Pictured: Nottingham Castle. Credit VisitEngland.
Discover what the biggest city in Robin Hood country has to offer groups.
What's new?
At the end of 2015, Nottingham was named a UNESCO City of Literature, being as it is the home of DH Lawrence, Lord Byron and Alan Sillitoe. To celebrate, groups can take a literary-inspired day out, to attractions such as Bromley House where free tours are available of its library, or to the Festival of Words in November (dates to be announced), which will encompass a number of events with international guest speakers, local authors, writing workshops and a range of interactive sessions.
Newly refurbished and housed inside a Grade II-listed church is the Pitcher & Piano, a bar which has recently reopened in the heart of the Lace Market. Groups dining here can enjoy an all-day food menu and cocktails. GTOs can hire the entire bar for their group if desired.
An Evelyn Gibbs exhibition will be running at Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery between 9th July and 9th October. The displays present the life and work of English artist Evelyn Gibbs, focusing on a series of etchings made during her twenties.
Where to stay
The Lace Market Hotel: Positioned in Nottingham’s Creative Quarter, this 42-bedroom hotel has reopened following a £300,000 refurbishment, and group booking is available.
St James Hotel: This boutique-style hotel is located in a quiet area of Nottingham city centre adjacent to Nottingham Castle, and boasts 87 guest rooms.
Holiday Inn Nottingham Castle Marina: This hotel has 128 refurbished bedrooms and five conference rooms, and is situated just minutes
away from the city centre.
Pictured: Wollaton Hall.
Essential sights
Sky Mirror: A sculpture by Anish Kapoor outside Nottingham Playhouse, where groups can head for a theatre production. Sky Mirror was manufactured in Finland and is a six-metre wide concave dish of polished stainless steel weighing ten tonnes, angled up towards the sky to reflect the ever-changing environment.
Nottingham Arboretum: The city’s oldest public park and the closest park to the city centre. It is home to a collection of over 800 trees, some of which are from the original collection planted in the 19th century. It’s easily accessible from the city centre via the tram network that runs alongside it.
Wollaton Hall: An Elizabethan mansion set in the beautiful suburbs of Nottingham, housing the city’s Natural History Museum as well as Nottingham’s Industrial Museum (open Saturdays and Sundays). Specialised tours on various themes of Wollaton Hall are available.
Take a tour
A Nottingham Ghost Walk runs at 7pm every Saturday from January through to December, and is also available for groups to book privately throughout the year. The tour begins on Maid Marian Way, and passes by or through supposedly haunted locations including Nottingham Castle, a graveyard, and underground areas.
At Nottingham Castle, join an actor dressed as Robin Hood for a Robin Hood Dungeon Tour through the castle’s caves. Those on this tour will hear fascinating stories on their descent into the dungeons, and learn of events from history that took place on the site. The tour takes place four times every Sunday, and groups of ten or more should call 01158-761400 to book.
Discover a hidden world beneath your feet underneath the streets of Nottingham by taking a guided or self-led tour at the City of Caves. It’s a subterranean attraction that is part of a complex of over 500 caves dating back to the Dark Ages.
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Pictured: City of Caves. Credit VisitEngland.
Best for groups
The Galleries of Justice Museum is based at Nottingham’s old courthouse and gaol. There are many ways to explore this museum of crime and punishment, like free exhibitions, audio and performance-led tours. Don’t miss out on seeing new exhibition World War 1: Heroes & Villains.
For an alternative view of Nottingham, take a river cruise on the River Trent with Princess River Cruises. Full catering and live commentary are to be expected, and groups of up to 150 can be catered for.
The Theatre Royal and the Royal Concert Hall are in the heart of Nottingham’s city centre, and offer discounted rates on selected performances for groups of ten or more. Shows taking place this year include The Sound of Music (20th to 24th September) at the Theatre Royal, and Chicago (15th to 20th August) at the Royal Concert Hall.
For more inforamtion visit www.experiencenottinghamshire.com.
