Why Nottingham’s nightlife is one of the best in the UK, despite what a list might say

In a recent list of nightlife spots to visit, Nottingham came out relatively low at number 26. It was beaten by the bright lights of Telford (4), Swansea (7) and, Dudley (11). Even Derby beat us to the punch by coming in at number 16.

Get Listed created the list by ranking each city on several factors including safety levels, the number of bars and clubs, the cost of a pint and residents’ safety concerns. In my eyes, the number of bars and clubs does not make a ‘great’ nightlife spot as you can have 50 terrible clubs compared to one quality venue and score higher.

The list’s creators did note this: “It should be noted that not all of the towns and cities that were ranked offer the same quality of nightlife, as some larger cities have a plethora of bars which pub drinkers can choose from. Others were smaller with a more scarce selection of venues.”

Nottingham’s bar numbers stacked up like this according to the report per 100,000 people: we had 41 compared to Newcastle Upon Tyne who had 66 and York who had 31. Derby managed a respectable 106.

What I love the most about Nottingham is how varied the city is with plenty of options for music lovers with Rock City, Bodega and JT Soar along with Motorpoint Arena on our doorstep. There is something for every pub taste with classic boozers such as King Billy or the Dragon.

If you prefer your drink in a more historical setting then the Malt Cross has been in Nottingham since 1877. The Bath Inn in Sneinton has ‘Egyptian revival era’ architectural rarities dating back to the 1920s. We also have The New Foresters which is the UK’s oldest gay bar and The Old Trip to Jerusalem which is the oldest bar in general having been built in 1189.

If its a more decorative bar you prefer then stumble on down to The Goat on Broad Street which is perfect for late night people watching, The Magic Garden on Middle Pavement which is one of the prettiest in town then stop off at Coco Tang for a fabulous cocktail in a roof garden which will take you to the streets of 1950s Saigon.

Oh, you want big clubs? We got those too as NG1 is still packing in the clubbers and has been since 2000. Not only that but we have Pryzm which is housed in the iconic Nottingham venue, Palais De Danse. Cucumara on Hurt’s Yard is another stop while there is plenty of space to dance at Popworld on Cheapside.

If, like me, you are over 35 and need to sit down while you sup a pint or two then there are plenty of late-night foodie venues where you can spend an evening. Bustler Market in Sneinton keeps the street food coming with new vendors every week while Suede Bar on Heathcoat Street serves the best slice in the city, in my humble opinion.

Big and small festivals love Nottingham too as Splendour is located here along with Dot to Dot and Beat the Streets. Not to mention the foodie ones such as Ale Up or The Robin Hood Beer Festival at Trent Bridge.

The price of a pint is a debatable one as it depends on where you go. The price of a Guinness in a Wetherspoons, of which Nottingham has roughly 15, is going to be very different from one in the more decorative places. You would expect that some of the cities higher up the list would have more expensive pints than us, I’m looking at you - York (2), Cambridge (7) and Edinburgh (5). All three cities were listed as offering a pint for an average of £5.68 compared to £4.54.

Safety concerns are where I have to admit defeat a bit, but only a bit. We have had our fair share of nightlife-related violence in recent months which has collectively caused heartache for families and locals across the city but is it really that bad comparatively? The list said 51% were worried about mugging, 34% were worried about beign assaulted or a hate crime and 39% would be scared walking alone at night.

Other cities on the list surely have their own safety concerns and it can’t be for that and that alone that Nottingham was placed so low. Newcastle upon Tyne for example rated 50% worried about walking home at night, 22% afraid of assault and 30% concerned about mugging. Not that much lower than our scores.

All in all, do we need a list to tell us that we are a fabulous city to have a night out in?

Ultimately, I argue we don’t thanks to the amount of wonderful independent spots that have opened in the last year and also, the bigger brands that opt to make our city their home.

I’ll raise a pint to them instead.