Nottingham

Nottingham
Cityand unitary authority
From left to right Top: King Street Upper: theCouncil HouseandWollaton Hall Lower:the castleandTrent Bridge Bottom:Robin Hoodstatue andSt Mary's Church
Coat of arms
Nickname: "the Queen of the Midlands" [1]
Motto(s): Latin: Vivit Post Funera Virtus, lit.'Virtue Outlives Death' [2]
Shown within Nottinghamshire
Coordinates:52°57′22″N1°09′04″W / 52.9561°N 1.1512°W /52.9561; -1.1512[3]
OS grid reference	SK 5711 4020[3]
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	England
Region	East Midlands
Ceremonial county	Nottinghamshire
Settled	6th century
City status	1897
Unitary authority	1998
Administrative HQ	Loxley House
Civic suite	Nottingham Council House
Areas of the city (2011 census BUASD)	List Aspley Bakersfield Basford Bestwood Bilborough Broxtowe Bulwell(Town) Carrington Cinderhill City Centre Clifton(Village) Forest Fields Highbury Vale Hyson Green Lace Market Lenton Mapperley New Basford Radford Rise Park Sherwood Sneinton St Ann's Top Valley Wilford Wollaton
Government [4]
• Type	Unitary authoritywithleader and cabinet
• Body	Nottingham City Council
•Control	Labour
•Leader	Neghat Khan (L)
•Lord Mayor	Carole McCulloch
•Chief Executive	Sajeeda Rose
•House of Commons	3 MPs Nadia Whittome(L) Alex Norris(L) Lilian Greenwood(L)
Area [5]
• Total	29 sq mi (75 km2)
• Rank	223rd
Population (2022) [6]
• Total	328,513
• Rank	34th
• Density	11,400/sq mi (4,403/km2)
Demonym	Nottinghamian[7]
Ethnicity(2021) [8]
•Ethnic groups	List 65.9%White 14.9%Asian 10.0%Black 5.9%Mixed 3.3%other
Religion(2021) [8]
•Religion	List 41.2%no religion 34.7%Christianity 12.2%Islam 1.7%Hinduism 1.3%Sikhism 0.5%Buddhism 0.3%Judaism 0.7%other 7.4% not stated
Time zone	UTC+0(GMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1(BST)
Postcode area	NG
Dialling code	0115
ISO 3166 code	GB-NGM
GSS code	E06000018
ITL code	TLF14
GVA	2021 estimate[9]
• Total	£10.8 billion
• Per capita	£33,661
GDP(nominal)	2021 estimate[9]
• Total	£11.8 billion
• Per capita	£36,980
Website	nottinghamcity.gov.uk

Nottingham(/ˈnɒtɪŋəm/^ⓘNOT-ing-əm,locally/ˈnɒtnʊm/) is acityandunitary authority areainNottinghamshire,East Midlands, England. It is located 33 miles (53 km) south-east ofSheffieldand 45 miles (72 km) north-east ofBirmingham. Nottingham is the legendary home ofRobin Hoodand to thelace-making, bicycle andtobaccoindustries. The city is also the county town of Nottinghamshire and the settlement was granted itscity charterin 1897, as part ofQueen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

In the2021 Census, Nottingham had a reported population of 323,632.^[8]The wider conurbation, which includes many of the city's suburbs, has a population of 768,638.^[10]It is the largest urban area in the East Midlands and the second-largest in the Midlands. Its Functional Urban Area,^[11]the largest in the East Midlands, has a population of 919,484.^[12]The population of the Nottingham/Derbymetropolitan area is estimated to be 1,610,000.^[13]Themetropolitan economyof Nottingham is theseventh-largest in the United Kingdomwith a GDP of $50.9 billion (2014).^[14]Aside from Birmingham, it is the only city in the Midlands to be ranked as asufficiency-level world cityby theGlobalization and World Cities Research Network.^[15]

Nottingham is a major sporting centre and, in October 2015, was named 'Home of English Sport'.^[16]TheNational Ice Centre,Holme Pierrepont National Water Sports CentreandTrent Bridgeinternational cricket ground are all based in or around the city, which is also the home of two professional football teams:Notts County, recognised as the world's oldest professional league club, andNottingham Forest, famously two-time winners of theUEFA European CupunderBrian CloughandPeter Taylorin1979and1980. The city has professional rugby, ice hockey and cricket teams; it also hosts the AegonNottingham Open, an international tennis tournament on the ATP and WTA tours. This accolade came just over a year after Nottingham was named as the UK's firstCity of Football.^[17]

The city is served byNottingham railway stationand theNottingham Express Transittram system; its bus company,Nottingham City Transport, is the largest publicly owned bus network in England.^[18]In December 2015, Nottingham was named a 'City of Literature' byUNESCO, joining a list of 20 Cities of Literature.^[19]The title reflects Nottingham's literary heritage, withLord Byron,D. H. LawrenceandAlan Sillitoehaving links to the city, as well as a contemporary literary community, a publishing industry and a poetry scene.^[20]The city is served by three universities: theUniversity of Nottingham,Nottingham Trent Universityand the Nottingham campus of theUniversity of Law; it hosts the highest concentration of higher education providers in theEast Midlands.

A community existed in what is now Nottingham's city centre before theAnglo-Saxon settlement of Britain. This community was recorded under the nameTigguo Cobauc(Brythonic:Tig Guocobauc) by the ninth century clericAsser, in his workThe Life of King Alfred. This original name survives asY Tŷ Ogofog, themodern Welshname for Nottingham,^[21][22]and in English as theCity of Caves.

The English name of Nottingham isAnglo-Saxonin origin. A Saxon chieftain named Snot ruled an area known asSnotingahaminOld English;^[23]the homestead of Snot's people (-inga= 'the people of';-ham= 'homestead').^{[24][failed verification]}Some authors deriveNottinghamfromSnottenga(caves) andham(homestead) but "this has nothing to do with the English form".^[25]

Nottingham Castlewas constructed in 1068 on asandstoneoutcrop by theRiver Leen.

The early history of Nottingham dates back to 919 A.D. whereKing Edward the Eldercaptured Nottingham to which he built a fortress on the southern bank of the river Trent in 921 A.D. During theNorman ConquestKing William the Conquerorbuilt a castle in Nottingham which was entrusted toWilliam Peverel.^[26]

The Anglo-Saxon settlement was originally confined to the area today known as the Lace Market and was surrounded by a substantial defensive ditch and rampart, which fell out of use following the Norman Conquest and was filled by the time of theDomesday Book(1086).^[27]Following the Norman Conquest the Saxon settlement developed into the EnglishBoroughof 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 theOld Market Squarebecame the focus of Nottingham several centuries later.^[27]Defences consisted initially of a ditch and bank in the early 12th century. The ditch was later widened, in the mid-13th century, and a stone wall built around much of the perimeter of the town. A short length of the wall survives, and is visible at the northern end of Maid Marian Way, and is protected as a Scheduled Monument.^[27]

On the return ofKing Richard the Lionheartfrom theCrusadesin 1194, the castle was occupied by supporters ofPrince John, including theSheriff of Nottingham. It was besieged by Richard and, after a sharp conflict, was captured.^{[28][better source needed]}In the legends ofRobin Hood, Nottingham Castle is the scene of the final showdown between the Sheriff and the hero outlaw.^[29]King John of England(formerly Prince John) visited Nottingham in 1199 and 1202. LaterKing Henry III of Englandheld a court in Nottingham.^[26]

By the 15th century Nottingham had established itself as a centre of a thriving export trade in religious sculpture made fromNottingham alabaster.^[30]During the late medieval period Nottingham alabasters were exported as far afield as Iceland, and may be one reason why a small number of Icelandic immigrants lived in Nottingham during the 15th century.^[31]The town became acounty corporatein 1449^[32]giving it effective self-government, in the words of the charter, "for eternity". The Castle and Shire Hall were expressly excluded and remained as detached Parishes ofNottinghamshire.

One of those highly impressed by Nottingham in the late 18th century was the German travellerC. P. Moritz, who wrote in 1782, "Of all the towns I have seen outside London, Nottingham is the loveliest and neatest. Everything had a modern look, and a large space in the centre was hardly less handsome than a London square. A charming footpath leads over the fields to the highway, where a bridge spans the Trent. … Nottingham … with its high houses, red roofs and church steeples, looks excellent from a distance."^[33]

During theIndustrial Revolution, much of Nottingham's prosperity was founded on thetextile industry; in particular, the city became an internationally important centre oflacemanufacture. In 1831 citizens rioted in protest against theDuke of Newcastle's opposition to theReform Act 1832, setting fire to his residence on the site of Nottingham Castle.

In common with the UK textile industry, Nottingham's textile sector fell into decline in the decades following theSecond World War.^[34]Little textile manufacture now takes place in Nottingham; however, many of the former industrial buildings in the Lace Market district have been restored and put to new uses.

Nottingham was one of the boroughs reformed by theMunicipal Corporations Act 1835, and at that time consisted of the parishes of St Mary, St Nicholas and St Peter. It was expanded in 1877 by adding the parishes ofBasford, Brewhouse Yard,Bulwell,Radford,Sneinton, Standard Hill, and parts of the parishes ofWest Bridgford,Carlton,Wilford(North Wilford). In 1889 Nottingham became acounty boroughunder theLocal 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, theMarquess of Salisburyto the mayor, dated 18 June 1897. Nottingham was extended in 1933 by addingBilboroughandWollaton, parts of the parishes of Bestwood Park andColwick, and a recently developed part of theBeeston Urban District. A further boundary extension was granted in 1951 when Clifton and Wilford (south of the River Trent) were incorporated into the city.^[35][36]

Demographic evolution of Nottingham

Year Pop. 4th century <37 10th century <1,000 11th century 1,500

Year Pop. 14th century 3,000 Early 17th century 4,000 Late 17th century 5,000

Year Pop. ±% 1801 29,000 — 1811 34,000 +17.2% 1821 40,000 +17.6% 1831 51,000 +27.5% 1841 53,000 +3.9% 1851 58,000 +9.4% 1861 76,000 +31.0%

Year Pop. ±% 1871 87,000 +14.5% 1881 159,000 +82.8% 1901 240,000 +50.9% 1911 260,000 +8.3% 1921 269,000 +3.5% 1931 265,000 −1.5% 1951 306,000 +15.5%

Year Pop. ±% 1961 312,000 +2.0% 1971 301,000 −3.5% 1981 278,000 −7.6% 1991 273,000 −1.8% 2001 275,000 +0.7% 2011 306,000 +11.3% 2021 324,000 +5.9%

Electric trams were introduced to the city in 1901; they served the city for 35 years until 1936. Trams were reintroduced after 68 years whena new networkopened in 2004.^[36]

In the sporting world, Nottingham is home to the world's oldest professional football club,Notts County, which was formed in 1862. The town's other football club,Nottingham Forest, had a period of success between 1977 and 1993 under managerBrian Clough, winning theFirst Division, fourLeague Cups, aUEFA Super Cupand twoEuropean Cups.^[37]During this time Forest signedTrevor Francis, Britain's first £1 million footballer, who joined the club in February 1979 fromBirmingham City.^[38]

The city was the site ofrace riots in 1958, centred on theSt Ann'sneighbourhood.^[39]

During the second half of the 20th century Nottingham saw urban growth with the development of new public and private housing estates and new urban centres, which have engulfed former rural villages such as Bilborough, Wollaton, Gedling and Bramcote. South of the river there has also been expansion with new areas such as Edwalton and West Bridgford, adding to Nottingham'surban sprawl. Although this growth slowed towards the end of the century, the modern pressures for more affordable and council housing is back on the political agenda and there is now pressure on thegreen beltwhich surrounds the city.^[40]

Nottingham City Councilis aunitary authority, and is based atLoxley Houseon Station Street. It consists of 55councillors, representing 20wards, who are elected every four years; the last elections being held on2 May 2019. The council is independent ofNottinghamshire County Councilbut work with them for local developments and other matters. Nottingham, though, remains the county town of Nottinghamshire even thoughthe county hallis in the neighbouring town ofWest Bridgfordwhere the county council is based.

The city also has aLord Mayorwho is selected by city councillors from among themselves. The position is largely ceremonial but the Lord Mayor also acts as Chair of Full Council meetings.

The City of Nottingham's boundaries are tightly drawn and exclude several suburbs and towns that are usually considered part ofGreater Nottingham. Unlike the city, these areas are governed by a two tier system of local government. Nottinghamshire County Council is based at the county hall. It provides the upper tier of local government whilst the lower tier is split into several district or borough councils. The County Council are responsible for Health, Social Care, Education, Highways, Transport, Libraries and Trading Standards, whilst the lower tier councils are responsible for local planning, neighbourhood services, housing, licensing, environmental health and leisure facilities. The towns ofBeeston,StaplefordandEastwoodare administered byBroxtowe Borough Council. Further west still, the Nottingham urban district extends intoDerbyshirewhereIlkestonandLong Eatonare administered byErewash Borough Council, andRipleybyAmber Valley. To the north,Hucknallis governed byAshfield District Council, while in the eastArnoldandCarltonform part of theBorough of Gedling. South of the river, the town ofWest Bridgfordlies inRushcliffe, as do the outlying villages ofRuddingtonandTollertonand the town ofBingham.

Nottingham has three UK parliamentaryconstituencyseats within its boundaries.Nottingham Northhas been represented since 2017 byLabourMember of Parliament(MP)Alex Norris,Nottingham Eastsince 2019 by Labour MPNadia WhittomeandNottingham Southsince 2010 by Labour MPLilian Greenwood. Each of the outer districts (Broxtowe, Ashfield, Gedling and Rushcliffe) are also parliamentary constituencies in their own right although the parliamentary constituency boundaries do not align with the boundaries of the council districts of which they share their name.

Nottingham East	Nottingham North	Nottingham South
Nadia Whittome	Alex Norris	Lilian Greenwood
Labour Party	Labour Party	Labour Party

Nottingham is situated on an area of low hills^[41]along the lower valley of theRiver Trent, and is surrounded by theSherwood Forestin the north, theNottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire Coalfieldin the west, and theTrent and Belvoir Valesin the east and south.

Within the city, native wildlife includesred fox,peregrine falconandcommon kingfisher.^[42]Notable nature reserves around the city includeAttenborough Nature ReserveSSSI,Sherwood ForestNational Nature Reserve, Holme Pit SSSI,Fairham BrookLocal Wildlife Site andWollaton Park. Due to its position as a central city with strong transport links, Nottingham has become home to invasive animal and plant species includingrose-ringed parakeet,Japanese knotweedandHimalayan balsam.^[43]

In 2017 it was reported that Nottingham was one of a number of UK cities that broke WHO air pollution guidelines for the maximum concentration of small particulate matter; the pollution in part being caused by harmful wood-burning stoves.^[44]

Nottingham is bounded by a green belt area, provisionally drawn up from the 1950s. Completely encircling the city, it extends for several miles into the surrounding districts, as well as towards Derby.

Like most of the United Kingdom, Nottingham has atemperate oceanic climate(Köppen: Cfb) and experiences warm mild summers and mild to cool winters with abundant precipitation throughout the year. There are two weather-reporting stations close to Nottingham: the former "Nottingham Weather Centre", atWatnall, about 6 miles (10 km) northwest of the city centre; and theUniversity of Nottingham's agricultural campus atSutton Bonington, about 10 miles (16 km) southwest of the city centre. The highest temperature recorded in Nottingham (Watnall) stands at 39.8 °C (103.6 °F),^[45]whilst Sutton Bonington recorded a temperature of 39.4 °C (102.9 °F),^[46]both recorded on19 July 2022, and the record-high minimum temperature is 20.3 °C (68.5 °F)^[47]recorded on 20 July 2022. On average, a temperature of 25 °C (77 °F) or above is recorded on 11 days per year, whilst a temperature of 30 °C (86 °F) is recorded at least 1 day per year^[48]at Watnall for the period of 1991–2020, and the warmest day of the year reaches an average of 30.0 °C (86.0 °F).^[49]

For the period 1991–2020 Nottingham (Watnall) recorded on average 36.9 days of air frost per year,^[50]and Sutton Bonington 42.2.^[51]The lowest recorded temperature in Nottingham (Watnall) is −13.3 °C (8.1 °F) recorded in23 January 1963^[52]and13 January 1987,^[53]whilst a temperature of −17.8 °C (0.0 °F) was recorded in Sutton Bonington on24 February 1947.^[54]The record-low maximum temperature is −6.3 °C (20.7 °F)^[55]recorded inJanuary 1963. For the period of 1991–2020, the coldest temperature of the year reaches an average of −5.5 °C (22.1 °F)^[56]in Nottingham (Watnall).

The city centre of Nottingham is usually defined as theOld Market Square. The square is dominated by theCouncil House, which was built in the 1920s to replace theNottingham Exchange. The Council House hasbaroquecolumns and two stone lion statues in the front to stand watch over the square. TheExchange Arcade, on the ground floor, is a shopping centre.

Tall office buildings line Maid Marian Way. The Georgian area around Oxford and Regent Streets is dominated by small professional firms. TheAlbert Hallfaces theGothic revivalSt Barnabas' Roman Catholic CathedralbyPugin.Nottingham Castleand its grounds are located further south in the western third of the city. The central third descends from the university district in the north, pastNottingham Trent University's Gothic revival Arkwright Building. The university also owns many other buildings in this area. The Theatre Royal on Theatre Square, with its pillared façade, was built in 1865. King and Queen Streets are home to strikingVictorianbuildings designed by such architects asAlfred WaterhouseandWatson Fothergill.^[64]

The Canal-side to the south of the city is adjacent toNottingham railway stationand home to multiple repurposed (as bars and restaurants) 19th-century industrial buildings.^{[citation needed]}

The eastern third of the city containsHockley Village, with specialist and independent shops. TheVictoria Centreis also in the area; it was built in the 1970s on the demolishedVictoria railway stationsite. All that remains of the old station is the station hotel and clock tower. The 250-foot-high Victoria Centre flats stand above the shopping centre and arethe tallest buildings in the city.

TheLace Marketarea just south ofHockleyhas streets with four- to seven-storey red brick warehouses,iron railingsandred phone boxes.

Many of the buildings have been converted into apartments, bars and restaurants. The largest building in the Lace Market is theAdams Building, built byThomas Chambers HineforThomas Adams(1807–1873), and currently used byNottingham College. The Georgian-built Shire Hall, which was once Nottingham's maincourtandprisonbuilding, is now home to theNational Justice Museum(formerly the "Galleries of Justice").

Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem(the Trip), partially built into the cave system beneath Nottingham Castle, is a contender for the title of England's Oldest Pub, as it is supposed to have been established in 1189.^[65]

The Bell Innin the Old Market Square, andYe Olde Salutation Inn(the Salutation) in Maid Marian Way have both disputed this claim. The Trip's current timber building probably dates back to the 17th or 18th century, but the caves are certainly older and may have been used to store beer and water for the castle during medieval times. There are also caves beneath the Salutation that date back to the medieval period, although they are no longer used as beer cellars. The Bell Inn is probably the oldest of the three pub buildings still standing, according todendrochronology, and has medieval cellars that are still used to store beer.^[66]

Almost 62,000 students attend the city's three universities,Nottingham Trent University, theUniversity of Lawand theUniversity of Nottingham; in the 2016/17 academic year, Trent University was attended by 29,370 students and Nottingham University by 32,515.^[67]TheUniversity of Nottingham Medical Schoolis part of theQueen's Medical Centre.^[68]

There are three colleges offurther educationlocated in Nottingham:Bilborough Collegeis solely asixth form college; Nottingham College was formed in 2017, by the amalgamation ofCentral College Nottinghamand New College Nottingham (which had both previously formed from the merger of smaller FE colleges); and theConfetti Institute of Creative Technologies, owned by Nottingham Trent University, is a further education college that specialises in media.^[69]The city has dozens of sixth form colleges and academies, providing education and training for adults aged over sixteen.^[70]

Nottingham also has a number of independent schools. The city's oldest educational establishment isNottingham High School, which was founded in 1513.^[71][72]

The city contains several notable museums including:

• National Justice Museum– Museum of Law, Crime and Punishment through the ages, based at the Shire Hall in theLace Market.
• City of Caves– A visitor attraction consisting of a network of man-made caves, carved out of sandstone, beneath theBroadmarsh.

• Green's Mill, Sneintonand Science Centre – A unique working windmill in the heart of the city that was home to the 19th-century mathematical physicist and millerGeorge Green.
• William Booth Birthplace Museum, also inSneinton, birthplace ofWilliam Booth, co-founder of theSalvation Army, open by appointment.^[73]

• Nottingham Castle Museum– Home to the city's fine and decorative art collections, along with the Story of Nottingham galleries, and theSherwood ForestersRegimental Museum.
• Nottingham Industrial Museum– Housed inWollaton Park, collections relating to textiles, transport, communications, mining and steam.
• Nottingham Natural History Museum– Based atWollaton Hall, contains zoology, geology, and botany collections.

In 2015, theNational Videogame Arcadewas opened in the Hockley area of the city; being "the UK's first cultural centre for videogames".^[74]It was announced in June 2018 that the arcade was soon to close and relocate toSheffieldcity centre,^[75]where it reopened in November 2018 as the National Videogame Museum.^[76]

Nottingham is the East Midlands' largest economy.^[77]The headquarters of several large companies are based in the city: these includeAlliance Boots(formerlyBoots the Chemists); Chinook Sciences; GM (cricket bats);Pedigree Petfoods;VF Corporation(American clothing);Changan Automobile(Chinese-made automobiles); the credit reference agencyExperian; energy companyE.ON Energy UK; betting companyGala Bingo; amusement and gambling machine manufacturer Bell-Fruit-Games; engineering companySiemens; sportswear manufacturersSpeedo; high-street opticiansVision ExpressandSpecsavers; games and publishing companyGames Workshop; PC software developerSerif Europe(publisher ofPagePlusand other titles); web hosting providerHeart Internet; the American credit card companyCapital One; the national law firmBrowne Jacobson; andEarache Records, an independent music company founded by local residentDigby Pearson, based on Handel Street inSneinton. Nottingham also has offices ofNottingham Building Society(established 1849);HM Revenue & Customs; theDriving Standards Agency;Ofsted; theCare Quality CommissionandBBC East Midlands. The schools and aerial photographers, H Tempest Ltd, were Nottingham-based for many years, until relocating toSt Ives, CornwallJanuary 1959.^{[citation needed]}

Nottingham was named one of the UK's six science cities in 2005 by the thenChancellor of the ExchequerGordon Brown. Among the science-based industries within the city isBioCity. Founded as a joint venture between Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham, it is the UK's biggest bioscience innovation and incubation centre, housing around 80 science-based companies.^[78]In 2010, Nottingham City Council announced that the target sectors of their economic development strategy would include low-carbon technologies;digital media;life sciences; financial and business services; and retail and leisure.^[79]

Economic trends

Year	Regional Gross Value Added (£m)	Agriculture (£m)	Industry (£m)	Services (£m)
1995	4,149	2	1,292	2,855
2000	5,048	1	912	4,135
2003	5,796	–	967	4,828
source: Office for National Statistics

The city formerly had a major bicycle manufacturing industry sector.Raleigh Bicycle Companywas established in 1886 andSturmey-Archer, the developer of three-speed hub gears, was also founded in the city. Raleigh's factory on Triumph Road, famous as the filming location ofSaturday Night and Sunday Morning, was demolished in 2003 to make way for the University of NottinghamJubilee Campus's expansion.

In 2015, Nottingham was ranked in the top 10 UK cities for job growth (from 2004 to 2013), in the public and private sectors.^[80]and in the same year, it was revealed that more new companies were started in Nottingham in 2014–15 than in any other UK city, with a 68% year-on-year increase.^[81]In 2017, Nottingham came seventh in Harper Dennis Hobbes's Top 50 British Centres, behind theWest End of London,Glasgow,Birmingham,Manchester,LeedsandLiverpool.^[82]

TheBridlesmith Gatearea has numerous designer shops, one being the originalPaul Smithboutique. There are various specialist shops and small businesses in side streets and alleys: notable streets include Poultry Walk, West End Arcade and Hurts Yard and Derby Road (the latter once known for antiques). Smaller shopping areas in the city are the olderFlying Horse Walk,The Exchange Arcade,Hockleyand newer Trinity Square and The Pod.

Nottingham'sVictoria Centreis the city's main retail shopping centre: it was the first to be built in the city and was developed on the site of the formerNottingham Victoria railway station.^[83]

In March 2011, the government announced the creation ofNottingham Enterprise Zone, anenterprise zonesited on part of theBoots Estate.^[84]In March 2012, Nottingham Science Park, Beeston Business Park and Nottingham Medipark were added to the zone.^[85]In December 2014, the government announced that the zone would be expanded again, to include Infinity Park Derby, a planned business park for aerospace, rail and automotive technology adjacent to theRolls-Roycesite inSinfin, Derby.^[86]

The Creative Quarter is a project started by Nottingham City Council as part of the Nottingham City Deal. Centred on the east of the city (including the Lace Market, Hockley, Broadmarsh East, the Island site and BioCity), the project aims at creating growth and jobs. In July 2012, the government contributed £25million towards a £45millionventure capitalfund, mainly targeted at the Creative Quarter.^[87]

Galleries includeNottingham Contemporaryart centre in the Lace Market, opened in 2009, andNew Art Exchangecontemporary art gallery, the largest in the UK dedicated to showing diverse artists, opened in 2008.

Nottingham has a range of public artworks across the city, largely from the twentieth century. These include traditional statues such asRobin HoodbyJames Woodford, and Lee Johnson's statue ofBrian Clough. Contemporary artwork includesAnish KapoorsSky Mirrorat Nottingham Playhouse, andAspireby Ken Shuttleworth at the University of Nottingham. In 2018 the site ofLenton Priorywas declared a sculpture park and three new artworks commissioned on the site. These include 'Lenton Priory Stone' by James Winnet^[88]based the carvings on the 12th century Norman baptismal font from the Priory, and the 'Lenton Priory Pilllars' byAdrian Riley.^{[citation needed]}

Nottingham has two large-capacity theatres, theNottingham Playhouseand theTheatre Royal, which together with the neighbouringRoyal Concert Hallforms the Royal Centre. The city also contains smaller theatre venues such as theNottingham Arts Theatre, theLace Market Theatre,New Theatreand Nonsuch Studios.

There is aCineworldand aShowcasein the city. Independent cinemas include theArthouseBroadway Cinemain Hockley,^[89]and the four-screenArt DecoSavoy Cinema.^[90]

Nottingham has several large music and entertainment venues including theRoyal Concert Hall,Rock City,Nottingham Royal Concert Hall(2,500-capacity) and theNottingham Arena(Social centre). Nottingham'sCity Groundplayed host to rock band R.E.M with Idlewild and The Zutons supporting in 2005, the first time a concert had been staged at the football stadium.^[91]

Nottingham also has a selection of smaller venues, including theAlbert Hall(800-capacity),Ye Olde Salutation Inn,Malt Cross, Rescue Rooms, the Bodega, the Old Angel, the Central, the Chameleon and the Corner.

1960s blues-rock bandTen Years Afterformed in Nottingham, as did the 1970s pop actPaper Lace, the critically acclaimedTindersticks, electronic music groupsStereo MC's,Bent, andCrazy P, as well as influential folk singerAnne Briggs. Since the beginning of the 2010s, the city has produced a number of artists to gain media attention, including;Sleaford Mods,Jake Bugg,London Grammar,Indiana,Bru-C,Natalie Duncan,Dog Is Dead,Saint Raymond,Childhood,Kagoule,Rue Royale,Spotlight KidandAmber Run.

Nottingham is home toEarache Records, a large independent record label setup in Nottingham in 1986 and famously home toNapalm Death,Carcass,Entombed,Rival Sonsand more.

The city has an activeclassical musicscene, with long-established ensembles such as thecity'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.^{[citation needed]}TheSumac Centreis asocial centrein Forest Fields.

Nottingham is known for itship-hopscene.^[92]Rofl Audio Recording Studios opened in 2013,^[93]on the site of a former square known as "Milk Square" which was known to have hosted musicians, bands and orchestras in the 1800s.^[94][95]Since opening, the studios have hosted musicians and actors from various places including involvement in Hollywood films,^[96]and British rock bandSpiritualized's albumAnd Nothing Hurt.^[97]The studios are a base for rapper and producerSway Dasafo's New Reign Productions^[98]and Jake Bugg's manager, Jason Hart.^[99]The rock bandChurch of the Cosmic Skullare from Nottingham.^[100][101]

Wollaton Parkin Nottingham hosts an annual family-friendly music event calledSplendour. In 2009 it was headlined byMadnessandthe Pogues. The following year it was headlined bythe Pet Shop Boysand featured, among others,Calvin Harris,Noisettes,AthleteandOK Go.^[102]In 2011, it featured headline actsScissor Sisters,Blondie,Eliza DoolittleandFeeder. In 2012, performers includedDizzee Rascal,Razorlight,Katy BandHard-Fi. In 2014, Wollaton Park hosted the first-ever No Tomorrow Festival, featuring the likes ofSam Smith,London GrammarandClean Bandit.^[103]

Nottingham holds several multicultural events throughout the year. The city has hosted an annual AsianMelaevery summer since about 1989,^[104]there is a parade onSt Patrick's Day,^[105]fireworks for theChinese New Year, Holi in the Park to celebrate theHindu spring festival,^[106][107]aWest Indian-style carnival which takes place in summer, and severalSikhevents.^[108]

The city is particularly famous for its annualGoose Fair, a large travelling funfair held at theForest Recreation Groundat the beginning of October every year. Established over 700 years ago, the fair was originally a livestock market where thousands of geese were sold in the Old Market Square, but the modern-day Goose Fair is known for its fairground rides and attractions.^[109]

Since the late 1990s,Nottinghamshire Pridehas organised an annualpride parade, a day-long celebration that usually takes place in the city in July.^[110]

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There are more than three hundred restaurants in Nottingham, with severalAA Rosettewinners (as of 2018^[update]).^[111]City-centre restaurant, Ibérico World Tapas, was awarded a Bib Gourmand in the 2013 Michelin Guide.^[112]There are also two Michelin-starred restaurants: Alchemilla in the city centre has one star; andRestaurant Sat Bains with Rooms, on the edge of the city near Clifton Bridge, has two Michelin stars.^[113]There were five other Nottingham restaurants recommended in theMichelin Guidein 2020.^[113]Nottingham is recognized as one of the UK's most vegan-friendly cities,^[114]and it is whereVeggies of Nottinghamwas founded in 1984. The Nottingham City Council in 2024 announced it had switched to all plant-based catering, following similar changes by other councils includingOxfordshire County CouncilandCambridge City Council.^[115]

In 2010, Nottingham was named as one of the "Top 10 Cities to Visit in 2010" byDK Travel.^[116]Nottingham was ranked number one for the 'Best Value City Break' in August 2017 by TripAdvisor.^[117]According to the Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor (STEAM) report, tourism in Nottingham city was valued at £628 million in 2017, an increase of 4.1% over the 2016 figure of £604 million.^[118]

Many local businesses and organisations use the worldwide fame of Robin Hood to represent or promote their brands. The Robin Hood Pageant takes place in Nottingham each year and has been rebranded Robin Hood Live for 2020. The city is home to the Nottingham Robin Hood Society, founded in 1972 by Jim Lees and Steve and Ewa Theresa West.^[119]Sherwood Forest County Park is a Natural Nature Reserve spanning 450 acres (1.8 km²) in the county of Nottinghamshire only 17 miles (27 km) north of Nottingham. This grand forest has been a part of great history for centuries, showing evidence of use by prehistoric hunters and gatherers. It is even said that the legendary Robin Hood of the 1200s has set foot here and hid near the Major Oak, referred to as the 1,000-year-old giant tree.^[120]Today, Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre & Nature Reserve is internationally recognised, with annual visitors reaching around 350,000.^[121]

Each February Nottingham celebratesLight Night, with dozens of free creative events illuminating the city. The city has also hosted the Nottingham Cave Festival, Nottingham Puppet Festival, The Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity, plus a series of outdoor film and theatre performances at historical locations throughout the summer.

In February 2008, aFerris wheelwas put up in the Old Market Square. 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 theLondon Eye.^[122]

Nottingham is home to two professional football clubs:EFL League TwoclubNotts CountyandPremier LeagueclubNottingham Forest. Their two football grounds, facing each other on opposite sides of the River Trent, are noted for geographically being the closest in English league football. Notts County, formed in 1862, is the oldest professional football club in the world.^[123]It was also among theFootball League's founder members in 1888. For most of its history the team have played their home games atMeadow Lane, which currently holds some 20,000 spectators, all seated. They currently play in League Two of the English Football League (most recently played at Level 1 in May 1992).^[124]Nottingham Forest, who currently play in thePremier League, were Division One English League champions in 1978 and won theEuropean Cuptwice over the next two seasons under the management ofBrian Clough, who was the club's manager from January 1975 to May 1993, leading them to fourFootball League Cuptriumphs in that time. They have played at theCity Ground, on the south bank of theRiver Trent, since 1898. Nottingham Forest joined the Football League in 1892, four years after its inception when it merged with the rivalFootball Alliance, and 100 years later, they were among theFA Premier League's founder members in 1992—though they had not played top division football from May 1999 until their promotion from the Level 2EFL Championshipin the2021/2022 season, 23 years later.^[125][126]TheCity Groundplayed host to group stage games in the1996 European Football Championships.^[127]

Nottingham won the title of 2015 City of Football after five months of campaigning, which resulted in £1.6m in funding for local football ventures and to encourage more people to play the sport.^[128]Nottingham was selected to be a host city for theEngland 2018 FIFA World Cup bid.^[129]It was proposed that if the bid were successful, the city would have received a new Nottingham Forest Stadium.^[130]

Nottinghamshire County Cricket Clubis based atTrent Bridge, atest cricket groundthat was one of the venues for the2009 ICC World Twenty20tournament. Nottinghamshire won the2010 County Championship.

Therugby unionteam,Nottingham R.F.C., competes in theRFU Championship, playing their home games at the Nottinghamshire Sports Club in the Lady Bay area of the city. TheNottingham Outlawsare an amateurrugby leagueteam that plays in theYorkshire Men's League. TheNottingham Caesarsare the city'sAmerican footballclub, playing their games at theHarvey Hadden Stadiumin the Bilborough area of Nottingham.

The city was the birthplace and training location forTorvill and Dean, who won gold medals inice danceat the1984 Sarajevo Olympics. TheNational Ice Centre, which first opened in 2000, is the home base of theNottingham Panthersice hockey team, and hosts an array of winter sporting events including the UKSpeed SkatingChampionships. The plaza at the front of the ice centre is named "Bolero Square" after Torvill and Dean's gold medal-winning performance.

Other sporting events in the city include the annualNottingham Trophytennis tournament (staged at theNottingham Tennis Centre), the"Robin Hood" Marathonand the Outlaw Triathlon.^[131]

Nottingham has tworoller derbyleagues:Nottingham Roller Derby(formerly Nottingham Roller Girls, formed 2010, and home to the Super Smash Brollers from 2013-2020)^[132][133]and East Midlands Open Roller Derby (formed 2020, after the Super Smash Brollers team left the Nottingham Roller Derby banner to become a new, standalone league).^[134]TheNottingham Hellfire Harlotswere aWTFDA-rankedleague from 2010-2023.^[135]They announced their disbanding on 3 August 2023, citing the difficulties with continuing to run a grassroots sports team.^[136]

In October 2015, Nottingham was named as the official Home of Sport byVisitEngland,^[137][138]for its sporting contributions and in recognition of its development of football, cricket, ice hockey, boxing, tennis, athletics, gymnastics, and water sports.

Nottingham is served byEast Midlands Airport(formerly known asNottingham East Midlands Airport, until it reverted to its original name), nearCastle Doningtoninnorth-west Leicestershire, just less than 15 miles (24 km) south-west of the city centre.

The reintroduction oftramsin 2004 made Nottingham one of only nineEnglish cities to have a light rail system.^[139]Services ran from the city centre toHucknallin the north, with a spur to the Phoenix Parkpark and ride, close to junction 26 of the M1.

Two additional lines opened in 2015, extending the network to the southern suburbs ofWilfordandCliftonand the western suburbs ofBeestonandChilwell.^[140]

Nottingham railway station, formerlyNottingham Midland, provides access to rail services for the city; trains are operated byCrossCountry,East Midlands RailwayandNorthern. It is the only remaining station in the city centre and is the second-busiest railway station in the Midlands for passenger entries and exits.^[141]

Nottingham was an important interchange for many railways and mineral lines which served the city, its suburbs and the collieries around the city. The city once had five other railway stations:

• Nottingham Carrington Streetwas the first station opened in Nottingham on the formerMidland Counties Railway. It was opened in 1839, before closing in 1848 to passengers after the opening of Nottingham Midland station. The site is now underNottingham Magistrates' Court.
• Nottingham Victoriawhich was the second largest station in the city. Owned jointly by theGreat Central RailwayandGreat Northern Railway. It closed in 1967, after declining usage and the station buildings were demolished. The site is now theVictoria Centreshopping centre. The clock tower is still in situ and the cutting is under the shopping centre at the lower level including the old Mansfield Road Railway Tunnel.
• Nottingham Arkwright Streetwas originally the second station in Nottingham, near to Nottingham Midland. It was originally only to be opened temporarily but was kept open until 1963, when it was closed. It reopened briefly in 1967 as the terminus of a skeleton service from Nottingham toLeicesterandRugby, only to be closed in 1969. The site is now buried under a road alignment, tram tracks and industrial buildings.
• Nottingham London Road Low and High Levelwas located directly north-east of Nottingham Midland and the low-level platforms were closed to passengers in 1944. The high-level platforms were closed in 1967. Goods services continued to serve the station until 1972 when the rails were removed. The station is still in situ and is now used for retail.
• Nottingham Racecoursewas located nearNottingham Racecourseand was a minor station on the line between Nottingham and Grantham. The station closed in 1959 and the line is still in use. Nothing remains of the station.

Nottingham is served by amunicipal bus company,Nottingham City Transport(NCT), which is the biggest transport operator in the city with 330 buses.^[18]NCT has won fiveUK Bus Operator of the Yearawards, most recently in 2019.^[142]The formerBroadmarshshopping centre and multi-storey car park was demolished in the early 2020s; the car park was rebuilt to includea bus stationand library, while the centre was demolished and plans to be landscaped into an urban park.^[143]

In April 2012, Nottingham became the first city in the UK to introduce a workplace parking levy.^[144]The levy charges businesses £350 on each parking space made available to their employees, provided that the business has more than ten such parking spaces. The council have used the revenue of around £10 million a year to develop the city's tram system.^[145]There has been a 9% reduction in traffic and 15% increase in public transport use since the introduction of the levy.^[146]

In September 2010, Nottingham was namedEngland's least car-dependent cityby theCampaign for Better Transportwith London, Brighton and Manchester in second, third and fourth place, respectively.^[147]

Nottingham was one of several trial locations arranged by theDepartment for Transportto facilitate local journeys byelectric scooters. Started in October 2020 together withDerby City Council, in December 2023 the trial was extended until 2026. Riders must be 18 years of age minimum, hold a full provisional driving licence, must ride on roads and bus lanes only, not pedestrian footways, and pay by mobile-phone app.^[148]

In late December 2023, the partner-business, US-basedSuperpedestrian, planned to cease trading by 31 December, and the scooters were withdrawn from their city centre locations.^[149]Nottingham City Council are to seek a new provider to continue the scheme.

Nottingham's waterways, now primarily used for leisure, were used extensively for transportation in the past.

Fire and rescue services are provided byNottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, and emergency medical care byEast Midlands Ambulance Service, both of which have their headquarters in Nottingham. There are two majorNational Health Servicehospitals in Nottingham, theQueen's Medical Centre(QMC) andNottingham City Hospital, both managed by theNottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. The QMC is ateaching hospitalwith close connections to theMedical School at Nottingham University; until 2012, it was the largest hospital in the UK. Nottingham City Hospital includes maternity and neonatal facilities but has noA&E department. Students from the Medical School are attached to most of the departments at City Hospital as part of their clinical training.

Law enforcement is carried out byNottinghamshire Police, whose headquarters are at Sherwood Lodge inArnold. The city has aCrown Courtand aMagistrates' Court. Laurie Macdonald ofInside Onemagazine observes that Nottingham's former high crime rate earned it the nickname "Shottingham", but that by 2013 this image was outdated. The article was written in response to auSwitchsurvey that had found south Nottinghamshire to be the fourth-best place to live in the UK in terms of living standards. Crime in the city of Nottingham had also fallen by three-quarters since 2007.^[150]

Severn Trent Wateris the company responsible for supplying fresh water to households and businesses in Nottingham, as well as the treatment of sewage. Severn Trent took over these services from theCity of Nottingham Water Departmentin 1974.

Nottingham was host to the UK's first and only local authority–owned and not-for-profit energy company,Robin Hood Energy.^[151][152]Veoliaoperates acogeneration(CHP) plant in Nottingham for generating energy frombiomass.^[153]

The city has one of the largestdistrict heatingschemes in the UK, operated by EnviroEnergy Limited, which is wholly owned by Nottingham City Council. The plant in the city centre supplies heat to 4,600 homes and a wide variety of business premises, including the Concert Hall, the Nottingham Arena, the Victoria Baths, the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre, the Victoria Centre, and others.^[154]

Historically, the requirement for city status was the presence of an Anglican (Church of England) cathedral; however, Nottingham does not have one of these, having only been designated a city in 1897 in celebration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. From around AD 1100, Nottingham was part of theDiocese of Lichfield, controlled as anarchdeaconryfromLichfield Cathedralin Staffordshire. In 1837, Nottingham's archdeaconry was placed under the control of theDiocese of Lincolnand, in 1884, it was incorporated into the newly createdDiocese of Southwellwhich it is still part of today. The bishop is based atSouthwell Minster, 14 miles (23 km) northeast of the city.

Although lacking an Anglican cathedral, Nottingham has three notable historicAnglican parish churches, all of which date back to theMiddle Ages. The oldest and largest of these isSt. Mary the Virgin, situated in the Lace Market. The church dates from the eighth or ninth centuries, but the present structure is at least the third building on the site, dating primarily from 1377 to 1485. A member of theMajor Churches Network, St. Mary's is considered themother churchof the city and is used for holding civic services, including the annual welcome to the new Lord Mayor. In the heart of the city isSt. Peter's, the oldest building in continuous use in Nottingham, with traces of building dating back to 1180. The third notable Anglican parish church isSt. Nicholas', known locally as "St. Nic's", situated on the edge of the city centre in the direction of the castle.

There are various chapels and meeting rooms in Nottingham. Many of the grand buildings have been demolished, includingHalifax Place Wesleyan Chapel, but some have been re-used, notablyHigh Pavement Chapelwhich is now a public house. The city has threeChristadelphianmeeting halls and is home to the national headquarters of theCongregational Federation.

Nottingham is one of 18 British cities that do not have an Anglican cathedral.^[155][156]It is, however, home to theRoman Catholic Cathedral of St. Barnabas, which was designed byAugustus Puginandconsecratedin 1844. It is the cathedral church for the Roman CatholicDiocese of Nottingham.

Today, there are places of worship for all major religions, including Christianity andIslam(with 32 mosques in Nottingham).^[157]

Contemporary and projected population growth in Nottingham

Year	1981	1991	2001	2011	2016	2021	2031
Population	263,581	263,526	266,987	305,680	325,282	323,632	354,000
Source	Census[158]				ONS[159]	ONS[8]	ONS Projections[160]

The population of Nottingham is 328,513 (2022).^[6]The population ofGreater Nottinghamis 729,977 (2011) and the Metro population is 1,543,000 (2011). The city of Nottingham has a density of 4,338/km²(11,240/sq mi). 65.9% are White, 14.9% Asian, 10% of West Indian origins, 5.9% are of mixed heritages and other groups are 3.3%.^[8]

TheBBChas itsEast Midlandsheadquarters in Nottingham on London Road.BBC East Midlands Todayis broadcast from the city every weeknight at 6:30 pm.

From 1983 to 2005Central Television(theITVregion for the east Midlands) had a studio complex on Lenton Lane, producing programmes for various networks and broadcasting regional news. The studios are now a satellite campus of the University of Nottingham, since 2005.

The city was granted permission by Ofcom to establish its own local television station. After a tender process, Confetti College was awarded the licence. The station was declared open byPrince Harryin April 2013 andNotts TVbegan broadcasting in spring 2014.^[161]

In addition to the national commercial and BBC radio stations, the Nottingham area is served by licensed commercial radio stations (though all broadcast to a wider area than the city).

Radio stations include:

• BBC Radio Nottingham(103.8 FM &DAB)
• Gold East Midlands(DAB)
• Greatest Hits Radio Midlands(106.0 FM & DAB)
• Hits Radio East Midlands(DAB)
• Capital Midlands(96.2 FM & DAB)
• Smooth East Midlands(106.6 FM & DAB)
• Kemet FM(97.5 FM)
• Radio Dawn (107.6 FM)

The city's two universities both broadcast their own student radio station.Fly FMis based at Nottingham Trent University's city campus and is broadcast online. The station originated in 1996 with its original name of Kick FM.^[162]University Radio Nottingham(URN) is broadcast around Nottingham University's main and Sutton Bonington campuses on medium wave (AM), as well as over the internet. URN was founded in 1979 after starting out with a slot on BBC Radio Nottingham in the late 1970s.^[163]

Nottingham's main local newspaper, theNottingham Post, is owned byLocal Worldand is published daily from Monday to Saturday each week.

LeftLionmagazine(established 2003) is distributed free of charge across the city, covering Nottingham culture including music, art, theatre, comedy, food and drink.

Student tabloidThe Tabalso publishes online content and has teams at both universities.^[164][165]

Nottingham has been used as a location in many locally, nationally, and internationally produced films. Movies that have been filmed (partly or entirely) in Nottingham include:^[166]

Nottingham istwinnedwith the following cities:^[167]

Note: Ljubljana, Minsk, and Harare arecapital cities. Nottingham ended its relations with Minsk and Krasnodar in March 2022.^[174]

• List of public art in Nottingham
• Listed buildings in Nottingham
• 1185 East Midlands earthquake
• Snotingas
• 2023 Nottingham attacks

• Lomax, Scott.Nottingham: The Buried Past of a Historic City Revealed(Pen & Sword, 2013)
• Mooney, Dave.A-Z of Nottingham: Places-People-History(Amberley, 2022)
• Richards, Chris.Nottingham Through Time(Amberley, 2008)
• Trease, Geoffrey.Nottingham. A Biography(Macmillan, 1970)