Nottingham - a great place to live and learn!
Situated right at the heart of the country, Nottingham is a vibrant city in which to work, study, live, play and invest.
Rich in opportunities, culture and style, the City is constantly changing and yet retains it balance between old and new.
Nottinghamshire has always been a favourite destination with students, both from the UK and overseas.
The reputation of its colleges and universities is first class, and the county has a great deal to offer students, visitors and residents alike.
Heritage
Nottinghamshire is perhaps best known as the home of the legendary Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest, but the county's heritage extends far beyond the Merry Men!
The City's treasures also include Wollaton Hall, an Elizabethan stately home complete with a 500-acre deer park; Byron's ancestral home, Newstead Abbey; and D.H. Lawrence's birthplace. Nottingham also boasts its own castle, built by William the Conqueror, and a number of National Trust properties either in the county or within easy reach. The historic Lace Market still retains the ornate warehouses built by the Victorian lace barons, one of which is now home to New College Nottingham's City Campus.
Every October sees the Goose Fair come to Nottingham, a tradition that goes back over 700 years! The Goose Fair is now an enormous funfair, but historically it was a fair where farmers sold their geese at market and a chance for the people of Nottingham to celebrate St. Matthew's Day (September 21). With the revision of the calendar in 1752 and the omission of 11 days from September, the date of Goose Fair was switched to October 2 and this remained the starting date until 1875. For centuries, Goose Fair was held in the heart of the city on the Market Square but due to its increasing size and the amount of congestion it created a new site was found. Today Goose Fair is held on the Forest Recreation Ground to the north of the Old Market Square, and just around the corner from ncn Clarendon's Mansfield Road campus.
Arts and Cultural Scene
Nottingham has a thriving arts and cultural scene. Nottingham Castle houses the first municipal museum and art gallery to be established outside London, whilst the Angel Row, Bonington and Djanogly Galleries showcase influential artists. The Lakeside Arts Centre hosts art, music, comedy and drama.
The City boasts two major theatres that attract some of the biggest names and shows: the Theatre Royal is a traditional Victorian theatre; and the Nottingham Playhouse is renowned for innovative drama.
The Royal Concert Hall is a versatile venue staging pop, rock and classical concerts, opera, ballet, comedy and dance; and the 9,500-capacity Nottingham Arena and National Ice Centre attracts some of the world's finest performers.
The ncn Arts Centre is a regular host to innovative student drama, dance and music events. It also stages shows by visiting professional companies at very reasonable prices.
The Royal Philharmonic, Opera North and National Film Theatre all have their regional bases in Nottingham.
Nightlife
With a great reputation for its nightlife, Nottingham attracts people from all over the country eager to experience the buzzing mix of clubs, bars, pubs and restaurants.
There is an ever-increasing array of cafe bars and clubs within the historic Lace Market and Hockley areas, whilst on the opposite side of the City Centre, the re-developed Castle Wharf area is proving to be a popular haunt.
Cuisine
Benefiting from the lively mix of cultures attracted to Nottingham, the City boasts a wealth of restaurants and cuisines. From traditional English to high class French, to Thai, Vegetarian, Japanese and many more, you can't fail to find a meal to suit your appetite!
Because of the many Catering and Hospitality students at New College Nottingham, there is an excellent training restaurant at the College - The Adams Restaurant & Brasserie at ncn City - open to the public and offering high quality cuisine at sensible prices.
Shopping
Nottingham is one of the country's most stylish cities, and a first choice for clothing companies expanding outside London. Home of Paul Smith, one of fashion's most famous figures, Nottingham combines all the main High Street stores with designer boutiques and unique character shops.
For a less hectic shopping experience you could also try the smaller market towns, such as historic Mansfield, Newark or Bingham, if you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of the City.
Sports
With cricket at Trent Bridge, an International Tennis Centre, the National Ice Centre, motor racing at Donnington Park, the National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepoint, and not forgetting Nottingham Forest and Notts County Football Clubs, Nottinghamshire really is a major sporting centre!
If you prefer to participate rather than spectate, Nottinghamshire offers an extensive range of leisure and fitness centres, swimming pools and sporting clubs and societies.
Innovation and Enterprise
The City has an innovative business community where networks and partnerships thrive. With millions of pounds of new investment Nottingham looks to the future with confidence.
Major organisations such as Capital One and the Inland Revenue have relocated to Nottingham in recent years, and Boots, Speedo and Experian are well-established in the City.
Getting Away From It All
Nottingham is surrounded by beautiful countryside. Eastwards from the City lies the tranquil Vale of Belvoir with the Lincolnshire Wolds beyond. To the west lie the rolling hills of the Peak District, a regular haunt of ramblers walking the Pennine Way. The north-west is home to the ancient oak woodland of Sherwood Forest, and to the south can be found the quiet fields and farmlands of Rutland. You don't have to travel far to find peace and quiet in areas of outstanding natural beauty.
Education
The reputations of Nottingham University and Nottingham Trent University attract a large number of students to Nottingham, but in addition Nottingham has several colleges offering a wide range of exciting further and higher education courses. New College Nottingham is a leading light in the City's education sector providing thousands of opportunities each year.
Transport
The Nottingham Express Transit (NET) Tram carries passengers from Hucknall to the City centre. There are 23 stops along the route, taking in six Park and Ride sites (Hucknall, Bulwell, Moor Bridge, Phoenix Park, Wilkinson Street and The Forest).
In the city centre, there are stops at Royal Centre (for the Theatre Royal, Royal Concert Hall and The Cornerhouse), Old Market Square, in the heart of Nottingham and Lace Market, for the National Ice Centre and Hockley.
The trams are fast, frequent and make it easy for disabled users to embark and disembark. The NET system is integrated with Nottingham City Transport (NCT) buses offering bus/tram tickets, EasyRider smartcards and link bus routes. Conductors are on board every tram to take fares and provide assistance.
Nottingham City Centre is served by NCT buses from all Nottingham suburbs, and other bus companies run services from the outlying towns and villages (Trent Barton and Arriva Fox).
If you want to travel further afield, East Midlands Trains and London Midland run train services throughout the Midlands and beyond.
East Midlands Airport is the region's international airport, with domestic and international flights to many destinations.
Places of Interest
Links for things to do and places of interest in the Nottingham area:
* Photos courtesy of Experience Nottinghamshire