Lucy Campion has been making people hungry with her food reviews since 2020. A writer, marketer and content creator, she shares the very best of Nottingham on her Instagram page, ‘Luce in Notts’.
Lucy joined the LeftLion team as Food Co-Editor last summer. From pizza dogs to chocolate workshops and secret supper clubs, she likes to shine a spotlight on lesser-known food spots and unique local experiences.
Follow @luceinnotts on Instagram for food, drink and fun in Nottingham.
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inclusivity in Nottingham.
Standing in Solidarity
Louise Regan, campaigner and chair of the Nottingham Palestine Solidarity Campaign tells us about her experience in Palestine and what we can do to help to make a difference.
The Voice of the Forest
Legendary local football commentator Colin Fray talks to us about his long career behind the mic – guiding Forest fans through season highs and lows.
Football Season Previews
Three avid followers of Nottingham Forest, Notts County, and Mansfield Town football clubs, pen their thoughts on the 2024-26 seasons in Nottinghamshire.
Deep Impact
We delve into journalist Danny Scott’s book The Undisputed King of Selston: a memoir tangled closely with Nottingham’s mining history.
Hello once again readers - welcome to the latest edition of LeftLion, your regular update of stories and scoops about what’s hot in Notts as of late.
Back in July I had the pleasure of judging the Future Sound of Notts awards at Rock City, with two of the brilliant acts taking the winning title and going on to open Splendour. I am a big fan of taking a chance on going to see random local music - in fact I’ve found some of my favourite Notts bands this way - and this night was no exception, with an amazing energy in the room and a diverse selection of polished and passionate performances. To see how life had been treating winners Saffron Gray and Archy & the Astronauts since the awards we had a little chat, which you can read on page 13.
We also have some brilliant football content in this edition. As someone who has only watched three games of football in my life, I tend to feel like a bit of an extraterrestrial when trying to understand the lingo and the lore of the Beautiful Game, but these talented writers piqued my interest with their humour and hot takes, so perhaps there’s hope yet for me to
Making Ends NEET
We speak to people who fall under the NEET category, standing for Not in Employment, Education, or Training, to understand how Nottingham’s young people find themselves out of work.
Wild about Weeds
Local conservationists Wild.NG tell us why they’re campaigning for Nottingham to have a better relationship with the wildlife on its streets.
Join the Club
We provide an exclusive insight into Nottingham’s brand new supper club, The Underground Table, and chat to the duo behind it.
Sex & the City
Sex sells….or so we’ve heard. We take a look back at Nottingham’s history of ‘adult’ entertainment cinemas and shops.
become a superfan. Check out their coverage of the League on page 24 and a cracking interview with local commentator Colin Fray on page 23.
As August rolls on, I still feel like I have six weeks of bike-riding, den-making, and treeclimbing ahead of me - alas those days are long gone and life is instead rife with the demands of adulthood. But as we’re in the final throes of summer, it’s time to fully make the most of it. Personally, I am going to spend some of my August cavorting around a festival dressed as a bug, so if LeftLion is editor-less by September please know I have fully self-actualised and am living my best life in the forest.
A big thanks to our wonderful contributors who help keep LeftLion rolling on. I hope you enjoy all the brilliant content in this issue, and you can carve out some time to relax with a cold beverage whilst taking a read.
Until next time (perhaps),
Back to the Future
We meet the dual winners of the Future Sound of Nottingham competition, 2025: R&B artist Saffron Gray and alt-rock trio Archy and the Astronauts.
Niche Artefact
Robin Da Silva, founder of LGBTQI+ art, circus, and cabaret collective Niche Artefact, talks about promoting creativity and
Faded Beauty
Street photographer Charlie Valentine tells us about her series: Nottingham: Urban Decline, currently displayed at the NAE: Open exhibition.
“Why didn’t they call it a ‘hellophone?’”
“Because my grandma has got dementia, her banter has got really mean.”
“Boudica would have loved me.”
“Facts don’t have a bedtime.”
“I gave her a book about masochistic surgeons. Her husband's a surgeon so he'd love that, but it's not his ‘thing' apparently.”
“What did you just throw at me?”
“Nothing.” “WHAT DID YOU JUST THROW AT ME?” “Affection.”
Pick Six
For this month’s Pick Six we turned to Heidi Hargreaves: co-founder and creative director at Dukki Gifts.
“I’d like to stay in the moment, but I just don’t think it has anything to offer me.”
“Wait till the only way home is the Skylink. Then it’ll get feral.”
“Do tram inspectors have to pay for their ticket?”
Drink: The Bird Hide, Attenborough
It’s where you’ll normally find me on a Sunday afternoon. Whether I've finished an event and need a wind down or I'm waiting for the Sunday roast to cook, there's no place I feel more relaxed than with a pint of Murmuration and a packet of pork scratchings. Their real ale is all from local breweries, and the menu changes regularly, so it's well worth a visit.
Historical figure: George Africanus
George Africanus overcame so much adversity in his life, and yet still became the first Black entrepreneur in Nottingham. So much of his legacy has been erased from history. It wasn't until 2003 that his grave was uncovered and restored. He is a figure of hope. Being born into slavery and persecution, and overcoming all that to become a pillar of the community is a story to be celebrated.
Notts spot: Attenborough Nature Reserve
I am so lucky to have Attenborough nature reserve on my doorstep. It was one of the reasons for moving to the area. Ten minutes walk, and you're in the countryside. Growing up in a rural village, I missed nature when I moved to the city, but the nature reserve allows me a bit of peace and quiet, away from the chaos. It also has a pretty decent café as a reward after a bit of exercise!
If you don’t like tea, then a cup of tea is not your cup of tea.
Holiday destination: Pembrokeshire
Some might say it's boring going to the same place more than once, but our family has been spending summer there since the 60s and I'm not about to break with tradition anytime soon. It's such a lovely place: Bosherston tea rooms with a lilypond walk and the secret beach at the end; Wiseman's bridge with the coastal tunnel to Saundersfoot; Colby Woodland gardens full of local crafts. There's even a boat trip to Caldy Island to visit the monks! Top it all off with a curry ‘arf n arf’ in Tenby. You can't beat it!
Album: Rockin’ the Suburbs by Ben Folds
While the title track isn't really my cuppa tea, the rest of the album really resonates with me. Ben’s piano work is mesmerizing, and songs like The Luckiest and Annie Waits deliver such emotion. It transports me straight back to the Manchester Academy in 2002, singing along to Not The Same - harmonies rising across the crowd. I was nineteenlife was simpler, more about music, and less about responsibilities.
A personal hero: Stephen Wallhead, Heidi’s grandfather
A calming presence in my childhood. Though not a celebrity, he was an accomplished artist and potter in his own right, and probably had the biggest influence on me pursuing a creative career. Whenever I question whether I should get a ‘proper job’ I am reminded that he always encouraged me to do something creative.
words: Dani Bacon
TUE 12 to SAT 16 AUG
TUE 19 to SAT 23 AUG
BY IRA LEVIN BY ARRANGEMENT WITH CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY
TUE 26 to SAT 30 AUG
THE BUSINESS OF MURDER BY RICHARD HARRIS BY ARRANGEMENT WITH THE AGENCY (LONDON) LIMITED
Tabs Productions and Theatre Royal, Nottingham present
Green
The dawn was apple-green, the sky was green wine held up in the sun, the moon was a golden petal between. She opened her eyes, and green they shone, clear like flowers undone for the first time, now for the first time seen.
D.H. Lawrence
(Through August and September 2025, the D.H Lawrence Festival will take place in Eastwood and the surrounding areas)
UNDERCOVER ARTIST
Collage artist Paul Turner-Groves talks us through his art process and the inspiration behind this month’s LeftLion cover…
Tell us a bit about yourself…
nottinghampoetryfestival.com
Where do I begin? I always struggle with that question. I'm Paul, a graphic designer and collage artist. I've always enjoyed drawing, doodling, being crafty and arty, and eventually I found something that really resonates with me. Collage art. The idea of bringing together a bunch of images to create something new, to tell a story or make a statement, really clicked. I studied Graphic Design and did an art foundation course (shout out to South Notts College). That’s where I found myself falling into art and design, and I’ve never looked back. It’s taken me to some brilliant places with loads of exciting opportunities and challenges.
Nottingham’s most opinionated grocers on...
Hucknall Zoo
We went, but it was no great shakes. There wasn’t the space, it wasn’t like Twycross Zoo or Drayton Manor Park. If they had all of Hucknall it wouldn’t be enough. If you go to Hull they’ve got The Deep and there’s loads of space - they’ve got penguins and stingrays. But they could have just kept it to the Arboretum, they’ve got pigeons there... And there’s an aviary near the lake, isn’t there.
Weeds
They’ve very nice, the weeds are, we don’t mind them.It might look a bit messy, but it’s quite countrified isn’t it? They don’t have to spray them, just get the public to pull them up. We do think they should cut the traffic islands though, because if you’re driving and in a low car you can’t see anything. [To woman customer] You work for the Council, ask them to prune the trees and cut the lawns. Have they got a telephone system? Just ring up the department.
Football
We’re not into football, but we do hope the women do well. They’ve played very well, and you could say they’ve gone on penalties but they did score, not like the good old men. We went to see Newcastle years ago and after 22 minutes you want to go home. We got the feeling they didn’t want to be there. We just don’t like football. Not like tennis where every ball counts. In football they concentrate half the time and then they’re just pratting around. Waste of time.
What inspires you as an artist?
Like most creatives, I love a good chat in the pub. Music, art and design, the latest news story, all things space, and pretending to know what people are talking about when it comes to football. Oh and who doesn’t love a good fact.
What is the story behind the cover?
This cover is a little love letter to Nottingham. It’s my homage to the city that raised me. I wanted to celebrate the place that’s shaped me. The people, the music, the food, the culture. It’s such a brilliant melting pot. No matter where I go, I always feel the pull to come back. And what better way to show my love for Notts than through collage, doing what I do best. There are loads of little Easter eggs hidden in there too, so have a proper look and see how many you can spot.
Tell us about some things you’ve worked on in the past…
Over the past few years, I’ve really pushed myself with collage and developed my style as much as I can. One of the highlights was showing work at The Vaults in Waterloo, an immersive display of prints and digital collage that I’m still buzzing about. I’ve also had the chance to work with independent bands. I have to plug Albion, a great band with big things coming up shortly. All of it has led me to this point and to working with LeftLion, which has been such a great experience.
Do you have any tricks for getting started and staying inspired as a creative? Sometimes, like a lot of creatives, a pint helps get the thinking going. But honestly, ideas can hit at any time. When I get the urge to blend images together, I just go with it. Not everything works, and not everything makes the cut, but that’s part of the fun. Failing, trying again, and seeing where it takes me always leads to something new down the line.
If you could sit down and chat with any artist in your field, who would it be and what would you talk about?
I first got into collage during my art foundation, after coming across the work of Eduardo Recife, an artist and illustrator from Brazil. His style really shaped how I approached my own art. If it wasn’t him, I’d say Banksy. Bit of a cliché maybe, but I’ve always loved how his political edge and humour come through in his work. I’ve spent way too much time just thinking about how people come up with stuff like that. It’s mesmerising.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell the LeftLion readers?
Watch this space. Now I’m back in Nottingham, I’m excited to see what’s next. What I can create, who I can collaborate with, and how far I can push things.
Q @paulthecollageguy
Nadia on...
the role of an mp
words: Nadia Whittome photo: Lux Gagos
Looking at our modern British political system, it may be difficult to imagine that Parliament began in the 13th century, when councils of noblemen and clergy advised the monarch on their rule. In those early days, there was no representation for ordinary people, but over the centuries, political struggle led to reform, improving representation, expanding the right to vote and transforming the House of Commons to be the centre of British governance. Today, Members of Parliament (or MPs) like me are elected to represent everyone in our constituencies, regardless of background or circumstance.
In this month’s column, I want to reflect on what the role of an MP actually involves, how we can work to help you and how you can lobby us.
First, let’s go over the basics. There are currently 650 MPs working to represent constituencies from every part of the country. MPs are sent to the House of Commons to ensure local people have a voice in national decisions, such as new laws, setting taxes and adopting policies that affect everyday life. We work both at the UK Parliament, in Westminster, and in our local constituencies.
Voting is, of course, a crucial part of our work, but it’s far from the only responsibility. My weekly schedule includes a wide range of responsibilities, including debating proposed laws, asking questions in the Chamber, attending meetings with government ministers, local leaders, and the Labour Party at both local and national levels. I also host events in Parliament, give media interviews, take part in protests and canvassing, support constituents through casework and meet regularly with campaign groups and constituents. No week is the same; the hours are often long and unpredictable, with many meetings and events arranged or rearranged at short notice due to a constant juggling of priorities. The role demands a great deal of flexibility – and frankly, energy – because urgent issues can arise at any moment.
None of this work would be possible without my six members of staff, four of whom work in the constituency office and two of whom are in Parliament with me. They play a vital role in helping me serve the people of Nottingham East and carry out my parliamentary duties. In the constituency office, my staff help handle casework, manage my diary, organise meetings and local events, and represent me when necessary. While in Westminster, two members of staff support me by writing briefings, preparing speeches, drafting correspondence, helping to prepare me for media interviews and managing my social media. They also attend events with me or, at times, on my behalf if there are clashes in my schedule.
Some MPs take on additional responsibilities such as ministerial roles or shadow cabinet positions, or they will be part of committees, which are established to investigate specific issues or to scrutinise the government. However, regardless of their extra responsibilities, all MPs are expected to directly support their constituents by advocating for them and addressing personal issues through casework.
My constituency office handles a variety of casework, from responding to views on proposed legislation to helping resolve disputes, especially in cases where individuals believe they have been unfairly treated by the government, local authorities, or public agencies. We've resolved a wide range of cases – from helping people access the financial support they're entitled to, to assisting with
immigration matters – always working to ensure constituents are treated fairly and get the help they need. It’s important to remember that MPs aren’t best placed to help with very local issues, because your local councillor is better placed to deal with issues relating to the council, such as council housing, roads, buses, planning and rubbish collection. However, that line is sometimes blurry, so if you don’t know who to get in touch with regarding a local issue, we will try to help guide you in the right direction.
Lobbying your MP, whether by writing, attending surgeries, signing petitions or meeting them in Parliament as part of a mass lobby, is an important way to make your voice heard and hold elected representatives accountable. One voice may seem unlikely to effect change, but when combined with others, it can make a difference. MPs are accountable to the people who elected us, and we rely on your votes to win elections. This means that we need to pay attention to what their constituents think and what their priorities are. I know from speaking to other MPs that many of us have had our minds changed by letters we have received or have been spurred into action that we might otherwise not have taken.
A participative democracy relies on active engagement from the public, allowing people to have a say in the decisions that affect their lives. While trust in politicians has declined in recent years, it’s more important than ever to protect and strengthen our democratic system by speaking up and getting involved. We shouldn’t take the democratic rights we have for granted, especially when they are currently under attack by far-right leaders and groups across the world.
Lobbying your Mp, whether by writing, attending surgeries, signing petitions or Meeting theM in parLiaMent as part oF a Mass Lobby, is an iMportant way to MaKe your VoiCe heard and hoLd eLeCted representatiVes aCCountabLe
I know that many people feel their voices haven’t truly been heard for a very long time, especially as austerity policies needlessly punish our communities’ most vulnerable individuals and inequality palpably widens across the country. Understandably, this has led to disillusionment with politics and politicians. It doesn’t help that while many MPs work tirelessly to represent their communities, there’s also a big issue of some MPs pursuing other lucrative work with second, and even third, jobs, limiting their focus on both parliamentary and local duties which can potentially lead to conflicts of interests. Nigel Farage, for example, celebrated his tenth job this year. I’m pleased that our new Labour government vowed to act on this last year, to ensure that constituents are prioritised.
Change doesn’t happen overnight or through one means. It happens when many people come together with a shared goal and force change through multiple fronts. By joining forces with others, either through petitions, attending protests, or getting involved in advocacy campaigns, you can start to build momentum that pushes for better policies and governance. And often, that journey starts with something as simple as contacting your MP.
nadiawhittome.org
November
Talisk
interview: Sophie Gargett
photos: Jade Vowles
Back to the Future
Back in July, what could safely be described as Nottingham’s most exciting music competition: Future Sound of Nottingham, returned to Rock City – eight local acts taking the stage to showcase their talent. R&B singer Saffron Gray and alt-rock trio Archy & the Astronauts were crowned dual winners, and bagged nothing less than a main-stage slot at Splendour Festival later last month. We thought that it was the perfect time to catch up with these two acts (before they’re swept up by the national music press, of course)...
Congratulations on winning FSN! Can you tell us more about your journey as a musician to this point?
Archy & the Astronauts: Thanks so much! We’re Archy, Nathan and Travis, three best mates making alt rock music together. Archy and Nathan met at college and decided to chase music instead of university. After a lineup change, we found Travis in early 2023 and things really clicked. Since then, it’s been an amazing ride including touring across the UK and even the US, building something that feels bigger every time we hit the stage. We’ve been playing together for about two and a half years now, and it genuinely feels like we’re only just getting started.
Saffron Gray: I started singing and writing songs in church around age five, where I found my voice and love for music. I’ve been releasing music consistently since 2019, and I have been a support act for various artists. I started performing solo at open mic nights to build my confidence, and in late 2024 I formed my live band. I handpicked each member from local musicians I knew and trusted. We updated the band earlier this year, and now the energy and chemistry are on point. Performing with them has taken my live shows to another level.
In the past few weeks you performed at Rock City, were crowned Future Sound of Nottingham winners and opened the main stage at Splendour - how are you feeling?
AATA: It’s been a total whirlwind (in the best way possible!) Playing Rock City, winning FSN, flying out to play in New York, and then opening the Splendour main stage… all in the space of two weeks. We’re over the moon and finally just starting to take it all in. These are the kinds of moments we dreamed about when we started. It’s surreal, but now we’re hungrier than ever to keep pushing forward and make the next year even bigger. Nerves are shot, dopamine’s off the charts but we’re ready to go.
Saffron: Stepping onto the Rock City stage felt like I’d reached a new height in my career. It’s such a landmark in Nottingham, and performing there, where so many legends have stood, made me feel proud, grateful, and deeply honoured. I’m usually my own biggest critic, so moments like that don’t come often. Winning Future Sound of Nottingham and opening the main stage at Splendour gave me a rare chance to pause, reflect, and genuinely feel proud of myself. Not just happy, but fulfilled. It reminded me that I’m on the right path and gave me the fuel to keep going! I’m truly so grateful for every single moment.
How would you describe your music?
AATA: High energy, high voltage… high five. If you’re into big riffs and even bigger choruses, you’ll probably get a kick out of what we do. Think Royal Blood meets Muse with a bit of beautiful chaos thrown in.
Saffron: My music is a soulful blend of R&B with gospel roots, layered with raw emotion and modern flair. It speaks to the love, anxiety, heartbreak, healing, and struggles we often hide. I use my voice like a journal, capturing moments of vulnerability, strength, and desire. My music is made for anyone who’s ever felt too much and needed a song that gets it. I like to call it soul therapy, wrapped in a melody
Why did you enter FSN?
Saffron: I entered FSN as I am in a ‘crazy faith’ era in my career. I quit my job a few months ago and since then I have been putting myself forward for loads of different things and going to open mics in different cities. It started with busking and just placing myself anywhere I can be heard.
AATA: Rock City has been the dream venue since day one. FSN felt like the perfect challenge – a chance to take everything we’ve built and boil it down into one explosive, allor-nothing set. And the chance to play the Splendour main stage? Unreal. No brainer.
If you could curate a dream lineup of your musical influences to play with, who would be on the list?
AATA: We’d love to bring River Drive along: they’re close mates and smash it live every time. Jake Bugg’s a Nottingham legend, and it was a proper fanboy moment meeting him at Splendour! Nothing But Thieves are one of our biggest inspirations and would be amazing to support. And then, throw in some giants like Queens of the Stone Age and Muse. We’ve looked up to both bands for years. Honestly, it would have to be a festival at this point with the amount of artists we’d love to share a stage with.
Saffron: If I could curate my dream lineup, it’d be a mix of R&B royalty and rising stars from both the UK and US. I’d love to share the stage with artists like Jazmine Sullivan, Summer Walker, and SZA. Their vulnerability and vocal delivery are unmatched. From the UK, I’d have to include Cleo Sol, Bellah, and Mahalia, all of whom bring that soulful, honest energy I connect with.
roCK City has been the dreaM Venue sinCe day one. Fsn FeLt LiKe the perFeCt ChaLLenge – a ChanCe to taKe e Verything we’ Ve buiLt and boiL it down into one expLosiVe, aLL-or-nothing set
What music do you have out at the moment? Any new releases on the horizon?
Saffron: Right now, I have nine singles and three EPs available across all platforms. I’ve poured so much of myself into every release. I dropped my brand new EP called Pieces of Me in July. To celebrate, I hosted a release party at Lace Bar in Nottingham which was a whole vibe! This project means a lot to me, and I can’t wait to share it with everyone.
AATA: We’ve got our debut EP out along with several singles, the latest being Bite the Hand Right now, we’ve got a few new songs already finished and more still in the works. We’ve been road-testing them at shows to decide which ones to release next. We’ve focused heavily on the live experience, but now it’s time to ramp up the releases. Keep your ears open, as something big (and maybe a bit epic) is coming very soon.
Any last words for LeftLion?
Saffron: Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me and my journey. This definitely won’t be the last you hear from me! I’ll be back out on the streets of Nottingham busking again very soon. Keep watching!
AATA: Thanks for giving a platform to bands like us. We’re proud to be part of Nottingham’s music scene. Now let’s make some noise...
words & photos: Sophie Gargett
Niche Artefact
Studio 54, surrealism, mythology, erotica, the Golden Age of Hollywood… These are just a few of the intriguing themes tackled by Niche Artefact: an artist showcase combining drag, cabaret, circus, art and storytelling. Ahead of their two-year anniversary showcase next month, we spoke to founder Robin Da Silva to find out how they are bringing flamboyance, inclusivity and creativity to the city’s LGBTQI+ scene…
Hi Robin, can you tell us about the inspiration behind starting Niche Artefact? I was the GM of (now closed down) gay cocktail bar The Goat, and I was thinking of ways to engage the community. I noticed that there were a lot of people around with very diverse and creative backgrounds. I am an amateur oil painter, so I like to dip my toe in myself, and I thought, what about finding a way to get all the creatives together? There is this energy in Hockley where it feels very bohemian, and you might discover something wonderful and strange. I think it attracts those kinds of people, so I just began to have a natural connection from talking to people in the community, and began very slowly and organically to curate acts.
Where did the name Niche Artefact come from?
So ‘niche’ obviously means something that's not mainstream - it's something that's a bit under the cover. Some of our themes are very leftfield. For example, we had an erotic themed night, and then straight after I’m thinking, what might people not expect next? So then we did a Princess Diana theme. Artefact is more the aspect of discovering something, like an archaeological site - finding the wonderful and magical within people and the work they produce.
The event is very inclusive. How have you found and nurtured this creative LGBTQI+ community?
We have a few show producers and a live stage team with regular performers. First we present the theme in a brief and anybody that wants to participate is welcome to audition with what numbers they want to do, and then we have rehearsals and give feedback.
I really can't stress enough how organic it is - that’s the true magic. Pretty much everyone that's part of it has naturally gravitated to what we're doing, and there's some really heartwarming stories. For example, Ro De La Monja - they were a regular at the bar and it turned out they were a retired professional singer. But the industry had kind of chewed them up and spat them out because of how they look and what they identify as, so that forced them to say, ‘I'm not going to keep putting my mental health at risk by pushing for a creative life’. And so they gave up on that dream. After coming to karaoke, I started to encourage them and said ‘Hey I’m doing this event, would you like to do some songs?’ They are now a show producer. So it's nice to have these regular performers and watch them grow.
There seems to have been a bit of a boom in Queer events recently, did you feel like there was a bit of a shortfall before that?
When I was in Nottingham in my late teenage years, there was literally a surplus of LGBTQ venues: Gossip, Queen of Clubs, Propaganda, Fuel… You could have a whole night going to loads of different venues, so it's sad to witness the slow decline in the Nottingham nightlife. Now it’s mainly The Lord Roberts, which is obviously the shining beacon. But maybe we need to learn to adapt. My goal was to create an event that's more than just going out drinking, but something that can feed the cultural spirit and have purpose.
Along with stage acts, the evening includes a live art auction, with each artist giving an introduction to their work. What was the thinking behind integrating art into the event? From the start, it was never about just performance or art - they have been hand in hand from the beginning. I was very passionate about creating an immersive experience. We do the silent auctions because I want to provide an opportunity for artists to make a sale and get some support. An artist sold a painting for 250 quid at one show. Can you imagine how validating that must be for an artist that's just starting out?
My goaL was to Create soMething that's More than just going out drinKing, but soMething that Can Feed the CuLturaL spirit and haVe purpose
Big congratulations on being nominated for the BBC Make a Difference Awards. Can you talk a bit more about this, and do you know when you’ll find out who has won?
We've been nominated for the ‘Community Group of the Year’ award and the event is in September. I feel like a winner already - the validation that means the world to me. Being recognized for what you're doing, you can't put a price on that.
Your two year anniversary is coming up in September and you have a retrospective event coming up. What do you have planned for that?
We’ve had thirteen Niche Artefact themes now, but this is the first time that we're celebrating an anniversary… We will be doing a greatest hits show of all of the best performances that we've had over the last two years. The artwork is going to be wild. We’ll have Priscilla Shona Krakow dressed up as Princess Diana - that was a moment that was so good. The greatest and the worst thing about Niche Artefact is the fact that they are bespoke one-off events. So if you miss itit's gone!
Anything else you’d like to share with LeftLion readers?
I want to say that to everyone out in our community that you need to not give up on what the potential of what Nottingham can be, and what tribe and what family you can have. I want people to not just come out to Pride for one day, and then you never see them again. I feel like things will just keep disappearing, and we will keep shrinking - and losing rights - if people don't come together to nourish the community and stand for something.
The Niche Artefact Two-Year Anniversary Retrospective Exhibit takes place on Thursday 11 September at Revolución de Cuba.
Standing in Solidarity
A campaigner on a range of issues, Louise Regan is the National Chair of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Chair of the Nottingham Palestine Solidarity Campaign and an Executive Member of the National Education Union (NEU). With the conversation around the Palestine movement increasing, we spoke to Louise about her previous visits to Palestine, the current aims of the PSC, and why this is an issue that has drawn huge protests in Nottingham.
What is your role in Nottingham’s Palestine Solidarity Campaign and how did you personally get involved?
I became involved in Palestine Solidarity through my trade union work. About fifteen years ago we had a speaker at our conference from an organisation called Defence for Children International Palestine.
They spoke to us about what happened to Palestinian children on a routine basis when they were arrested. The reason was often for throwing stones and the maximum imprisonment sentence could be up to twenty years. Parents wouldn't be told where they were being taken, they would be blindfolded, their hands tied, and then they would be taken to detention centres and interrogated. In terms of that conference, it was absolutely silent. Because we all work with children it was just horrific listening to it. I couldn't comprehend that this was happening to children somewhere.
Then somebody asked me to become the Trade Union Officer for PSC and I said yes. I became the Chair a couple of years ago and have been the National Chair for a couple of years now.
You have visited Palestine yourself, can you talk a little about your experiences over there?
I’ve visited the occupied West Bank many times. I’ve never been to Gaza - it’s always been very hard to get a visa to go there. The key thing which I don't think people realise is the massive limitations on every aspect of their life. So for example, students or people just going to work - some will be getting to checkpoints at three in the morning, just to queue. There’s also fly checkpoints which are set up randomly with no explanation.
That impacts things like Palestinians getting into their land. Obviously agriculture is a very big aspect of their lives, particularly olive growing, and they will be blocked from going to pick their olives or attacked by settlers if they manage to get through.
There is also a massive military presence everywhere which I don't think people really realise, but certain areas of Hebron are particularly bad. There's a lot of heavily armed soldiers all over who will stop people randomly. But the other thing I have witnessed a lot more of is the expansion of the illegal settlements. I didn't go out during Covid but when I went back after, it was shocking to see the amount of land that had been
taken. It can be done for any reason and it's not legal under international law.
There are also a huge number of refugee camps across the occupied West Bank. Those are people who were displaced in 1948, they were given tents and a plot of land as a sort of refugee camp. But that ground space has not grown, so in the streets, it's very dark and airless. There are a lot of problems in the camps - the army will go in and spray skunk water [a putrid smelling liquid created by the IDF to disperse crowds] into windows, or fire tear gas. Aida Camp in Bethlehem is the most tear gassed place in the world and it has a very large child population.
The pro-Palestine movement is often criticised in the media as antisemitic, what are your thoughts on this? To try and say as a movement that we are antisemitic for challenging what Israel is doing, I just think is nonsense. Israel is a state that is ignoring international law and committing atrocities, and there's lots of evidence to back that up. We have every right to call that out and I think it's important that we separate the two.
The national demonstrations are huge - hundreds of thousands of people every time - and there is a large Jewish block every single time who always talk about how they feel completely safe on the march. But I’m not saying antisemitism doesn’t exist - all forms of racism exist - our job is to call that out. So if I saw something on a march or one of our protests that was antisemitic, I would challenge someone and say that's not acceptable.
Why should this issue matter to people in Nottingham? In polling it's very clear now that the population in Nottingham, and across the UK, does not agree with what is happening to the Palestinians. We've always had a core set of activists in Nottingham, but I think now we're in a very different position. Now it's so visual in terms of the things that come on our screens, there’s more ways to find things out and more educational material on social media. We do get very good turnouts at our demonstrations. I think people are more engaged because they want our government to do something.
What are some of the aims of the Nottingham Palestine Solidarity Campaign marches?
There are a number of purposes of marches. For one, it shows the strength of feeling of people's views about what is happening. I think it is hard to watch what is happening and to keep going, so it does bring people together knowing that they are part of a bigger movement. They’re also an opportunity to educate our community. When we get to the end of the march there are speeches, people leafleting, and so on.
The marches are also very important for our friends in Palestine, because they do see them. I am in awe of their complete resilience in spite of everything that is happening. For them, they can see that thousands of people are still supporting on a weekly basis, because if there's not a national demonstration there will be one somewhere.
Palestine Action has just been proscribed as a terrorist organisation due to their direct action methods of protest. What approach to activism does the Palestine Solidarity Campaign take?
There are different forms of action that people can take. If there's a mass movement that is doing small actions, you will create bigger results. We should give people options of things they can do, and people will take up the things that they feel comfortable doing.
I've spoken to people who do not like going on marches, but they'll sign a petition, or they'll contact their MP, or they'll write to their local supermarket and say stop stocking these items. The boycott, divest and sanction (BDS) campaign is something that our partners in Palestine are telling us is really important at the moment. Marching is good, but they're very clear that we have to do more. Time is of an essence, really.
I think people have to remember there's nothing wrong with speaking out against genocide and international law being broken. Our focus has to continue to remain on the Palestinian people and to do everything within our powers to pressure our government and raise awareness.
Head to the LeftLion website to read an extended version of this interview.
interview: Sophie Gargett illustration: Sarogini Grace Pease
under the microScope
What is this intriguing image you may ask? No, it’s not a distant vision of our universe or a throwback to an early 2000s screensaver. Each year the talented researchers at Nottingham Trent University – at which 86% of research is classed as world-leading or internationally excellent – are asked to submit one photo of their discoveries to the annual Images of Research competition.
This year’s winner is Shraddha Bajpai, a Research Assistant in the School of Science and Technology, who took viewers deep into our genetic make-up with her image, Last Duct Standing
“This vivid and intimate image captures a solitary pancreatic duct (green) holding its ground amidst a dense network of cancer-associated fibroblasts (magenta), forming a striking visual of cancer dynamics in context,” Shraddha said, explaining the meaning behind the winning image.
The competition is a unique opportunity for NTU’s research community, including postgraduate research students, to put the academic lingo aside and raise their research profile in a creative and artistic way. Our Photography Editor, Dani Bacon, was part of the judging panel and helped select this powerful image.
“Captured at 63x magnification using a Leica Thunder microscope at the university’s Medical Technologies Innovation Facility, this image comes from a patient sample diagnosed with stage three pancreatic cancer.
“The blue areas mark the nuclei of individual cells, and red speckles represent molecular signals we're tracking as part of our research into the tumour microenvironment. Our focus is on how long non-coding RNAs, once thought to be mere noise in our genes, actively influence the behaviour of both cancer cells and their supportive allies like cancerassociated fibroblasts.
“This image speaks to the resilience of bodily structures amid overwhelming pathological change - an island slowly engulfed by a transforming landscape. It’s a snapshot of cancer in motion, revealing both its complexity and the beauty of discovery.”
To find out more about NTU’s Images of Research, please head to their website.
words: Julia Head photo: Shraddha Bajpai
Faded Beauty
When it comes to versatile photographers, Charlie Valentine certainly stands out in Notts, having made her name with grimy, analogue street photography, printmaking, and photography workshops. Currently, her series Nottingham: Urban Decline is featured at the ongoing Open exhibition at the New Art Exchange - she tells us all about this series, plus life as a photographer.
Tell us a bit about your background, and how you became a professional photographer.
My passion for photography began in college, where I developed a strong interest in analogue street photography. I went on to do a Fine Art Foundation at university before deciding to pursue photography for my degree. I studied Commercial Photography at the University of Derby, winning a FORMAT Student Photography Award in my final year. During that year I got a job in Birmingham as an in-house fashion photographer. Since then I worked for a product photography company in Derby, before diverting to the education sector where I am now a photography technician in a college.
Where did your interest in analogue street photography come from?
I was lucky enough to have access to a traditional darkroom at school and I fell in love with the process instantly. It feels so pure and personal. I fell in love with the works of Aaron Siskind and Saul Leiter, also people like Minor White and Vivian Maier. I shot mainly black and white for a while, but the first time I shot colour film it was game over for me. I have never looked back.
What do people need to know about your series Nottingham: Urban Decline, which is featured at NAE Open?
The series is highly reflective of my personal photographic journey and how I see the place that I call home. The series intends to highlight the issues of underfunding facing the inner-city suburbs of Nottingham. Documenting the decline of the local areas and the community and commerce there. Presented in an intentionally romanticised way, using vivid colours and golden light to mask bleak scenes, the work aims to subtly highlight the issues facing Britain’s economic state and the decline in the country’s standards of living.
to Me the beauty oF the proCess is the physiCaLity and the unKnown. taKing an iMage FroM shot, to FiLM, to print by hand is suCh a pure and exCiting proCess
How did it feel to get your work featured at the exhibition?
I was over the moon to be featured in the NAE Open Exhibition. Being featured amongst such a wide range of artists, discussing such strong themes and with such cultural diversity, it felt an honour for my work to be recognised alongside these works as an equally relevant narrative. To have my photographs of home featured in the city they are showcasing, feels like a great achievement.
What interests you about derelict urban space in Nottingham?
I have been drawn to photographing the grime and grunge of urban life since my photography journey first began. To the dismay of my mother, no matter how idyllic the scene I’ll always be photographing a crusty wall or bin or something crazy! This stems from my love of the abstract: I’m a sucker for simple lines, shape and texture. I’ve been photographing Nottingham for ten years now and being able to document the city I live in changing, growing and declining over the years is of great interest to me.
What methods do you use to get a really good street photo?
I think it’s hard to really explain the method and process, as it’s something that’s taken me years to understand myself. I just work hard to make a point of noticing - paying attention to the mundane. I’m also constantly hunting for light, high contrast, interesting colour and bold texture. For me, street photography is less about people and more about environment. I want to reframe the monotonous nature of everyday city life. I feel so lucky to be able to appreciate the banality of the everyday; the world around me never gets boring.
You work as a darkroom technician - how do you see the value of roles like that when for many people photography is something quick and easy?
I think learning the history and fundamentals of a craft is integral to mastering it. You have to understand the equipment and the science to create with it. To me the beauty of the process is the physicality and the unknown. Taking an image from shot, to film, to print by hand is such a pure and exciting process. It’s more personal. It helped me slow down and focus, to really consider a shot before taking it. This seems important in today’s digital age, where we are constantly bombarded with information and impersonal content - having a process that forces you to slow down and connect can help soften the weight of the modern world.
You’re also a printmaker - how much does that link to your photography?
My printmaking is directly linked to my photography! My printmaking process stems from my final project of my Fine Art Foundation and focusses on just the simple artistic elements and where we find them in everyday life. I use my photography as the basis of my prints, taking the compositions, lines, shapes, textures and colours from my images and simplifying them down over and over again, exploring and reimaging the basic elements of the image.
Who else in the world of photography do you really admire?
I’ve always been a huge fan of Aaron Siskind, Saul Leiter, Minor White and Vivian Maier. Their work was some of the first street and abstract photography I ever saw and has shaped my work heavily. I also adore the work of Todd Hido, Shin Noguchi, Johnny Joo and Tomás Cambas. Additionally, I’m a sucker for some great still life and fashion work. Irving Penn is one of my all-time favourites, alongside Karl Blossfeldt, Maciek Miloch and Rafael Pavarotti. My most recent new favourite is Sophie Hustwick!
Anything else you want to say?
To anybody considering taking up photography, please do it. I’ve never found anything more rewarding or exciting in my life. Whether you shoot on your phone, digital or analogue, get out there and go for it. Photography will help you find excitement in anything you see. Also have confidence in yourself. Shoot what YOU want, document what excites YOU, do not conform to what the trends or algorithm wants from you. Photography is a personal project between yourself, the world and your lens. Do it for yourself.
Charlie’s series Nottingham: Urban Decline is on display at NAE Open, New Art Exchange - an exhibition that lasts until 13 September.
Q @cxvalentine_
interview: Caradoc Gayer
photos: Charlie Valentine
NOTTS SHOTS
Want to have your work featured in Notts Shots? Send your high-res photos from around the city (including your full name and best web link) to photography@leftlion.co.uk or tag #nottsshots on Instagram.
Across three turbulent decades at Nottingham Forest, one voice has remained constant: BBC commentator Colin Fray. For Forest fans, he’s been a companion through the chaos - narrating from the end of the Clough years to the lows of League One, then back again; to the highs of the Premier League and now Forest’s long-awaited return to European football. We spoke to him about his journey behind the mic…
How did it all begin? What first drew you to commentary? It all started in an attic on a crackly radio listening to BBC World Service when I was living in Norway as a youngster. The only place you could get reception was to go right up into the loft and extend the aerial. The voice of a commentator called Peter Jones was what hooked me in.
Then you entered a competition, which led to your big break… Yes, in late 1989 I saw an advert for the Amateur Commentator of the Year competition. So I got a tape recorder, stuck on Forest winning the Littlewoods Cup, turned the sound down and did ten minutes of my own commentary. I sent it in and won. One of the prizes was five minutes on Radio 5 commentating on Arsenal v Palace. That was my very first bit of radio commentary. Then Radio Nottingham invited me in and after doing a non-league match or two Martin Fisher asked me if I wanted to commentate on Forest v Chelsea that Saturday. It was an incredible eighteen months or so!
What’s changed most about the job since you started? In terms of the radio commentary, not a lot. It’s just the kind of kit we use. When I first started, I was splicing tape with sticking tape and razor blades to create bulletins on a weekend morning. But obviously that’s all done digitally now. What has changed dramatically over the years is social media. I’m not on it personally, but our team basically maintains a 24-hour service for BBC Nottingham. That’s the biggest change.
How has the club changed since 1991? Including your relationship with it… It was probably more personal before; you felt closer to the club when they were not in the Premier League. Once they’re in, it is genuinely a different world. I’ve waited while players finish Zoom calls with journalists in Portugal or Brazil. You didn’t get that in League One! Last season, the club’s own media team sometimes couldn’t find a room to do interviews because of the demand from national and international broadcasters.
How do you feel your style has evolved over the years? In those early commentaries, I can very much still hear elements of the guy I was trying to be; Peter Jones. But I think with time you relax and become your own person. The last time Forest were in Europe was in 1995-96 and I was three or four years in. Listening back I can hear me not quite being where I am now, but equally not quite being where I was when I started. It was probably six or seven years in, it just became ‘me’. I was a bit more relaxed and a bit more at home by then.
For many fans you are the way they experience the club. How conscious are you of capturing not just the action, but the emotion of being a Forest supporter? Yeah, very much so. When people ask for advice one thing I tell them is to not get too daunted by thinking about all the people listening. You just have to imagine that you’re talking to one person. However, even now when those big occasions come round the butterflies are fluttering away in my stomach because you know those are the games that people are going to remember and you need to be on your A game.
How do you prepare for a match in terms of research?
Nothing too revolutionary. I do lots of internet-based research on the opposition, but I always know plenty about Forest’s players. I’ll look at their age and their history, how many goals they’ve got this season and their height. Often I'll do stats on how much the opposition squad has been assembled for in terms of finance and things like that. The BBC also has somebody who produces a lot of notes and sends them to us, so we do get a little bit of help. But mostly, it’s just time where I’m sat in front of a computer screen. I don’t know what I did before the internet!
Talk to me about the dichotomy of working alongside co-commentators with experience of playing the game…
My job is to literally describe what’s happening and in as much detail as I possibly can and the summariser's job is to tell us why. We have very defined roles and you wouldn’t want Hodgy (Steve Hodge) starting to commentate, and you wouldn’t want me starting to say where a footballer might be going wrong. Hodgy can do that; he’s been there. He’s been to the World Cup Quarter Finals and played in Europe and the top flight and has the insight. I always think that you can judge a really good summariser, and I’ve been privileged to work with several, if they call something before it happens.
Between the final Clough years and the 2022 promotion, Forest endured arguably the toughest period in their modern history. What was it like being behind the mic through those decades?
Yes, it was tough at times! It’s far easier to talk on the radio in glowing terms about a club that’s on the up than another 1-0 home defeat at the bottom of the Championship. There were some very low moments, and we had to cling to any little glimmer of success. There were definitely times where I thought ‘the Championship is alright, there’s nothing wrong with this, just keep going in the Championship every year!’ It’s only when you get back into the Premier League, that you realise what you’ve been missing for so long!
What does it mean to you to be covering Forest back in Europe again?
It’ll be great! Back in the 90s I had some wonderful times in the UEFA Cup; not always great matches, but great moments. I’m looking forward to creating more memories, thirty years on. It’s an adventure for me, like it is for the fans. From a professional point of view, it’ll be busy with games on Thursday nights, Sundays as well as County and Mansfield on Saturdays! But it’s just great to see Forest back on the international footballing map.
What would constitute a successful season in your eyes?
I don't want to sound pessimistic, but honestly, if they can just be mid-table, maybe top half, and more established as a Premier League side, I think that'd be alright. It sounds a bit defeatist because they were 7th last season, but you've got to be realistic. Manchester United, Tottenham and Man City are not going to be as bad again.
Do you have a “dream call” left on your bucket list?
Well, winning a European competition would be nice. Winning a cup competition at Wembley, whether that be League Cup or FA Cup, that would also be still on there. Success in Europe, yeah, a European final would be great to call. And then, of course, there's the day that Forest win the Premier League…
Follow Forest and Colin Fray on BBC Nottingham this season on 103.8FM and on their social media.
Football Season Previews
Our monthly football columns are back for the start of a new season full of hope for our three local league teams...
Left Magpie
words: Julian McDougall
Why did you become a Notts County supporter?
My dad took me to Meadow Lane. He was more of a cricket man and he had a parking space at County Hall. Notts and Forest were both in the second division, not much between them, but Forest drew bigger crowds. The County Hall car park was open access for fans and he’d noticed that it was full when Forest played but not for Notts. So Meadow Lane it was. Meadow Lane in those days was wooden stands and pipe smoke, sausage rolls and Bovril. I loved it. I wanted a season ticket and to go to some away games. I got my wish. Forest then appointed Brian Clough. I wouldn’t go back and change it, but…
Describe your matchday experience…
I live in Birmingham and work in Dorset some weeks so it is not easy! But once I get close the routine is the same. I stay at my Mum’s in Beeston, tram to the station, then to the Magpie Tap with Jim Cooke and a group of die-hards, then into the Pavis to take my place in the home of league football. The experience from there all depends on Notts, of course.
How did you feel you did last season?
I will use the word Stuart Maynard made work so hard in so many post-match interviews: frustrating. We made another strong start and were top ‘early doors’. McGoldrick was next level but it was all the other way around, a strong defence and great keeper but not much attacking threat, just loads and loads and loads and loads of possession. The home defeats in the later stages did for us, then a brief return of hope when we beat Harrogate away to secure play-offs was immediately erased when we approached them like that famous Einstein quote about expecting a different result from the same actions. It was never going to work and Maynard paid the price. I thought that was right, but he was not helped when his coaching team left and by our January recruitment.
Tell us about the gaffer…
Martin Paterson was an underwhelming appointment, but he comes as part of a new Technical Board which will provide “data-led metrics, analysis and insights to the dugout in as near to real time as possible.” I think the owners understand now that possession alone is not working, so I can go with it on the appointment and that whole data thing. But the team is weak and at the time of writing this I am not happy at all. We’re not sure if Jatta is staying, or if he is going to click again anyway. We’ve lost
a reliable keeper. Our new signings look, at this point, like a repetition of the January approach - technically strong, lots of future potential, but lacking experience at this level.
What’s happening off the field?
Nobody is going to complain about the owners and what they have done off the pitch is fantastic. Bringing in new revenue, with The Nest and other developments, now the new training ground. It is all good and I pray they maintain enthusiasm for the project. But now we need results to match that endeavour.
Any new signings you are excited about?
I mean, honestly at this point I can’t say. We have lost so much quality and the new players are ‘known unknowns’. I think probably Sonny Aljofree for a season could be the new George Abbott, in terms of a young loanee from a Premier League youth team. But what we probably need is further up the pitch.
Any key departures? What big boots are there to fill? How long do we have?! Recently, we lost Didzy’s goals and experience and Alex Bass from the goal. George Abbott returned to Spurs. And that is a lot! Jatta may also yet depart. But we lost Langstaff the summer before and the pantomime villain but nonetheless superb Dan Crowley in January and neither have been replaced. So combining all of those, it feels like the business model makes us a sustainable selling club right now. However, I hope it is just a stage in gradual progression and I do still ‘trust the process’.
What’s the mood of the fans coming into the new season?
I left social media recently because of the ownership of X and then Bluesky’s algorithm not really happening for me, so I am less across all that but my understanding is that it is not optimistic, for the reasons above. We wanted Luke Williams back but he is working at Bristol Airport (true) and there was the seemingly random coaching appointment shortly after club legend McGoldrick left. Let's hope we are wrong. On the other hand we got back into the football league and consider last season’s play off defeat to be a failure. So, in the bigger picture, things are good.
Tell us about your captain…
Matty Palmer was absolutely top ranking in the National League, then got injured soon into our return to the 92. Last season he was below par, but he had weaker options around him. He is very quiet for a captain. This season is a big deal for him in this role, assuming he stays in it.
Where do you think you’ll finish come May 2026? So difficult to answer this. But I will focus on ‘based on current information’ and say 10th. Recruit well between now and the window closing and we can be in the playoffs again. Note - if anyone reads this and my season preview piece for When Saturday Comes and wonders why my prediction has changed, it is because that was written several weeks ago and I was trusting the process prior to key outgoings.
What does being a football fan mean to you?
I wrote a piece on this for LeftLion recently, about what Lowry captured in his painting Going to the Match. I wrote this, and it answers the question - “go to the match, be in the crowd, hope to win, drink beer, eat a pie, and, regardless of the outcome, repeat, again, and again. Many of us are like those figures. Walk from the station, into the Magpie Tap, talk about football, mostly, or only - an existential lens, ‘going to the match’, simply, purely even. We just keep going. And we love it.”
If your current team was a song what would it be and why?
We are the Robots by Kraftwerk. It’s all about data-led metrics.
Left Brian
words: Julie Pritchard
Why did you become a Forest supporter?
I was captured by aliens as an infant and left behind a milk crate in the Trent End. The pilot’s name was Clough, and I believe there was a labrador involved, but it was a long time ago. I enjoyed many years of watching the beautiful game as it should be played: with joy and skill and free expression. And then many more years of incompetent and/or phoned-in stuff that could only be watched if very drunk.
Describe your matchday experience…
Bus. Pub. Random football waffle. Walk. Stairs. Last pint. More waffle. Kick-off. Unexpected joy/encroaching numbing disappointment. Stairs. Walk. Pub. Slightly slurred waffle. Bus. Curry. Pass out on the sofa five minutes into MOTD. Repeat for away days, just with an earlier start, a discussion about Samsunspor or CFR Cluj with the Uber driver, an extra pub or two, and either some delayed trains with inaccessible toilets or a fourhour coach (de)tour of Cambridgeshire. This season this will all mostly be happening on Sundays.
How did you feel you did last season?
Is it possible to underachieve and overachieve at the same time? We overachieved until Christmas, but unfortunately the season doesn’t start til Christmas, as a very wise man once said. We failed to add to our squad in January and our battle-fatigued boys crawled over the finish line as exhausted as our coach-travelling fans were after Exeter and Brighton away. It is incredibly frustrating - not least because it’s cost us Elanga and gazillions of lovely UEFA Euros - but we mustn’t forget that we would have crawled over broken glass for a place in the Conference League (let alone the Europa) at the start of the season.
Tell us about the gaffer…
After God (Brian Clough, for anyone born yesterday), we have the Holy Spirit. Like a fine wine, Nuno Espírito Santo gets classier, wiser and more nuanced with age. We hope to be enjoying some exotic foreign libations with him for years to come (Super Bock or Sagres, Tyskie or Ursu, Efes or Alfa… you get the picture). As for his team, Mats Selz and our defence are as solid as it gets; the Geordie Maradona (Elliott Anderson) had a superb U21s Euros, but even now it looks like Gibbs-White is staying, we’re currently looking light on creative players.
What’s happening off the field?
The expansion of the City Ground has finally been given the nod. Apparently some Bread and Larders are moaning about it already, but then we’ve only been there since 1898. What else? There’s been a bit of a spat with Crystal Palace, who are blaming us for their demotion to the Conference League, house prices, ULEZ and the price of sourdough at Balham Farmers Market. I have some
sympathy for Palace - the smaller the club, the less the UEFA MCO rules are fit for purpose - but don’t blame us for Steve Parish not reading his emails.
Any new signings you are excited about?
So far we have striker Igor Jesus, the patron saint of sub-editors, and Jair Cunha, a two-footed colossus of a centre half. Both came from Botafogo and looked lively in the Club World Cup. Jesus should allow Chris Wood some much needed support/respite, while Jair’s signing could mean Nuno’s recent dabbling with a back five becomes the norm. There will probably be more to come in and no doubt we’ll be keeping Fabrizio Romano busy until September.
Any key departures? What big boots are there to fill?
It’s a massive wrench to see Anthony Elanga depart for Newcastle as he will no doubt get even better, but players only love you until they’re offered twice the salary and you need to sell someone to ward off PSR problems. Sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s truly going on through the cognitive dissonance of those desperate to appear ‘In the Know’. It was so much easier when you just had to look out for Ron Fenton handing over brown envelopes in Wilford Lane Harvester.
What’s the mood of the fans coming into the new season?
The keyboard warriors are mardily predicting relegation - but then again they did last season. If we don’t win the first six games, those that read the runes will blame our shirts for being too much like those of the relegation season of 1992/93. The hard nuts are looking forward to a right royal knees-up with Palace. The rest of us are stockpiling Ryanair vouchers, while being cautiously optimistic that Nuno will work it all out.
Tell us about your captain…
The magnificent Mr Ryan Yates - every time anyone’s stupid enough to write him off, he steps up a gear. He is a master of the darker arts - I don't think we’ve had someone who knows exactly where the line is, and where it becomes uncrossable, since Psycho. Some have, sacreligiously, compared him to Robbie Savage, but whereas Savage probably really does drink battery acid and torture rabbits for fun. If Ryan Yates wasn’t a footballer, he’d probably be running a sanctuary for street dogs in Thailand.
Where do you think you’ll finish come May 2026? We’ll finish at the World Famous City Ground, where we’ll be home to Bournemouth on 24 May. Or possibly in the Conference League final in Leipzig on the 27 May (I’m not cancelling my hotel room just yet). It’s impossible to predict, as this is Forest so anything could happen.
What does being a football fan mean to you?
Going home and away is just what we do. We live and breathe NFFC. It’s the fulcrum of our identity - ahead of gender, nationality, and all other labels and boxes that society puts us in. It’s what others remember us by. It’s probably 90% of my personality. Actually it’s what I have in the absence of a personality.
If your current team was a song what would it be and why?
A mix up of The Prodigy’s Firestarter, with The Pogues’ Fiesta, a cameo from the Big Man singing Nessum Dorma and Tomorrow Keeps Shining by Chris Bartley. Unless you’re a Palace fan, in which case it’s Sh*thouse by Big Special.
Left Stag
words: Josh Osoro Pickering
Why did you become a Stags supporter? I was born in Mansfield, but grew up in London. My first football memories were accompanying my dad at places Orient, Barnet and Brentford. It was affordable and accessible. Stags were always there. I'd visit my grandparents and go to games with my grandad. Then I moved back and with my kids, we're now on the fourth generation. Supporting Mansfield is about family and sharing the highs and lows together, in a way that isn't always possible with bigger clubs.
Describe your matchday experience… I typically meet my dad an hour before kick-off, for a pint, then we take our seats and bet on how long into the first half we'll need to go for a first wee. We know a fair few people in the stands so there are the obligatory greetings and running jokes; it's a social event as much as a sporting one. Win, lose or draw, we leave having spent time together. I don't go to every game, as I often work on Saturdays, but it's something I hope to do more of this season.
How did you feel you did last season?
It was very much a season of two halves for Stags, last term. On a high from promotion, and despite having lost our best player, we flew out the blocks and were in and around the playoffs before Christmas, but then went on a terrible run of form that saw us dragged into a relegation battle, before a return to form towards the end. Old legs and injuries were largely to blame, but overall we achieved the objective, which was simply to stay up.
Tell us about the gaffer…
Nigel Clough has just signed a new two-year deal, but he’s already the fourth longest-reigning manager in England. He's been fantastic for us and we couldn't be in better hands, in my opinion. I read somewhere that he will likely pass the record for most games managed by a Mansfield boss in the next couple of seasons. If he keeps us progressing gradually, as he seems to do with whomever he manages, he'll one day have a statue or a stand named after him. Club legend isn't too strong a label.
What’s happening off the field?
Off the field, the club has been upwardly mobile ever since John Radford saved us in 2010. In that time, the club has gone up two divisions, but it has made great strides in its commercial dealings, facilities and matchday experience too. We now have an excellent training ground and fanzone at the stadium and most excitingly for fans, after two decades, the reopening of the Bishop Street Stand is imminent. But charging fans £30 a ticket for League One football is a disgrace and should be called out as such. For Mansfield to be one of
the most expensive tickets outside the Prem is inexcusable.
Any new signings you are excited about?
So far we've made good early progress in the market. Keeper Liam Roberts is an excellent signing from Millwall and will be number one immediately. Ryan Sweeney rejoins the club from Burton and is our new captain. Kyle Knoyle is known to us as a solid defender from his days at Stockport. Nathan Moriah-Welsh joins from Hibs, Luke Bolton from Wrexham and Regen Henry from Tranmere. Meanwhile, our relationship with Forest has seen three of their young stars join on loan: McAdam, Gardener and McDonnell. We still need another striker.
Any key departures? What big boots are there to fill?
The real area that has been depleted with outgoings is experience. As older players and big characters such as Stephen Quinn, Alfie Kilgour, Aden Flint and Lucas Aikins move on (although the latter may still return after his prison sentence), it is inevitable that some of the dressing room spirit and knowhow will need replacing. Hopefully the new lads will fill the void. I trust Nigel and Simon Clough have done their homework, and I don't have any complaints about the retained list.
What’s the mood of the fans coming into the new season?
I think pretty much everyone was happy enough with last season, although the bad run got a bit nervy around springtime. The owners and Nigel are trusted by the fans, and the signings all look to be upgrades on those who have departed, but we'll have to see. A successful season will be any improvement on league position and expectations are probably where they should be among the fanbase.
Tell us about your captain.
Ryan Sweeney has just signed, after winning player of the year at Burton last season. He's a big, strong centrehalf, who can also play a bit, and he's a natural leader. After playing over 100 games for us between 2018-2021, he went to Dundee in the SPL and then Burton, who we play on the opening day! We're getting back a much more mature and confident version of the promising young defender who left us.
Where do you think you’ll finish come May 2026? It's hard to know, with so many signings, where we’ll finish. Clough seems to have a knack of finishing higher each year so if I'm being optimistic, I'll say 14th. It could be five places either side of that though.
What does being a football fan mean to you?
As readers of my past articles on Stags will know, I value the community and ritual of going to football. I love watching the game in any form really, but Mansfield is about more than what's on the pitch. Field Mill is a church and the congregation are family. I catch up with people, take comfort in familiar surroundings, sing the songs and experience emotions in unison with my fellow supporters. It's something I intend to do more with my young family. And following the Nigel Clough model of incremental progress, I'm slowly bringing my wife round to the idea.
If your current team was a song what would it be and why?
Two seasons ago, in LeftLion, I said that following Mansfield required not taking things too much to heart. When I was a kid, if we lost the tannoy above the West Stand would pump out Monty Python’s Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life. This, in a town that had lost its pits, its brewery and very nearly its club, was an aptly witty choice, but it reflected a sense of perspective that things could be a lot worse than losing a football match.
Follow our monthly football columnists online as the season progresses at leftlion.co.uk/sport
A new book in the Pictorial Guide series is now available, looking at the history and development of The Meadows, Nottingham
Originally a large expanse of wetlands to the south of the town, the area went from an idyllic rural pasture covered in crocuses and grazed by sheep and cattle to an overcrowded suburb prone to flooding
The book looks at the area’s development, the buildings, the streets and the industry It contains 100 pages of text supported by over 200 images, mostly in colour, including some coloured postcard images not seen before Price £10.00
The book is available from: Five Leaves Bookshop, 14a Long Row, Nottingham NG1 2DH. (See also www.gwoodward.co.uk)
deep iMpaCt
words: Marcus Lawrence
Writer Danny Scott’s memoir, The Undisputed King of Selston, delves into Nottinghamshire's rich mining history from a personal and emotional perspective. Marcus Lawrence delves into the journalist’s newest book, and his deep-rooted, generational connections to the city.
At the very beginning of Danny Scott’s memoir, The Undisputed King of Selston, we are taken up to the very top of a hill, only to be led down into the ‘hundreds-offeet-deep shaft’ at the pit where his dad worked. Starting at the bottom of the hill, Scott’s stylistic prose is rich with nostalgic, sensory detail: from the elderflower tree, whose “flowers were smoky white and drowned everything in their cloying, acrid stench,” to the “summer-storm grey” sky that “stretched menacingly in every direction.” Once at the top of the hill, Scott takes us through an eagle-eyed vision of Nottingham’s mining history – and his own past.
Finding his wings in a village “ruled by coal”, as Scott beautifully coins, has resulted in the creation of this compelling new memoir. In an era where the stories of Britain’s post-industrial heartlands are often flattened into clichés or ignored entirely, Scott’s emotionally candid take feels important. Set in the mining village of Selston, Scott retraces his upbringing as a way to reconnect with his multigenerational mining family – we even catch a glimpse of his grandad, who once worked at a pit in Wansley alongside D.H. Lawrence. In his writing Scott captures domestic struggles set against the political turmoil and anxiety of the 70s and 80s, while bringing to life the workings of a child’s imagination in the midst of it.
Selston was then home to Pye Hill Pit, where Scott’s father worked as a miner. The village has been linked to the ‘black gold’ of coal for centuries – in 1483, a man called Elias Day is recorded to have signed a contract to supply ten wagon-loads of ‘pytte coals’ from the area. Scott describes this world of extraction as “Dad’s natural habitat,” in doing so blending the machinery and danger of the job with the curious nature of a child’s intuition:
“One of many pits in the Erewash Valley, birthplace of mining in medieval Nottinghamshire. Among Pye Hill’s various shafts, No. 1 carried my dad to depths of 700 feet, where he would work part of a vast coalfield - the best coal in the country, he reckoned - that ran all the way from Nottingham and Gedling, on through Hucknall, Kimberley, Eastwood, Brinsley, Underwood, Jacksdale and Selston…”
Throughout the book, places and objects are sites of memory - each evoking impressions from Scott’s younger self. The ‘Rezzer,’ possibly a settling pond or old industrial reservoir, brings back guilt from a repressed memory involving two teenagers playing in the water. His primary school becomes the birthplace of the nickname that follows him to the very end of the memoir - ‘Clever Bugger’ - and the playfully cruel nickname of a childhood bully: “Sadistic-Lad-Who-Lived-NextTo-The-Bus-Stop-In-A-Non-Pit-House.”
We’re introduced to “The Tin Hat,” a local social club that Scott remembers well: “anyone looking for the beating heart of Selston in the 1970s would have found it right there.” But most nostalgic of all is his first home, the pit-house. Within these walls, the turbulent but loving nature of a mining family is shared: their habits,
routines, punishments, illnesses, and the quirks that made them unique. In one of the memoir’s most poignant moments, Scott describes his mother’s blindness, comparing her to the Japanese wartime second lieutenant Hiroo Onoda. Her “soldiering on,” is a phrase that becomes a recurring motif - not just for a mining mother, but for the embattled town of Selston itself.
sCott Captures doMestiC struggLes set against the poLitiCaL turMoiL and anxiety oF the 70s and 80s, whiLe bringing to LiFe the worKings oF a ChiLd’s iMagination in the Midst oF it
Danny Scott has lived many fascinating lives since leaving Selston. After an apprenticeship in engineering, he worked a job in counter industrial espionage, became a private investigator, then a painter and decorator, before becoming a successful journalist, interviewing among others Usain Bolt, Sir Paul McCartney, and Mikhail Gorbachev.
In Scott’s journalism he speaks personally and openly; his article, The truth about the 1984 miners strike mirrors the political undercurrent of his memoir. Scott carefully dissects Arthur Scargill’s controversial ballot in 1984, which excluded the likes of his father from voting - resulting in a historic strike that reshaped the mining industry.
Scott is well-placed to reflect on how the coal industry became a haunting shadow of his village’s past; in The Undisputed King of Selston he weaves together this political and journalistic insight with the inquiring voice of his younger self, and the result is a rich, heartfelt exploration of how the child became the writer.
What’s most striking about the book is Scott’s extended metaphor of flight, which appears throughout. At times, it reads like a yearning for escape - but interestingly, this escape rarely reaches beyond the boundaries of Selston. Perhaps for Scott, flight isn’t really about leaving, but about perspective. As his inner child ‘flies,’ we see his curiosity from above - his desire to understand, to bear witness, and to tell stories.
His ambition to view Selston and its departed mining culture as a whole is what emotionally enraptures the reader. And Scott’s intention? He tells the Derbyshire Times: “I started this book for my young son, but I finished it for my dad, for Selston and for a glorious childhood that was guarded and guided by coal. I finished it in the hope we never forget the East Midlands’ proud mining history.”
Danny Scott’s, The Undisputed King of Selston, is available at all good bookstores.
MM unity
MaKing ends neet
words: Matteo D’Alesio illustration: Celina Lucey
You may or may not have heard the term NEET before, standing for Not in Employment, Education, or Training. It describes a wide group of people that could be made up of young carers, people with severe medical conditions, or even people on gap years, as well as many other circumstances. We spoke to some Nottingham folks who have found themselves in these kinds of situations.
NEET is an acronym that has been getting more and more attention in recent years. Since 2002 other countries in Europe have decreased their rates of NEET people by 25%, whereas the UK lags behind with a reduction rate of 19%. And with Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, saying that “economic inactivity is holding Britain back,” it's a significant concern for the Government.
But what leads to people becoming NEET? If you’ve swallowed a copy of the Daily Mail you might be thinking woke, workshy, snowflake layabouts. If you’re of another persuasion you might think about successive Governments praying at the altar of austerity and the impact that has on society. To reveal my own bias, I’m not on the Daily Mail end of the spectrum, but I do wonder how people end up being NEET and how they navigate their situations. So I got in touch with a few people who have experience of being NEET in Nottingham to hear their stories (pseudonyms have been used to protect their privacy).
“I was NEET in Nottingham during 2023,” Elly tells me. “I had lost two office jobs within the space of a year due to extreme anxiety. At the time, it was very difficult for me to find a job, as the Jobcentre would push for me to apply to any job, including customer-facing roles that were of course not suitable for someone having panic attacks every day.”
it’s better For e Veryone, CoMpanies, CoworKers, iF soMeone joins a job haVing taKen six Months oFF to worK on their MentaL heaLth, than soMeone struggLing, joining job aF ter job but struggLing to deLiVer and Keep the jobs beCause they’re not in a good MentaL state
One of the biggest contributors to becoming NEET is poor mental health. A survey by Youth Futures Foundation found that one third of young people who are NEET had a mental health condition, with nearly 90% believing their condition affects their ability to find work or function in a work environment.
“The Jobcentre didn’t seem to really understand the gravity of my mental state, and that for the time being I couldn’t make searching for work a priority,” Elly explains. “Taking the time off work really helped me manage my mental health. It was slow, for a time my daily goals just consisted of the very basics, like getting up, brushing my teeth, going for a twenty minute walk down the Embankment. But slowly I got better and better.”
It's a common theme from talking to people who have been NEET and have used the Jobcentre - there is a focus on filling job applications and securing interviews, even if the real barrier that someone is facing is their mental health or other conditions.
Harry, who also suffers from mental health issues, had similar experiences with the Jobcentre: “the meetings every two weeks consist of barely anything more than a question of ‘am I finding jobs to apply to?’, and ‘have I had any interviews?’, and maybe a follow up question or two,” Harry explains. “Either way, not one of my meetings has lasted longer than five minutes.” Harry wasn’t the only person to
mention the in-and-out nature of Jobcentre appointments: "Jobcentre absolutely offers no help at all, or consideration for my disability,” Charlie tells me. “The meetings there would last about five minutes, just a check box.”
It might seem unfair to criticise the Jobcentre for their handling of mental health, after all they are not a mental health service. But what is difficult to excuse is the Jobcentre’s lack of signposting for external support services.
“The Jobcentre didn’t make me aware of any services,” Elly shares. “In fact, I didn’t even realise how many support services existed until I volunteered at a food bank last year. The food bank has volunteers sit with people and go through all of the available services, they often have a mental health advisor there as well. I don’t know why the Jobcentre doesn’t operate in the same way. It very much just seems to be a ‘let’s get you a job ASAP’ mentality.”
For people between 16 and 34 years old, rates of mental health conditions have increased from 3% in 2009 to 13.5% in 2021 according to the Health Foundation. A staggering increase that is set to put more pressure on our work, education, and health systems. For people who are NEET this is especially alarming as there is a clear disconnect between the support services that are trying to help people get back into work and actually understanding why people are out of work.
For Elly there has been light at the end of the tunnel. “I now actually work as a hotel receptionist and I’m the most social that I’ve ever been. The social aspect of my job actually helps my mental health now, which is a concept that would have been totally foreign to me in 2023. But I definitely needed that time off work to be able to get to this point.”
“I think the majority of people with mental health issues don’t want to be NEET, but there needs to be more understanding that tackling a mental illness takes time, and sometimes can’t be done alongside work. It’s better for everyone, companies, coworkers, if someone joins a job having taken six months off to work on their mental health, than someone struggling, joining job after job but struggling to deliver and keep them because they’re not in a good mental state.”
I asked Elly and Charlie if they had any advice for people who are currently NEET. “If I could give advice to anyone it would be to prioritise your mental health and never feel ashamed for having to take time away from work to get better,” says Elly.
“Search for whatever free or funded courses or schemes are available in your area,” Charlie adds. “Even if it may not be your interest or passion, it could lead to a job, also have a look for volunteer opportunities, if there are none then cold email some businesses offering to volunteer. Most are happy to accommodate. And do free online courses! Lastly, access free counselling via the NHS to look after your mental health.”
For dedicated employment support in Nottingham, there is FuturesAdvice.org who provide help for all people, plus InspireAndAchieve.co.uk and ThinkForward.org.uk who specialise in helping young people.
wiLd about weeds
words & illustration: Wild.NG
Wild.NG are a group of conservationists on a mission to steer local authorities away from destructive spraying of our so-called ‘weeds’, and encouraging a more permissive and community-led approach. We asked them to tell us more about their acclaimed Poison Free Pavements campaign, and why you too should probably consider making better pals with your resident street plants.
Warning! Some may find the content of this article alarming. Today as we write, and when the people of Sherwood should be celebrating their third year of being glyphosate free, a number of streets have just been carelessly sprayed with poison without any warning against the wishes of hard-campaigning residents. This happens every year, up to three times a season. This may fill some of us with horror, as it rightly should.
What should also make us uneasy is what effects this poison has – unsurprisingly, it kills. First synthesised in the 1970s, glyphosate is used globally on commercial crops as well as the verges and curb sides of our local streets. Yet in 2015, based on ’limited evidence’ in humans and ‘significant evidence’ in animals, the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate as a ‘probable human carcinogen’, placing the chemical in the 2A category, signifying a high level of evidence that glyphosate can cause cancer in humans. The study also found ‘strong’ evidence of genotoxicity (damage and mutations to DNA).
This toxic mist is used to kill wild flowers throughout the spring and summer. During spring, any garden centre or DIY store will greet you front and centre with aggressive looking shelves of products, with slogans making such sinister promises as 'kills to the root’, ‘controls and clears’, and ‘kills the root, kills the weed, stops regrowth’, with one bottle featuring a crosshair targeting the head of a dandelion!
We have grown up in the shadow of these malevolent plastic bottles bearing diamond shaped logos bearing scenes of trees and fish dying, holes burned in hands, exclamation marks, and deathly skull and cross bones. Out of reach on a high shelf, in the shed, or at the back of the cupboard under the sink, they stand a regiment ready for action, right there in our common shared household product normality alongside the germ, ant, fly, moth, slug and wasp killing powders, papers and potions.
The irony being that we live in a time of acute awareness of environmental care and legacy, yet as soon as we start to leave the icy gloom of winter and colour starts to return to our lives, we kill it. But
flowers arrive in a multitude of colours, attracting various lifeforms which use nectar for food and aid the plants’ reproduction through pollination. Importantly chlorophyll, which makes the leaves appear green, converts light from the sun into energy – through a process called photosynthesis, and with help from water and carbon dioxide produces oxygen and glucose.
we pL aCe ourseLVes pretty high up in the sCheMe oF things, but us huMans are reaLLy just a sMaLL part oF a LinK on a Chain oF ConneCtiVity that strings aLL LiFe together
Apologies for the basic biology lesson, but it’s important to stop and process this sometimes – to be in the moment with a plant, contemplate the biological sorcery, how plants alchemically transform light into complex organic life forms – provide us with the air that we breathe and food for insects who, through their own processes, feed us.
In attracting insects, plants provide food for birds, birds distribute seeds and provide food for larger animals, and when a plant dies and the leaves fall, they produce insulation for invertebrates and small mammals over winter. The decomposition feeds numerous soil dwelling creatures, which in doing so feeds the earth with vital nutrients supporting new growth.
This is an extremely brief overview but it’s important to have perspective. It's why we connect to green – in the confusing dark maze of being human, we are all aware that these humble life forms are completely responsible for supporting us on our journeys on this rare and beautiful planet. We place ourselves pretty high up in the scheme of things, but as humans we are really just a small part of a link on a chain of connectivity stringing all life together.
At Wild.NG, we’re a group of radically-minded conservationists who want change. Against the odds
we steered local authorities towards a healthier greener future for all life forms that call the Sherwood ward home, via our Poison free Pavements campaign. Our movement was not calling for all street plants to be left alone to become overgrown. It was simply calling on the council to let communities organically manage their own patch, let it bloom before removal, and give nature a chance to do its work. For three years it did work and, with a renewed commitment from the powers-that-be (in our case Nottingham City Council), it can continue to work into the future.
Over the last few years, we at Wild.NG have amassed a considerable following of active neighbours, street by street. We have creatively campaigned our way to securing housing for swift populations (via our SWIFT Street campaign) and monitoring hedgehogs. What volunteers’ work has proven beyond any doubt is that communities are showing that they care about the wildlife on their doorsteps, and that they are ardent about continuing to show their support.
Communities giving up their free time for a cause speaks volumes about how much they care, volunteering to help urban wildlife can only survive if Nottingham City Council show that they can match that care by offering their committed support, their backing beginning with a healthy, poison free and sustainable street management plan.
The Council has every opportunity to make Nottingham a green leader – to become a national example of caring and fighting nature’s ever decreasing corner; to show that they understand what it means to be a part of a bigger picture – brave and forward thinking about what the people of the city want. Remember how the voices of Nottingham called for the, now extremely popular, area to the west of the Broad Marsh to be green?
The people of Nottingham are a ‘wild’ bunch – they have shown that they want nature in their lives, they want change, they want a greener tomorrow – and if there is one thing we know about tomorrows, it's that they are inevitable.
Get involved with Wild.NG via social media @wild.ng and wild-ng.uk
Opening in early August.
Harvey’s Farm Shop is a traditional British butchers established in 1991. All produce is locally sourced. Specialities include homemade sausages and burgers, beef, pork, lamb, bacon, cooked meats, pork pies, cheeses and more.
Sunday, the way it’s meant to be: proper plates, real people, no pretense. Neighbourhood dining at Piccalilli—crisp roasts, honest sides, cocktails worth a second round.
Every Sunday from 17th August, 12–3pm. Pull up a chair. Stay a while. Sunday lunch at Piccalilli. Some things are worth repeating.
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join the CLub
Would you dine with strangers? That’s the concept behind The Underground Table, a supper club where people gather at a secret location to enjoy a carefully curated menu of seasonal dishes. Our food co-editor Lucy Campion shares her experience of Nottingham’s brand new supper club, hearing all about it from the motherson duo who run these monthly events.
I had the pleasure of attending one of the first Underground Table supper clubs in June. The location (disclosed only after booking) was a period property, steeped in character, with high ceilings, sweeping archways and dramatic decor.
As guests arrived, the atmosphere had all the thrill and anticipation of a murder mystery event, except instead of a crime waiting to be solved it was an evening of spectacular food and great company that lay ahead.
By the end of the meal, connections had blossomed through common ground and stories told. One guest had completed a sixty-mile bike ride just that morning, another had once posed nude in public for an art project, and another two discovered that they lived in the same village.
After the supper club, I found myself curious about the origins of The Underground Table and the behind it so I met founders Claire and Louis Eden for coffee and a chat.
Claire tells me it all began during lockdown when, like many others, she found herself with more time for hobbies.
“I started to cook more and hone my skills,” she said. “I applied for Masterchef and got as far as the final casting but didn’t make it onto the show. That got me thinking ‘what is my food dream?’.”
While Claire considered starting a supper club, the modest size of her house convinced her the idea wasn’t feasible. However, a fateful conversation with two friends, Bea and Andy, presented an unexpected solution. “We were chatting and I was cooking for them, when they said ‘Would you like to run a supper club from our house?’ The idea was born from there really.”
Claire went on to organise a soft launch of The Underground Table and asked Louis to act as front-of-house. It was, in Claire’s words, “a big step” as it was the first time she had charged for her cooking. “It went really well and we received great feedback. Now I spend all my time thinking about food, cooking and practising. Menu development has been a challenge – thinking about the flow of a menu, what works together and what I can manage cooking solo.”
Claire and Louis’ close bond is integral to the smooth running of each event. While Claire commands the kitchen, Louis manages front-of-house - a taste tester, playlist curator and ambience setter all at once.
Reflecting on their working relationship, Claire says: “It’s important to me that we do this together. Louis has a fantastic personality and front-of-house is essential to the dining experience. He sets the ambience and makes people feel welcome.”
Louis agrees: “We have a great relationship where we bounce ideas off each other. I’m learning a lot – I’ve worked in hospitality but fine dining is new. It’s a journey I’m really enjoying and something I hope to take further in the future. What I love about the front-of-house we deliver at The Underground Table is that it feels personal.”
For Claire, Louis’ role is much more than logistics. “I definitely see it as Louis being a partner in this. I’m heavily reliant on him when we’re delivering the evening, in terms of looking after the guests and providing a positive experience.”
While elements of the supper club feel relaxed and spontaneous for guests, everything is the result of precise planning by Claire and Louis to create an environment where strangers can connect without awkwardness.
“You have to be quite brave to come to a supper club, as you know you’ll be sitting at a table with people you don’t know,” Claire explains. “People think ‘Is it going to be awkward, are we going to vibe?’ This is where Louis is key. We’ve talked long and hard about how to improve the experience.”
you haVe to be quite braVe to CoMe to a supper CLub, as you Know you’LL be sitting at a tabLe with peopLe you don’t Know. peopLe thinK ‘is it going to be awKward, are we going to Vibe?’
This focus on hospitality also extends to Claire’s inclusive approach to dietary needs. “Some people just do not accommodate allergies, but that’s not really my personality. I want to accommodate where I can.”
From delicately smoked beetroot paired with blackberries to granita topped with marigold petals, it was clear from my own supper club experience that a lot of imagination goes into Claire’s food. When I ask her where she gets her ideas, she says “they come from practice, taste and play! Some inspiration comes from dining out, some is through research and some from my own travels. We’ve just come back from Santorini so the next supper club has dishes inspired by food we ate there.”
A trip to The Jackdaw restaurant in Conwy, North Wales, also had an impact. “While having this tasting menu, I realised I should pull back. I was over complicating things and serving larger portions than necessary.”
And not forgetting one of Claire’s most important rules when crafting any menu: “I only cook things I like to eat!”
Sourcing is also carefully considered, with Claire using seasonal produce and local suppliers where possible. “I get my fish fresh from a local supplier, Fish Rich, in Lenton. He delivers all over Nottingham.”
There is something undeniably special about The Underground Table. Beyond the artfully plated dishes and grand locations, Claire and Louis have created more than just a supper club. It’s an experience where food unites strangers, sparks connection, and leaves a lasting impression on the people as well as the taste buds.
As Claire puts it, “I love food because I like making people happy. Seeing people enjoying my food gives me pleasure – food is a really lovely thing to be able to share with people.”
[Q @the.underground.table
words & photos: Lucy Campion
hoLy raVioLi!
words: Lucy Campion & Julia Head
photo: Bar Gigi
Our trusty Food Editors, Julia Head and Lucy Campion, headed to one of Nottingham’s finest Italian restaurants, Bar Gigi, to explore the new summer menu – and a wine cellar hidden in the city’s historic caves.
You know that feeling when you order a dish so good that you can’t stop thinking about it? This is what consistently happens for us at Italian restaurant Bar Gigi in Nottingham.
The last time, it was the eight-hour beef short rib ragu served with mafaldine that consumed our thoughts for weeks, and this time it was the fresh, hand-rolled gnocchi lying in a moreish taleggio cheese, honey and sage-infused cream. Heaven, we tell you. It was good enough to convert even the biggest gnocchi sceptics (Lucy).
A visit to the restaurant – let’s call it research for LeftLion – treated us to a taste of their new summer menu, where familiar Italian dishes come with clever twists and a few ingredients you don’t see every day.
the eight-hour beeF short rib ragu serVed with MaFaLdine ConsuMed our thoughts For weeKs, this tiMe it was the Fresh, hand-roLLed gnoCChi Lying in a Moreish taLeggio Cheese, honey and sage-inFused CreaM
Known for their Italian plates, Bar Gigi’s preference leans more towards seasonal small plates (and some big ones) using the finest Italian ingredients. Another incredibly satisfying dish on their new menu that tasted like it had been sent straight from the gods was the savoury Italian Maritozzi doughnut which features oxtail that is slow braised for six hours to achieve its rich, tender texture. We love a savoury doughnut – or any doughnut, for that matter – and this one didn’t disappoint with its umami flavour, and interestingly, a sprinkle of sweet powder on top that we didn’t particularly dislike.
FroM
the KitChen with dan CoLes, CheF at piCCaLiLLi
What’s your personal favourite?
Describe your venue in three words?
Intimate, rustic, nostalgic.
Who has been the biggest influence on your cooking?
Anthony Bourdain; I read Kitchen Confidential when I was very young. That and Letters To A Young Chef by Daniel Bouloud made me chase my dream at a young age.
What's the best-seller on your menu?
Our cod, served with hollandaise, Cornish potatoes and samphire. A classic of big flavours.
The cured salmon, served with salad cream, pickled cucumber, quail eggs, mustard cress and black pepper. It's a mix of nostalgic comforting flavours but light and fresh as well.
What’s the best meal you have ever cooked?
Probably a roast dinner with my partner on a crisp autumn Sunday afternoon, glass of wine in hand and a sticky toffee pudding in the oven to finish.
What’s the best meal you have ever eaten?
I ate at Sat Bains last year which blew me away! I also had a great evening at Kagges in Stockholm a few years ago. They did a wicked veal tartare with buttermilk and dill, washed down with good cocktails and wine.
Where else do you eat out in Notts?
We often go out for pizza at one of Nottingham’s many great pizza joints. Also I have to mention the previous occupants of our place Kushi Ya. Sadly their new place has the same opening days as us so we haven't been for a while.
Who are your five ideal dinner party guests alive or dead?
Anthony Bourdain, Bruce Springsteen, Jack Kerouac, Chris Cornell and Robin Williams. I’d serve hotdogs and cold beers and we’d put the world to rights.
The seabream with a pecorino verde sauce arrived looking like a piece of art with the carefully placed fried potatoes, and was perfectly cooked and flaky.
Regrettably, we made the mistake of sharing a tiramisu which turned out to be one of the best we’ve had in Notts. A rookie error really, considering our affinity for tiramisu, so a note for next time: order one for yourself.
If you didn’t already know, Bar Gigi holds the keys to some of the city’s historical caves beneath the restaurant. Discovered by chance during repair works, the space has since been transformed into Cantine Dell’Angelo, an atmospheric wine cellar stretching nearly 100 metres and with the capacity to hold up to 80,000 bottles of wine. It’s available for private hire, tastings and special events. It’s quite magical down there, so we definitely recommend a bit of wine and exploring.
Good to know: they do a £19 weekday lunch menu, Tuesday–Friday, 12–2:30pm, with pasta and focaccia included.
Head to the LeftLion website for an extended version of this article. Find Bar Gigi at 15 Flying Horse Walk, NG1 2HN.
bargigi.co.uk
LiFe behind bars
with robyn warwiCK, gM at queen oF hoCKLey
What's the worst?
Describe your bar in three words? Vibrant, inclusive, attentive.
Tell us something interesting about your bar…
We have our very own record wall, custom made to house a wonderfully eclectic collection of vinyl records hand picked by the owner himself.
What's the best thing about your job?
The culture. Seeing people enjoying the perfect balance of good food, drinks and music. This is something I believe we do very well.
The food and drink envy. On a sunny afternoon I can sometimes feel a little envious of those nibbling away at some of our tasty menu dishes with a crisp pint in hand.
What's your best selling drink?
We have a really great range of draught lagers, IPAs, ciders and guest ales but our 2-for-1 Happy Hour cocktails fly off of the bar!
What's your most expensive drink?
I’d say our prices are pretty competitive, but we do stock a tasteful range of higher end wines for those looking to elevate their dining experience.
What's your personal favourite tipple?
I love a good glass of sauvignon blanc. Hits the spot every time!
Who's the most famous person you've had drinking in your place? We have hosted some very well established DJ’s, some of which have legacies decades long!
How would you persuade someone who's never visited your bar to entice them in?
I’d encourage them to have a look through our social media (@ thequeenofhockley) and see our great line up of events, live music and tasty food.
The Queen of Hockley,
exhibition re View
How do you capture and represent the vast talent of artists across the UK? How can an organisation elevate this work, highlight key themes, and further its own mission in the process? At its core, the fifth annual New Art Exchange Open Exhibition provides answers to these questions.
Stepping into the NAE Open is a vivid celebration of mixed-media practice: colour alongside monochrome, sculpture adjacent to photography, all framed within the calming blue interiors of the gallery. The exhibition not only showcases remarkable technical skill and creativity but creates connections between personal stories and broader conversations around society and history.
Hosted by the UK’s largest gallery dedicated to the contemporary visual arts of the Global Ethnic Majority*, it serves as both a public exhibition and a professional development platform for Global Ethnic Majority artists across the UK, and all artists based in Nottinghamshire. The result is a bold, thoughtprovoking collection that reflects personal narratives of migration, identity, belonging, culture, politics and place.
One of the most arresting pieces at the exhibition is Deforestation (Desmatamento) by poet and scholar Broken Glass. A section of the Brazilian flag has been violently cut, leaving only negative space where green once symbolised the forests. The national motto
– “Order and Progress” – has also been removed, prompting the question: how can we have progress without protecting the Amazon? The flag, reduced to fragments, becomes a sharp critique of environmental destruction and the erasure of Brazil’s ecological identity.
FroM deepLy personaL experienCes to urgent gLobaL Crises, nae open Captures a wide sCope oF theMes whiLe aMpLiFying VoiCes too oF ten exCLuded FroM MainstreaM disCourse
Emily Catherine’s Phuong offers a quiet counterpoint. Her photorealistic charcoal portrait – part of the series Here With You – depicts a subject with closed eyes, inviting viewers to pause, breathe, and reflect. Surrounded by louder, more colourful works, the calm stillness of Catherine’s drawing cuts through the
noise. It is a tribute to empathy, to the overlooked and unseen. Catherine continues to affirm her place as one of Nottingham’s most gifted artists.
Aida Wilde’s BUTCHERED is arguably one of the most powerful works in the exhibition. A white body bag hangs from red carcass hooks, a printed label assigning the “diagnosis” as genocide, the “location” as Palestine. By placing a body bag in a gallery, she pulls the ongoing violence off our screens and into physical space, forcing viewers to confront the clinical coldness of state violence. It is raw, direct, and unforgettable.
A companion to Wilde’s piece is Three Brits by Akshay Ramsewak. A triptych of portraits defaced with slurs and red spray paint, the work delivers a visceral commentary on the racism immigrants continue to face in the UK. The words are confronting, but necessary. Shock becomes the entry point to reflection. Even more telling is that Ramsewak, while still in secondary school, was prevented from exhibiting the piece due to the language used. This censorship highlights the institutional discomfort that often surrounds direct expressions of racial trauma. That such a young artist is producing work of this calibre is both moving and urgent.
The exhibition, as a whole, is rich with craft, meaning, and boldness. From deeply personal experiences to urgent global crises, NAE Open captures a wide scope of themes while amplifying voices too often excluded from mainstream discourse. That the works are so varied - across media, tone, and message – makes their collective impact all the more powerful. This isn’t just an exhibition. It’s a testament to what can happen when an institution commits to truth, justice, and representation through art.
*NAE uses the term “Global Ethnic Majority” to describe individuals who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual heritage, Indigenous to the global south, and/or racialised as ethnic minorities.
The New Art Exchange Open runs until 13 September 2025, with free entry.
nae.org.uk
For this month’s Artworks, ahead of Nottingham Carnival, we spoke to Solomon Lewis Hunter, who leads and designs costumes for the local carnival troupe Inspire Urself.
This costume is named Rhythm of Bay Street. It’s a celebration of the vibrant pulse of Bahamas festival Jukanoo – a carnival costume inspired by the energy of Bahamian brass bands.
Rising from a dramatic high-center display are cowbells, trumpets, saxophones, and horn motifs - capturing the full force of a brass band in motion. A silver saxophone anchors the centerpiece, tying the elements together in a bold spectacle.
This design channels Junkanoo’s sound, movement, and soul. It brings to life the electrifying chaos of a Bahamian rush-out, where the rhythm of drums and brass carries masqueraders forward and the streets echo with music and tradition.
I’m a Black carnival artist from Nottingham, costume designer, and cultural storyteller. My journey into carnival arts began in 2013 with Zodiac Allstars, a troupe that taught me the fundamentals of costume creation and community spirit. It was there that I crafted my first costume, inspired by Jamaican Independence Day, and felt the thrill of watching something I’d made come alive on the road.
That experience sparked a passion that’s only grown stronger. Through Zodiac Allstars, I connected with international carnival artists and later trained with the renowned Junkanoo Commandos in the Bahamas.
In 2017, with support from Arts Council England, I founded Inspire Urself: a carnival troupe for young people and adults. Our mission is to create opportunities through costume, dance, mentoring, and touring. Every year we
explore new themes - like Asia, Aztec empires, and Willy Wonka. Our troupe has proudly earned titles like EMCCAN (East Midlands Caribbean Carnival Arts Network) Carnival Prince and King and Nottingham Carnival Queen.
Young people are at the heart of my work. There’s something empowering about watching someone put on a costume and transform – suddenly they’re more confident, expressive, and free. Carnival gives people permission to shine, and I’m committed to nurturing the next generation of carnival artists who will keep that spirit alive.
Behind the scenes, EMCCAN is essential. Their support helps artists like me access resources, training, and national visibility. EMCCAN’s commitment to developing the carnival arts ecosystem has been vital to both my personal growth and the success of Inspire Urself.
I create most of my work at City Arts Nottingham, where I’m a resident artist. With backing from Arts Council portfolio funding, City Arts provides crucial space for artists to explore and collaborate.
Looking ahead, I hope to take one of our volunteers to the Bahamas to experience Junkanoo firsthand. Offering realworld cultural exchange is the next step in inspiring future leaders in carnival.
Nottingham Carnival takes place on 17 August 2025 at Victoria Embankment.
nottinghamcarnival.co.uk
words: Benjamin Kay photo: New Art Exchange
FeeLing supersoniC
words: Marta Tavares photo: 2324 Photography
Sonic Boom Festival might only be in its second year, but it’s already made a mighty bang in the nearby Burton-on-Trent — and if founders and organisers Chris Baldwin and Andi Jepson have anything to do with it, the aftershocks are just getting started.
Set up as a not-for-profit community interest company, Sonic Boom exists to support the local music ecosystem, from artists and promoters to young people getting their first taste of the music industry.
“Every penny that we make goes straight back into the ecosystem of original music creation, music promotion and grassroots events – those sort of things in our area,” explains Chris.
The idea was sparked by Future Yard in Birkenhead –a post-industrial music venue and creative hub that helped revive the local scene.
“Someone from East Staffordshire Borough Council saw this and went, we’re kind of in a similar boat in Burton-on-Trent… I wonder if we could do that here,” Chris says.
That person got in touch with Future Yard’s Craig Pennington, and eventually, Chris and Andi got involved. After a successful month of local gigs and the birth of the Burton Music Collective, the first Sonic Boom festival launched, supported by East Staffordshire Borough Council and Arts Council England.
“We kind of magic’d this thing together. And it turned out to be a really regionally significant cultural event,” Chris adds.
Big names like Chris Hawkins from BBC 6 Music and indie band The K’s were on the bill, but the inaugural event also gave another spotlight to some of Nottingham’s best rising talent at the time – artists like Deco, Girlband! and Divorce.
“And that was free,” Chris says. “So, this is why we say it’s a festival for everyone… You can come and watch them in town for free on a great stage with great sounds, in a great setting.”
The name? It’s a deliberate one. “We’re creating a bang in town,” says Chris. “The town needs waking up. The town… is a bit sleepy… and we wanted to create a Sonic Boom.”
“Those events that are after the main festival are all called Aftershocks… So the idea is that we do one of those every year. There's a big boom, that kind of thing,” said Andi. But there’s also an unofficial inspiration: “I was thinking about Street Fighter 2.
There's a character called Guile, and he says, ‘Sonic Boom.’ I'm sure that plays into it somewhere,” he adds, between laughs.
Andi leads on curating the lineup – but this wasn’t what the council originally had in mind. “I think that the council suggested we had a local school choir, and maybe somebody singing with some backing tracks and that sort of stuff,” he says. “We immediately said no, thank you. Because we wanted to create something for the community, which is the kind of festival that we would want to go to.”
we’re Creating a bang in town. the town is a bit sLeepy and we wanted to Create a soniC booM
“We wanted to put a lineup together that wouldn't look out of place at a Splendour or at a Dot to Dot. We are both in bands, and we were gigging at these local festivals and seeing them from the public side. We wanted to create something like that in town,” he continues.
Last year’s lineup – with the aforementioned Divorce, Deco and The K’s – captured that new wave energy. “It felt like there was a really exciting mix of local bands who were on the ascendancy. And then you had Girlband!, who obviously have gone on to smash it,” Andi says.
This year, they’ve gone bigger – and crucially, they’re curating all of the Aftershock venues too. “You need something that will really make people go ‘actually, this is an amazing act to have in a town,’” Andi explains.
He walks me through some of the artists to catch: “You've got Revivalry… the youngest band to play the Kendal Calling main stage. You've got Ruby J, who was on The Voice. She's an incredible singer… and then you've got Chiedu Oraka, who's supporting Coldplay.”
And the format? “The idea is to do genre hopping by venue hopping,” he adds. “You know, if you want to follow the indie boys around, then you can do Revivalry, then you can go and see Tommy Smith, and then you might go and do some drum and bass somewhere.”
One of the most community-led and inspirational things about Sonic Boom is its youth programme. “We co-curate a course for 15 to 25 year old young people to take part in,” says Chris. “They come backstage, they go and meet everyone… One of the guys who took part last year is now in one of the bands that are playing this year’s BBC Introducing Stage.”
And the impact is real. “He did the course last year. And now he's out there doing security on all the festivals and that sort of stuff,” says Chris. “Ordinarily, people from Burton wouldn't know you'd be able to do that. What we're creating is this ecosystem where, you know, people can get into the music industry without needing to go to London.”
Last year, over 6,500 people showed up. “98% of the people that were there said they felt safe and said they would come again – that they felt proud of the town,” said Andi. “Even people that weren't from the town would say that – and I think there is something in the water in Burton in that it's a friendly town.”
And now? “The early birds sold out within hours,” he adds. “We're a good 20% through [tier two] now. What I want to happen though, is I want local music fans to snap these tickets up before the national Everything Everything fans start coming in, and keep it in the family, as it were.”
Other than headliners Everything Everything, there’s also a strong contingent of local Notts favourites and rising stars on the line-up once again, with Leah Wilcox, Dorothy Ella, Jayahadadream, JJ Lovegrove and even Chris’ own band, the Paddy Considine-fronted Riding The Low.So, what’s next?
“The end game is a venue,” Chris says. “There is not a dedicated music venue in Burton-on-Trent. And that's what we want to achieve – we want to inspire other people to take action. We want to lead the way for others.
“I think that's going to happen,” he adds. “This thing’s unstoppable.”
Sonic Boom Festival takes place on 13 September 2025. sonicboomfestival.co.uk
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 our Notts Sounds playlist on Spotify
Dorothy Ella Do You Still Lie (Probably) (Single)
An upbeat, post-breakup anthem from local pop princess Dorothy Ella, and a staple of her live sets. Dorothy brings a mischievous fun to the song’s themes of relationships ending and deceit, skilfully providing powerful, soulful vocals to express and act upon the emotions in the song’s lyrics. This song also bears a slightly more indie energy, crafting a playful sense of anger, again lending itself well to Dorothy’s vocals and the simply divine harmonies. The production is excellent, too; everything is crisp and every part sounds amazing, not overpowering any other. An enjoyable track from a true musical stalwart of the Nottingham and Derby music scene, one both instrumentally powerful and creative and lyrically fun and vengeful. (Thomas Gensler)
Parisa East Too Powerful (Single)
GIRLBAND! Hot Love (Single)
One of Nottingham's favourite alt-rock three piece bands prove (again) that their versatility knows no bounds with new single Hot Love. Opening with a glam-rock guitar slide and chugging bass riffs, the song makes way for fullon rock-and-roll vocals and an attitude which evokes all the best things about our American cousins. But don't be fooled: this is done with Nottingham style. With tongue-in-cheek rhymes and plenty of "la la la la-la-la", GIRLBAND! present a vivacious, tenacious and totally in-character defiance in this two-minute, layered blast of alternative tastiness. (Phil Taylor)
Parisa East has been on our music scene for many years, playing her own music and actively promoting others through Acoustickle. Too Powerful employs a subtle soul jazz fusion sound delivered in a relaxed and laid-back style, with Parisa’s gentle vocals carrying an empowering and compelling feminine narrative which hints towards Lily Allen. She skilfully combines many diverse musical threads in her work, employing a strong R&B groove driven by a soft percussive beat. The backing vocals add an extra dimension that reinforce Parisa’s message in the lyrics, while the peaceful tinkling keyboards bring a certain softness to the overall sound. (Claire Spencer)
Davoli & Jess Beer
Tarmac Trees (EP)
Nottingham based song-slinger Davoli is back, and this time he’s brought Jess Beer along for the ride. She made her name in Penny Moon, a group whose abrasive style of pop-rock quickly turned them into scene favourites, but alongside Davoli she’s exploring pastures new. Tarmac Trees is evidence that good things do come in small packages: within just four songs, the pair create one of the finest folk projects in recent years. The project begins with Old Friend, a memoir on lost love and memory packed within a beautifully whimsical melody. Charlie follows - a track which feels like a masterclass in musical storytelling. Track three – simply titled Bones – is a standout: this is where the pair unite in an outstanding vocal connection. The final ballad (Flood) creates a beautiful crescendo; the perfect end to an already outstanding EP.
(Max Christian)
Starting as a vulnerable piano ballad, X’s lyrics paint a painfully authentic picture of domestic unease and hurt, the first verse especially being a showcase for LYVIA’s beautifully soaring, fragile vocals that sell the raw emotion. As the beat comes in, so the track becomes laced with empowerment, words tumbling out, sharp-edged as she grows in confidence: “Your biggest flex is that I’m your ex” is hands down the most satisfyingly savage line of the year so far. Incredibly wellproduced and a smartly judged, confident R&B tune, X justifies and deserves to accelerate LYVIA’s continued rise from busking the Nottingham streets to a sold out headline tour and beyond. (Kieran Lister)
LYVIA X (Single)
Euphoric avant-funk punk. BBC 6 Music Hot Tip.
HANG LINTON SOBORGNOST
Electrifying sci-fi dance punk.
GIANT SPANDEX HEAD
Saturday 16 August 8pm
By Our Hands We Make Our Way (NG1 1DQ)
BYOB. Communal food.
£7 advance. £10 on the door.
Nobody turned away for lack of funds.
Experimental rap meets techno glitch pop. Image
If you’re looking for a unique, statement piece of art or furniture then look no further. Commission your own piece of art from Herbie Hare.
Herbie will work with you, from his studio in Sneinton Avenues, to create a piece that truly reflects your personality and taste.
Tel: 07970 987 866
Email: herbiehare@hotmail.co.uk
Unit 44, Sneinton Market, Freckingham Street, Nottingham NG1 1DQ herbiehareartandfurniture.co.uk
illustration: Ilinca Sivoglo
Out of Time: Sex and The City
Sex sells….or so we’ve heard. We take a look back at Nottingham’s history of ‘adult’ entertainment cinemas and shops.
It’s hard to believe now, but Nottingham once had a collection of adult cinemas. The British Board of Film Censors began to loosen restrictions in the late 1960s and early 1970s, leading to an increase not only in the adult entertainment industry but also in cinema attendance.
The Moulin Rouge Cinema on Trinity Square was possibly the first in the city to show adult content films, even if it was just a once-off. The cinema showcased Nudist Paradise briefly in 1967. Hilariously, it appears to have been just one in a run of nudist films shown at the cinema throughout the 1960s. In 1963, managers brought London strip club dancer Ingrid Anthrofer to perform alongside the film, Take Your Clothes Off and Live. In case things got too wild, city police were reportedly in attendance.
The most well-known of these cinemas was the Scala, or Classic Cinema on Market Street. The cinema was bought by Classic Cinema Chain in 1964, but it opened The Tatler Club in February 1972. It advertised, ‘modern entertainment in luxurious surroundings and carpeted comfort’ along with naughty films. You had to be a member to attend, so coupons were attached to local newspapers to incentivise people to join. The cost was £1 per year. The cinema appears to have put adult films on all three screens by 1980, but it wasn’t enough to save it. The Classic closed in 1984.
It wasn’t the only adult cinema as the Mini Cine Club opened on Lower Parliament Street in July 1977, but moved to Heatcoat Street in 1984. It also offered a slightly cheaper membership at 75p per year. Again, the cinema showed ‘uncensored films’, but it kept a lower profile by not advertising. The cinema made headlines after a raid by the vice squad, who arrested four men, including one councillor, on gross indecency in August 1990.
The Climax cinema was another adult cinema on Broad Street operating in the late 1970s. By the 1980s, it was renamed the Gallery Cine Club, complete with the new addition of an exotic dancer every Wednesday night. It’s unclear whether this establishment was or wasn’t an adult cinema, but a license to operate one was submitted in 1993.
This was much to the horror of Mary and Harold, the managers of Lord Roberts pub, who worried it would put the women off playing darts. Mary told local newspapers that if the cinema opened, she would demand lower council tax. The cinema appears to have opened but closed in September 1996.
When a license application to reopen it was submitted, it was met with a 1,000-strong petition from locals opposed to it. Councillors denied the application as they felt Hockley was no longer a suitable area, so the cinema became the ‘Gallery Lounge’ instead, showing classic films.
in 1963, Managers brought London strip CLub danCer ingrid anthroFer to perForM aLongside the FiLM, taKe your CLothes oFF and LiVe. in Case things got too wiLd, City poLiCe were reportedLy in attendanCe
It wasn’t just about the films, as sex shops began opening in the 1970s. Delta Love, now located on Radford Road, was once owned by Frank Turner. However, it wasn’t his first location, even if Delta Love is widely thought of as Nottingham’s first sex shop.
Frank originally opened the business in premises rented from the Quakers on Parliament Street. He told the owners that he was opening a health business under the name The Body Shop. Imagine the surprise that on paying a visit, the landlord was shocked to note he sold ‘sex aids and naughty knickers,’ detailed in the delighted Daily Mirror. He was threatened with eviction.
Frank eventually moved the business to Radford Road in December 1986, where he held a license on and off for years. It was noted that there were flats above the shop, but also, the window displays held very few items of a sexually explicit nature. The shop was opened in 2001 after Frank battled the council. Delta applied to the council’s licensing officer for a sex shop licence, but councillors wrote to block the move. A postal delay meant the letters arrived one day too late to stop this from going through. As there were no objections, the council approved it. It also hit headlines after the council officials gave it a £22,000 renovation grant. Frank passed away in December 2005. Delta Love was sold and remains open to this day.
Remarkably little information has survived about Sven Books. It is remembered as an adult bookshop, first based on Talbot Street, then on Mansfield Road, and some also recall it on Goldsmith Street. Visitors to Mansfield Road recalled the
blacked-out windows as they hurried past. Unsurprisingly, no one admitted to going in.
Although it did carry paperbacks and magazines, the shop may have sold more than that. It was quite common for sex shops to trade under ‘adult bookshops’ to avoid causing offence. It also sold ‘marital aids’ and videos.
The shop appears to have been part of a chain of adult shops owned by Darker Enterprise, who owned a chain of up to fifty shops, many of the same name. The company also traded under QuietLynn and Sheptonhurst.
Some cities faced protests and campaigns to drive Sven Book shops out as a result of the Government's attempt to institute an Indecent Displays Bill and license sex cinemas and shops in 1981. Similar protests against the sale of pornography were made at other sex shops, on Carrington Street in Nottingham, to mark International Women’s Day in 1989.
It’s unclear when it opened and closed in Nottingham, but it moved into Coventry and Derby in the mid-1980s. Darker Enterprises was bought out in 2022.
While we may all be familiar with the brand, Ann Summers, it wasn’t always that way. However, the brand had its eye on a Nottingham location back in the 1970s, sparking fears that it would open what the Nottingham Post dubbed ‘a sex supermarket.’
Incredibly, the brand began in 1971 in London’s Marble Arch. The original owners were bought out by the Gold Family the year after it opened. It would be 1981 before Jacqueline Gold, the Executive Chair, conceived the idea for the infamous Ann Summers parties. She later became the director.
A spokesperson denied that plans for a supermarket were underway, but did confirm that Nottingham was a great location. It was highlighted that if the council blocked a location in Birmingham, then the owners would look to Nottingham. It wasn’t until 1997 that Ann Summers opened its twelfth branch on Long Row in the former United Colours of Benetton store.
“Nottingham is a top area in terms of Ann Summers’ Parties,” Gold told The Post. “That’s why we’ve decided to open a shop here. When we advertised for shop staff, we had three times the usual number come along.” She mentioned there were around 400 parties per week in Nottingham in that first year.
DESIGN+PRINT//BRANDING//SIGNAGE// APPAREL//PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL//FOR THE ENVIRONMENT//COMMUNITIES// THE ARTS//CONSERVATION//SOCIAL JUSTICE//HEALTH AND WELLBEING// THE PLANET//DISABILITY RIGHTS// MENTAL HEALTH//GRASSROOTS// CRUELTY FREE//RENEWABLE ENERGY// MUSIC//THE OUTDOORS//THEATRE// THE THIRD SECTOR//DANCE// AND MORE
Based on characters by Colin Dexter
Written by Alma Cullen
Directed by Anthony Banks
Reasons to be Cheerful
words: Lauryn Wilson
The news is normally negative in Notts but here’s some good things that have happened in Nottingham recently…
Paying homage
Nottingham Trent University’s Executive Dean EDI and Multi-Faith manager, Reverend Clive Foster has been appointed as the government’s first Windrush Commissioner. This is a newly created role on a three-year term, dedicated to addressing the Home Office Windrush scandal by ensuring that the victims are heard and delivered justice. Clive’s parents migrated to the UK from Jamaica in 1959. His dedication to the cause has driven him to be the founder of the Nottingham Windrush Support Forum and the Vice Chair of the Windrush National Organisation where he volunteers. Clive was also awarded an MBE for services to the Windrush generation and broader community in the New Year Honours in 2022, continuing to make the community proud.
Kickstarting creativity
Create Growth N2 (CGN2) has secured £425,000 of government funding for creative and digital businesses in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. The last time the company received funding they were able to support 89 local and nine specialist businesses. The company is funded by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport and works in partnership with the University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, and more. This funding will help to develop and strengthen the creative, digital and creative technology sectors in Nottingham and the surrounding areas to boost local innovation.
Raising Dough
Tough Mary’s Bakehouse, one of Nottingham’s best independent cafes, known for their tasty pastries and delightful drinks, hosted a fundraiser on Sunday 13 July and raised £5,000 for Palestinian aid in one day. The bakehouse’s fundraiser involved a whole new Palestinian inspired brunch menu, a live DJ, face painting, ten minute portraits, a raffle and their usual coffee and baked treats on sale. The raffle tickets were £1 each and all the prizes were donated by other local businesses. For those who couldn’t make it they also had an online donations page. All the money raised from the day was donated to Medical Aid for Palestinians, a fantastic contribution and achievement that is helping to make a positive difference in the world.
TRUTH
Unpicking Nottingham's urban myths
THE CASE OF THE HUCKNALL ZOO
A long time ago, in the north Notts mining town of Hucknall, there was once a zoo. Whilst I have scoured over ancient forums, infiltrated Facebook groups and even entered some uncharted territory in ‘Zoo Chat’ (the zoo enthusiasts answer to Reddit), I have concluded that everyone seems to remember walking past a zoo in Hucknall’s Broomhill Park during the early 70s. Yet, few seem to remember stepping foot inside. The only lived experiences come from their uncles and distant cousins who have now been buried with the ghost of Sherwood Zoo.
However, there definitely was a zoo in Hucknall, home to lions, tigers, elephants and according to one Facebook user, a polar bear. Owned by a chap called Martin Lacey, prior to setting up Sherwood Zoo, he was involved with Chester Zoo and Flamingo Land, and was responsible for training tigers in Esso TV adverts during the 70s.
Sadly for Lacey, following a fallout, his suppliers of exotic animals infiltrated the zoo to repossess their animals around 1974. After this, the zoo only lasted for two more years, as the public became unwilling to pay for tickets to see empty lion’s dens. What was left was just local blokes dressed up as flamingos and penguins. That final sentence may be slightly untrue, but Sherwood Zoo did close, with numerous claims of animal cruelty now permeating the internet forums. Years later a Premier Inn stands in its place (now closed down indefinitely), with The Bowman pub next door.
Despite the questionable ethics and evident challenges in upkeep of Sherwood Zoo, in 2019, a resident of Strelley called Reece Oliver took up the ‘Tiger King’ mantle by adopting some of his own exotic animals.
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I reckon that any family lucky enough to own a pet would agree that our pets become a part of the family. Growing up, we always had dogs in the house which meant that my mam could justify hanging up one of those awful signs around the house featuring some twist on an ancient proverb like ‘home is where the dog is’ or ‘live laugh woof.’ (Thankfully I had them burnt on the sly when she was out walking said woof). Most people tend to draw the line at a hamster or a snake - ideally not in the same cage - but Reece Oliver has disrupted the status quo for ‘acceptable furry friends.’
Whilst Oliver does have dogs and hopefully no awful signs brandishing cheesy proverbs, he also has *inhale* one tapir, eighteen horses, a tribe of monkeys, a wallaby, two penguins (which he assisted the Nottinghamshire police in rescuing and returning to a Cumbrian Zoo), some lemurs, one puma, and two lions granting him the nickname – Lion King.
Oliver is engaged in wildlife conservation work and provides care for all his animals, most of which he rescued. His two lions, Rocky and Rora, were rescued from an organisation in the Czech Republic who planned to euthanise them if he hadn't driven all the way there to rescue them.
Whilst my biggest inconvenience caused by my neighbours is the odd football flying over my fence, Oliver has faced objections from Strelley residents, pressure from councillors and multiple petitions against the ownership of exotic animals as pets. However, despite all the backlash, Oliver is still the proud owner of this menagerie. So if there is one thing to take from this month’s Truth or Legend it is this: don’t annoy your suppliers and if you do, just set up a zoo in your own back garden. Ideally don’t do it in Strelley, unless you enjoy a row with the council. I
words: Matthew Blaney
best oF the Month
DJ Workshops for Men
When: Every Monday evening
Where: Fisher Gate Point
How much: Free but booking required
Since they opened to the public in March, it’s been all-systems-go at Fisher Gate Point: the colourful creative hub located just a short walk from Nottingham Arena –their events calendar has included a whole host of unique occasions. Currently, and since the start of July, they’ve been hosting free DJ workshops for men as a followup to a series of those for women. As is the case with most events at the venue, those with little to no experience are encouraged to come along.
When: Fri 8 - Sun 10 August
Where: Thoresby Park
How much: From £55 (child day ticket) to £495 (family weekend ticket with camping), under 2s go free
Gloworm Festival is one of the most well loved fixtures in Nottingham's summer calendar – a dedicated family event that each year welcomes 20,000 visitors to Thoresby Park, in the heart of Nottinghamshire. Excitingly, the 2025 instalment has the festival’s most jampacked line-up yet, from plenty of play areas and activities, shows to enjoy, and featured characters for little ones to meet.
Waterfront Festival
When: Sat 2 August
Where: Canalhouse How much: £11
Waterfront Festival is now in its 15th year, and bigger than ever this month - over forty acts will take the stage at Canalhouse pub, with all proceeds going towards charities Emmanuel House and Mermaid. Having raised over £43,000 for charity since its inception, Waterfront is consistently one of the city centre’s most buzzing showcases of local talent, with line-up curated by local promoters I’m Not From London. It’s the perfect place for (ideally) sunsoaked, riverside vibes and energetic tunes.
PAW Patrol Live
When: Sun 10 August
Where: Motorpoint Arena
How much: From £35.40
A pretty immersive and memorable experience is set to hit Motorpoint Arena this month for young ones and their parents. Paw Patrol, the hit Canadian animated TV series for pre-schoolers, is going live and onstage in the UK. This particular stage show sees protagonist Ryder undergo a pirate themed adventure with his team of pups to uncover hidden treasure. Reviews have highlighted the fun, impressive staging and costuming, and energetic music, so for an evening out to treat your kids this will be ideal.
INN Robin Hood Adventure Trail
When: From Mon 4 August
Where: Around the city How much: Free
The Robin Hood Adventure Trail, facilitated by It’s In Nottingham, is back again this summer, and continues to be a great option for parents seeking fun, relaxing activities for their little ones.
Participants are invited to grab a free map from venues participating, and are challenged to find 11 Robin Hood-related characters around the city centre – collecting letters necessary for cracking a code. After doing so you can claim an award at Nottingham Castle. A list of participating venues can be found at itsinnottingham.com.
Experience Nigeria
When: Fri 15 August
Where: New Art Exchange
How much: Free but booking required
This month, as part of their series of free occasions celebrating culture and diversity in Notts, the New Art Exchange and their Corner Café team will host an energetic night of Nigerian food, drink, and music, in collaboration with African Corner Notts. With live music, traditional dance, DJs, an MC, and food provided by Your Cravings, it’ll be a pretty buzzing night open to anyone who fancies checking the work NAE are doing to interlink cultures from the Hyson Green area and beyond.
When: Mon 4 - Sat 9 August
Where: Theatre Royal and Concert Hall
How much: From £22 to £56
The most recent version of The Rocky Horror Show is now hitting UK and Irish stages, and will roll into Nottingham this month.
Starring Australian superstar Jason Donovan, this most recent adaptation of the classic gothicmusic-comedy-horror story has been the most successful in the show’s fifty year plus history with a sold-out 2024 Australian tour and over £10 million in ticket sales to its name.
Engine Room Showcase
When: Fri 15 August
Where: Metronome
How much: Free but booking required
Engine Room is a not-for-profit record label that supports young artists across Nottinghamshire. For this year’s instalment of their ‘artist showcase’, they’ll kick off the night with a music industry panel offering advice and support for aspiring artists. Following that, there’ll be performances from Jude Kirk, Dring, Eiina, Get The Army, and Don’t Worry, I Have a Plan. There’s plenty of young musical talent in Nottingham, and if you fancy hearing some of the best of it there’ll be few better opportunities than this.
The Rocky Horror Show
Gloworm Festival
Unearthed: The Power of Gardening Exhibition
When: From Fri 15 August
Where: Nottinghamshire Archives
How much: Free
Since May 2025 there has been an exhibition on display at the British Library’s site in St Pancras, London, titled Unearthed: The Power of Gardening. This month, this exhibition goes on tour, and will be featured here in Notts. Presenting personal stories alongside global histories, Unearthed explores how gardening has functioned as a resource for creativity, resilience, and connection, shaping communities and the planet through its links to food and medicine - definitely some guaranteed food for the soul.
Foolhardy Folk Festival
When: Sun 24 August
Where: The Arboretum
How much: £46
Curated as always by local troubadour Beans on Toast, the Foolhardy Folk Festival is back again for its fifth annual instalment. The line-up this year includes Gracie Petrie, The Young’uns, Nick Parker, and plenty of other loved local songsmiths, with beer and street food provided across the site. Under 11s also go free with a free e-ticket. Year on year, this delightful celebration of community and local music is really popular – so if you’re considering attending, make sure you look to get tickets early.
Hello Thor Records present…
When: Sat 16 August
Where: By Our Hands We Make Our Way How much: £7.70
This should be a pretty special one – LeftLion neighbours: By Our Hands We Make Our Way, who are an artisan workshop that facilitates lots of creative events, are hosting three artists from DIY record label Hello Thor Records. The line up is set to be excitingly experimental: the artists featured will be Hang Linton, a Leeds-based interdisciplinary artist; Soborgnost, the musical project of fiction writer Jim Osman, and a house-rap duo who go by the double-take-inducing name of Giant Spandex Head.
When: Sun 24 August
Where: The Grove
How much: £13.20 or £22.00
Since founding their venue one year ago the team at Sneinton Market’s The Grove have truly carved out a special place in Nottingham, having uplifted a whole host of local talent through recording sessions and live shows. At the end of this month, they celebrate everything that they’ve achieved with a special afternoon and evening of music, party hats, and fancy dress, with some solid local acts including Lace Thief and Victory Lap. 100% of ticket proceeds will go to the artists.
Fiddler on the Roof
When: Tue 19 - Sat 23 August
Where: Royal Concert Hall How much: £26 to £62.50
Fiddler on the Roof is a classic 1960s musical that in 2025 is seeing its first UK tour in 12 years. Following the story of a Jewish milkman living in rural Russia, in 1905, and his relationship with his daughters, the production is known for its timeless story and songs like If I Were A Rich Man and Matchmaker. This particular show also has a powerhouse team behind it, including director Jordan Fein and Tony Award winning designer Tom Scutt.
Long Way Chat With Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman
When: Sat 30 August
Where: Motorpoint Arena
How much: From £47.59
Long Way Chat is an event celebrating the release of the latest series of Apple TV+ show Long Way Home: starring actor Ewan McGregor and TV presenter Charley Boorman. Through the show, the duo ride motorcycles between their respective homes in Perthshire and Suffolk, but in a roundabout way: through the Arctic Circle, Baltic States and western Europe. The show at Motorpoint Arena will see Boorman and McGregor talk onstage about the show, and behind the scenes moments, sharing exclusive footage and immersive storytelling.
Broadway at Lakeside
When: From Fri 22 August
Where: Lakeside Arts How much: £16-20
Across the past four years, through summer and autumn, Broadway Cinema have facilitated outdoor film screenings with Lakeside Arts, in the atmospheric waterside surrounds of Highfields Park, next to the Uni of Nottingham. This year, the series returns with three unique showings lined up for August – Summer of Soul: a 2021 documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, Buena Vista Social Club: a 1999 documentary about the Cuban music scene, and The Boy and the Heron: an animated film from the globally loved Studio Ghibli.
When: Sat 30 August & Sat 6 September
Where: Ruddington Fields
How much: Free, booking required
Eager to grow your own? Want to beet' the waiting list? Roots Allotments are providing tours around their popular Ruddington site, where you can meet the on-site patch manager, discover no-dig growing methods, and connect with their lovely community members. Attendees are also welcome to join on the day and start growing immediately with a welcome pack of seeds and tools. This opportunity is perfect for anyone frustrated with long allotment waiting lists or those wanting to try growing their own vegetables in a supportive community.
The Grove 1st Birthday Party
Guided Tours of Roots Allotments
Broadway Cinema is proud to present a sunset series of late-summer outdoor film screenings, in the picturesque parkland at Lakeside Arts.
In
All films will be screening outdoors at Lakeside Arts, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD Fri 22 – Sat 30 August 2025
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s electrifying, Oscar-winning concert documentary about a forgotten Black music festival in Harlem, New York in the summer of 1969.
Summer of Soul (12)
this dazzling Japanese anime from Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki, a 12-year-old boy coming to terms with his mother’s death meets a talking heron who leads him on a fantastical adventure to another world.
The Boy & the Heron (12)
Wim Wenders’ legendary 1999 documentary transports us to Havana where a rediscovered generation of Cuban musicians are enjoying an unexpected encounter with world fame.
Buena Vista Social Club (U)
Timothée Chalamet stars as a young Bob Dylan in the electric true story of the rise of one of the most iconic singer-songwriters in history, set against the backdrop of 1960s New York.
