#201 NOVEMBER 2026
FREE
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fare *excludin g red & nightb arrow uses
ranked no.1 in satisfaction with bus driver Transport Focus survey 2025 Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire & the wider East Midlands
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Giltbrook Shopping Park
Sherwood
Get your flat-pack on at IKEA, or prepare for your next camping trip at Decathlon. You can even treat yourself to a cheeky Nando’s when you’re done shopping. 30 mins from town on rainbow one.
Sherwood’s a short ride out of town and has a high street packed with fancy cafés and boutique bars.
the calverton every 15 mins
Sherwood
The Riverside
rainbow one every 10 mins
The area around Trent Bridge is the place to head to for a scenic pint by the river. Or catch a match at one of the two footie grounds.
Wollaton Hall the two every 15 mins
i4 every 10 mins
Riverside
indigo every 10 mins
Highfields Park
rushcliffe villager hourly mainline every 10 mins
skylink Nottingham every 20 mins
the cotgrave every 20 mins skylink express every 30 mins
Highfields Park
the keyworth every 15 mins
Go for an autumnal walk around the boating lake at Highfields Park. There’s also adventure golf, croquet and a cafe.
Kinchbus 9 every 30 mins
from
Holme Pierrepont
Get aquatic with a whole host of water-sports activities including Lagoon Wipeout and rapids, as well as climbing walls and mini golf. Just 20 mins from town on mainline or rushcliffe villager.
Credits
Al-out-of-ideas Alan Gilby (alan.gilby@leftlion.co.uk)
Featured Contributor Editor-in-Chief Jared Wilson (jared.wilson@leftlion.co.uk)
Editor Editorial & Marketing Assistant Sophie Gargett Caradoc Gayer (sophie.gargett@leftlion.co.uk) (caradoc.gayer@leftlion.co.uk)
Head Designer Marketing & Partnerships Assistant Natalie Owen Eliza Waddington (natalie.owen@leftlion.co.uk) (eliza.waddington@leftlion.co.uk)
Music Co-Editor Phil Taylor (music@leftlion.co.uk)
Music Co-Editor Karl Blakesley (music@leftlion.co.uk)
Ian C Douglas is a Nottingham writer known for his awardwinning children’s books, the Zeke Hailey series. He has a MA in Creative Writing (Distinction) and also writes short fiction with over fifty published stories. Ian runs sci-fi and fantasy workshops, mentors emerging writers and visits schools. He is a founding member of the Nottingham Writers Studio and East Midlands Society of Authors. This year he helped launch the Nottingham Book Festival and taught at NTU’s summer school. iancdouglas.com
Supporters Stage Co-Editor Dom Henry (dom.henry@leftlion.co.uk)
History Editor CJ DeBarra (history@leftlion.co.uk)
Art Editor Lauryn Wilson (art@leftlion.co.uk)
Photography Co-Editor Sam Tariq (photography@leftlion.co.uk)
Photography Co-Editor Dani Bacon (photography@leftlion.co.uk)
Literature Co-Editor Katherine Monk-Watts (literature@leftlion.co.uk)
Screen Editor Emily Davies (screen@leftlion.co.uk)
Fashion Editor Addie Kenogbon-Harley (fashion@leftlion.co.uk)
Community Editor Frances Danylec (community@leftlion.co.uk)
Investigator of... witchy crags Matt Blaney
Distribution Dom Martinovs
Stage Co-Editor Ian C. Douglas (ian@leftlion.co.uk)
Ben Chapman
thanks to all our contributors... Cover Art Sarah Cunningham Editorial Interns Scarlett Apted Environment editor Finnuala Brett Writers Niamh Portess Grace Sanders Julie Burke Imogen Parish Claire Spencer Josh Turner Nadia Whittome Derry Shillitto Bea Giaquinto Natalie Braber
Photographers Alex Wilkinson Media George Darrell Jules Lister Steve Ullathorne Ralfs Kazaks @Highway61Photography Lizzie Goodman Richard Cripps Amedeo Vannini Jane Palin Eric Yeung Matt Gawronski @magawronski Peter Sharatt @petersharratt Avy Photography Louis Sprol Harvey Tomlinson Pad Condron Molly Standley Lux Gagos
Illustrators April Seaworth Isobelle Farrar Lily Keogh Zahra Sarfraz Eloise Idoine Becky Appleyard Paul Turner-Groves
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contents
About time
12
The Emett Clock sculpture will soon return to its former location on the ground floor of Victoria Centre. We chat to Pete Dexter, who has maintained it on and off for fifteen years.
17
14
Midnight Sun
The current exhibition at Nottingham Contemporary celebrates the life and work of late Nottingham artist Sarah Cunningham, whose work is featured on this month’s cover.
28
Game on
As winter evenings roll in, ditching screens and playing a new board game with loved ones is never a bad idea. David Walden, from Sneinton Market’s The Dice Box, gives his recommendations.
Striking a chord Matt Wigley, Music Programme Manager at the Theatre Royal and Concert Hall, tells us about the enduring classical music scene in Nottingham.
26
The lore of the land We meet the founders of the Nottingham Folklore Society which, even in its early stages, has become a refuge for people looking to ground themselves in old traditions and meet new people.
woman’s world 36 ANottingham poet Leanne Moden’s new collection Ophelia of the Bathtub is a
20
Work in progress… London comedian Arthur Smith headlines the Nottingham Comedy Festival 2026, with his show Work in Progress. Our stage editor Ian C Douglas has a slightly surreal chat with him…
boundaries 38 Redrawing The Drawing Room Gallery and Tattoo Studio are a joint space built to
23
The POW factor POW is a Nottingham charity that advocates for the rights of sex workers and those at risk of being exploited. With new National Lottery Funding, their CEO tells us what they’ve been up to.
bloom 40 In Catching up with Notts ambient rockers Eyre Llew, in wake of their bold
18
Editorial
Blimey, it’s November! It seems like moments ago we were all basking in the sun, and now the darker days are encroaching with haste.
Out of time Nottingham has a long history of asylums stretching back to 1811, when the first was built in Sneinton. Here’s some strange and notable things that happened as part of it.
defiant and vivid depiction of womanhood. She tells us about it.
ensure local artists make reliable profit from exhibiting their work. Here’s how they do it.
second album Bloom and in advance of an upcoming headline show at The Nest.
We also heard about Creep, a new psychological novel from local author Charles Towlson on p.34, the dark history of Nottingham’s asylums on p.25, and the witches' marks of Creswell Crags on p.54. Providing the ideal soundtrack for this, local band Eyre Llew are back with a dreamy new album Bloom, which you can hear more about on p.40.
Still, there’s a lot to look forward to at this time of year. Personally, I like to get prepared for the chilly climes ahead by squirrelling things away like a small woodland creature. By the end of the month, the fortunate among us should But enough of the darkness all be in possession of several - this month’s mag also has woolly jumpers, blankets and some nice cheery things to socks, some strong fire cider for read about and get involved coughs and colds, and a sensible in - from board games you can stock of port. Chuck a small play at The Dice Box (p.28) to furry creature in the mix and the Soft Launch Social - a new autumnal bliss is bound to ensue. speed-dating-esque event for friendships (p.39). We’ve also got In keeping with these cosy a new column from filmmaker vibes, I had a lovely time Derry Shillitto looking into the this month speaking to the blossoming local film industry Nottingham Folklore Society, on p.30. which you can read about on p.18 and sounds like a perfect Speaking of socialising, the antidote to cold dark evenings. other day I was told about some
wonderful women at Fisher Gate Point who were getting together to combine clowning and seagrass conservation. This city is brimming with creativity and fun if you look in the right places - I’m inclined to believe there is a group or event for any topic here in Notts, and if it’s not been started yet, there’s probably likeminded souls out there waiting for fellow midnight rollerskaters, vegetable knitters or pothole painters to get together. I hope reading this issue brings you inspiration and things to keep your chin up throughout November. A huge thank you to all the generous creative folk who help put this magazine together each month, and to all of our readers and Patreon supporters. Big love,
Sophie Gargett
LeftLion Ltd is a carbon neutral company, having reduced our direct emissions by 99% since 2018. We offset the rest via direct air capture from Climeworks. LeftLion Magazine is fully recyclable and compostable, made from recycled or FSC® certified (C015932) sources, and printed using renewable energy. The emissions of this paper are offset via the World Land Trust.
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d art, I'd “Art? I can't stan oto of me ph a ve ha rather ead of any st in on the walls arty stuff!”
ntry?’ and playing Cove Youth 1: ‘Are Engl ventry. ’re playing in Co Youth 2: ‘No, they gland.’ Coventry is in En ?’ Youth 1: ‘Are they
“I kinda miss Bo ring his stories are leg Dave, endary.”
“I heard everythi ng simontaneously .”
"He sneezed so hard out both end
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“I don't fancy yo u, but I fancy your political vie ws.”
my “I’ve just bashed ator.” fanny on the radi
Lady 1 : “Is that the lady with all the kids?” Lady 2: “Yeah sh e’s got 5 kids” Lady 1: “What ha ppened there?”
kes in are no poisonous sna Man to child: "There us, but no iso po er which is England, except the add y". wa any ch t mu won't kill you. Well no
Pick Six
For this month’s Pick Six, we heard from Charlie Dean, co-owner of Sneinton Market plant shop The Watered Garden, which hosts terrarium and festive wreath workshops in November and December.
Q @thewateredgarden
Nottingham’s most opinionated grocers on... The Emett Clock Now there’s no House of Fraser it’s about time they move it back. The chap that created it did all the inventions for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Apart from the car, which was made by Ford, and it was written by Ian Fleming, the James Bond man, for his daughter. It looks very complicated so we hope the man puts it back together properly. Asylums We saw a TV programme about asylums and they said they were barbaric, but that was the 1900s for you, everything was barbaric. But were they safer in there, or outside? It’s a very hard question. If you were out of line they’d send you to one of them, so it’s the people who weren’t supposed to be there. If a woman got pregnant, they could chuck her in. But that’s the man’s fault too – it takes two to tango. Some of them are being made into flats, but we wouldn’t live in one of them, it’d give us the willies. Folklore We’re not superstitious about things like magpies, but we don’t walk under ladders – not because we’re suspicious, but something up there might fall on your head. But in ancient Britain people weren’t stupid. It’s all based around the seasons. With the Harvest festival they had to store things because they knew the dark part of the year was coming. And people are obsessed with Halloween these days, but not so much Bonfire Night. Although they did try and burn down Parliament…
Book That has got to be Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. I fell in love with the world Susanna builds, and can vividly remember when I first started reading it. Whenever I’m in a reading slump, I always turn to it. I don’t want to say too much about it, as the mystery behind the story is addictive to solve and I wouldn’t want to spoil that experience for anyone. But it is a treasured item to me, which sits right next to my bed at all times, reminding me of why I love reading!
Holiday destination It’s a toss up between Lundy Island and the Scottish highlands, but I’ll say Lundy because I’m currently missing it dearly. It recently appeared in the news as it may have to close due to lack of drinking water. It is a small island just off the Devonshire coast where human intervention is extremely minimal and you can fully get lost amongst the bracken. Much time has been spent watching the wild horses and deers, purple heron and baby seals playing in the water.
Album I've been listening to Silver Gore’s EP Dogs In Heaven a lot recently. My partner (in life and business) Louis and I saw them at End of the Road festival this summer and felt they sounded like a more optimistic version of Jockstrap (who we also love), with some really beautiful live vocals. I particularly love the songs A Scar’s Length and All The Good Men. They’re good songs to drive to.
Notts Spot I could say my shop (which I own with Louis), because it is genuinely one of my faves, but that feels too obvious, so I’ll go for Attenborough Nature Reserve. I’m like a kid in a sweetie shop when I get to see all the cormorants, herons, grebes, etcetera. It is beautiful all year round, and fills me with a great calmness that I think only plants, water and birds can give me.
Personal hero I can’t think of one right now, so can I shout out some friends? I would love to make some of them blush. I feel very lucky to have such inspiring, creative, stylish, hardworking and compassionate friends. Eve, Heidi, Maddy, Chris, Harry, Pad, Suki, Paul, Holly, Cate, Jodie, Heather, Catherine, to name a few.
Notts Nosh Although I don’t go there as much as I would like, I really want to shout out Balageru on Mansfield Road. Traditional Ethiopian and Eritrean food that cannot be beat. I go there with two particular mates – we catch up over a vegan platter and leave very sleepy and happy. It is so good!! I also love Taquero in Hockley as Lou and I often go there for date nights. The vegan options are great – we would swim in their Salsa Macha.
leftlion.co.uk 7
Poets Corner Keyed up (or many ways of looking at keys) This key will open your: heart, van, tin of corned beef. That key will lock your: vault, skeleton, lips. This key point is the key to the puzzle. That key holder is the keeper of the master key. This key is the key to the map of the Florida Keys. That key piece of evidence was provided by a
key witness in a keynote speech and was
keyed into the computer by the
key worker. Key wall to effectively apply paint.
...But is it art darling?
photo: Molly Standley
Key car to destructively remove paint. Musical keys swirl up from piano keys. Sycamore keys twirl down from sycamore trees. And the key to a happy life?
Try to keep it all low key.
Julie Burke
nottinghampoetryfestival.com
s Reason
words: Scarlett Apted
to be
Cheerful The news is normally negative but here's some good things that have happened in Notts recently... On a roll
This year, Breadmill Bakery takes the cake (no pun intended!) in being named Great Food Club Bakery of the Year 2026/7. Located in Sneinton Market, owner Bryan Henesey won the charm of the community, being praised for his kindness and enthusiasm. Specialising in sourdough and delicious pastries, there is a homemade bake for everyone. This is not his first rodeo, though. This award follows an extremely successful run of back to back ‘Best Bakery in Nottinghamshire’ awards in 2024 and 2025, and also being named amongst The Good Food Guide 50 Best Bakeries in Britain 2026.
Meant to bee
Beeston, one of Nottinghamshire's small towns, has been recognised in an article for Time Out’s selection of the ‘11 Coolest Neighbourhoods in the UK 2026’. Alongside towns far and wide such as Cathedral Quarter, Belfast and Central St Leonards, East Sussex; Beeston was celebrated for its vibrant community, diverse selection of independent shops and its plethora of food and drink spots.
Caring for carers
Unpaid carers are set to benefit from an investment of £500,000, a oneoff underspend in the Council’s 2025/2026 budget. This system will be introduced to bolster support for unpaid carers across Nottingham and improve respite opportunities. Carers produce an invaluable contribution to our economy, an example being providing around £193 billion in savings during 2020 (COVID). This investment builds upon the Joint Carers Strategy 2023-2028.
Whether or not you’re into contemporary art, it’s hard to deny that it remains relevant, strange, weird and wonderful as ever – regularly getting people talking – and over the years, the Nottingham Contemporary art gallery has showcased some of the most interesting examples of it. To mark the currently showcased, posthumous exhibition by Nottingham artist Sarah Cunningham (read more about that on page 14) here’s five memorable exhibitions which have happened there… David Hockney: A Marriage of Styles (November 2009 - January 2010)
The House of Fame: Convened by Linder (March June 2018)
The Nottingham Contemporary opened with a bang, to say the least – its very first exhibition debuted a collection of works from legendary, recently departed, Pop and Contemporary artist David Hockney. A Marriage of Styles contained artworks he produced while living between London and Los Angeles in the 60s. They referenced a variety of things that interested him, including American poetry, Egyptian archaeology, graffiti and more, and were painted in abstract and realist styles. A big milestone for our city.
This was a retrospective of the work of Linder Sterling, more commonly known as Linder, who in the 70s became a prolific figure in the Manchester punk scene, forming post punk band Ludus, and creating lots of famous art. This exhibition was her way of portraying the influences she’s received from various different places over the decades, including fashion, theatre, music, design, and architecture, while also including the work of thirty other select artists. At the time, she’d also been the very first artist in residence at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, so had developed a strong connection with our part of the country.
Asco: No Movies (October 2013 - January 2014) Asco were four Chicano teenagers in LA, who got together as an art collective in the 1970s. They became well known for their bold, strange, and sometimes controversial artistic statements. Their No Movies exhibition was intended as a collection of scenes and installations from films never actually made, capturing the underbelly of poverty and political tension in LA. For this showcase at the Contemporary, founding member of Asco Patssi Valdez worked with Nottingham Trent fashion students to create a mural, which was very exciting.
Lara Favaretto: Absolutely Nothing (May - August 2017) Various people walking through Weekday Cross, in Spring 2017, panickedly wondered if the Contemporary had caught fire, but that was, in fact, a defining feature of the exhibition Absolutely Nothing by Italian artist Lara Favaretto – steam rising from the roof of the exhibition gallery. Inside, the art was about as ‘modern’ as you can get: mostly ‘remnants of events’ – like wall scratches from a moped, driven around the gallery before its opening, paper mache masks from a carnival that had happened in Italy, and concrete sculptures remade from a previous exhibition the artist had put on.
Grace Before Jones: Camera, Disco, Studio (September 2020 - April 2021) On-and-off Coronavirus restrictions meant that not quite as many people got to see this exhibition as would have been ideal, but people that did were in for a treat. On display were a diverse range of artistic collaborations between famous Jamaican disco and RnB artist Grace Jones and designers and photographers through time, theatrically reinventing herself through a range of different looks. It was created by Cedric Fauq, who lectures on art in Paris, and Olivia Aherne, who had come up from London to curate in Notts as part of a curatorial research project.
Julian Abraham ‘Togar’: RE k ONCILIATION (May 2024 - September 2024) This most unusual of exhibitions, even by modern standards, was put together by Indonesia born artist and musician Julian Abraham. The idea of it was to be ‘participatory’, and not just in a superficial sense – pianos, drums, guitars, synthesizers, and other instruments, were available for gallery visitors to use in an exploratory way, and make stuff up with strangers, reimagining the role of public space. Meanwhile, a droning soundtrack played in the background while intriguing, cryptic phrases hung framed on the wall, like ‘we are the machines we rage against’ and ‘ears have a self cleaning mechanism’. Definitely not an experience you get every day. leftlion.co.uk 9
Nadia on... Private children’s homes words: Nadia Whittome photo: Lux Gagos
When children do not have parents or caregivers, are abandoned, or are abused or neglected, the state has a duty to step in. Nearly 84,000 children in England are ‘in care’, meaning local authorities officially look after them. Out of this group, roughly 16,000 children live in residential care homes, while the rest are with foster families. As of August 2026, Nottingham has 572 children in care.
state an average of £384,020 per child per year. This is an extortionate amount to charge for care that has been found “statistically significantly more likely to be rated of lower quality than both public and third sector services.” The investigation also found that many people without experience in care are cashing in, with "plumbers, hairdressers and Airbnb landlords” opening up “homes”.
Over the past few decades, a broken system of outsourced care has led to shocking profiteering in the children’s residential care home market. A shortage of care placements and aggressive market dominance by private firms is leaving vulnerable children all over England housed in unsuitable care homes, sometimes hundreds of miles away from their original homes. Some are even moved into illegal homes (providers not registered with, or inspected by, Ofsted).
Since 2020, local authority spending on children’s care placements has risen twenty times faster than the number of children in care, making children’s social care the highest cost to some local authorities. Costs have risen because, in some areas, demand for homes, particularly for children with complex needs, has outstripped the number of places available, giving private providers the opportunity to charge higher rates.
At the same time, local councils, which have a legal responsibility to house the children, are struggling with the rising costs of most of these placements. In 2023, Nottingham City Council issued a Section 114 (bankruptcy) notice, partly driven by soaring demand and costs in children's and adults' social care.
the government has an infamously poor track record of regulating privately run essentials. So instead of relying on regulatory powers, shouldn’t we be dismantling a system built to extract money from the care of vulnerable children?
The crisis in children’s home provision is no doubt having a long-lasting negative impact on the children themselves. We already know that children in care are much more likely to receive a criminal conviction or end up not in education, employment, or training. Now, with investment firms routinely buying property in rural parts of England (where housing costs are cheaper) to convert into children’s homes, children are being isolated by being moved hundreds of miles away from their support networks. Research also shows that commercial provision is associated with more frequent moves, which means greater disruption and instability. All of this makes children more vulnerable to exploitation and grooming. The fundamental issue is that the market for children’s placements currently rewards scarcity. With too few places to go round, private providers, who now run around 85% of England’s children’s homes, can set their own prices. Earlier this year, a Financial Times investigation revealed that private providers charge the
So why is this happening and how did we get here? The roots of profiteering in children’s social care lie in the 1980s, when Margaret Thatcher’s government championed a mixed economy of state, voluntary, and private providers, promising lower costs, more user choice and increased innovation. Yet four decades on, the UK Competition and Markets Authority officially described this sector as “dysfunctional”. Private equity ownership boomed in the late 2010s, when firms that buy companies with borrowed money and aim to sell them at a profit purchased providers
in quick succession. The Competition and Markets Authority found that the fifteen largest private providers of children’s homes made profit margins of 22.6% between 2016 and 2020. As critics point out, most companies do well to make 5% The think tank Common Wealth describes the state’s relationship with private providers today as “codependent”. As local authorities have gradually lost the operational knowledge, specialist staff, and infrastructure to run services directly, private providers have filled the gap and now dominate. It’s clear that we must work to reverse this trend. Protecting children in care has always been a Labour Party priority. Within months of being elected to government, ministers announced plans to cap the profits of private children’s home providers, and in December 2024 introduced the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to deliver them. Last year, the government also invested £53 million to create 200 new placements in high-quality council-run homes through its Plan for Change, to protect the most vulnerable children in society from unsafe, illegal children’s homes. While these are steps in the right direction, I believe we should be working towards ending for-profit provision entirely, something Wales has vowed to do by 2030. Experts in this field have highlighted that large providers could sidestep a profit cap by routing money out as interest on shareholder loans, and research shows hundreds of millions in interest is flowing to investors. Plus, the government has an infamously poor track record of regulating privately run essentials. So instead of relying on regulatory powers, shouldn’t we be dismantling a system built to extract money from the care of vulnerable children? Andy Burnham’s new government must work towards public provision, so that every pound improves services for children and funds good pay and conditions for the staff who look after them. No one should profit from children with nowhere else to turn. It’s time to build a system that puts their needs first. nadiawhittome.org
leftlion.co.uk 11
ABOUT TIME... interview: Caradoc Gayer illustration: Zahra Safraz
It’s almost time! The Aqua Horological Tintabulator, or the Emett Clock – a pride of Notts city centre created by 20th century inventor and cartoonist Roland Emett – is returning to its original ground floor spot in the Victoria Centre: the place where lots of us have treasured memories of it being. Since 2011, retired engineer Pete Dexter has been its designated caretaker, and he’s in his third stretch of maintaining it in his workshop under the Centre. Pete told us how it’s coming along… You’ve worked on the Emett Clock since 2011. Could you tell us about what led to your relationship with it? The backstory starts with my granddaughter – she’s seventeen now but at the time she was two. I was on grandad duties – I was in town, thought I’d park myself in front of the Emett Clock and sit down for ten minutes: to my disappointment it was looking very drab, so I found the name of someone to email, and say I’m an engineer, can I help? They were welcoming and said sure you can have a look. I did quite a bit of work to make it safe. I got involved again in 2014 when the centre wanted to do refurbishment. So I’ve had piecemeal involvement – and they contacted me in December last year and asked if I wanted to get involved again. So with your background, it wasn’t too difficult to get to grips with the clock at the start? Yes, it’s unique, but from an engineering point of view it’s nuts and bolts and wires, and when you’ve learned about those sorts of things you can adapt. So although it was different from what I’ve worked on before it was familiar in the types of materials and construction used. It is old, so things like nuts and bolts were imperial sizes that I had to revert, and the electrical wiring was built to a 1970s standard and I had to build it to a 2020s standard. Over a decade working on, in and out, it is quite a long time… It’s been a focused piece of work each time. And each time there’s been a different challenge. The first time around was making it safe, the second time was making it look more like it was originally. This time around, there’s still missing parts we’ve fabricated to make it look more like the original. When I look at the butterflies and what colours the glass jewels are in the wings – I’ve looked at old YouTube videos from decades ago, and I’ve freeze framed it to see what colours they are. There are six what I call players: three squirrels, three birds, each playing an instrument, and they’re the orchestra and they rotate every fifteen minutes and I’ve studied videos so they’re put back together in the right order.
12 leftlion.co.uk
Could you go into more detail on what you’ve had to do during this recent stretch of work? Over the years there’s wear and tear, some metal bits need replacing, bits need oiling and degreasing – a lot of the work is cleaning. Because we’re moving it from upstairs to downstairs there’s a whole new pond, and a whole new plumbing system which I'm designing – so some new design work; a wide variety of tasks.
how big a job it would be. It’s taken a lot of time to just refurbish it, so imagine the amount of hours and effort that went into the original conception and design… what we see now can’t have been the original version of it, he must have tried different ways of getting things to work together, and look correct. And after Emett had done this clock he had about a ten year gap before he did anything else major, so maybe it wore him out. The next one he did was in Basildon and if you look at that it’s not as ornate as the one in Nottingham, so he probably scaled back a bit.
The number one meeting place in In your opinion what’s most interesting about the work of Roland Emett? Nottingham would have probably been the The word whimsical is often used with him – he was a cartoonist as well so there’s a lot of imaginative flowing left lion, the number two place would design. But from an engineering perspective things have to work, and have to move. For instance we’ve got a big wheel probably have been the Emett Clock. I on the front that has nineteen butterflies, and it has to be balanced so the wheel will turn so from the engineering point of view it has to be correct as well as looking nice. So think when it was moved upstairs the I think he was able to combine those two approaches: the and the engineering to end up with a functioning public reaction wasn’t great, but now it’s artistry object that looks the part. coming home The story of you working on the clock started when you In your time working on the clock have you discovered anything unexpected about it, which people might not know? I have discovered parts that would normally be found on a bicycle, and I’ve thought – ‘why would you have this?’ And I think it’s because – the way that Emett used to work, he’d often make things out of household objects. You see some of his other pieces of work involving a bedside table or gramophone player. And in the clock I’ve found pedals attached to a bicycle and a freewheel device – other people wouldn’t know that’s in there. How has your understanding of it changed? Do you think you’d ever be able to build something like it? It’s crossed my mind – the more I’ve worked on the clock,
visited with your granddaughter, but it also has lots of meaning to lots of different people in Nottingham… Yes, we talk about meeting places… the number one meeting place in Nottingham would have probably been the left lion, the number two place would probably have been the Emett Clock. I think when it was moved upstairs the public reaction wasn’t great, but now it’s coming home and it can become a focal, meeting place for people again. Any news on when people can expect the clock back in its original place at Victoria Centre? Winter, we’ve said. The difficulty being that I don’t want to be in a position where we say, ‘we’ve run out of time, let’s unveil it when it’s half built’. It’s got to last a few more decades yet so this is an opportunity to get it right.
Half a String present
Saturday 5 December – Sunday 3 January Lakeside Arts, University Park, NG7 2RD lakesidearts.org.uk/TheSnowsmith @LakesideArts
“
Breathtaking!”
★★★★★ Edinburgh Guide – praise for Half a String
FAMILY THEATRE FOR AGES 4+
Midnight Sun interview: Lauryn Wilson artwork: Sarah Cunningham photos: George Darrell & Jules Lister
Nottingham Contemporary celebrates the work of late Nottingham artist Sarah Cunningham with Midnight Sun, the largest presentation of her work to date. Senior Curator Katie Simpson and Senior Marketing Manager Catherine Masters tell us about bringing Sarah’s work home, remembering the artist behind it, and creating an exhibition that feels like stepping inside one of her paintings. What was Sarah like as a person? What can you tell us about her from working with and knowing her? KS: Sarah was a force: incredibly strong-headed, articulate, kind, spiritual, and compassionate, someone who truly saw beauty in the world and wanted to learn everything she could about different people, communities, histories, nature, and the coexistence of all living entities. She was curious and generous in conversations about her work, incredibly supportive and caring towards others and was loved and respected dearly. Tell me about Sarah’s artwork. Where did the name ‘Midnight Sun’ come from? KS: Midnight Sun is the title of one of Sarah’s works, which isn’t actually included in the exhibition, but we felt it beautifully exemplified her use of tone and colour, and her interest in the blending of time: day and night, dawn and dusk, and elements of sci-fi and world-building. The title draws you in like the works themselves – what does a world with a midnight sun look like? It speaks to the immersive aspect of Sarah’s work; she wasn’t just thinking representationally to depict landscapes or recognisable forms, but materially, spiritually and immersively, to help us see beyond the limits of our worlds and imagine new possibilities. Sarah worked as a gallery assistant at Nottingham Contemporary in 2019. As former colleagues of Sarah’s, how much did you draw on personal memories or conversations with her, as well as the work itself? KS: We started working on Sarah’s show in 2025, and over the
past year there have been many chats in the galleries when colleagues have fondly remembered a conversation, and larger group gatherings to go through the exhibition concept and plans, sharing stories and insights across the team.
what does a world with a midnight sun look like? She wasn’t just thinking representationally to depict landscapes or recognisable forms, but materially, spiritually and immersively, to help us see beyond the limits of our worlds and imagine new possibilities Her practice shifted after her time at NC; she moved away from working with collage to working on large-scale oil paintings on canvas, which was nurtured and developed further during her studies at the Royal College of Art (RCA). The phrase that keeps cropping up about Sarah and her work is, ‘she was a painter’s painter’ and a generous one at that, gifting work to colleagues and friends and always engaging in conversations about art and life. Many people remember visiting Sarah in her studio at Backlit when she lived in Nottingham.
I’ll be forever grateful that I had the pleasure of meeting Sarah in her London studio in Feb 2024, where we discussed her love of sci-fi, writing and poetry, her rhythms of working in the studio, and her practice of working large-scale, layering and removing paint in a dance that involved her whole body and her deep mindful connection to her work. Sarah’s work has been seen and toured internationally. What do you think it was that made it well received by foreign audiences? KS: I think the work is incredibly generous and powerful and that taps into shared human emotions of awe, beauty and energy. The scale of the works interacts with the body in a physiological way, and we feel something when we’re in their presence; that shared bodily experience can be felt anytime, anywhere in the world, wherever the paintings might be. What do you think it means for both you and for Nottingham to have Sarah’s artwork exhibited at Nottingham Contemporary? CM: It was amazing to watch Sarah grow and rise through the art world, and the team at NC have always been cheering on from the sidelines as one of our own went out and achieved so much. We all celebrated her wins when she got onto the MA course at the RCA, and when she went on to be signed by Lisson Gallery and got the recognition she deserved. It feels incredibly special that we’re able to host so much of her work in our galleries in this homecoming show, and we hope that it brings new audiences to her work as well as giving those who knew
and loved her a space to celebrate her and spend time with so many of her incredible paintings in one place. The show runs alongside Julia Isídrez's Mud is Everything. How much thought goes into how two accompanying exhibitions like this complement each other? KS: There are beautiful synergies across both exhibitions, which seem unlikely bedfellows at first due to the geographical distance between both artists’ heritage and identity (Isídrez works in Paraguay). Sarah’s experience living with the Kuna community in the Panama rainforest in 2018 creates a real connection between the contexts of both shows, with both artists exploring interspecies relations and the agency of non-human actors. Both draw from the imagination and dream worlds to create new creatures and landscapes through visual and creative storytelling. Staff at NC have been imagining Julia’s ceramic creatures living deep inside one of Sarah’s paintings, and this has been a beautiful image to hold in our minds whilst developing the shows! The exhibition is built around a night-to-day arc, from The World It Softly Lulls through Via Lucis to Starshine and Clay. How did you land on that sequence, and what do you want visitors to feel as they move through it? KS: This sequence came very organically between cocurator Niall Ó Faircheallaigh and me, and we were immediately drawn to these three works as markers of transition between night and day, and different natural energies. We wanted to present the works in a way that the space around the paintings contributed to the worlds Sarah was building within them - be that a darker mythical space or a bright, open, disordered space. The first room features darker tones reminiscent of earth and water; the beginnings of new life. The second gallery features large eruptive works in bright red, yellow and orange, like a volcanic eruption or elements of the formation of a new star taking shape.
The press material mentions "opening the portals held by the painting's edge" for an immersive experience – what does that mean practically? Has the show's design itself changed to reflect that idea? KS: We are keen for the exhibition to feel like you're being pulled into one of Sarah’s paintings, which I think you feel when you're in the presence of the work. They are incredibly powerful and moving. In this sense, we’re envisioning the exhibition as one large canvas, rather than numerous individual works; the paint flows off one canvas into another, using our bodies as vessels to connect their energy.
The phrase that keeps cropping up about Sarah and her work is, ‘she was a painter’s painter’ and a generous one at that The exhibition hang is somewhat untraditional to create something more like an immersive journey. Works are still presented as paintings, but there is a triangulation occurring between the beauty and energy within the works themselves, the curatorial positioning of these works in dialogue with one another, and the audience's personal experience of being enveloped by them. Another special element of the show is that we’ve commissioned brilliant local artist Jack Narewski to work alongside our Head Technician David Thomas to design and fabricate three oak benches that are reminiscent of fallen trees in a woodland or forest. They act as reminders of Sarah’s practice of often painting outside, creating spaces for visitors to sit and take in the work and remember or think about Sarah. This collaboration feels even more meaningful as Jack currently works from Sarah’s former studio in Backlit, where you can still see paint splatters and marks on the floor from Sarah’s time there. How did you work with her estate, family, or gallery (Lisson) to select works, including the "never-beforeseen" studio pieces? KS: From the beginning, we’ve had guidance and support from Lisson, who knew Sarah’s practice in depth, and generous conversations from her family and friends who she would be in daily contact with and who she shared so much about her practice with, as well as input from NC staff and the wider Nottingham community who knew and loved Sarah. This exhibition is just the start of many more for Sarah’s work, hence it not being defined as a retrospective or a final presentation but an opportunity to see her work in one way, with the hope of many more presentations by other curators and artists globally, who fall in love with her work as much as we have. There's an accompanying publication with contributions from you both and writer and art critic Hettie Judah. What did you want that book to do that the exhibition itself couldn't? KS: Sarah was an avid reader, writer, poet and storyteller with literary and poetic references constantly feeding her work. We wanted the publication to speak to this side of Sarah’s practice and bring in narrative devices to accompany the rich bodily abstract forms on canvas. The catalogue is an extension of the exhibition to some degree, organised by the same three works or chapters (The World It Softly Lulls, Via Lucis, Starshine + Clay) that traverse the biographical, the philosophical and the fictional. Hettie Judah traces Sarah’s biography alongside her artistic and literary influences, Nottingham-based artist John Newling provides a painter-on-painter reading of her work, and curator Niall Ó Faircheallaigh’s speculative fiction takes the reader on a personal journey through the portals of Sarah’s paintings, guiding us through an exploration of multiple overlapping worlds. Sarah Cunningham’s Midnight Sun shows at Nottingham Contemporary until Sunday 10 January 2027, alongside Julia Isídrez: Mud is everything. nottinghamcontemporary.org
Sarah Cunningham, Midnight Sun, installation view at Nottingham Contemporary, 2026. Photo: Jules Lister. Courtesy Nottingham Contemporary. leftlion.co.uk 15
STRIKING A CHORD
interview: Ian Douglas photos: Harvey Tomlinson
Whatever genre of music you’re into, it’s likely you’ll be able to find an iconic music venue in Notts catering for your taste. Taking care of the classical corner, Matt Wigley has been Music Programme Manager at the Royal Concert Hall since the end of 2024, attracting top orchestras and classical superstars to the city. He talks to us about upcoming acts, world-class acoustics, and why anyone can get into classical music… Tell us what you do at the Royal Concert Hall? I'm responsible for all classical music at the Theatre Royal Concert Hall. Programming, putting it all together, making it happen, thinking ambitiously and artistically big about who comes from where. We don't have a resident orchestra, everything is imported. But that's the amazing strength of the programme. We get the cream of the crop from the UK, Europe, and beyond. So, what's new? Um, myself. Hopefully, bringing a lot of energy and enthusiasm in. I'm developing links off the stage. So, whilst we continue to have this world-leading program with visiting artists from all corners of the world, what's new is how we engage audiences, encouraging new audiences to try classical music for the first time and see what a wonderful thing Nottingham has. For example, working with local schoolchildren in new ways as well as communities who wouldn't necessarily think classical music is for them. There are barriers to break down so they realise that you don't have to be dressed in your finery. It doesn't have to be an expensive hobby. You can listen to world-class music at a very affordable price. Also, what I'm describing as the no-phone zone. Somewhere where you put your phone away, and totally immerse yourself in music, which the Royal Concert Hall’s acoustics enables you to do. It's built for orchestras, so the sound fills the space in a special way, and you can really switch off from our fast-paced world. Which artists are you attracting to Nottingham? Where to start! We're working with world-leading artists. For example, the conductor on Wednesday is Singaporean, now working for the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, with the soloist Sir Stephen Hough, a famous name on the British piano scene. We work with orchestras from Liverpool, Birmingham, lots from London, occasionally from further up north. We also welcome European orchestras and have started doing a piano recital series, starting with Vadym Kholodenko – a Ukrainian pianist living in America, who’s won the international Van Cliburn Award. One of my favourites is Tianyi Lu, who's conducting in March. She's a New Zealand-born Chinese artist living in the Netherlands and performing in Nottingham. I love how international and diverse we are.
But we're keen to celebrate local performers, particularly the Kanneh-Mason family. We're welcoming Braimah on violin in February, alongside the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. It's important we celebrate home-grown talent. What does the Royal Concert Hall offer these worldclass acts? Our acoustics are exceptional. Every artist says it. It's a lovely space to perform in. Most importantly, the artists absolutely love the connection with the audience. My predecessor, Neil, created a culture where audiences are so connected. There's such a lovely give and take relationship, and returning artists know what to expect. The more the artist gives to the audience, the more the audience gives back. We've started a visitor's book so visiting artists can say a few words about Nottingham, and they always love performing here.
season, and that's intentional. If you absolutely know your stuff, there are programs for you. There's also really good ways of getting into classical music. For instance, our Sunday Piano Series concerts are just an hour on a Sunday morning. They're only £11, so an absolute bargain for a world-class pianist like Vadym Kholodenko to perform. If you're under 26 it's £5 to get wherever you want to sit in the auditorium, which is such an exceptional opportunity. There’s the Hallé’s Christmas concert, a fantastic place to start. You'll hear an 85-to-90-piece orchestra perform festive favourites, but we've also thrown in arrangements with Taylor Swift, arrangements with Mariah Carey, all those feel-good hits. A lovely mix of the two. In May, it’s the Classic FM Hall of Fame. Very much focused on the greatest hits of classical music. A little bit of everything and presented by John Suchet, the Classic FM presenter. In March we have an Oscars concert. All our favourites from John Williams and Hans Zimmer, but also stuff from the ages of film – those amazing soundtracks that made every movie so special.
You don't have to be dressed in your there often a talk beforehand? finery. It doesn't have to be an expensive Isn’t Absolutely. Wednesday night is a fantastic example with events happening in the space of a few hours, all hobby. It’s somewhere where you put four included within the ticket price. It represents amazing for money, and we go a little further than many your phone away, and totally immerse value contemporary organisations in other cities. We have preconcert talks where we get insights about the performer. yourself in music Not just how they work as a musician, but also what they Is Nottingham aware of this world-class venue on its doorstep? I don't think there's awareness. Some people know–those who have been through our doors and experienced something new. There's a lot of prejudices about classical music. On Wednesday, we welcomed a small group of young asylum seekers. One young person really inspired me, absolutely loved what they heard and wanted to come back and hear more. Then their teacher said, "Oh, you can't afford it." But, in fact, we run a £5 offer for under 26s. We're doing it for Nottingham. We're run by the council. So yes, we've got amazing things. Behind these closed doors, in the heart of Nottingham, there's this amazing cultural gem. Any tips about where people new to classical music can start at the Royal Concert Hall? Yeah. There's programs for everyone in the classical
do off stage. They are exceptional, incredible artists.
Before the concerts, we have preludes, small events, typically featuring a local young artist. It's a brilliant opportunity for them to perform to an audience. Sometimes we have after hours events, free to attend if you've got the ticket, with some slightly more eclectic music styles. The lights are dimmed, grab a beer, sit back and finish off the evening in a really relaxed way. For that, we've just had the Tangram Ensemble, a lovely East meets West exploration of two musical cultures. Coming up next year, we've got The Blue Hour, which is cabaret: very 1930s Weimar Berlin. To check out the full classical programme at Royal Concert Hall, have a look at their website. trch.co.uk
THE LORE OF THE LAND interview: Sophie Gargett
illustration: Isobelle Farrar
If you feel as though algorithms, emails and newsfeeds are dominating your life, perhaps it’s time to take a step away from the screen, hark back to our ancestors and consider some slower traditions. Set up this year, The Nottingham Folklore Society is here to help you do just that. An informal evening of talks and conversation, their popular get togethers weave together calendar customs, storytelling, crafts and more. We spoke to founders Nikki Millar and Jake Epton to hear what they’ve got in store for the winter months… How did the two of you meet and what made you both set up the Folklore Society? Nikki: I run Midland Makers Markets and Jake organises the Ay Up Market at It’s In Nottingham, so when I moved to Notts I was curious about the markets. I’d spent some time in America and when I got back I really wanted to fall in love with England again, so I started going to a lot of Calendar Customs events. Jake was really helpful and we got chatting about things like Robin Hood and the caves, then realised we were both really into folklore. Tell us a little about your meet ups. Who comes along and what’s involved? Jake: We’ve been blown away by how many people have wanted to come along to the Society. We had the previous one at The Carousel and eighty tickets sold out. Nikki: The first one was really special – quite electric and informal. There was such a range of ages, people coming alone or in groups, and everyone was sharing different traditions they’d heard of and events. We didn’t know what to expect or what to offer people, so we did some questionnaires asking what people would like from the society, and most of what came out was stories, anything music related, workshops, and day trips to celebrate the calendar customs. And just being around like-minded people. Jake: It’s important to us that the Society is for everyone - so if you want to do a talk that is related to folklore, we have a form you can fill in online and then you can come and speak for five or ten minutes. How do you define folklore, compared to history or myth? Is it a long-standing tradition, stories of the common people or something else? Jake: It’s a hard thing to define, but I see it as something that’s created for the people by the people. It almost has a handmade quality to it. It’s welcoming and accessible and always evolving. People’s perception of folklore is probably around things like the Black Shuck or or gatherings for solstice at Stonehenge, but there’s so many everyday items that have folklore around them, like pub signs, or saluting a magpie. Things we do because someone in our family might have done it. It’s funny how things get passed on. Nikki: Part of what I find interesting about folklore is that it helps us to understand ourselves. It’s often
working-class oral histories that are changed to fit or reflect different times. For example during the Industrial Revolution, with the invention of the lightbulb, there were lots of interesting ghost stories and art being made around that – so it can expand your imagination towards what else you can believe in. Why do you think folklore is important in 2026? And what do people get out of getting together to share these stories as a group? Jake: Some folklore customs have been dying out, but there’s been a bit of a resurgence. There are so many negative connotations associated with being British, and it's sometimes hard to feel like you belong and feel proud of where you're from, but they’re one of the things that’s made me really proud to be British. They were part of everyday life and part of the agricultural calendar. It’s great to meet up and take part in these rituals that people have been doing for hundreds of years.
things like the trees or the plough. Nikki: A lot of these traditions date back to medieval times, but there’s a reason they’ve survived despite humans changing. They’re things we’ve always felt a need to do, whether it's being in touch with nature or the changing of the seasons. This side of it really appeals to me – it feels like we’re honouring Mother Nature by things like harvest rituals or spring rituals or well-dressing. Tell us something interesting you’ve come across since setting up the society… a person, story or tradition. Nikki: We recently had an amazing local historian Bob Massey do a talk which was really special. One of the calendar customs is Gloucester ‘ale conning’, which tests if the ale is good enough to drink. They’ll get a bar stool and an ale conner, who is often someone like the mayor and wears leather breeches. They’ll pour a bit of ale on the bar stool, he sits down and they wait three minutes. If when he stands up there’s no residue, it’s a good ale, but if it sticks it doesn’t pass the test. Anyway, Bob told us that we actually used to do that in Nottingham too. So now I’m compelled to bring that back to Nottingham.
there’s a reason these traditions have survived despite humans changing. They’re Jake: We’ve both said we’d like to use the Society to bring back some lost traditions in the city… things we’ve always felt a need to do, You’re teaming up with Braided Grain for a straw craft at the end of November. Can you tell us more? whether it's being in touch with nature or workshop Nikki: Lu Towle is a third generation straw worker based here in Nottinghamshire. It's really interesting the changing of the seasons what she does and we're very excited to bring her along
Nikki: A lot of people recognise themselves in the stories too – so there’s a bit of a tribal thing. There might be folklore related to someone’s village for example, and it can give a sense of self or place to find yourself in. The more things are heading in an artificial direction online, people are seeking out community in real life in a non-digital way. A lot of folklore tells us secrets about the land we live on and the environment. Can folklore help save us in the fight against things like over-industrialisation and climate change? Jake: I’d agree with that. You can engage with or record folklore online, but you really need to be with people. During the Industrial Revolution when everyone was moving into the cities and leaving that kind of agricultural background behind where things revolved around the seasons – celebrations or rituals that were blessings for
for a workshop with the society. This will be the first collaboration and workshop we are putting on.
Jake: In the workshop we will be making corn dollies. Traditionally, these were created from the last sheaf of the wheat harvest as part of a ritual to ensure the fertility of next year's crop. The workshop will also give Lu a chance to talk a bit more about her family heritage, how she learnt straw craft and a bit more about why corn dollies are a huge part of harvest celebrations. The Nottingham Folklore Society meets monthly, generally on the first Thursday of each month. The next meeting will be on Thursday 12 November 2026 at the King Billy pub.
Q
@nottsfolkloresociety
presents
Returning for a brand new Season in 2027
Swan Lake The Nutcracker Performed by
Varna International Ballet & Orchestra
Thu 28 - Sat 30 Jan
Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham trch.co.uk | 0115 989 5555
Work in PROGRESS...
interview: Ian C Douglas photo: Steve Ullathorne
Arthur Smith, grumpy old man and famous comedian, is one of the headliners of the Nottingham Comedy Festival. What comedic treats does he have in store for us? What can we expect from your Nottingham gig? I'm a work in progress, or possibly weekend in Paris, whatever, it's WIP. I've got lots of ideas to try out on the audience, to help me decide which ones to go with. There's Paris, sleep, celebrities, poetry and Jane Austen. I've narrowed it down to those five, or slugs. I thought I'd challenge myself, because no one's ever done a show about slugs. The audience is helping you pick your next show? Yeah, the one I'm most advanced on is Paris. I take the audience on a weekend to Paris, and teach them French. Alors comme ça, ça va être drôle et intéressant, je crois. I spent a year in Paris, learning French. It's a wonderful city, especially when you're young, and trying to find your way. My plan is I teach the audience French, show them the best bits of Paris, and avoid the Eiffel Tower, because that's the most boring. And I'm not going to the Louvre to stare at the back of people's heads staring at the Mona Lisa. But I've had an idea of doing a show about sleep, because it's a fascinating thing. We spend so much time doing it. My ambition is putting the audience to sleep, with very soft music, taking the lights down, speaking very slowly. Normally, obviously, it's not ideal if everyone in your audience is asleep. Another idea is going through all the celebrities I've met, like Bill Clinton, Tony Bennett, William Shakespeare. I met him once. Actually, I didn't meet William Shakespeare, I'll be honest. But, I'd quite like to have done. I might do Jane Austen. I wish we knew more about her, because her sister burnt all her letters when Jane died. I often wonder, was Jane Austen a virgin? She probably wasn't a virgin. I'm not a virgin anymore, are you? Um… probably not. How did you end up in comedy? I was eight and in a production of Peter Pan at school. As Captain Hook. I came on with my coathanger, shouting to frighten the parents and whatnot. But they all laughed. The harder I tried the more they laughed. I thought, yeah, I like making people laugh. It's a good way to stave off school bullies or make yourself popular. And, as I grew older, women like someone who makes them laugh. We went up to the Edinburgh Festival in 1977. Our show started with two people in the audience, but ended up sold out. Then alternative comedy started and I did stand-up at the Comedy Store in London, but didn't go
professional till I was thirty. I had a load of jobs along the way. I might do the jobs because I was a road sweeper and a dustman. And worked as a hitman for a while. That didn't go very well. You didn't hit anyone? I wasn’t really a hitman, if any coppers are listening. It's a strange thing, laughter. It's the closest we get to sounding like a chimpanzee or our old antecedents. You don't choose to laugh. You could try, but laughter just invades you really, doesn't it? How would you describe your style? Laid back, occasionally acerbic. A few one-liners. Fairly not aggressive, quite gentle. I'm probably sort of medium range, and I do a bit of poetry too. Poems. That's another possibility I'm trying out on Nottingham. I write a bit of poetry. I also learned a lot of poetry by heart. I'll do If by Arthur Kipling. If you can roll along at a decent pace and you find that your rear contains lots of space. If you have windows at the front, yet none at the side, and offer a smooth and flashy ride. If you have a red and white flag on your bonnet and could never imagine doing a tonne, then yours is the road and everything on it. And which is more, you'll be a van, my son.
It's a strange thing, laughter. It's the closest we get to sounding like a chimpanzee or our old antecedents. You don't choose to laugh. You could try, but laughter just invades you really, doesn't it? The best Kipling I've ever heard! Are you really a grumpy old man? Not really. Now, that show had an impact. I still get blokes come up and say, ‘You're a grumpy old man. I'm a grumpy old man too’. And I say, in that case, you'll understand when I invite you to **** off and leave me alone. What advice would you give to young people getting into stand-up? Mainly, just keep going, doing loads and loads of gigs. There's many open spots when you start out, because that's the way you learn, is when you're on stage. If they're laughing, it's going well. That's the thing about stand-up, it's unique in the sense that it's the only art form where your success is judged more or less instantly. If people laugh, good. If they don't, it isn't good. You don't need makeup or editing or directing. It's a very individual way of doing things. You have to be brave. And you'll have bad gigs along the way, that's for sure. Everyone does. And you have to get used to a bit of heckling and interacting with the audience, obviously. You just go out there and do as many gigs as you can. You're a South Londoner. I'm from North London. I grew up in Southwark and live in Balham, where I'm self-proclaimed Mayor. Nightmare, I don't do days. I don't really approve of North London. They have little blue plaques commemorating famous people. In South London, we have big yellow signs saying, did you see this murder? Why do you love South London, then? Balham is the finest place on earth, obviously, and it's got a tube and an overground. But I think it goes back to the sixteenth century, when hardly anyone lived in South London. People in the city used to come across the river to meet the Winchester geese, who were prostitutes, and bearbaiting and monkeys and all sorts of stuff. You went over to South London to do dodgy stuff you couldn't do in North London. We're naughtier than the North Londoners. What about Nottingham? I think I performed at the Playhouse once. And I was in a pub somewhere and remember someone telling me that there's a lot more women in Nottingham. I think the idea is that they're prettier...? I won't be telling my wife how pretty the ladies in Nottingham are, but I might tell the ladies of Nottingham. Anyway, come along and tell me what's great about Nottingham, so I can find out and maybe move there. You're never moving to Nottingham. I can't see you leaving Balham. Well, they're both pretty good. Not like Swindon. Arthur Smith’s W.I.P is at the Nottingham Comedy Festival from Friday 30 October - Sunday 8 November 2026. nottinghamcomedyfestival.co.uk
Safety, dignity, choice
interview: Scarlett Apted illustration: Paul Turner Groves
Having been awarded £500,000 in National Lottery Funding, enough to financially support the organisation for the next three years, POW Nottingham has announced its reopening. As a safe space in Nottingham, they support the rights of sex workers and those at risk of being exploited. We chatted to CEO Helen West about their impact, vision and the value of specialist services for those in the sex industry. What does POW mean to you as a charity? POW provides people with safety, dignity and choice. What matters most to me is that POW creates a safe place for people to belong whilst supporting their journey forwards. Tell us about the services you provide – who accesses your service and why? POW provides trauma-informed, holistic support to people involved in the sex industry, many of whom face multiple forms of disadvantage and marginalisation. With support from partner organisations, POW provides both drop-in sessions on site as well as outreach services across the city, ensuring service availability in an environment that suits the individual. We provide practical help, advocacy, health and wellbeing support, and a safe space where they can access trusted advice without judgement. Our role is to ensure they can access support in a way that is flexible, compassionate and responsive to their individual circumstances. You were temporarily closed before receiving Lottery funding - can you talk a bit about this period of the service. Why did you close and what was the bidding process for funding? To ensure the future viability of the organisation, POW’s board took the difficult decision to temporarily suspend its operations to focus on understanding its funding and staffing strategy. Whilst difficult decisions were made during this time, these were necessary to protect the long-term future of the service. Alongside this work, we developed a new organisational strategy and submitted a ‘National Lottery Reaching Communities’ funding application; the funding process was highly competitive and required us to demonstrate both community need and organisational readiness. It also gave us an opportunity to clearly articulate our impact, vision and the value of specialist services like POW. We were pleased to announce the awarding of this funding earlier in the year and we look forward to announcing the resuming of full POW operations before the end of the year. Statistics show you were able to deliver over 20,000 condoms to on and off-street workers in the space of one year. What other provisions will the recent funding provide to your service users? Funding enables us to continue to deliver the practical resources that many people rely on to stay as safe as
possible, including sexual health and harm-reduction supplies. It also supports wider wellbeing services by helping us rebuild capacity and strengthen our staff team. Importantly, the funding is not only about responding to immediate needs, it allows us to invest in longer-term support that helps people build confidence, increase their safety, improve their wellbeing and access opportunities that lead to greater independence and choice.
At POW, we focus on listening to people's lived experiences rather than making assumptions about them. Our approach is non-judgemental, traumainformed and rooted in respect.
Your website shares that POW hosts events and workshops, with examples from the past such as decorating bakes and self-defence classes. Who are these events aimed at, and how do they help within the community? Our events and workshops are designed to bring people together in a safe, supportive and welcoming environment. They help reduce social isolation, encourage confidence and give people opportunities to learn new skills and build positive relationships. For many people, attending an informal event can be the first step towards building trust, accessing support and becoming part of a supportive community network. How important is it that POW gets the recognition and support it deserves? Specialist organisations like POW provide services that many people would otherwise struggle to access. Our work reaches communities who can be overlooked, excluded or reluctant to engage with mainstream services.
As you drive change into the sex industry, how do you deal with the stereotypes that surround this line of work? Stereotypes can prevent people from seeking support and make it harder for them to access services, housing, healthcare and justice.
Recognition and support are vital for the future of the organisation and the support required by individuals in the area – we are grateful for the partnerships, organisations and stakeholders who continue to raise our profile and support the work of POW.
At POW, we focus on listening to people's lived experiences rather than making assumptions about them. Our approach is non-judgemental, trauma-informed and rooted in respect. At the centre of POW’s strategy is our model of empowerment, which will form the basis of everything we do, including participating and leading in wider conversations on sex work in the UK and supporting plans to improve conditions nationwide.
Providing a safe and open service is vital for people who feel they cannot report incidents to the police. Do you often deal with people coming to your help for this reason? Many people who access our services have had difficult experiences and may have concerns about how they will be treated when reporting incidents through traditional channels.
Can you tell us how POW caters to students and what advice would you give to a younger person seeking help here? Like many specialist organisations, we support adults from a wide range of backgrounds, including younger adults and students where appropriate.
POW provides a safe space where people can talk openly about their experience and explore options without fear of judgement. Whilst we encourage people to access appropriate support and reporting mechanisms where they feel able to do so, our role is to ensure they are informed, supported and empowered to make decisions that are right for them.
We recognise that younger people may be worried about being misunderstood or judged, but our advice to any young person considering contacting POW would be simple: please reach out. You do not have to deal with difficulties or challenges alone.
POW Nottingham is situated at 16 Independent St, Radford, Nottingham NG7 3LN. Get in contact via 01115 924 9992 or email admin@pow-advice.co.uk. pow-advice.org.uk leftlion.co.uk 23
Out of time: the asylums of Nottingham
words: CJ DeBarra illustration: April Seaworth
Nottingham has a long history of asylums stretching back to 1811, when the first was built in Sneinton. This later expanded as Saxondale, Rampton, Coppice and Mapperley opened. CJ De Barra tells us the history of mental hospitals in Nottingham… Sneinton asylum opened where King Edward Park is today on Carlton Road. Because only 56 ‘lunatics’ were thought to be in the county, the building could house only eighty patients when it opened in October 1811. Although, it was a year later before the first patients, six paupers from St. Mary’s were admitted. Admission reasons were varied, with some listed as: grief, religious excitement, hereditary disposition, anxiety of the mind, epilepsy and congenital defects. It didn’t seem to take much, especially for women, as Ann Ward, of Bulwell, was admitted in 1872 after throwing a stone through the window of her tenant’s house after he refused to be evicted or pay rent. Her mother admitted in court she had ‘a weak mind’ and she was sent to the asylum. Care and hygiene at Sneinton were considered above average for an era when care could be cruel. By the time of the Lunacy Act of 1845, methods such as bleeding, purging, leg locks and straitjackets were discredited. Sneinton did have padded rooms, chairs and straitjackets, though. Nurses provided clean rooms and made beds, and the grounds had room for exercise. Men and women were separate at all times, including outside. As Sneinton struggled with overcrowding, the Coppice, designed by T.C. Hine, the notable architect of the Nottingham Park Estate, opened in 1859 for wealthier patients. The poor remained at Sneinton. Mapperley Hospital was built in 1880 to accommodate poor patients, but it was so empty at times that patients from London and Hastings were temporarily housed there. Despite other locations, Sneinton’s had 400 patients, and the building was deteriorating by 1900. Saxondale, originally called the Radcliffe Asylum, opened in 1902. Sneinton’s remaining patients were transferred, and it closed. The grounds were divided and sold, and thieves tore apart the dilapidated building, which was sold in 1908. Radcliffe/Saxondale was in striking contrast to Sneinton and opened with 399 patients: 202 males and 197 females. Their occupations included engine drivers, lace makers, labourers, clerks, farmers, and colliers. It was a little community with its own recreation hall, church, sports facilities, even a farm that provided food for staff and patients. The recreation hall stage featured pantomimes, cinema nights, prize-giving balls and dances. The wards had newspapers and cheap publications available for
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patients. It could be a generational thing too - the hospital maintenance manager in the 1980s even grew up on the grounds as his father was a nurse there. Despite this, the work was tough. The nurses worked long hours in difficult situations with challenging demands. They were also viewed as inferior to nurses in general hospitals. In 1922, nurses at what was now called Nottinghamshire County Mental Hospital (Radcliffe) led a strike demanding the County Council abandon plans to increase hours and decrease wages. Thirty-eight nurses barricaded themselves in wards with patients and kitchen staff. After a four-hour battle, the nurses were evicted, and sixty-six staff were sacked.
It was a little community with its own recreation hall, church, sports facilities, even a farm that provided food for staff and patients. The recreation hall stage featured pantomimes, cinema nights, prize-giving balls and dances During the First World War, many hospitals had to make space for shell-shocked soldiers. Radcliffe was renamed the military hospital as it took in injured men. Around thirty servicemen died at the hospital between 1918 and 1919. Many never recovered from the war. Charles Smith, a blacksmith, was brought to Radcliffe after he thumped on the door of a post office; he reported he was a millionaire after smashing up his home and threatened to ‘carve’ his wife. His son said he had never been the same after the war. Curiously, Smith was found with five broken ribs, bruises and a black eye, but no explanation was given, only that he died from mania and general paralysis in 1928. Staffing levels were affected as many men left to fight in the war, including Medical Superintendent Dr McKinley Reid, who left in 1914 to fight in Italy. He returned safely but left again to join the merchant navy in 1939. He was killed as he
attempted to cross Wilfred Street during a blackout and was hit by a trolley bus in 1943. Over the years, the hospital added X-ray machines, occupational therapy, libraries, shops, and a staff social club. The hospital was renamed Saxondale in 1949. It wasn’t just Saxondale that opened in the early 1900s; Rampton Criminal Lunatic Asylum opened in 1910. It could house 570 men and 185 women. The hospital would later house Ian Huntley and Beverly Allitt, as well as Frank Mitchell, the Axe Man. Mitchell and another man escaped from Rampton in 1957 using a set of keys they made from bed springs. PC Bernard Briddon received reports that the men were spotted on the way to Newark and quickly set up roadblocks, knocking them off their motorbike. Mitchell turned a sawn-off shotgun on Briddon, who disarmed him before arresting him. Briddon, from Worksop, didn’t know Mitchell had a gun as he thought he only had a hatchet on him. While on the run, Mitchell attacked the owner of a house he broke into and was given a nine-month sentence. He told the judge: “There is not a lock I can't undo. If you send me back to any mental institution then I promise you I will escape.” He did just that from Broadmoor a year later. This time with a key he had made and a hacksaw. The public were warned that he was dangerous and not to approach him, as he may kill if cornered. He took an elderly couple in Wokingham hostage with an axe before stealing their car. After he was recaptured on a coach to London, he was given a life sentence at Brixton Prison, but his friends, Ronnie and Reggie Kray, helped out to break him out of Dartmoor Prison after he was transferred there in 1966. Unsure what to do with him, the pair shot him in the back of a van, then dumped his body in the English Channel. By 1961, many of the Nottinghamshire Asylum days were numbered, as Health Minister Enoch Powell suggested phasing out large mental illness hospitals in favour of community care. Although it would take another twenty years, and a Thatcher government, to implement this amid mental health reviews. Coppice closed in 1985, Saxondale closed in 1988 and Mapperley in 1994, but Rampton is still open today. leftlion.co.uk 25
NOTTS SHOTS
Get your work featured in
Notts Shots! Send your high-res phot os from around the city (including your full name and best web link) to photography@l eftlion.co.uk or tag #nottsshots on In stagram.
by
Dog Days by Richard Cripps
Goose Morning to You Peter Sharatt @petersharratt
Locked In by Amedeo Vannini
By the Waterside by Lizzie Goodman
Paws for Thought by Eric Yeung
Park Life by Jane Palin
Robin Roosting onski by Matt Gawronski @magawr
leftlion.co.uk 27
ICE COOL
rgett words: Sophie Ga Appleyard y ck Be illustration:
N O E M GA
2-4 players | Age 6+ Welcome to the school for penguins, where lunchbreak means snapping up some delicious fish. Ice Cool (or ice school – geddit?) is a bit like Subbuteo, in that pieces are flicked around the board to move and score points, but be careful – the hall monitor is waiting to catch the hungry penguins. One of the coolest aspects of this game is the clever board design, which transforms into the 3D school, safely keeping pieces from flying too far. A great game for families to drop in and play before a Panthers match!
ings as the spend your even to s ay w sy co r g fo e Box in Sneinton If you are lookin her than The Dic rt fu no ok lo , in ened in May nights roll lounge which op k ic br d an d ar !), from the Market. The bo s plenty of Lego lu (p ay pl to es m and to more has over 700 ga d family friendly an e, tiv ra pe -o e co sdays, competitive to th -in event on Thur op dr al ci so a ith d ong w eir fully-license complex titles. Al with friends in th ill ch e to e er H bl ta e. a m take ho you can book lable to buy and ai av e ar or s ay le pl tit cks to cafe, and lots of me of his top pi so us ve ga n de Wal co-owner David x this winter… Bo e ic D buy at The
, reet, Nottingham Market, Nelson St n to m 8p ein d Sn an 1, it ay x at Un - Saturd Find The Dice Bo til 11pm Tuesday NG1 1DR. Open un United Kingdom g is advised. tingham Sundays - bookin @thediceboxnot
GHOST BLITZ 2-8 players | Age 8+ Great for parties, and a bit like Dobble, Ghost Blitz is a quick and easy game that looks for speed and colour recognition. Match each card dealt to one of the five objects placed on the table. If there are no matches in colour or form – and this is where it gets tricky – find the object that contains none of the details shown on the card. If you win the round you keep the card, and the person with the most cards at the end wins.
CALICO 1-4 players | Age 10+ Like the sound of attracting cats and making patchwork quilts? Calico is probably for you… This simple yet immersive pattern-building game gives you points as you create a quilt in certain patterns, colours and arrangements. Colour groups are rewarded with buttons, while pattern groups attract a cat to curl up on your spot. A lovely one to play solo or in a group, this game is both aesthetically pleasing and satisfying to play.
DEAD OF WINTER 2-5 players | Age 13+ Ah zombies, you can always count on them to make a scenario more exciting… In this story-centric, co-operative game, players work together to find fuel and food to survive the winter and the zombie hordes, but beware – hidden in the team is a traitor waiting to thwart the progress of the group. With each player leading a faction of survivors, plus secret psychological objectives throughout, by the end players must choose to save the colony, or save themselves. Don’t fall out!
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s
st
BLOCK PARTY 2-6 players | Age 8+ Get creative with Block Party, a tactile and creative game which gets you building well-known things and objects with coloured wooden blocks. You might be tasked with building a tennis racket, a London bus, or Winnie The Pooh, and it’s up to the guesser to work it out. This game is basically Pictionary 2.0 but with blocks, plus some extra twists and challenges thrown in.
MAGICAL ATHLETE 2-6 PLAYERS | AGE 6+ A classic roll-and-move game, which is sure to invoke some silly, chaotic fun into an evening. Start with four racers cards, each with specific powers – some let you swap places on the board with other players, others mean you can reroll or add scores to your turn, and so on. Secretly select one before each of the four races, move around the board, and let the chaos unfold. The real highlight of this game is the groovy, psychedelic artwork and playing figures provided, which will be a hit with children and retro cartoon fans alike.
TENBY 1-5 players | Age 8+ A delightful game that is cosy, colourful, and clever, Tenby brings the same wholesome vibes as the Welsh seaside town it is based on. Across several rounds, players build colourful streets using cards and are scored appropriately. There are several gameplays, from solo to family, and it’s easy to get the hang of after a round or two. To top it off, the game even comes with its own soundscape that can be accessed through a QR code, for extra coastal mise-enscène. Imagine that seafront in winter and then feel even more cosy that you’re inside playing instead.
KING OF TOKYO 2-6 players | Age 8+ Mutants, monsters and robots all feature in this competitive battle game, and it’s your job to be the last one standing. The city is under attack – in the fight to become King of Tokyo players roll dice to win victory points, gain energy, restore health, or attack other players as you go. A hit with adults and children, this game involves strategy and determination, with numerous spin-off games available to collect if it really tickles your fancy.
ASPENS 2 players | Age 10+
BÄRENPARK 2-4 players | Age 8+ Another one to bring warm fuzzy vibes, the multi award-winning Bärenpark asks players to build their own beautiful bear park, full of animal houses, waterways and outdoor areas, plus a very inclusive selection of bears (hello koalas, what are you doing here?). Each player uses a personal board and carefully places polyominoes, scoring points as they go. When one player has finished expanding their park, the scores are added up!
Build your own tiny forest by seeding trees and harnessing the wind and sun. Featuring 240 tiny wooden tree blocks which are gradually placed around the board by rolling the sun die and the wind die, Aspens is tactile, strategic and simple to teach. By the end you’ll have grown an aesthetically pleasing little forest, while outwitting your partner by balancing future investment with rapid expansion.
leftlion.co.uk 29
screen
LOUNGE TRIP
interview: Emily Davies
From discovering his love of telling stories as a child to curating a range of opportunities for the next generation of filmmakers, we chat to Charlie Sharp about his latest project, Just Like Grandad’s, the future of film in the East Midlands, and Lounge Trip, a curated film screening event in Notts. For anyone who hasn't come across your work before, how would you describe your journey into filmmaking, and what first made you realise it was something you wanted to pursue professionally? Film has always been my purest obsession. The day after my fifth birthday, I started going to an afterschool drama club in Beeston called Sprouts. The sessions were run by Helen Goodbarton, who has always inspired me with how committed she is to storytelling and trying new things. She is an incredible entertainer, and taught me the importance of keeping things fun. Five years later, my dream was to be an actor. I got to the final round of auditions for the film A Monster Calls, before quickly realising my love for film was behind the camera. My dad loves to remind me that I spent most of the auditioning slot asking the director about his job, instead of the part I was auditioning for. Your film Just Like Grandad's has resonated with audiences for its warmth and authenticity. Where did the inspiration for the story come from, and what did you hope people would take away from it? Funnily enough, it started with an idea about two witches creating a potion to bring their elder wizard back to life. My Grandad was battling cancer at the time, and I had just moved out of home. With this came a lot of different kinds of fear, being away from family and the fear of losing someone. I wanted the audience to feel that in the film, and be able to see their own experience in the story. Although my Grandad thankfully recovered from his illness, I realised it was more crucial to tell the story genuinely as I was feeling it. You've worked across different creative roles throughout your career. How has your approach to filmmaking evolved over the years, and what aspects of the process excite you most today? I work mainly as a director, producer, and assistant director. But ever since I was starting out, I’ve always wanted to try it all. You learn so much having a go in other departments – why that camera setup is taking longer than usual or why the production designer needs
more budget. It helps to see where the crew are coming from during what are understandably long and challenging days. There is always room to improve, especially in film. You need to be open to the crew having an idea that works better than your own. I learn new things all the time.
Aspiring filmmakers are often put off by their careers being this solo mission. it doesn’t need to be I think as a region we have the power to tell some incredible stories The East Midlands has no shortage of talented filmmakers, actors and creatives, but many feel they have to leave the region to build a career. Do you think that's changing, and what do you think the region still needs? The East Midlands is a great place to produce films. We have a wide variety of exciting locations, easily accessible transport across the region, and several dedicated cultural organisations like the East Midlands Film Office and Broadway Cinema. There are countless filmmakers in the region creating exciting, innovative work. To grow further, the East Midlands needs significant investment. I am currently working closely with the East Midlands Film Office along with several other local filmmakers. Lounge Trip has become more than just a screening collective. It's starting to feel like a hub for East Midlands creatives. What inspired you to create that community, and what gap were you hoping to fill? The whole goal with Lounge Trip is to grow a deep culture of creativity in the East Midlands. Initially, it came about after taking part in the BFI Film Academy short course at Broadway Cinema. A few of us didn’t want it to end after spending months as a class, supporting each other
on our projects. We decided to turn it into a wider community. I now run the group with Matilda Osbon, Ben Michael and Ruby Phillips, and I’m so thrilled with what we’ve been able to achieve already. We have hosted over twenty screen events, bringing younger generations back to the cinema. We have been able to offer over fifty entry-level filmmakers opportunities to get on set. The film industry can be terrifying when you’re starting out, and it is important to us that a career in film should be accessible to anybody who is truly passionate about it. You often talk about bringing East Midlands filmmakers together rather than competing with one another. What does that collaboration look like in practice, and why is it so important to you? The classic filmmaking quote is that it ‘takes a village to make a film,’ and I think that needs to be the case both on and off a shoot. Aspiring filmmakers are often put off by their careers being this solo mission; it doesn’t need to be. I believe that it is a team sport, as high-quality films take a lot of time, money, and hard work. Having the support from those around you is invaluable, and I think as a region we have the power to tell some incredible stories. Looking ahead, what are your ambitions both for your own filmmaking and for Lounge Trip? If we were having this conversation again in five years' time, what would you hope had changed for filmmaking in the East Midlands? There’s no point aiming low when it’s something I care so deeply about. I am going to continue making short films and work towards directing features. I think film is such a unique way of telling stories, and I am so keen to experiment with it and do my bit to push the medium forward. That goal isn’t separate from what we’re building with Lounge Trip. I want to create an environment in the East Midlands where filmmakers are able to produce innovative work, regardless of their background.
Q
@loungetrip_
F
IS FOR
FILM words: Derry Shillitto Nottingham is a city for film. So why don’t we act like it? Between 2002 and 2013, EM Media helped produce This Is England, Control, Bronson, Mum & Dad and Dead Man's Shoes. British classics that put our region on the cinematic map. Proof that regional film funding works is staring us in the face. Yet Nottingham still has no dedicated feature film production fund. I know the struggle firsthand. Our Nottingham feature The Correction Unit was financed through fifteen sources, bank loans, credit cards and an embarrassing number of favours. It took two years to shoot, involved 250 East Midlands creatives and gave forty young people their first industry experience. When we finally screened it to a sold-out Broadway Cinema in September 2025, it felt like we'd survived an unforgiving siege. Since its release, a huge number of opportunities have opened up for our young actors and crew. Nottingham isn't short of talent. Bella Ramsey, Jack O'Connell, Vicky McClure, Samantha Morton and Spike Fearn all came through Nottingham Television Workshop and will be seen on many red carpets during awards season. Award-winning cinematographers like Jermaine Edwards and producers Anna Griffin and Alistair Clark are based here. Yet many leave for work. We're training talent for London and Manchester's benefit. Lovely of us. Meanwhile, local filmmakers make ambitious films through desperate determination and a healthy dose of stupidity. Inspiring, but unsustainable. East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward recently recognised film's importance to the visitor economy at the Visit East Midlands launch event. Productions fill hotels, employ local businesses and put places on the map. Imagine a funded industry where young filmmakers get paid, production companies grow and Nottingham stories reach international audiences. It surely is a no-brainer. This monthly column will celebrate filmmakers grafting against the odds and make a racket. Hopefully, those holding the purse strings will recognise an industry primed and ready. It just needs investment. There's plenty to talk about. See you next month.
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@FoyleRiverFilms
L E T T H E M E M O RY L I V E AG A I N
MUSIC BY
A N D R E W L LOY D W E B B E R BASED ON
‘OLD POSSUM’S BOOK OF PRACTICAL CATS’ BY
T. S . E L I OT
MICHAEL HARRISON FOR LLOYD WEBBER HARRISON MUSICALS PRESENTS A REGENT’S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE PRODUCTION
WED 6 – SAT 16 JAN TRCH.CO.UK
Celebrate Christmas at Party Bookings
1st - 24th December
Christmas Set Menu
Lunch & Dinner
Authentic homemade French cuisine since 1994 ! frenchliving.co.uk
27 King Street, Nottingham, NG1 2AY – 0115 958 5885 Illustrations by @tacosfever3000
Christmas Afternoon Tea Beeston Trinity square Sherwood From 27th November Handmade by our talented team, this year’s treats include chocolate orange scones, pigs in blankets sausage rolls & amaretto brandy snap. Must be booked in advance. Large group bookings and private dining available.
book for afternoon tea
words: Lucy Campion photo: Avy Photography
In the era of social media and ‘always on’ culture, true secrecy has become a rarity. Everyone wants the details immediately or they lose interest. The mystery surrounding the Secret Tart Club (STC) is what makes it so intriguing. A networking group for ambitious women, STC promises connection over tea and the most delicious French tarts you will find outside of France - if you can trust the unknown. All event details (including the location) remain under wraps until the last moment. As the summer gathering approached, Sabrina faced pressure to reveal information but staying true to her vision mattered more. “Everybody was saying you need to disclose the location of the event but I said no. I knew I was probably taking out more than 50% of the people who might buy tickets by not sharing details, but I was okay with that.”
FROM THE KITCHEN
with Marcus Lewsley, owner & head chef at Raymond's
When did you first know you wanted to make food for a living? I’ve always had an interest in food from a young age. I put cooking on the back burner while working as an engineer, but when I became self-employed I found myself with more time to explore it again. What person has been the biggest influence on your cooking and why? One chef who’s always stood out to me is Lee Tiernan, who I first met when eating at Black Axe Mangal in London. His unapologetic approach to food and cooking over fire whilst using simple ingredients to create incredible flavours really stuck with me. Describe your venue in three words. Proper nice gaff. What’s the best selling item on your current menu and why? Our pork chop is probably our biggest seller, and I genuinely think it’s because it’s such a good dish that lets the ingredients speak for themselves. What’s your personal favourite item on your current menu and why? At the moment it’s our beef sausage with creamed corn and burnt pepper salsa. It’s one of those dishes where every element complements the other. What/where was the best meal you have ever cooked? During lockdown I spent a lot of time cooking outside over fire with my friend Jack, and some of the food we made together is still among my favourite food memories. Other than your own place, where do you eat out most in Notts? Shanghai Shanghai, without a doubt. It’s stripped back, there’s nothing particularly fancy about it, but the food is absolutely incredible. Who are your five ideal dinner party guests, alive or dead? And what’s on the menu? First would have to be my grandad Raymond, who the restaurant is named after. Then I’d have Nigella Lawson, Mike Skinner, Thierry Henry and Action Bronson. Food-wise, it’d be slow braised lamb shoulder flatbreads with kebab sauce, labneh and pickled chillies. Find Raymond’s at 8 Stoney St, Nottingham NG1 1LP.
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Q @raymondsnottingham
Surprise was non-negotiable for Sabrina. “I love being surprised and try not to judge things before experiencing them. I come with an open mind and full heart. I want people to arrive at Secret Tart Club, not knowing what to expect, then experience something that makes them go ‘wow!’.”
I thouGht, I might not have the right tools or contacts, but I know how to create magic STC grew organically from Sabrina’s French tart business, which she runs with her husband. “It all started with Lily Rose Tarts. Whenever we delivered our tarts, I would always stay by the door chatting!” “99% of our customers are women and I realised how much we had in common, so I thought it would be interesting to bring them together. I wanted to create a nice setting with a creative, elevated vibe and our product at the centre.” Facilitating networking opportunities was also part of her motivation. “I believe that to succeed you need to surround yourself with the right crowd. You cannot succeed alone. I wanted to
do this for myself and others.” The signature tarts were also born from a little secrecy, after some suspiciously good home baking from Sabrina’s husband led to a revelation. “When we married, he said ‘I don't cook, I don't bake’ but then he told me he would help out at his sister’s bakery as a child and the skills never left him.” “When he came up with the final product, it was incredible. In French we say ‘convivial’, meaning bringing people together. You slice a tart, put it in the middle of the table and everybody enjoys.” This sense of connection extends from the tarts to every STC event. “My motto is take the risk or lose the chance,” says Sabrina. “I didn't want to do what is trendy or what definitely works, I wanted to do it my way. I thought, ‘Okay I might not have the right tools or contacts, but I know how to create magic’.” And magic was certainly felt at STC’s summer gathering, set in the dreamy grounds of Blotts Country Club. Guests dressed in their finery for motivating talks by female entrepreneurs, a market showcasing women-led businesses, elegant afternoon tea and, at the heart of it all, a spectacular display of French tarts. lilyrosetarts.com
LIFE BEHIND BARS
with Tommi Levitt, General Manager at Loose Ends Tell us something interesting about your pub/bar… We specialise in quirky craft cocktails and unconventional flavours. Also every wine, drink and food item on our menu is vegan. What's the best thing about your job? It’s an excellent creative outlet, and our clientele – we have a lovely collection of regulars that stop by throughout the week, I genuinely look forward to catching up with them and subjecting them to my latest creations. What's the worst? Maid Marian way – we’re a three minute walk from the town square but the road is such a barrier to Nottingham night life. On the one hand it allows us to have a more relaxed suburban atmosphere right in the city centre, but people hesitate to walk out here once they’re in the hub of bars and restaurants. What's your best selling drink? Of all time it would have to be the Coffee Cream and Cigarettes. Created by one of our owners Julien, it’s a blend of Tonka liqueur, Lillet Rose and La Medida mezcal finished with a salted coffee and agave cream. Smokey, decadent and delightful. What's your most expensive drink? Barring bottles of wine, £12.50 for our top shelf classic cocktails. Describe your bar or pub in three words? Welcoming, whimsical and adventurous. Who's the most famous person you've had drinking in your place? Recently, we had a couple of the England cricket team and the coach pop in. What's the best thing a customer has ever said to you? “That might be the nicest thing I’ve ever drank, I’ll take three more” How would you persuade someone who's never visited your bar to entice them in? Come and say hello. You can have something familiar and comforting or try something you’ve never thought could or would work in a cocktail. We also have a stunning old Italian coffee machine and serve excellent coffee until we close the doors at midnight! Find Loose Ends at 92 Friar Ln, Nottingham NG1 6EB.
Q @loose____ends
FOOD
on.co.uk n.co.uk
Secret Tart Club
When we first heard of a mysterious Secret Tart Club bringing women together across Nottingham, we didn’t know what to expect. Lucy Campion attended the club’s summer soirée and spoke to founder Sabrina.
literature interview & photos: Grace Sanders
Bulwell based author Charles Towlson tells us about his latest novel, Creep, a psychological story about a guy called Zeek who lives in a basement, which explores connection, memory, and the enduring impact of people from our past… What made you settle on the title Creep? It really initiated itself very early on, because of the opening scene; it starts off with that word, which then recurs throughout the whole novel, so I knew from that it was going to be the title. How much of Creep is inspired by real events, and what inspired you to tell this particular story? In 2025, I was working around the pond when I found this item… (Charles pulls a metal fairy with glass amber wings and a heart-shaped gem in the centre from a pouch.) I’d never seen it before in the garden. When I found it, I was absolutely amazed that I'd never come across it before. I just thought, “Wow, this is fantastic.” Two weeks later, I got a card from someone I didn’t know. This was the card. (He shows me a card with a similar fairy on the front). It was written to me to tell me that my friend Pat had died. It made me think these two items appearing together, just two weeks apart, were like a sign. That became my main source of inspiration. Pat was an old friend who I used to work with in the late 70s. We were very close, and although she was just a friend, she was a very good friend. Creep is really about what happened to her over 47 years, from 1978 to 2025, when she died. Why did you choose the basement as such an important part of Zeek's world? I chose a basement as a key setting because they’re quite shady places at times. In films, when someone goes down to the basement, you know something bad is going to happen; they have a certain vibe, so it seemed like the right place for Zeek to live. The novel explores the fine line between being misunderstood and being exactly what people think you are. Do you think this is a central question? Absolutely. A lot of people like Zeek as a character, and they like some of the things he does or says, but then on the very next page, or even in the very next sentence, you suddenly don’t like what he does or says. Many times, people understand him and feel a kind of sympathy for him, but then, at the flick of a coin, he suddenly loses all that respect. So, in some ways, he is both understood and misunderstood.
Is there a particular take away your hoping readers will have from this story, a feeling or idea you would like to have stick with them? I haven’t got an immediate answer to that, but I do like the religious and faith-based aspects of the book. The Biblical quotations and statements sometimes make you think in a very psychological way, but also in a way that can ground you and make you think about life as a whole. One of the key moments is when Zeek talks about how much he hates the world at times, but then has these beautiful small moments that bring him hope and comfort. There’s also this idea of people feeling a little disconnected from one another at times, which gives some commentary on how the world can feel sometimes. So I hope it encourages readers to reconnect with the people in their lives, or the people they once knew as well. What has been the most surprising reaction or
I think the kindness in him came from experiences, my age, and some of the work I’ve done over the years, including the many jobs I’ve had helping people takeaway you have heard from readers of the novel so far? The storyline has definitely surprised a few people. A couple of the characters have come across very strongly. My personal favourite is Ron, and people’s reactions to him. He is a bit of a chameleon, and he’s someone I’d quite like to be. People have mentioned characters and aspects of them which they see in themselves or in other people, both aspects they like and things they aren’t, but perhaps would like to be. Zeek is described as someone people trust without knowing why. How did you create a character who feels both caring and unsettling? I think the kindness in him came from experiences,
my age, and some of the work I’ve done over the years, including the many jobs I’ve had helping people. But I also know that there is an undercurrent in most people that can sometimes be surprising. I developed this character who was helpful to virtually everybody, but at the same time had this background and unknown life that he lived both inside his mind and physically in some ways. Sometimes the two didn't quite marry up. It’s always nice to hear, because this is part of why we read: to discover characters, to escape, and to find characters we relate to who can help us understand a deeper part of ourselves, as well as characters we might not relate to or like at all. Without giving too much, is there a particular moment readers have responded to? I think if I had to say anything, it would be when Zeek sees Pam’s granddaughter and realises she’s the spitting image of the young Pam he knew back when they worked together. It gives him a sense of hope that he can be with her again in some small way. I think people liked that point because it’s a full-circle moment; he’s able to go on walks in the park and have conversations with her, just like he did with Pam in his younger years. The blurb promises that by the last page we'll understand Zeek completely, but won't know what to do with that. What made you want to leave readers feeling that way? Book two, really; I’d like people to want to come back for more. I’ve actually written a first draft of the sequel, which is in Poland at the moment. My wife is Polish, so we go to visit a few times a year, and it’s a great escape that allows me the opportunity to write. I left book two over there on purpose, though, so I can come back to it with a fresh head and fresh ideas when I redraft. The sequel starts where this one leaves off, but goes in a new direction, with similar psychological themes.
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literature A WOMAN’S WORLD interview: Katherine Monk-Watts
Nottingham poet, theatre maker, and workshop facilitator Leanne Moden tells us all about her latest poetry collection Ophelia of the Bathtub – a vivid and defiant depiction of womanhood – her creative process, current projects, and dismantling patriarchy. Beginning the poetry collection with darker feminist themes in A Little Like Drowning and then ending on the earnestly hopeful Ars Poetica felt like a full-circle moment when reading... was this, and choosing the poems in that particular order, intentional? When you're writing a collection, you have to think about what the order of the poems is and what kind of emotional story you're telling throughout the text. There are loads of ways to do this – you can do poems chronologically, by mood, or by feeling. But for this collection, I was really interested in, like you say, starting us off with some quite dark pieces, but ending on something hopeful – the idea that we start with a problem and we're ruminating over it, or something that feels insurmountable, then we find a way to not necessarily overcome it, but make peace with it – to find ways to live. I think that's the narrative arc that I was going for. There are some dark things about being a woman in the modern world, but there are also some really beautiful things. Some of these poems date right back to 2017-2021. I’m curious about the creative process of writing those into this collection... There's lots of different ways that you can write a collection. You can start with a theme and then write the poems to theme. But what I tend to do is take my sweet time, often ten years or so, and find themes that are preoccupying me in that time period. My previous collection was about belonging and ostracisation and the dichotomy between those things. Then for this collection, I found that when I put the poems I was proud of together, this idea of womanhood and feminism and my navigating the world changing as I age was an emerging theme. I think you'll find this if you're a writer of poetry or short stories – when you come to look at them together, you will find, ‘Oh, this is what's been on my mind this entire time’ – those preoccupations are where the beauty of the collection lies. I also think it's the deteriorating political state of the world when it comes to how major political parties in the UK and other places are sort of turning on women and have been for the last sort of five, six,
seven years or so. When I was in my early 20s, it felt like the progressive mainstream had sort of won, and it felt like we were in a position where a lot of the things that we had fought for had come to pass. I think what the last ten years or so has taught us is nothing's ever set in stone. Anything we fight for can be taken again, and that, I think, is in the back of my mind when I'm writing this kind of poetry.
I think what the last ten years or so has taught us is nothing's ever set in stone. Anything we fight for can be taken again, and that, I think, is in the back of my mind when I'm writing this kind of poetry Which poem would you say you found the easiest or the most complicated to write, and which ones are your favourites? Hypothetically Speaking fell out of me because it’s based on a real event. At the time, people I told brushed it off as no big deal, but revisiting it twenty years later showed me how heavy it really was. Performing it now, I see how it speaks to others, especially women, who’ve likely been in similar situations. I was reticent to share it because my last collection had so many light, funny poems. My favourite is the wild swimming poem (as a middle-aged white woman, I’m naturally drawn to it!). It brings together themes of the body, water, shedding inhibitions, and nature – all recurring in the collection. It’s a joy to perform. I’m also excited by the structure in some of these poems, like sonnets or rhyming pieces, which feel unfashionable now. Contemporary poetry often leans into free verse, but I love how form and content can challenge conventional patriarchal structures in poetry. Sometimes a poem needs strict form; other times, it thrives in freedom. Poetry should be liberating, not restrictive. Do you ever feel a sense of maternal protectiveness when leading your writing workshops? You’re writing about these themes, and you see a lot of young female writers doing the same... One hundred percent. Creative writing workshops
– at least the ones I’ve experienced – tend to attract the more disenfranchised young people: a lot of LGBTQ+ youth; young people who don’t quite know their place in the world. It clicks a switch. You want to go: 'I need to protect these creative, inspirational, lovely, sensitive young people from the world!’ Obviously, I can’t do that for everyone I work with, but I think there’s something valuable in giving them the tools to write their own stories. It’s not necessarily protection magic, but it’s a way to empower them to talk about their experiences and hopefully become agents for change. Tell us about other creative projects you’ve been involved with… This summer, I was the artist-in-residence at the National Civil War Centre in Newark. It’s a lovely museum, I highly recommend visiting! The residency, funded by Arts Council England, involved exploring the hidden histories behind the museum’s objects. I spent four and a half months in a studio there, chatting with visitors, running workshops, and creating a piece of storytelling, poetry, and theatre based on those experiences. I’m also a co-host for podcast We the Poets, alongside Jay Sandhu, Mark Grist, Charley Genever, and Keely Mills. We interview performance poets from across the UK about their practice, their challenges, and the small joys of the job. We’re in our third series now and hoping to secure funding for a fourth. Some standout episodes include Joelle Taylor discussing her latest projects and Harry Baker sharing. I’m working on a project with Juno Women’s Aid in November. We’re running creative writing workshops with survivors of domestic abuse, culminating in a small anthology of their work. There’ll be a closed performance (given the sensitive nature of the group) and we’ll raise a bit of money for Juno too. It should be really special. Ophelia of the Bathtub is available to purchase online and at selected outlets. leannemoden.com
Two intimate evenings of sonic magic in the warmth of By Our Hands We Make Our Way (Sneinton Market)
SAM MOSS LEAH SINEAD ALEX HALE Saturday 7 November, 8pm
PEFKIN JACKEN ELSWYTH MELANIE PEGGE Saturday 21 November, 8pm Tickets £10. BYOB. Communal food.
Nottingham Playhouse in association with KPPL Productions, Mark Gordon Pictures, Eilene Davidson Productions presents
‘A STATE-OF-THE-NATION MASTERPIECE’ THE TELEGRAPH
WINNER OF TWO OLIVIER AWARDS, INCLUDING BEST NEW PLAY
INSPIRED BY THE TRUE STORY BY
JAMES GRAHAM JACOB DUNNE
BASED ON THE BOOK RIGHT FROM WRONG BY
MON 25 JAN – SAT 6 FEB 2027
Box Office 0115 941 9419 nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk
art
artworks
words: Bea Giaquinto photos: Alex Wilkinson Media
making space interview: Imogen Parish photos: @highway61photography
If you’re looking for hidden gems in Hockley, there is nowhere better than Cobden Chambers – home to The Drawing Room Gallery & Tattoo Studio. Built for artists by artists, at the centre of their mission is a radical promise: local artists pay nothing upfront to exhibit their work and still get to keep the majority of their profits. We interviewed gallery manager Luke Bagley, and Emily Sewell, partner of the gallery and the owner of Paper Skin Tattoo. The Drawing Room opened almost a year ago in December 2025. Looking back, what specific obstacles did you see local artists facing in Nottingham that made you say, ‘We need to create a different kind of space’? Luke: It was Emily and her business partner Bo’s idea to form the place. Bo’s an ex-art school teacher, and he felt that emerging artists had nowhere to put their artwork that wouldn't rip them off or charge them huge commissions. The ethos behind the place was to create a space for anybody, really, who wants to show their talent and not be ripped off for it. How does removing traditional commission fees change the trajectory for emerging local artists? Luke: It gives them more ownership over their artwork, because as they sell, they're getting the majority of that money. We encourage artists to put that money back into their art with materials, equipment, time, lessons – whatever they might need to further their career. We want them to feel like it is not an unachievable thing to get into a gallery. Emily, why was integrating a tattoo studio central to your setup from the beginning?Emily: It enables us to keep commissions low as the tattoo studio covers our costs, so we then don't have to worry about making loads of money in the gallery. Instead, we can actually focus on trying to sell work for the artists rather than having to sell stuff for us. They also get to work with a group of artists from the tattoo studio, so there is networking involved. The Drawing Room offers artists’ guidance from art experts and bookings to host your own private catered event. How do communityfocused events help keep the gallery self-sustaining without having to rely on corporate sponsorship? Luke: We don't do events to make money. We just do them. We enjoy having a sip and sketch in the morning because it's just nice to see people being creative. There isn't really a financial incentive behind it, just bringing it back to building up the art community. It’s leftlion.co.uk 3838leftlion.co.uk
nice to see fifteen people sitting in the sun with a coffee, learning different techniques.
For this month’s Art Works we hear from Bea Giaquinto, the artist behind a forthcoming exhibition about homelessness at St Mary’s Church, which marks the 25th anniversary of local charity Framework. The exhibition is called From Trauma to Hope to Independence. It is a commissioned exhibition celebrating Framework Housing Association’s 25th Anniversary and is a creative response to working with both Framework service users and staff through art and spoken word workshops, and individual sessions and interviews.
Emily: It's better for people to have an opportunity to get out and do something that doesn't cost them. We can offer a three-hour drawing session for free; why not? It doesn't cost us anything, and if there are artists out there that want to run sessions for the experience, we'd be more than happy for them to come and run a session like that.
We encourage artists to put that money back into their art with materials, equipment, time, lessons, whatever they might need to further their career Looking ahead, what's your ambition for the gallery over the next coming years? Emily: I think the ambition is to continue to build our little art community. To continue growing the tattoo side as well. We've taken on a couple of apprentices and things for tattooing. I'd love to run more sessions. Luke: We've got no intention of expanding to a bigger place or anything like that. It's just that we like this cute little thing here, building our own art collection. Find The Drawing Room at Unit 2, Cobden Chambers, Pelham St, Nottingham NG1 2ED thedrawingroomgallery.co.uk
from the archive of Framework Annual Reports – 25 years of printed documents telling the story of the charity and the impact it has made on people’s lives. I recycled many of these documents and transformed them into handmade paper, stitched together creating a patchwork blanket. This ‘blanket’ is a metaphor for the safety and care that has been discussed and valued by so many of the individuals that myself, Inge and Stickman met and worked with during the workshops. Night ‘til Dawn is an ambient soundscape installation created from background noises experienced by people who are rough sleeping. Walking around the exhibition, you become aware of the different sounds from locations that are places to rest; water flowing under a bridge, traffic noise, a car park, footsteps on the streets, the nighttime economy and the dawn chorus.
Night ‘til Dawn is a subtle, ambient soundscape installation created from the background noises experienced by people who are rough sleeping I was selected as the featured artist for this project, but because of how I wanted to work I invited Inge Tong and poet David ‘Stickman’ Higgins to be my collaborators. Both are wonderful artists with vast experience of working creatively with groups of people with empathy, attention and care. The set of three works I created for the exhibition are rooted in the moving and powerful conversations with service users and staff about their personal experiences and the opportunity to experience a ‘behind the scenes’ insight to the North Nottinghamshire Street Outreach team in Mansfield. One piece, Caught and Held, is a response to the description of Framework being a safety net – having caught people and prevented them from ‘falling through the cracks.’ The work also captures a profound moment in an art workshop at a women’s project where, whilst making small pinch pots, participants shared their personal stories about their individual uniqueness, and similarities of experience. Each ceramic vessel is unique, and representative of an individual supported over a safety net. Coperta is a mixed media work created
My creative process always starts with meeting an individual or group who have experiences and stories to tell. For example, refugees, care leavers, people with eating disorders. I work therapeutically with them (I am trained counsellor and art therapist). My art practice involves as a response to everything I have learned from them. I never tell another’s story, that is certainly not mine to tell. My work becomes a window into an experience – sensitively and respectfully, I hope. From being a small child I always created, made, collected, curated things. The world and people are my inspiration. I moved to Notts in 1986 to do a year of Textile Design at Trent Polytechnic and then transferred to the Creative Arts Degree. In 1993 I did an MA in Fine Art at Nottingham Trent Uni. I have always been inspired by the 1960s Italian art movement ‘Arte Povera’ and I love the work of many artists, especially, Ai Weiwei, Cornelia Parker and John Newling. There is a lot I could say about homelessness, but I want to thank all the Framework service users and staff for sharing your experiences. I am in awe of your resilience and courage. We should all remember that each of us has a story to tell and deserves dignity and respect. From Trauma to Hope to Independence takes place at St Mary’s Church between Tues 17 – Sun 22 November. A virtual exhibition takes place in Nottingham Central Library on selected afternoons in January 2027 and at Stealth during Beat the Streets Festival on Sun 31 January 2027. frameworkha.org
community
Soft Launch Social
words: Niamh Portess illustration: Eloise Idoine
Making friends as an adult is hard – despite loneliness being a common issue, it is rarely talked about openly. Enter Soft Launch Social: a speed dating event for friendships that was set up earlier this year and takes place at Bustler Food Hall in Sneinton Market Avenues. We spoke to founder Meigan to hear about the curation of the event, how the event unfolds, and the impact it’s already having on the community in Nottingham. A recent survey by the Office of National Statistics, reported that almost a quarter of UK adults feel lonely, showing just how common the issue really is. Interestingly, it is these younger adults that are finding it difficult, with around 30% of 16–35-yearolds feeling lonely compared with just 16% of over 70s. Without those built-in structures of school or university that young adults have been used to for years, making friends and finding a group of people you connect with all of a sudden feels difficult and daunting. Here, an idea was born. In April 2026, Meigan set out to change this statistic, letting Nottingham open its doors to a brand-new event – the Soft Launch Social. The idea came to Meigan in February after speaking to many friends, colleagues, and family about how tricky it was to make friends after moving to Nottingham. “After sitting down with my partner, I realised just how hard it can be,” she told me. “His group of friends had all moved away.” The Soft Launch Social aims to tackle this exact feeling, focusing their events on making real connections and aiming to reduce the stigma around adult loneliness. All events are therefore LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent friendly, and aimed at the ages of 2135, with a goal of making friendships more accessible and relaxing. I went along to Bustler where the event takes place to see this first hand. People were naturally nervous, but Meigan had done an amazing job at creating a calming space for the attendees – making sure the room wasn’t too loud and adding sensory toys and cards highlighting where to access support. When I arrived, strangers were already chatting and laughing with one another, and as Meigan started the event she made it clear that there was no pressure to speak and that people could leave as and when they pleased. Frequent breaks in the event also helped to create a more natural connection as many went off to get drinks together
or even used the whole time to continue chatting. Since launching, the events have soared in popularity, with Meigan herself saying that she was really surprised how well received the events were. “This was an idea I came up with in my spare time and has become something I love to do,” she said. Most events to date have sold out, with many people returning for multiple and some even travelling from further afield just to attend. At the time of writing, Soft Launch Social has hosted eight successful events and created more than 1000 friendship matches. What began as a problem among a group of people has struck a chord in the city, its success showing how widespread difficulties around making friends can be.
Without those built-in structures of school or university that young adults have been used to for years, making friends and finding a group of people you connect with all of a sudden feels difficult and daunting. Here, an idea was born The people of Nottingham could not be more welcoming to the idea. “The whole idea of the event was just brilliant,” said one attendee. “There’s nothing like it already, and it was a great way to meet new people”. Another attendee agreed commenting on just how scary making new friends could be, saying that they were “really glad” they pushed themselves to come after initially feeling nervous. Many individuals have continued their friendships outside of the socials, with groups making plans to meet up again. After speaking to Meigan at her event in early August, she explained that many people have
stayed in touch long after the night has ended, with many going out later in the evening or completing the quiz at Bustler’s Food Hall. It has even been the start of romantic relationships. For Meigan, it is proof that the idea has done exactly what she had hoped, and it gives her the confidence to expand even further. In July, Meigan announced two Pride events, which both sold out ahead of time and raised over £260 for Notts LGBTQ+ in the process. Partnering with Handmade Nottingham and Lush on the events, she is now thinking of expanding Soft Launch Social to more groups and places across the UK, including Sheffield and Leeds. In the past few months Meigan launched more events; a dedicated guys' and girls’ event in September and a craft social in October. She is also looking to work with some of student accommodations to introduce a dedicated student night, opening the idea to a younger audience and giving students another way to meet people outside Nottingham’s nightlife. At its heart, the Soft Launch Social is just about making that first step towards community a little bit easier. What started as a simple idea to help people make friends in a new city has quickly brought hundreds of people together across Nottingham. In just a few months, Soft Launch Social has hopefully created lasting friendships and new relationships. Whether you head along by yourself or with a group of people, the events serve as a place where connections are made, and it is clear that Nottingham may only be the beginning. The next Soft Launch Social takes place on Wednesday 4 November 2026 between 6.30 -8.30pm at Bustler Food Hall. A Queer Speed Friending (21-35) event happens Saturday 21 November at Bustler between 2-4pm. Head to their socials to find out more and book.
Q @soft_launch_social
music
In Bloom words: Caradoc Gayer photos: Ralfs Kazaks
Notts ambient rockers Eyre Llew became local heroes in Notts in the late 2010s, and went on to tour their immersive sound across continents. Now, they’re back with their second album: Bloom, and a show this month at The Nest, which is set to be truly spectacular… For bands, the UK is far from supportive – most only just break even when touring, or releasing an album. Notts band Eyre Llew – Sam Heaton, Jack Bennet, and Jack Clark – came to terms with that years ago, driving back from their first shows in Europe. While there, they’d received a 600 euro gig fee, accommodation, and food. On the way back to Notts, they checked on the money they had left, after paying for petrol and ferry tickets. “Jack Clark said, ‘I think we’ve got forty quid’. That’s when we came to the summary that as much as it’s more time and effort to do European stuff, it’s cost effective, in that it makes as much as touring in the UK. But we get fun, memories and tourism,” remembers Heaton. Through twelve years as a band, Eyre Llew have been pretty transparent about the challenges working musicians face, and are just as open about how they informed the making of their new, second album: Bloom. The story of that album goes back to Covid, which upended the lives of lots of DIY musicians, including Eyre Llew. “We had in effect an album ready to go,” says Heaton, adding, “then lockdown happened, and no one could meet up for a year and a bit, then no one could record properly for another six to nine months.” Though Covid dealt them a “massive financial hit”, it wasn’t an unwelcome break from relentless international touring. They took it as a moment to refocus on their personal lives, and solidify their day jobs – Heaton for instance, leading events programming at well known Notts venues like Rough Trade, Saltbox, and later The Nest. Eventually, when time and restrictions allowed, Heaton and Clark took weekend trips to play music with Bennet, where he lived in Lincolnshire. “The only thing we could do was those two hour drives to Lincoln, and keep being a band,” remembers Clark. “Even though you don’t know when the next gig’s going to be, or the next offer, or anything…” New songs came together, often differently to songs on the first album, which often formed from on the spot rehearsal room jams. “With this album you’re doing things remotely, so we had time between rehearsals to think about parts,” says Bennet. “So
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there’s variety in terms of song structures – it feels like a progression of our writing and production. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we’re really proud of this album because of the challenges that came with putting it together in the conditions that we had.” While their 2017 record Atelo might have been a bit more ‘post rocky’, with songs led by sonic experimentation, Bloom varies things up, and draws out emotion from more recognisable song structures. Song titles like Minigsby and Oban are locations in Lincolnshire and Scotland that are meaningful to the guys, while the lyrics, similarly, are slightly more grounded, focusing on small scale moments or, in the case of Rainbow Bridge, drawing inspiration from a comforting 1959 poem about what happens when pets pass away.
No band ever fails. They just stop because it becomes too hard. As long as you’re enjoying it and pushing yourself, that’s its own success “At the time of writing this I really fell in love with the idea of including things like place names, and smaller details to try and bring the song to life, not just to make it more personal, but more vivid,” says Heaton. “There’s a song by The National that mentions London which I thought was kind of cool. It immediately puts the song in context of a place, and what you’re doing that day.” When the songs had mostly come together it wasn’t nearly as simple as getting the record released. Various folks in Notts might remember the fundraising shows they put on, so that it could get fully recorded, mixed, mastered (eventually at Abbey Road Studios), printed and distributed. It was while putting these shows together the guys realised these new songs’ complexity required expanding Eyre Llew to a five piece – enter Laurie Illingworth (piano and drums) and Russ Clark (bass). “It felt very natural when we brought them on, because we didn’t have to do everything ourselves,”
says Clark. “I was playing piano, stompbox, singing, and drums all at the same time, and now it’s just like I can relax and focus on drums, and for JB we can get focused on having his guitar toned and sounding as good as possible.” Those years of work, and steps towards producing the best record possible, are coming to a head at their November headline show at The Nest, which the guys are certain is going to be their most special yet, and a celebration of everything they’ve accomplished. “We’ve got one of Nottingham’s biggest indoor screens, and we’ve also hired in, on top of what they have there, sixteen light fixtures,” says Heaton. “Then add to that, this is probably the first time we’re playing some of these songs live from the new record and we’re playing it as a five piece. Long story short, I think production wise – sound and visually – it’s going to be such a step up from anything we’ve ever done before.” Looking back on the story of Eyre Llew, what makes it special, for us here in Notts, is how far and wide they’ve travelled, getting music from our city in the ears of innumerable folks from Europe to Asia. And they’ve endured, too, when many bands like them have lost steam – they mostly attribute that to how Eyre Llew is more of an investment in their friendship, and growth as people, than a linear path to fame or fortune. They’d advise any young band in Nottingham, looking to endure like they have, to see music in that way. “No band ever fails. They just stop because it becomes too hard. As long as you’re enjoying it and pushing yourself, that’s its own success,” says Bennet. “So my advice would be to focus on those things. If you do it because you love what you’re doing, and you’re doing it with people you love, you’re always going to have a good time, you’re always going to get something out of it, and it’s always going to be a life well spent.” Eyre Llew play The Nest on Sun 15 November, with various special guests. Grab your tickets from gigantic. com. Bloom is out now.
Q @eyrellew
SCAN ME
ACTIVATING INTERSECTIONS
FAMILIAR STRANGERS
BY QUILLA CONSTANCE
CURATED BY RASTARELLA FALADE
EXHIBITION
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music
MUSIC REVIEWS
Wayne Banks Cold River (Single)
Q @banksy_therealone_official We sometimes encounter problems in life that we can’t resolve; however, we might be able to find an acceptable workaround, and Cold River demonstrates this idea nicely, directing attention away from a wider issue to one of more personal and introspective nature. Wayne says the inspiration for the number came to him in an instant after hearing an acoustic guitar line penned by his musical associate, James Cole: “Sometimes someone unlocks something in you that you couldn’t have found on your own,” he explains, The song is gentle and soothing, putting a comforting arm around the listener with reassuring lines like “You’re not travelling this journey on your own” and “I’ll be here when darkness returns to light.” Wayne’s laidback acoustic fretwork is clear and precise throughout, tenderly delivering the message that whilst he might not be able to solve the subject’s problems, he can at least help them endure the rigours of the "cold river". (Claire Spencer)
Matt Blaney Ode to Yer Mam (Single)
Q @matt.blaney LeftLion readers, you may already know Matt Blaney as the writer behind our monthly Truth or Legend column. However, if you didn’t already know, he’s also a very accomplished singersongwriter and this week, he has dropped his debut single. Featuring just his distinctive vocals and an acoustic
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guitar, the song is filled with warm autumnal textures and showcases Blaney’s knack for witty, tongue-in-cheek storytelling and emotional honesty. Throughout the song, he seemingly takes aim at a former best friend, reaching out to the person’s “Mam” and describing troublesome escapades to which she may not be privy. “Where did you go so wrong?” he pointedly asks with an Alex Turneresque cooing vocal, seemingly longing for his former friend to correct his bad behaviour. Open, honest and carrying no pretence, Ode To Yer Mam demonstrates Blaney’s natural songwriting ability for turning his own thoughts and feelings into relatable, heartfelt singalongs. With this being just the starting point, we’re already looking forward to what’s next. (Karl Blakesley)
WHATS IN A NAME
Pillow Fort Indefinite, but not Forever (Album)
Q @pillowfortUK On their debut album, Nottingham emo outfit Pillow Fort channel the visceral and human. With a solid mix of catchy, twinkly instrumentation and deeply heartfelt lyrics, the record focuses on every facet of existence. Moments like the fastpaced Codename Kids Next Year are exciting and fun, whereas the slower, more airy tracks really emphasise the devastation within lead singer Ryan Crick’s words. It is emotionally honest and heartbreakingly resonant. A highlight would be The Open Sea, with its perfect mix of technically proficient instrumentation and pure, raw words. With the sprawling, delicate, and somewhat visceral closer Marcy, Pillow Fort stand out by giving an absolute masterclass in what modern emo can and should sound like. (Josh Turner)
Make Strangers Everything Feels Familiar (EP)
Q @makestrangers Opening with the zesty To Know You, this is a debut EP bubbling with an overwhelming sense of intention. That first track combines jangly guitar, irresistible rhythms and gorgeously fresh vocals from frontperson Eloise, and does a superb job of introducing this four-track collection from one of Nottingham's newest outfits. The feeling of purposeful, optimistic reflection continues through the rest of the EP. Wasn't It You? takes on funkier overtones, skipping with a light touch through a celebratory relationship story. The off beat hits from the backing vocals add beautiful, foot-tapping syncopation. Love Me Not slows the pace – a sultry ballad which further reveals Eloise's capabilities – before Underestimated takes us home with pulsating guitars and growly slap bass. Make Strangers are exercising their right to create great sounds here, taking the best type of 80s vibes and filtering it through modern eyes and clean production. The result is a perfectly baked, light delight. In January, we foresaw a great future for this indie-pop quartet and this EP (pleasingly) proves us right.
Jazz aficionados in the city are probably already aware of the talent of pianist Lucas Walters, having possibly seen him play at Peggy’s Skylight – Plato’s Cave is his debut single. Lucas draws inspiration from some of jazz music’s greatest artists which he ingeniously incorporates into an individual jazz fusion style. Directly reflecting his own personal experiences, this composition musically explores Plato’s famous allegory about having the courage to accept the need to change your life from the constraints imposed on you. Starting off quietly and introspectively, Lucas’ keyboards weave a slow lilting melody that gradually builds, adding dimension and emotion with the inclusion of bass, saxophone, trumpet and drums. A short contemplative piano solo follows before the band rejoins with a demonstration of some skilful interplay in a dramatic finale.
(Phil Taylor)
(Claire Spencer)
“Earth!? You’re taking me to Earth!? Please anywhere but there… Venus, Mercury or… or! even Pluto dammit! But do not take me to Earth, EARTH IS DOOMED!” - Words of an alien astronaut in an old comic book. Making me chuckle. I hear that mantra in the news, zeitgeist and weather. But we decide how and when those curtains fall. This is the sound of waking up and making the world better. This is the human experience, why we make art and after all, what we regret most, are the chances we never took. Earth is Doomed play at The Mist with Harsh Language on Weds 11 Nov. Q @earth_is_doomed
VENUE SPOTLIGHT The Model in Hockley is a nightclub which celebrates dancing and classic electronic music. The aim upon opening was for it to feel a bit like a slice of Berlin in Nottingham, with stickers placed over smartphone cameras on entry, and if you head along nowadays you’ll see they’re still doing a great job at fulfilling that aim. There’s a purpose-built soundsystem and some of the best DJs and DJ collectives in local underground dance music regularly on the lineup, playing drum and bass, disco, immersive house music, and loads of other genres. On 6 November, they’re celebrating Diwali by hosting DJ collective Cold Brewed.
Q @themodel.ng Lucas Walters Plato's Cave (Single)
Q @lucaswalterspiano
PROMOTER FOCUS Cultural Vibrations, led by Rastarella Falade, is Nottingham’s leading grassroots promoter for global roots music. Seventeen years ago Rastarella joined the Hockley Hustle festival to curate a black origin and world beats music lineup, almost by happenstance, and has since contributed to major city centre occasions like the Nottingham Poetry Festival and Green Festival while curating various other global music festivals across the city.
Q @culturalvibrations If you’re from Nottingham and want to get added to our list of music writers or get your tunes reviewed, hit us up at: music@leftlion.co.uk To listen to these tracks and more, check out the LeftLion channel on Spotify.
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What's on THIS NOVEMBER SUNDAY 1 NOV
Mother Deer Lakeside Arts £10.50-£12, 12.30pm-1.15pm Ghosts of the Gaol The National Justice Museum £15-£16, 6pm-7pm Runs until: Saturday 27 March
Nottingham Comedy Festival Various Locations £0-£20, 12pm-12am It’s the return of our city’s annual ten days of hilarity. The eighth Nottingham Comedy Festival will span multiple different venues including Fisher Gate Point, Canalhouse, Malt Cross, the Cock and Hoop, and more, with a lineup featuring a massive variety of names both wellestablished and up-and-coming. There’s also going to be a variety of performance styles on display: stand-up, improv, and musical, plus a show at Motorpoint by none other than Kevin Bridges. If November’s limited daylight has you feeling a bit down, it’s definitely worth participating in this joyful ten day occasion. Runs until: Sunday 8 November
Play It Again & Mouse-Trapped Fisher Gate Point £7, 6pm-7pm Drag-O-Ween For Palestine By Our Hands We Make Our Way £7-£15, 6pm LA Guns Rescue Rooms £30, 6.30pm Alabama 3 The Bodega £25, 7pm-10pm
The Harley Open The Harley Gallery & Museum Free, 10am-4pm Runs until: Sunday 3 January The Flower & The Wall: Byron Mohammad Hamzah Lakeside Arts Free, 10am-4pm Runs until: Sunday 10 January It’s a Wonderful Protest Bonington Gallery Free, 10am-5pm Runs until: Saturday 12 December Alan Lodge: Common Grounds Bonington Gallery Free, 10am-5pm Runs until: Saturday 12 December Sarah Cunningham: Midnight Sun Nottingham Contemporary Free, 10am-5pm Julia Isídrez: Mud is everything Nottingham Contemporary Free, 10am-5pm Runs until: Sunday 10 January Quilla Constance: Activating Intersections New Art Exchange Imara Charity Art Sale The Nottingham Society of Artists Free, 10am-6pm Studio Open Day Hood Street Studios Free, 11am-5pm
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Outdoors Urban Sketching with Sam Edwards Mansfield Palace Theatre Artist Talk and Exhibition Tour with Quilla Constance New Art Exchange Free, 1.30pm-3pm Chasing Abbey Rescue Rooms £15, 6.30pm-10pm Moon Walker The Bodega £15, 7pm Deaf Havana: Fools & Worthless Liars Rock City £29.50, 7pm
The Blindboy Podcast Live Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 7.30pm Blindboy is an Irish author, screenwriter, musician, and academic, best known for his internationally renowned podcast The Blindboy Podcast (two members of the notts.com/ LeftLion team are particularly big fans of it). He’s currently on a live podcast tour across the UK, and is finishing it off here in Nottingham, at the Theatre Royal. The experience you get at his live shows is known for being relaxing, meditative, and funny, featuring his trademark way of intertwining history, art, culture, and politics, plus an interview with a guest who is well known in whichever city he happens to be in. Two Part Harmony & Witless Fisher Gate Point £7, 7.30pm-8.30pm The Clones Fisher Gate Point £7, 9pm-10pm
MONDAY 2 NOV
Mojafan JamCafe £8, 7pm
Bookmaking Workshop Lakeside Arts £25, 10am-1pm
Collage N Cocktails The Carousel £5, 7pm-10pm
Threads of Labour The National Justice Museum 10am-12pm
Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) Nottingham Playhouse £36-£44.50, 7.30pm Runs until: Saturday 7 November
Traces of Connection: Natural Dye & Block Print Hyson Green Library
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Mansfield Palace Theatre 7.30pm
THURSDAY 5 NOV Drone Show: City of Legends Forest Recreation Ground £1-£10, 5pm-6.30pm Courtney Hadwin Rough Trade £19.16, 6pm
The Woolverstones The Grove £10, 7pm
Kevin Bridges Motorpoint Arena Nottingham Lagosphoto: Stories Of Movement and Belonging Lakeside Arts Runs until: Sunday 10 January
TUESDAY 3 NOV
Breed 77 Rock City £20, 6.30pm-10pm High Society Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall £57-£61.50, 7.30pm
Messa Rescue Rooms £23.50, 7pm-11pm
A classic of Golden Age musical theatre, High Society comes to the Theatre Royal with a brand new, 28 strong cast who are fresh from a well received West End run this summer. First staged in the 90s, and adapted from a 1956 film of the same name, it’s a musical comedy set on Long Island, following various social mishaps between rich socialites in the leadup to a wedding. The director is Rachel Kavanaugh, who has worked on just about every Shakespeare play possible and helmed a box office breaking production of A Christmas Carol in 2017. Runs until: Saturday 7 November
Holy Fawn & Møl The Bodega £20, 7pm Ghost Crater & Negative Space The Grove £6.50-£7, 7pm-10pm Seann Walsh: This is Torture Nottingham Arts Theatre £18, 8pm-9.50pm
FRIDAY 6 NOV
Mean Girls Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall £56-£61.50, 7.30pm Runs until: Saturday 7 November
WEDNESDAY 4 NOV Traces of Connection: Natural Dye & Block Print Hyson Green Library 10.30am-12pm Lo Fidelity Allstars Rescue Rooms £25, 6.30pm-10pm
The Big Moon: Acoustic Rough Trade £15.98, 6pm
Sheer Terror / Sovereign / The Drowns / Blame Fisher Gate Point £18-£20, 7pm-10.30pm
Pure Reason Revolution Rescue Rooms £25, 7pm-11pm
Bleach Lab Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel £17, 7pm-11pm
Gently Tender The Bodega £14, 7pm
Dani Larkin The Grove £13, 7pm
Lustre Lakeside Arts Free, 6pm This arts and crafts market happens every year at Lakeside Arts, the multi-purpose theatre and arts hub which is on the University of Nottingham campus. Featured each time are some of the UK’s most talented artisan makers, who showcase and sell their workmanship, spanning fine jewellery, leather goods, tableware, glass, art work prints, and textiles. It’s an easily accessible event to relax at during a slow, quiet weekend in November, and also a good opportunity to get some Christmas shopping done early. The market is between 6 and 8pm on the Friday, 10am and 5pm on the Saturday, and 10am and 4pm on the Sunday.
SOiL Rock City £27.50, 4.30pm-10pm Editors: Acoustic + Signing Rough Trade £16.36, 6pm Cassia Rescue Rooms £22.50, 6.30pm-10pm The 2026 Annual Burlesquercise Show The Nest £20-£25, 6.30pm-11.59pm Stu Larsen The Bodega £16.50, 7pm-10pm
Wormhole Weekend @ Nottingham Comedy Festival Fisher Gate Point 7.30pm-9pm Club Wormhole describe themselves as an “alt comedy cabaret”, and they put on comedy shows on the first Monday of every month. As part of the Nottingham Comedy Festival they’re taking over local arts hub Fisher Gate Point, which is a short walk from the Motorpoint Arena. They have some great talent on the lineup, including comedy-harpist Catriona Dowden, and Notts performers like Katie Mitchell whose comedy is about growing up in Ilkeston, performer Pan Ini and her insecure knight persona ‘Sir Real’, and acclaimed performance poet and Nottingham Poetry Festival curator Ben Macpherson. Some Conclusions Fisher Gate Point £0-£8, 10pm-11pm ODF, Casnova and Friends Rescue Rooms £4-£6, 10pm-4am Workforce & LSB The Brickworks £10, 10.30pm-3am Disko Kix Movers 7pm-12am
Gig Guide FOR TICKETS AND INFO VISIT ALTTICKETS.COM
SAT.07.NOV.26
Deco ROCK CITY
Employed To Serve & Cabal
SOiL
EYEHATEGOD Converge
FRI.06.NOV.26
FRI.13.NOV.26
SAT.21.NOV.26
THU.03.DEC.26
ROCK CITY
RESCUE ROOMS
ROCK CITY
RESCUE ROOMS
Stu Larsen
De Staat
King No-One
SAT.14.NOV.26
SAT.21.NOV.26
Fat Dog
FRI.06.NOV.26 BODEGA
RESCUE ROOMS
RESCUE ROOMS
Allt
George Gadd + Ozric Tentacles Wings of SAT.21.NOV.26 The Aftermath BODEGA Desire
SAT.07.NOV.26 RESCUE ROOMS
Deco SAT.07.NOV.26
Embrace SUN.15.NOV.26
SUN.22.NOV.26
ROCK CITY
RESCUE ROOMS
SAT.07.NOV.26
Mason Hill
BODEGA
SUN.15.NOV.26
Greg Mendez SUN.08.NOV.26 THE CHAPEL AT THE ANGEL
BODEGA
The Zac Schulze Gang
RESCUE ROOMS
This Is Lorelei TUE.24.NOV.26 RESCUE ROOMS
Xentrix WED.25.NOV.26 RESCUE ROOMS
Dave Lofts Embrace SUN.15.NOV.26 ROCK CITY
UT MON.09.NOV.26 SOLD O BODEGA
Portrayal of Guilt
Employed To Serve & Cabal
TUE.17.NOV.26
TUE.10.NOV.26 ROCK CITY (BETA)
Kid Kapichi
The Gnomes TUE.10.NOV.26 THE CHAPEL AT THE ANGEL
The Wran TUE.10.NOV.26
WED.18.NOV.26 ROCK CITY
WED.18.NOV.26
FRI.04.DEC.26
Gaz Brookfield and the Company of Thieves
Republica THU.26.NOV.26 RESCUE ROOMS
Reverend and the Makers THU.26.NOV.26 ROCK CITY
Tokyo Tea Room THU.26.NOV.26 BODEGA
UT SAT.05.DEC.26 SOLD O
BODEGA
BODEGA
ROCK CITY
Levellers
Knats
UT THU.19.NOV.26 SOLD O ROCK CITY
Saves The Day
THU.19.NOV.26 Ricky Warwick THE PALAIS & The Fighting Little Angels Hearts RESCUE ROOMS
UT FRI.20.NOV.26 SOLD O ROCK CITY
Cardinals
Northside
FRI.27.NOV.26
SAT.05.DEC.26
SAT.05.DEC.26 THE CHAPEL AT THE ANGEL
The Publics SAT.05.DEC.26
Ferocious Dog
THE PALAIS
ROCK CITY
Ash
UT SAT.28.NOV.26 SOLD O
No Cigar
SAT.12.DEC.26 MOTORPOINT ARENA
Good Health Good Wealth Milo Korbenski
BODEGA
Kneecap
Beans on Toast
FRI.27.NOV.26
Grandmas House
BODEGA
UT FRI.04.DEC.26 SOLD O ROCK CITY
RESCUE ROOMS
WED.18.NOV.26
PAINT BY NUMBERS
Getdown Services
Kid Kapichi ROCK CITY
SUN.06. DEC.26
FRI.04.DEC.26
RESCUE ROOMS
OK Go
THU.12.NOV.26
Déjà Vega
1000mods
THU.19.NOV.26
WED.11.NOV.26
BODEGA
THE CHAPEL AT THE ANGEL
C.O.F.F.I.N
BODEGA
THU.19.NOV.26 THE PALAIS
Disgusting Sisters
BODEGA
THU.12.NOV.26
Saves The Day
BODEGA
ROCK CITY
ROCK CITY
RESCUE ROOMS
TUE.17.NOV.26 RESCUE ROOMS
Reverend and the Makers
THU.03.DEC.26
BODEGA
SUN.15.NOV.26
Oh My God! RESCUE ROOMS It’s The Church SUN.08.NOV.26 ASOMVEL
THU.26.NOV.26
THU.03.DEC.26
The Commoners
ROCK CITY
Junior Brother TUE.10.NOV.26 ROCK CITY (BETA)
SAT.14.NOV.26
BODEGA
Conan
SAT.12.DEC.26
The Clause THE PALAIS
SUN.06.DEC.26 ROCK CITY
SAT.28.NOV.26 BODEGA
Opus Kink SAT.28.NOV.26 RESCUE ROOMS
PAINT BY NUMBERS SUN.06.DEC.26 BODEGA
Uncle Acid and WHEN The Deadbeats RIVERS MEET
UT FRI.13.NOV.26 SOLD O
FRI.20.NOV.26
SUN.29.NOV.26
SUN.06.DEC.26
BODEGA
RESCUE ROOMS
RESCUE ROOMS
RESCUE ROOMS
People Laughing FRI.18.DEC.26 BODEGA
Cold Brewed Diwali: Freshta, Harpriya, M75 & Jimmy Rocket The Model 10pm-3am DJ collective Cold Brewed have been throwing parties in Nottingham since 2024, and this November they’re celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights, new beginnings and bringing people together in South Asian traditions, at The Model. On the lineup are Freshta, and harpriya – two DJs shaped by their personal heritage who specialise in ‘sounds without borders’, plus M75 and Jimmy Rocket. Expect some really diverse and energetic genres to be played, in The Model’s celebratory and welcoming atmosphere, from techno, to grime, to abstract, percussive pieces. And if you haven’t checked out The Model – which is a slice of Berlin in Hockley – yet, now could be the time.et.
Deco Rock City £19, 6.30pm-10pm
Myles Smith Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £50-£73, 7pm
Synthpop band Deco have been together since 2011 when, incidentally, two of the members met and formed a musical partnership while attending the Uni of Nottingham. They’re celebrating the release of their second album Welcome to the Dreamhouse on 23 October with three big shows across the country, and a headline slot at Rock City is one of them. The band consider Notts as one of their unofficial homes, so the show should have a great atmosphere, plus they’re known to be masters of the ‘feel good show’, so this will definitely be one worth attending.
In 2019 singer songwriter Myles Smith graduated from the University of Nottingham, and now he’s playing Motorpoint Arena, so he’s come a long way to put it lightly. This Notts show comes as part of an arena tour across the UK, Europe, and Ireland, promoting his new album My Mess, My Heart, My Life. He’s found loads of success, with three Brit Award nominations last year, and global acclaim for his hit song Stargazing, so grab your tickets fast if you want to make sure that you see him. Support comes from Texas artist Chance Pena.
Nov.Masq Bestwood Lodge Hotel £10-£500, 5pm-12.30am
Aqualine The Grove £10, 7pm
Craig Charles Funk & Soul Unit 13 £15-£17.50, 5pm-10pm
Maatkare Mist Rolling Inn £11, 7pm
The Karma Effect Rock City £17.50, 6.30pm-10pm
Rob Green Nottingham Central Library £16, 7.30pm
Allt - Ataraxia Rescue Rooms £21.50, 6.30pm
The Hanging Stars The Old Cold Store £18, 7.30pm
Junior Brother The Bodega £16, 7pm
SATURDAY 7 NOV
Swing Dash with Donna Leake Movers 7pm-2am
CaveCon One (RPG Convention) Ye Olde Salutation Inn £40, 10.30am-7.30pm Saturday Art Club New Art Exchange 10.30am-12.30pm The Arena Project pres Mauro Picotto, Lange & Rob Tissera Lexis Nightclub £5-£49.50, 4pm-5am
Amantes The Grove £10, 7pm Klub Mush: Sol Service The Model 10pm-3am Xuefei Yang, Guitar & Maria Vega, Flamenco Dance Lakeside Arts £28-£30, 7.30pm-9.15pm
The Ultimate 70s Show Nottingham Arts Theatre £24, 7.30pm-9.55pm The Music Of Adele The Albert Hall Sam Moss, Leah Sinead & Alex Hale By Our Hands We Make Our Way £10, 8pm
SUNDAY 8 NOV The Helix Ensemble Wollaton Hall and Park £10, 1.30pm Irish Trad Sessions Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel Free, 3pm The King Blues The Old Cold Store £25, 4pm-8pm Oh My God! It's The Church Rescue Rooms £20, 6.30pm-10pm Mae Stevens The Bodega £7.50, 7pm-11pm Greg Mendez Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel £15, 7pm
Tina Sandwich The Grove £10, 7pm
Cootie Catcher JT Soar £14, 7.30pm
Tom Davis: Spudgun Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 7.30pm
Her Heads On Fire JT Soar
MONDAY 9 NOV The Script Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £53-£169, 7pm Dave Lofts The Bodega £15, 7pm-11pm
Suede & Manic Street Preachers Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £51-£86, 7pm
Pills For Tomorrow The Grove £10, 7pm Dééfait Rough Trade £15.20, 7pm Sam Campbell Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
TUESDAY 10 NOV Paul Heaton Motorpoint Arena Nottingham Employed To Serve & Cabal Rock City £20, 6.30pm-10pm The Wran The Bodega £15, 7pm
Two of the UK’s most iconic, influential rock bands: Suede and Manic Street Preachers are co-headlining Motorpoint Arena. Suede are widely recognised as pioneers of Britpop, while Manic St Preachers helped define the ‘Cool Cymru’ cultural movement, releasing 15 studio albums, and more or less putting Welsh rock music on the cultural map. Alongside this pretty unmissable lineup, for every ticket sold, one pound goes to Live Trust – an organisation that supports the grassroots music sector to keep the music ecosystem alive. An unmissable one for any avid disciples of 90s rock.
Northern Soul Orchestrated Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
OK Go Rock City £35, 6.30pm
The Gnomes Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel £10, 7pm-11pm
Chloe Slater Rescue Rooms £15.20, 7pm-11pm
Femmephobes and Femmephiles: Sophie Lewis Five Leaves Bookshop £5, 7pm-8.30pm
Pub H. D. Barley Twist £0-£3, 7pm-10pm Drink 'n' Draw The Carousel £5, 7pm-10pm
Reframing Remembrance The Grove £5-£9, 7pm Leo Sayer Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Rob Rouse: Funny Bones Nottingham Arts Theatre £16, 7.30pm-9.20pm
y a w a s ’ e r e th e e t n a r a u g to your evente gets in her Listing events is free. Boost for £12 and guarantee inclusion in 15,000 print copies of LeftLion magazine. 4646leftlion.co.uk leftlion.co.uk
WEDNESDAY 11 NOV
Jack Savoretti Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall £60.50, 7.30pm Runs until: Sunday 15 November Quercus Lakeside Arts £22-£26, 7.30pm-9.30pm
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THURSDAY 12 NOV An evening with Liverpool Legends The Nest £25, 6pm-10.30pm Seb Lowe The Level 6pm Shed Seven Rock City £40, 6.30pm-10pm
As Living Arrows JT Soar £10, 7pm
De Staat Rescue Rooms £22.50, 6.30pm-10pm
Unlucky for Some: Gabriel Rai, Touré, Vitamin T & Corvair Movers 7pm-2am
Grim Lamentations Mist Rolling Inn £8, 6.30pm
Dermot Henry Rough Trade £15.76, 7pm
Bill Bailey: Vaudevillean Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £32.60-£130, 7pm
John Hackett Band with Dorie Jackson Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel £13.20-£19.30, 7.30pm
Knats The Bodega £13, 7pm-10pm
Mark Thomas Lakeside Arts £18-£22, 7.30pm-9.30pm
Ríoghnach Connolly & Honeyfeet Metronome £18.50, 7pm
KittyArama Av Show The Malt Cross
Brick Rhythm x UMS Movers Ricky Warwick & The Fighting Hearts Rescue Rooms £22.50, 7.30pm-11pm Mark Olson (ex Jayhawks) Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel £16, 7.30pm The Music of James Bond Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
HYPA: Beave & Sorley Stealth £8-£17, 10pm-4am DubFat The Model 10pm-3am Call Me Maybe - 2010s Party Rescue Rooms £7-£9, 10.30pm-3am
SATURDAY 14 NOV
Theigns & Thralls The Old Cold Store £12, 7.30pm-11pm
DJ MAaaco: Detroit In Effect The Model 9pm-2am
FRIDAY 13 NOV Enter Shikari Motorpoint Arena Nottingham Jake Bugg: Acoustic Rough Trade £17.81, 10am Dogs In Museums Mansfield Palace Theatre Shed Seven Rock City £40, 6.30pm-10pm Eyehategod Rescue Rooms £27.50, 6.30pm-10pm Natalie Duncan Peggy's Skylight £20, 6.45pm-8pm Cardinals The Bodega £15, 7pm-10pm Young Knives Metronome £25, 7pm-11pm
48 leftlion.co.uk
Squeeze Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £42-£146, 7pm Absolute Bowie - Greatest Hits Metronome £22.50, 7pm Back-A-Yard Reggae Night New Art Exchange 7pm-10.30pm George Gadd & The Aftermath The Bodega £10, 7pm Dekker The Grove £8-£12, 7pm African, Brazilian, Tropical & Latin with Stu Hemulem Movers 7pm-12am Mista Shotta The Malt Cross 7.30pm Chris Ramsey - Here Man Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 7.30pm
Ballet Black at 25 Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
The Ultimate MOD Revue Mansfield Palace Theatre
JTT Comedy Club: Reg Hunter Nottingham Rugby Club £21, 6.30pm-10pm
Leo and the Library Detectives Nottingham Central Library £4, 2pm-3pm Leo and the Library Detectives is an interactive mystery experience, running as part of Nottingham City Libraries and Inspire's Agatha Christie season. Participants take on the role of amateur detectives investigating a crime discovered in the library's crime fiction section. Working as a team, audiences will interrogate suspects, examine archive materials and piece together clues. Created and performed by Daniel McVey, the event is suitable for ages 7 and above. The show will also appear in other Notts libraries during December and beyond. Stained Glass JT Soar £8, 7.30pm Sherwood Vegan Market Sherwood United Reformed Church Free, 10am-2.30pm Kill Your Darlings Nottingham Central Library Dame Judi Dench Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall SOTA, Circadian & More The Nest £12-£39, 6pm-12am
Adam Garcia's Emerald Storm Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Agnes of God Lace Market Theatre Runs until: Saturday 21 November Eyre Llew - Bloom Album Launch The Nest £14-£28, 3pm-9pm They’ve been a band for 12 years, and in that time have brought their DIY, distinctly Nottingham, ambient rock sound to countries across the world. Now, in celebration of their long awaited second album Bloom, Eyre Llew, first a trio now a quintet, are performing the record at Notts County FC’s multi purpose events venue The Nest. If you haven’t seen them yet, now is the time to enjoy the work of a band that’s part of Nottingham cultural fabric – their ‘post rock but less scary, more dreamy and happy’ sound always makes for a spectacular show, and there’ll be special guests and plenty of fantastic visuals to enjoy as well. The Hunger Games Marathon Savoy Cinema Olive Branch Lakeside Arts 1.30pm-2.30pm Royal Blood: Album Release The Level
UK Subs The Old Cold Store £27.50, 7.30pm Rütti Panta Rhei & Mozart Requiem The Albert Hall 7.30pm Sunshine Soul: Atjazz Mssng Pieces £6, 8pm-3am
TUESDAY 17 NOV Shinedown Motorpoint Arena Nottingham Asomvel Rescue Rooms £20, 6.30pm-10pm
Yard Act Rock City £26, 7pm-11pm Around 2018, lots of UK bands started popping up who were part of a ‘post punk revival’ – shouty, funny, observational vocals combined with rich, complex guitar parts – Leeds band Yard Act are recognised as one of the defining bands of that cultural moment. Their third album: You’re Gonna Need A Little More Music, came out in the summer, and they’re playing a big Rock City show as part of their tour of it. Fans will be in for a treat at this show, as it’s the band’s third time performing at Rock City, so they should be well practiced at putting on quite the performance. Portrayal of Guilt The Bodega £20, 7pm-11pm
Dylan Moran – Looking for Trouble Nottingham Playhouse £32.50, 7.30pm
Where the Earth Holds Secrets, with Eve Makis Five Leaves Bookshop £0-£13, 7pm-8.30pm
TWO SHELL The Brickworks £12, 10.30pm-4am
Bafta and Perrier award winning comedian, Dylan Moran, is bringing his hilariously distinctive humour to the Playhouse on the 15 November. Looking for Trouble is a brand new comedy show that he’s taking on tour through the UK and Europe; it navigates themes of love, misery, consumerism, existential crisis and chaos, through his irreverent comedic lens. Known around the world for his witty lyricism and sharp remarks, it’s certainly worth joining him for an evening of laughs and thoughtprovoking entertainment.
SUNDAY 15 NOV
MONDAY 16 NOV
The Zac Schulze Gang Rescue Rooms £20, 6.30pm
Girlband Rough Trade £15.75, 6pm
Embrace: 30 Years Rock City £32.50, 7pm-11pm
Rizzle Kicks Rock City £35, 7pm-11pm
Christmas Market Pippley Walled Garden £0-£4, 4pm-8pm
Chapter II The Grove £10, 7pm
W*nkernomics Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
Kid Kapichi Rock City £23.50, 6.30pm-10pm
ROOM.3: Rosie Ama, Paniolo & Evil Woman The Model 10pm-4am Jordan Peak The Secret Garden £10-£12, 10.30pm-3.30am
Pales The Grove £10, 7pm Astitva Lakeside Arts £14-£18, 7.30pm-8.40pm Sinfonia Viva Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 7.30pm The Rachel Parris Songbook Nottingham Playhouse 7.30pm Jacob Hawley Nottingham Arts Theatre £19, 7.30pm
WEDNESDAY 18 NOV
Music, Events, and More at Malt Cross!
Enjoy 10% Student Discount at Malt Cross Enjoy a cosy atmosphere for daytime studying with coffee, cakes, craft beers, made and brewed locally and a traditional Sunday lunch – with your 10% student discount. Whether you’re studying, on a date, vibing to vinyl DJs, or joining our lively pub quiz, The Malt Cross is more than a pub - it’s your new favourite hangout welcoming everyone with open arms.
Malt Cross your new go-to space just off Market Square
www.maltcross.co.uk
See what’s happening next at Malt Cross
Opera North - Eugene Onegin Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall £81.50, 7pm Runs until: Saturday 21 November BBC Introducing Metronome Disgusting Sisters Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel £12, 7pm-11pm Harry Hudson Taylor The Grove £18, 7pm
Crime Club: Women in… The National Justice Museum Adam Hopper & the Wimps The Grove £10, 7pm Levellers: LTL35 Rock City £39.50, 6.30pm 6 Music: New Music Fix Movers 6.30pm-11pm
Del Amitri Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 7.30pm
GIANT - The Play Arc Cinema (Beeston) £16-£18, 7pm
Michael Akadiri: Don't Call Me Uncle! Canalhouse £15-£17, 7.30pm-8.30pm
Giant is an Olivier Award winning play about children’s author Roald Dahl, first staged in 2024. It has so far starred acclaimed actor John Lithgow, who played Winston Churchill in TV show The Crown. This current screening will be of a West End performance of the play, which happened ahead of its soldout Broadway run, plus you get to enjoy it in the Arc Cinema’s comfy facilities. It’s a thought provoking portrayal of the author – focusing on an important moment in 1983 when he wrote a review in a newspaper, and how his admitted antisemitism coexisted with his charisma and talent.
THURSDAY 19 NOV
Bellowhead Burlesque Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall TR Glitz live The Old Cold Store £15, 7pm
Alasdair Beckett-King Lakeside Arts £18-£22, 7.30pm-9.30pm
Hannah Rarity & Heron Valley Lakeside Arts £19-£23, 7.30pm-9.30pm
Orchestra Mambo Peggy's Skylight £18-£25, 8pm-10pm
Skids & Theatre Of Hate Metronome £30, 7pm-11pm
Johnny Campbell The Grove £10-£12.50, 7pm
Collage N Cocktails The Carousel £5, 7pm-10pm
Rosie Holt: The Illegal Aliens Have Landed! Nottingham Arts Theatre £20, 7.30pm-9.10pm
Charlie Noordewier The Bodega £14, 7pm-10pm
Sindhu Vee – Swanky Nottingham Playhouse £30.50, 7.30pm Hemulen Soundz The Malt Cross The Breakthrough Stealth £10-£17, 10pm-4am Reggaeton Party Rescue Rooms £7-£9, 10.30pm-3am Hot Creations Unit 13 £14, 10.30pm-4am
SATURDAY 21 NOV
The Let's Get Mental Conference is an annual, youth-led event focused on young people's mental health, wellbeing, advocacy, and service participation. Organised by the Midlands Young Advisors (in partnership with Associate Development Solutions), the conference brings together young people with lived experiences, healthcare professionals, educators, employers, and community groups. Its core goal is to amplify youth voices, reduce stigma, and explore how to make mental health services, workplaces, and communities more accessible and inclusive. Saves The Day The Palais £30, 6.30pm-10pm C.O.F.F.I.N The Bodega £17.50, 7pm-11pm Opera North - Rigoletto Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall £81.50, 7pm
Nish Kumar: Angry Humour From a Really Nice Guy Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
Pefkin, Jacken Elswyth and Melanie Pegge By Our Hands We Make Our Way £10, 8pm
Emofest The Nest £18-£21, 6pm-10pm
Gayle Brogan, who performs under the moniker Pefkin, is an imaginative psychedelic folk artist who performs live with a combination of processed violin, electronic instruments, field recordings, and vocals. She’s got a long career in music going back to the 90s, and this month visits cosy Sneinton Market arts and crafts studio/music venue By Our Hands We Make Our Way, for a show guaranteed to be atmospheric, and suitable for the onset of winter in late November. Support comes from banjoist and artist Jacken Elswyth, and singer-guitarist Melanie Pegge.
Little Angels Rock City £45, 6.30pm-10pm
Feminism 101 The Grove 10am-3.30pm
Forever Nu The Palais £20, 6.30pm
Christmas Wreath Making St Anns Allotments £60, 1.30pm-4pm
Northside Rescue Rooms £25, 6.30pm-11pm
Converge Rock City £32.50, 5pm-10pm
FRIDAY 20 NOV Trash Kit JT Soar £13, 7pm Byron Mohammad Hamzah Lakeside Arts £0-£4.50, 1pm-2pm
Our Yard: David Rodigan Unit 13 £15, 5pm-10pm The Most Ugly Child Billy Bootleggers Free, 5pm-8pm King No-One Rescue Rooms £16.50, 6.30pm-10pm Manushi 30 Lakeside Arts £11-£15, 7pm-8.50pm Ozric Tentacles The Bodega £25, 7pm-10pm
Art & Craft Market French Living Free, 11am-5pm King Street’s family-owned French restaurant French Living are hosting an art and craft market across the two floors of the building, which will feature various, talented local artists and craftspeople, while most likely serving as an opportunity to get some early Christmas shopping done. As well as locally made wares to buy, there’ll be drinks and homemade French cakes to graze on while you have a look around, so if you’re at a loose end in the city centre, and looking for a cosy, uplifting atmosphere suited to the approach of Christmas, what more could you ask for than this?
Suffer Mist Rolling Inn £10, 7pm Comms The Grove £7-£9, 7pm Unite the Scene Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 7.30pm Ginger Johnson Nottingham Playhouse £30.50, 7.30pm
Acoustickle Live on Record Fisher Gate Point £12-£21, 4pm-10pm
Bullet Tooth & Papa Nugs The Brickworks £12-£18, 10.30pm-4am
Music promoter Parisa East and her team at Acoustickle are putting together an evening of intimate live performances, set to take place at local arts hub Fisher Gate Point. On the line up are some great local acts like young Notts soul singer Vee Adu and neo-soul group Sun and Moon, with more to be announced. The twist is that these performances will be recorded as they happen, and mixed and mastered into live albums put out across 2026 and 2027. The event’s being put on with Arts Council England funding, it’s definitely worth supporting, so more stuff like this can happen in the future in Notts.
SUNDAY 22 NOV
MONDAY 23 NOV
Sunday Piano Series Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
The North The Bodega £12, 7pm-11pm
Unmasked 3: Secret Lineup The Model 10pm-3am
Laura Smyth – Born Aggy Nottingham Playhouse £25, 7.30pm Conor McLain Rescue Rooms £22.50, 7.30pm
Light Post Farm White Post Farm & Zoo £16.50, 5pm-7pm
The Allergies & Soul Buggin’ DJs The Old Cold Store £20-£24, 7.30pm-12am
Jaimee Harris Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel £17, 7.30pm
Let’s Get Mental Conference Nottingham Contemporary £12, 10am-4pm
Christmas Ice Skating The National Ice Centre £0-£20, 8am-9pm Runs until: Sunday 3 January
Afta Dark: Tommy Phillips Secret Vault £8-£17.50, 10.30pm-3.30am
The Commoners Rescue Rooms £23, 6.30pm-10pm
The Holiday In Concert Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
James And The Cold Gun Rough Trade £19.73, 6.30pm
Nottingham Film Festival Opening Night Savoy Cinema
Ali Plumb’s Untitled Film Quiz Broadway Cinema
TUESDAY 24 NOV
Ben Folds Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
Rora and the Untamed Rough Trade £29.41, 6pm This is Lorelei The Bodega £17.50, 7pm
What’s On
Amelia Coburn
March WED Eli Paperboy 10 Reed
November THU Ríoghnach 12 Connolly and
WED Nouvelle Vague 17 ‘A Date with
Honeyfeet
Depeche Mode’ Tour
FRI Young Knives 13 SAT Absolute Bowie – 14 Greatest Hits
April
WED BBC Introducing 18 in the East
FRI Martin 02 Stephenson and The Daintees
Midlands
FRI SKIDS/Theatre 20 Of Hate
2027
WED The Bracknall 25
January
FRI Moving Pictures – 27 Rush Tribute Band
December TUE Parker Barrow 1 THU The Entitled Sons 10
FRI The Specials Ltd 22
FRI The Style 16 Councillors FRI Frost 30
February WED Tom Browne + 10 The Brit Funk Association
Home of Just the Tonic Comedy Club, bringing you laughter every Saturday!
THU Amelia Coburn 11 FRI Shovel Dance 12 Collective WED Jon Boden 17
Absolute Bowie
WED The Ruts 07
WED Scientist 24
Book tickets
metronome.uk.com Huntingdon St, Nottingham, NG1 1AP @metronomenotts
Nia Archives Rock City £27.50, 7pm-11pm
Manchester Collective: Black Gold Lakeside Arts £22-£26, 7.30pm-9.15pm
Write Night The Malt Cross £0-£10, 7pm
Jools Holland Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 7.30pm
WEDNESDAY 25 NOV
THURSDAY 26 NOV
Dunes Angel Microbrewery & The Chapel £11, 6.30pm
Ferocious Dog Rock City £32.50, 6pm-10.30pm
Moving Pictures – Rush Tribute Metronome £22.50, 7pm-11pm
The swansong of a well loved, and important Nottinghamshire band… folk punk act Ferocious Dog were formed in Warsop in 2011, came up via the Notts live music scene, and went on to tour their grounded, dynamic sound across Europe. In 2015, they were the first unsigned band to sell out Rock City, which was quite the feat. Now, they’re returning to the venue, as the final stop on their UK Farewell Tour, so we don’t need to tell you how poignant and memorable a show it’s guaranteed to be, especially if you’re a follower of the local punk scene.
Pots & Pints: Christmas Trees! Rough Trade £33, 6pm
He’s coming to Broadway! Just a stone’s throw from the original place that he set up his boutique, Nottingham fashion designer Paul Smith is visiting Broadway Cinema for a special speaking event, promoting his book Threads: My Life in Style, which was published in September. It’s about his long and interesting career, defined by the fast moving world of London fashion in the 80s, and as part of this event he’ll be telling all about that strange and fascinating time. The intimate surroundings of Broadway should also make an interview event with this local legend feel particularly special.
Reverend and the Makers Rock City £25, 6.30pm-10pm
The Temperance Movement Rock City £30, 6.30pm-10pm
Drink 'n' Draw The Carousel £5, 7pm-10pm
Foule The Grove £8, 7pm Porcelain Girl Mist Rolling Inn £10, 7pm Republica Rescue Rooms £30, 7.30pm Man in the Mirror - A Tribute to Michael Jackson Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall £38-£40, 7.30pm
Xentrix: Cross-Atlantic Carnage Rescue Rooms £20, 6.30pm-11pm
The Bracknall Metronome £20, 7pm-11pm
Tokyo Tea Room The Bodega £14, 7pm
FRIDAY 27 NOV
Grandma’s House The Bodega £14, 7pm-10pm Alex Hale & the Private Sector The Grove £10, 7pm Yooshizawa JT Soar £10, 7pm Dirty Disco Sound System The Malt Cross Murderer?! I Barely Know Her! Nottingham Arts Theatre £15-£18, 7.30pm-10.30pm Truth & Lies: Wild and Heavy International Rhythms Movers 8pm-1am Lemonade Bangs Stealth £6, 10pm-4am
SATURDAY 28 NOV
Guided Tree Walk Sherwood Forest Country Park Free, 10am-11.30am
Placebo Motorpoint Arena Nottingham
Aardman in Concert Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall £34-£36, 1.30pm
Bruk Out! New Art Exchange Free, 12.30pm-3.30pm
Aladdin Nottingham Playhouse £25.25-£31, 2pm Runs until: Thursday 31 December
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Drone Light Show Nottingham Racecourse £14.99-£20.99, 2pm
The BIG Indie Tribute Festival The Nest £18, 6pm-10pm
The Bad Egg Nog Ball 2026 The Old Cold Store £12-£20, 2pm-9pm
s t o l s ’ e r the n o g n i o g m o c . s t t at no
The most up-to-date events guide in Nottinghamshire. Updated daily, free to use.
Let’s Abba Christmas Party Beeston Victory Club £18.95, 7.30pm In:Tides JT Soar £10, 7.30pm KittyArama Av Show The Malt Cross
The Snuts Rock City £32.50, 6.30pm-10pm
An Evening with Sir Paul Smith Broadway Cinema £8.50-£35, 6.30pm
BexBlu & Paul Stephan Rough Trade £15.98, 6pm
Cuba Fundraiser: Salsa Dance Movers 6pm-8pm
Jack and the Beanstalk Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall £43.50-£46, 2.30pm Runs until: Sunday 3 January
Blockbuster Film Quiz Broadway Cinema £2, 8.30pm-10pm
Christmas Wreath Making St Anns Allotments £60, 6pm-8.30pm
Funny Sods The Robin Hood Pub Free, 7.30pm-10pm
1000MODS Rescue Rooms £25, 6pm-10pm
Lovezoo Final Party 2026 Unit 13 £30, 4.30pm-10pm Terry Francis & Rob Pearson Movers £8-£14, 5pm-2am Nottingham Youth Orchestra Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall 6pm-8.45pm 4am Kru, Bladerunner & Inja The Nest £15-£27, 6pm-2am Ding Dong Merrily and Die The National Justice Museum Runs until: Saturday 19 December Opus Kink Rescue Rooms £16.50, 6.30pm
Anna Wall, James Tristan, DJ Come & Keeks The Model 10pm-5am WorldTeam Boom Boom & Harry Hype Liquid Library £25, 10pm-5am Shogun Sessions: DJ Marky, Pola & Bryson The Brickworks £12-£20, 10.30pm-4am Afta Dark: Robbie Doherty Secret Vault £8-£17.50, 10.30pm-3.30am Yuletide Night Market Sneinton Market Avenues Free, 3pm-8pm
SUNDAY 29 NOV Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats Rescue Rooms £26.50, 6.30pm-10pm Queer Craft Club - Counter Conscious By Our Hands We Make Our Way £0-£5, 6.30pm-8.20pm
MONDAY 30 NOV UB40 feat Ali Campbell Motorpoint Arena Nottingham £47.50-£65, 6.30pm The Pogues Rock City £49.50, 7pm Bleech 9:3 The Bodega £17, 7pm-11pm
No Cigar The Bodega £20, 7pm Lewis McLaughlin The Grove £9-£17, 7pm
Tony Hadley - Big Band Tour Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall £40-£155, 7.45pm
Whatever you’re into, find it at notts.com
Tabs NOUN • TAH-BZ The reason why ears are called tabs in Nottingham is not known, but it does form part of some interesting phrases, where ‘tab-hanging’ (often locally pronounced as ‘tab-‘angin’) means to listen in on someone else’s conversation. In the coal mining industry, local miners referred to the largest shovel as an elephant’s tab, as this is what it looked like! illustration: Lily Keogh words: Natalie Braber (Professor of Linguistics at NTU)
Toilet Humour
Something made you laugh to Send your funniest quips .uk .co lion left ial@ tor edi
in the lavs?
Nottsword
Across 2. Sneinton artist-led gallery and studios based in a 19th century textile factory (7)
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4. Notts mathematician, physicist and miller whose family owned the Sneinton windmill (6, 5)
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7. Filmed in Notts in 2007, movie Control profiled the singer of this band (3, 8) 8. St Ann’s Allotments are also known by this name (6, 4, 7)
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11. Famous American director who introduced a screening of his debut film at Broadway Cinema in 1992 (7, 9)
3. Mod club on Stanford St where The Kinks, Stevie Wonder and Rod Stewart all played in the 60s (3, 7, 4)
The Strange Case of: Witches in Creswell Crags words: Matthew Blaney A few months ago, I was peer pressured into watching a claustrophobic’s worst nightmare, As Above, So Below, by my partner. As it was a relatively new relationship at the time, I was keen to prove my pseudo-macho status by enduring ninety minutes’ worth of anxiety. Unfortunately, this façade waned by the credits as I spent most of the film protesting to turn the lights on or just regularly screaming out loud just to discover a new fear of tight spaces and the French. As a result of this traumatising date night, there is one place in Nottinghamshire that I will not be visiting. Due to an abundance of jagged edges, darkness, and ritualistic protection marks used to keep a 17th century evil spirit at bay, Creswell Crags isn’t for the faint hearted.
However, as recently as 2019, Hayley Clark and Ed Waters of archaeological charity Subterrenea Britannica discovered more peculiar finds – strange markings on the cave walls. Initially, these were believed to have been acts of graffiti predating the infamous ‘YCV,’ ‘Elmo,’ and ‘Syko’ marks you can find plastered on utility boxes, shutters and phone boxes around the city centre. Yet Nottingham’s very own Ed and Lorraine Warren realised that this wasn’t just your average tag and dash situation. These Apotropaic marks, stemming from the Greek apotrepein, meaning ‘to turn away,’ put Notts on the map as being home to the biggest collection of Witches Marks in one place in the whole of the UK. In other parts of the country, antispirit repellents can be found within
9. Arboretum cockatoo who was reputed to have lived for 114 years (5)
Down 1. Celebrated architect whose turreted red brick buildings are some of the most iconic in Nottingham (6, 10)
Unpicking Nottingham's Weird History
This limestone gorge is situated on the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire border and features a manmade lake surrounded by a variety of caves. Archaeologists believe the site to have been occupied over 50,000 years ago, and nearly 100,000 excavated ancient artefacts held in the museum including a baby hyena skeleton, a medieval stone board game, and a woolly rhinoceros’s tooth.
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OR H T U T R LEG END?
5. Defender and captain of the Nottingham Forest Women football team (7, 8) 6. Location of the original Paul Smith shop which opened in 1970 (5, 4) 10. Mansfield Road cemetery, once known as Gallows Hill (6, 4)
Answers! leftlion.co.uk/nottsword
buildings and churches to defend homeowners and churchgoers from being possessed. However, at Creswell Crags, these stone etchings can be found above a large cavern in Robin Hood’s Cave which seems to suggest that ancient demon slayers were trying to keep an evil inside the hole, preventing it from possessing the East Midlands (rumour has it, the spirit was unleashed and approved the one-way system in the city centre as well as the destruction of planning permission to grant Broad Marsh’s reconstruction). Most of these markings take the shape of various letters such as AM for Ave Maria, PM for Pace Maria, or VV for Virgin of Virgins. Daisy wheel symbols, consisting of one singular, endless line were also utilised to defend earthlings from Satan’s spawn as the never-ending nature confused the spirits. This then explains why daisy chains I once made for childhood crushes were often rejected and led to them fleeing the playground. Clearly the only reason for this is because they must have been witches from Creswell Crags that emerged before break time. Whilst I am no professional in the dark arts or particularly fond of subterranean witching spawn points, I do believe that the only option is to convert Creswell Crags into a multistorey car park. This may be my fears getting the best of me, but if I were the one to discover these markings, I doubt the midlands would ever see me again. Fortunately for those intrepid daytrippers who aren’t fearful of the dark, Creswell Crags offers tour guides to journey through time to the Ice Age, allowing for budding explorers to see these Witch Marks and various other cave artworks from over 12,000 years ago. Researchers and students continue to use the artefacts for educational and research purposes. Provided these practices continue in safe environments where poltergeists are heavily sedated and witches are fearful of a few engraved letters, the museum and cave tours shall continue. I, however, will be residing in the café surrounded by scones, cakes, and a large glass of water in case any of the witches get lairy.
CHRISTMAS AT NOTTINGHAM PLAYHOUSE The legendary Nottingham Playhouse Panto!
A magic introdu al ct to thea ion for age tre s 3-8
FRI 27 NOV 2026 – SAT 16 JAN 2027
THU 3 DEC – SAT 2 JAN 2027 Box Office 0115 941 9419 nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk
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