadcasting since 2002; Dawn FM on 107.6FM used to share its broadcast hours with Faza, but in 2006 became a separate service in its own right - broadcasting news, current affairs and music of relevance to the Asian (specifically Islamic) community within the city; Kemet Radio on 97.5 broadcasts urban music while also serving the Afro-Caribbean community. Prior to its launch in 2007 such programming had only been available on pirate radio stations Unique 106.3 (later 107.3) and 107.9 Switch FM (later Freeze FM, networked with the London pirate of the same name), both of which appear to have ceased broadcasts as of late 2006.

Newspapers and magazines

Nottingham's sole local newspaper is the Evening Post which is owned by the Northcliffe Newspapers Group and is published daily from Monday to Saturday each week. There are also a number of other publications available which focus on individual areas within the city, for instance the Hucknall and Bulwell Dispatch.

A local culture and listings magazine is available free from many sites around the city called LeftLion, whilst a complimentary, bi-monthly glossy magazine is also available from a number of outlets across the city called Life&Style Magazine. This consists of features typically focussed on the area's interest in fashion, entertainment and politics.

Impact is a monthly magazine written for, and written by students at the University of Nottingham. It has won many national awards for student journalism, and is entirely run by, compiled, and edited by students at the University.

Alternative media

Community news project Nottinghamshire Indymedia, which was set up in April 2005, works within a variety of groups to create community media and collaboration between communities throughout the county. At the centre of the project is an online news site, which is run on the principles of open publishing.

Online entertainment guide NG Magazine covers music, events and entertainment in the city, while This City exclusively covers local music.

Film

Nottingham has been used as a location in many films, locally, nationally and internationally. A sample of films that are filmed in Nottingham include;

Geography

Nottingham is located at 52°58′00″N 01°10′00″W / 52.9666667°N 1.1666667°W / 52.9666667; -1.1666667 (52.9667,-1.1667).

The City of Nottingham boundaries are tightly drawn and exclude several suburbs and satellite towns that are usually considered part of Greater Nottingham, including Arnold, Carlton, West Bridgford, Beeston and Stapleford. Outlying towns and villages include Hucknall, Eastwood, Tollerton, Bingham, Ruddington, Ilkeston and Long Eaton of which the last two are in Derbyshire. The geographical area of Greater Nottingham includes several local authorities: Gedling, Broxtowe, Rushcliffe, Ashfield, Erewash and Amber Valley.

Destinations from Nottingham

	Sheffield	Arnold, Hucknall, Mansfield	Gedling, Newark-on-Trent
	University of Nottingham, Beeston, Stapleford, Ilkeston, Wollaton, Derby		Carlton, Grantham, Bingham
		Nottingham
	Long Eaton, Tamworth, Birmingham	West Bridgford, Ruddington, Edwalton, Leicester	Melton Mowbray, Oakham

Districts within Nottinghamshire
1	Rushcliffe
2	Broxtowe
3	Ashfield
4	Gedling
5	Newark and Sherwood
6	Mansfield
7	Bassetlaw
8	Nottingham

Within the City of Nottingham

Around the City of Nottingham

Twin cities

Nottingham is twinned with the following cities:^[35]

• — Ljubljana, Slovenia (since 1963)
• — Minsk, Belarus (since 1966)
• — Karlsruhe, Germany (since 1969)
• — Harare, Zimbabwe (since 1981)
• — Ghent, Belgium (since 1985)
• — Ningbo, China (since 2005)
• — Timişoara, Romania (since 2008)

The county of Nottinghamshire is twinned with Poznań, Poland.

Notable people

List of Mayors and Lord Mayors

The Sheriff of Nottingham

References

External links

• Nottingham City Council website
• BBC Nottingham website
• AC Milan's Nottingham born hero
• Nottingham in Pictures from Nottingham21
• Invest in Nottingham Invest in Nottingham is the inward investment agency for the Greater Nottingham area, helping businesses relocate or expand in the city.
• Twinning with Timişoara
• Life&Style Magazine - One of the city's most widely read glossy lifestyle magazines.
• Nottingham travel guide from Wikitravel
• Nottingham hotels, things to do and general tourist information
• Nottingham - A brief overview with pictures

Districts of the East Midlands Amber Valley • Ashfield • Bassetlaw • Blaby • Bolsover • Boston • Broxtowe • Charnwood • Chesterfield • Corby • Daventry • Derby • Derbyshire Dales • East Lindsey • East Northamptonshire • Erewash • Gedling • Harborough • High Peak • Hinckley and Bosworth • Kettering • Leicester • Lincoln • Mansfield • Melton • Newark and Sherwood • Northampton • North East Derbyshire • North Kesteven • North West Leicestershire • Nottingham • Oadby and Wigston • Rushcliffe • Rutland • South Derbyshire • South Holland • South Kesteven • South Northamptonshire • Wellingborough • West Lindsey Counties with multiple districts: Derbyshire • Leicestershire • Lincolnshire • Northamptonshire • Nottinghamshire

From Wikitravel

Nottingham [1] is a city in England known as the "Queen of the Midlands" which is famed for its links with the world-renowned legend Robin Hood.

Understand

Nottingham is the major city in the East Midlands of England, its prosperity historically derived mostly from the lace making and coal-mining industries - little of which now remains. Nottingham has moved towards a more service-based economy.

The centre of Nottingham lies on the River Leen and its southern boundary follows the course of the River Trent, which flows from Stoke to the Humber. According to the 2001 census, Nottingham has an estimated city population of 275,100. The Nottingham Urban Area conurbation (which includes surrounding suburbs outside the city boundary, and neighbouring towns) has a population of 666,358 (2001 Census). Nottingham is a member of the English Core Cities Group.

The heart of the city is the Old Market Square, which underwent a major redevelopment in 2006. Most of the main shopping streets are around the square. The Council House, whose disproportionately tall dome can be seen for miles around, is at the top of the square. The inside of the Council House is the Exchange Arcade, a shopping centre. A bohemian quarter of the city known as Hockley has arisen in recent years, situated close to the Lace Market area. Nottingham receives a lot of tourism, mostly because of the legend of Robin Hood, visiting Sherwood Forest and Nottingham Castle.

• East Midlands Airport - Nottingham, Leicester, Derby (IATA: EMA) lies south-west of Nottingham and flights are available to many international destinations. The Skylink[2] bus runs between the airport and city centre every 30 minutes 4am-11pm and hourly 11pm-4am. The bus journey takes approximately 30-40 minutes, depending on traffic conditions, and costs £5 for a single or day return ticket.
• Birmingham International Airport (IATA: BHX) is approx. 40 miles from Nottingham and serves all major international destinations.
• Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport (IATA: DSA) lies to the north of Nottinghamshire.

By train

Nottingham is on the main line out of London St Pancras. The cheapest tickets between London and Nottingham are available from http://www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk/emtrains but must be bought well in advance. There are also regular connections to Birmingham, Derby, Leicester, Crewe, Sheffield, and Leeds. Note that trains from London to Sheffield do not stop at Nottingham.

Turn right out of the station for an easy 5 minute walk to the city centre.

The Nottingham Tram (NET) runs from Nottingham main line station through the city centre and out to Hucknall park and ride and Phoenix Park park and ride to the north of the city.

By car

From the south, travel on the M1 and exit at junction 24. From the North take the M1 junction 25 or 26.

There is a choice of 7 Park and Ride sites with over 4000 spaces, located at easy points around the City National Park and Ride Directory.

Also check out Parkopedia.com - a website that allows users to search and compare parking rates and locations for commercial and private parking facilities in Nottingham.

By bus

Nottingham has two sizeable bus stations, Broadmarsh and Victoria. Traveline [3] 0871 200 22 33

Bus operators offer services to most other UK destinations.

National Express provides cheap advance tickets on a Nottingham-London route, often for as little as a pound each way if booked early enough online. National Express also offers cheap tickets (called funfares) to many other major cities from Nottingham.

Get around

By bus

The city has extensive bus services provided by two main companies, trentbarton and Nottingham City Transport, running from the Broadmarsh and Victoria Bus stations as well as key termini in the city centre such as Old Market Square, Parliament Street and Carrington Street. Fares: NCT+tram-only £3 day ticket or £3.40 Kangaroo ticket which is valid on any bus, tram and train within Greater Nottingham. Note: Most NCT buses do not give change.

By tram

NET (Nottingham Express Transit) is the city's modern tram system. It runs from Nottingham Train Station (Station Street) to the South to Hucknall in the North and Phoenix Park (M1 Junction 26 Park and Ride site) to the North East. The system has a number of Park and Ride sites along it, which make travel into the city centre easy. An all day tram-only ticket costs £2.70, all day tram+NCT bus is £3, single tickets are £1.50 or £2.50 during morning peak hours. Tickets should be bought from tram conductors on board the trams.

On foot

The city centre is best explored on foot as many of the historic streets are pedestrianised or have good pedestrian access.

• Nottingham Castle (Warning: it is not a castle, but a small stately home.) Museum is a must-see and provides a fascinating insight into the history of Nottingham. The fine mansion also houses the country's first municipal art gallery and the beautifully maintained gardens are ideal for a lazy summer's day stroll. The famous Robin Hood statue is located just outside the castle walls.

• Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem Inn[4] off Maid Marian Way - One of various pubs claiming to be the oldest pub in Britain, the "Trip" traces its existence back over 800 years. Charming and well worth a visit if you happen to be in the city. It is located at the Brewhouse Yard, home to the Museum of Nottingham Life which shows the social change in Nottingham that has occurred over the last 300 years.

• City of Caves is an award-winning visitor attraction which is accessed from the upper mall of the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre. It consists of a network of caves, carved out of sandstone that have been variously used over the years as a tannery, public house cellars, and as air raid shelters. Nottingham has more man-made caves than anywhere else in Britain.

• The Galleries of Justice[5] are well-worth visiting for a fascinating look at the sometimes rough justice meted out in years gone by.

• Nottingham has a small contemporary art gallery that's normally worth a look called The Angel Row Gallery[6]. The art ranges from thought provoking, to the plain bizarre and it's located next to the Central Library Building unsurprisingly on Angel Row, just off Old Market Square.

• Wollaton Hall is a beautiful Elizabethan mansion in a large suburban deer park, Wollaton Park. The hall itself houses the city's Natural History Museum whilst the Industrial Museum is housed in an outbuilding. This is now fully open following restoration works.

• Nottingham Council House is where Nottingham city council meet. It is located in the old market square and tours are free. (Note, you have to book in advance)

• Newstead Abbey[7], the beautiful home of local poet Lord Byron is located 12 miles north of the city. It is well worth a visit, and the website supplies extensive information on how to travel to the site. Lord Byron was buried in Hucknall Church, and his tomb can be seen inside the church which is situated at the end of Hucknall's high street, a few minutes walk from the Hucknall tram stop.

• Sherwood Forest Country Park is about 20 miles to the north off the A614, north of the village of Edwinstowe along the B6034, and can also be reached by bus (Traveline [8] 0871 200 22 33). There is a visitors centre and you can see 'Major Oak', the tree in which legend has it that Robin Hood hid from his enemies.

• The two largest theatres are the Theatre Royal[9] (Royal Centre tramstop), and Nottingham Playhouse[10] (on Wellington Circus, near Derby Road). Theatres also include the Lace Market Theatre[11] (on Halifax Place, near Fletcher Gate). Further out of town, in Nottingham University's Highfields Park is the Lakeside Arts Centre[12], containing a small but excellent theatre.

• A nationally recognised independent cinema called Broadway[13] is located on Broad Street in Hockley, as is the worlds smallest cinema (just 21 seats!), the Screen Room[14].

• Go ice skating at the National Ice Centre

• Visit Holme Pierrepont, home to the National Watersports Centre.

• Watch International test cricket at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground near the banks of the River Trent.

• Nottingham Tennis Centre hosts the Nottingham Open each year in the week running up to Wimbledon.

• Watch football at The City Ground or Meadow Lane, homes of Nottingham Forest F.C. and Notts County F.C. respectively

• Try your hand at Clay Shooting at Nottingham & District Gun Club

• In the summer you can hire a rowing boat on the beautiful grounds of The University of Nottingham.

• Nottingham Castle has extensive grounds, which are planted beautifully in the summer time. Each summer open air theatre performances are held in the grounds.

• The Nottingham Arboretum (between Nottingham Trent University tram stop and High School tram stop) hosts open air music in the park at weekends in summer.

• Nottingham's Goose Fair is held on the Forest recreation ground (at the Forest tram stop) on the first weekend of October each year. It is one of Britain's largest funfairs and has existed more than 700 years. Entry is free.

• The Riverside Festival at Victoria Embankment is held on a weekend at the start of August each year. It features live music, markets and fairs topped off with a huge fireworks display.

• The Nottingham Vs Nottingham Trent annual Varsity series is the largest outside of North America.

Nottingham LGBT Pride is usually held on the last Saturday of July in Arboretum Park, 5/10 minutes walk from the city centre. Nottingham has a gay friendly feel to the city and appears accepting of LGBT people. It is the gay capital of the Midlands - referred to as "Queen of the Midlands"; and the LGBT community are down to earth and friendly.

Learn

Nottingham has two major universities:

• Nottingham University: A traditional, Russell group university offering everything one might expect including medicine, law, engineering and a recently opened veterinary school. Graduates from Nottingham are well respected and it has an excellent research reputation in more or less anything it touches.

• Nottingham Trent University: While technically a "new university", Trent punches well above its weight. Strengths include journalism, biosciences and perhaps the best school of education in the East Midlands. Graduates of Nottingham Trent are the most employed in the country, with over 90% of graduates landing in their preferred career within 6 months of graduation.

Buy

Nottingham has two large excellent shopping centres at either end of the City Centre "The Victoria Centre" and "Broadmarsh". The Victoria Centre is the more modern of the two, and has more shops & facilities, although Broadmarsh is on the eve of a huge redevelopment which will more than double its size. Between the two are the main shopping streets: Lister Gate and Clumber Street are home to High Street names, while designer labels can be found on Bridlesmith Gate, Victoria Street and in the Exchange Arcade, within the Council House on Market Square. The alternative shopper will find Hockley Village a haven, focused around Goose Gate, the cities Bohemian district. To buy a Nottingham memento, go to the Lace Centre on the corner of Castle Gate, opposite the Robin Hood statue, to buy traditional Nottingham lace.

With regards to the alternative music and fashion scene, Nottingham is highly regarded and caters well for obscure and eclectic tastes. Selectadisc, just a short walk from the Market Square is one of just two in the country, the other being in Soho, London. Selectadisc is widely considered to stock the best indie and alternative music selection in the city, yet it is commonly felt that, for more helpful and down-to-earth staff, the soon-to-be re-opened Fopp store (on the next road) is more reliable. Now one of just six Fopp stores in the country, this store often stages in store sessions and offers a wide selection of independent DVDs and fanzines and CDs from unsigned acts. Void, Wild (and its sister store Wilder) and the local favourite Ice Nine can all be found in the bohemian district of Hockley. These stores can often become busy over the weekend in particular, but many original retro and vintage fashion items can be found for very cheap prices here.

• Gusto, 2 Gedling Street, Nottingham NG1 1DS, +44 (0)115 924 2494 (info@gustonottingham.co.uk) [15] Open Monday to Saturday until 7:30 PM. Simple and authentic Italian food in this deli located just east of the National Ice Centre. Terrific pizza and pasta and friendly Italian staff. £5 to £7 per main. Generous portions.

• Wagamama, The Cornerhouse, Burton Street, Nottingham NG1 4DB +44 (0)115 924 1797 [16] Open late every day. Chain serving affordable Japanese-style ramen, as well as fried noodle and rice dishes. £5 to £8 per main. It's usually busy and cafeteria-style benches mean you will rub elbows with your fellow diners.

• The Kean's Head, 46 St. Mary's Gate, Nottingham NG1 1QA, +44 (0)115 947 4052 [17] Open daily from late morning until late. This small pub in the Lace Market area serves simple but tasty food, ranging from sandwiches to traditional English pub food to more Italian-influenced fare. £4 to £8 per dish. Non-smoking, and an excellent selection of beers to match your food.

• The Alley Cafe, 1A Cannon Court, Long Row, Nottingham, NG1 6JE, +44 (0)115 955 1013. This small bar and restaurant located on a tiny alley on the north-western part of Old Market Square serves vegetarian and vegan meals and sandwiches, £4 to £10 per meal. Draught beer served as well.

Nottingham also has the usual range of chain restaurants and bars that you can find in many cities across the UK - for a budget meal (and drink) JD Wetherspoons is always worth trying - there are also a number of budget restaurants along Mansfield Road not far from the Victoria Shopping Centre

There is a pedestrianised street full of eateries of varying quality next to the Cornerhouse. These restaurants range from a Pizza Hut and a Subway, to a brassiere (Punchinellos) with an excellent pre-theatre menu. There is also a wide variety of takeaways in Nottingham, catering for many different tastes.

• French Living, 27 King Street, Nottingham NG1 2AY, +44 (0)115 9585885 (info@frenchliving.co.uk) [18] Lunch Tu-Fr 12PM-2PM Sa 12PM-2.30PM Dinner Tu-Sa 6PM-10PM Excellent bistro run by a French couple. The Onglet a l'Echalotte is beautiful and there is a good variety of prix fixe menus. (£15-£25)

• Las Iguanas, +44 (0)115 959 6390 (nottingham@iguanas.co.uk)[19]. This is a wonderful Brazilian restaurant and we really enjoyed our food. It's just east of the main town square.

• Cafe Rouge, 31 Bridlesmith Gate, Nottingham, NG1 2GR, +44 (0)115 58 2230 [20]. Relaxed, informal dining with good service and handy for the Lace Market area of Nottingham.

• Mintons Tearoom, 100 Church Road, Greasley, Nottingham NG16 2AB, +44 (0)1773 710426 [21]. Very friendly cafe with homemade cakes, hot meals, and a wide selection of drinks. Beautiful English countryside just outside of Nottingham.

• Hart's Restaurant [22] Owned by Tim Hart of Hambleton Hall fame. At lunch time the Hart's formula includes "lunch for less" with two or three courses from a shorted menu for £16 - £18 per person. There are various fixed price menus in the evenings too. Meal prices for two with three course and wine in the evening will approach £80+.

• World Service Similar formula to Hart's - some of the owners used to work there! Regularly top of the pops in the "Nottingham Restaurant of the Year" awards.

Drink

Apart from Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (allegedly built in 1189) which is below the castle and often on the tourist trail there are over 100 licensed premises in the square mile around the centre of Nottingham. A good place to start is the trendy Lace Market area east of Market Square where you will also find many good restaurants. Pubs around the Market Square tend to appeal to younger drinkers with a Wetherspoons and Yates's Wine Lodge, but the area on the canal side around the Canal House pub tends to be a little more discerning. The Hockley area also provides a range of pleasant bars to suit a range of budgets. The Cornerhouse complex (near the Royal Centre tram stop) contains some really nice bars, particularly Revolution, and close to this is The Orange Tree on Shakespeare Street. Slightly further out of the centre in the multicultural and vibrant area known as Sneinton is a wonderful pub called the Lord Nelson with a great garden and real ales. The other historic pubs include The Bell, situated in the Market Square, and the Salutation, on Maid Marian Way, both of which can trace a long history and lay claim to having resident ghosts. Ask at a quiet moment for a tour of the Salutation's cellars, dug by hand into the sandstone rock below the pub and used in centuries past as a secure brewing area.

• Rutland Square Hotel, St James Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 6FJ, ☎ 0115 941 1114, [23]. checkin: 2pm; checkout: 11am. The Rutland Square Hotel, Nottingham has an enviable location in the heart of the city, retaining its period elegance, whilst offering comfortable accommodation. £40 - £60 pppn.  edit

• Igloo Hostel, [24]. For £13.50 a night, the Igloo is a very nice hostel and a great choice to spend one or more nights in Nottingham. It's very clean and has hot water in all the bathrooms. It has a well equipped kitchen with stove, oven, fridge, toaster, and the most important equipment in a kitchen: a radio. The Igloo provides free tea, coffee, milk and sugar for breakfast. It also has a good common room, with a TV and several DVDs if you are tired and want to rest and watch something. Lots of books and board games can be easily found as well. A board with several tips of good cheap places to eat and drink can be found in the common room. Unquestionably, a very good and friendly place!

• Midtown Hostel, [25]. £16 a night Midtown Hostel has lots of good things going for it. It's clean, in a great location (just 1 minute walk from the main square), hot water in the showers, free internet, decent kitchen (does have oven, does not have stove, has large fridge to store food in), PS2 and a few games, and free coffee and tea. The beds are reasonably comfortable (but some do squeak). Reports of noisy parties at night.

• Jury's Inn, Waterfront Plaza, Station Street, Nottingham, NG2 3BJ, ☎ 0115 901 6700‎, [26]. Car parking is roughly five minutes from the hotel grounds, with many shops and restaurants close by. Well-equipped room with TV, hair-dryer, coffee/tea and biscuits and internet access.  edit
• Holiday Inn Express, 7 Chapel Quarter, Nottingham, NG1 6JS, ☎ 0871 423 4931‎, [27]. This hotel is in the centre of the city centre and is of the high standards of the Holiday Inn chain, with a spacious room, comfortable beds and friendly staff. From £80.  edit
• SACO Apartments, The Ropewalk, Nottingham NG1 5BB, ☎ 0117 970 6999, [28]. checkin: 16:00; checkout: 10:00. Conveniently located near the city centre with easy access to Queens Medical Hospital and the University of Nottingham. Thankfully there are no surprises in the rooms as they meet their website descriptions and pictures perfectly, with friendly reception staff and all the facilities you need, even for a long-term stay. from £64 per night.  edit

• Hart's Hotel, [29].

• Lace Market Hotel, [30].

Stay safe

Nottingham has been highlighted by the media for gun crime, although the actual incidence in 2004/5 was 19 offences per 100,000 population (compared to 50 for both Greater Manchester and London) [31]. The reality is that Nottingham is not a dangerous city - in spite of its reputation - and provided you act sensibly you will be safe. It is best to avoid walking late at night through St Ann's (council estate north-east of the Victoria shopping centre) and The Meadows (between the railway station and the river), although the Victoria Embankment along the river is quite safe.

• Sherwood Forest is the ancient royal hunting forest situated to the North of Nottingham, stretching throughout Nottinghamshire and up to South Yorkshire. The remnants of Sherwood form a number of country parks and estates. Clumber Park, about 30 miles north on the A614, is a vast area of parkland and woods owned by the National Trust, good for walking and cycling (bicycle hire available). Sherwood Pines Country Park houses a CenterParcs village, a Go Ape aerial assault course, and woodland walking. And Sherwood Forest Country Park has the historic "Sherwood" which visitors may be looking for - the Major Oak which was said to be the hideout of Robin Hood and his band of outlaws. The tired visitor centre is due for replacement, and many visitors are surprised to find the Oak is actually in the Birklands, an area of birch trees. The Thoresby Hall estate is run by Warner holidays as a "just for adults" centre, and Welbeck Abbey is now a military college.

• For keen walkers, Matlock and the Derbyshire Peak District can be reached in about a hour by car.

• For over 2,000 photographs of The City of Nottingham - Visit Nottingham21

From LoveToKnow 1911

(There is currently no text in this page)

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

English

Pronunciation

•  Audio (UK)^{help, file}

Proper noun

Nottingham

1. A city in Nottinghamshire, England.
2. The University of Nottingham: [1].

Translations