Life in Nottingham

Known for its connection to Robin Hood, Nottingham has one of Britain’s richest historical heritages. Home to more than 300,000 people, it has many diverse communities as well as a public transport system that has won multiple awards.

Culture and Leisure in Nottingham

Expats considering a move to Nottingham are sure to be impressed with the city’s cosmopolitan vibe, historical heritage, abundance of shops and thriving nightlife. Listed in the Sunday Times’ 50 Best Urban Places to Live, Nottingham hosts two annual music festivals (Dot to Dot and Splendour) and regularly attracts major acts to its venues.

The center of the city is where most of the action can be found. The Capital FM Arena in the famous Lace District is the city’s main host of large concerts with the likes of Kylie Minogue, Elton John and The Killers all appearing there in the past. The smaller Rock City venue is the place to visit to see up-and-coming singers and bands.

Nottingham is one of the UK’s best-established cities for shopping, with the Victoria and Broadmarch Centres being the largest malls. The Bridlesmith Gate area is where most of the upmarket boutiques can be found, including the original Paul Smith store.

The main two sports teams in the city are Nottingham Forest and Notts County, whose stadiums are close to each other and only separated by the Trent River. Nottingham also as an international test cricket stadium (Trent Bridge) and the Nottingham Panthers are one of the most successful ice hockey teams in the English Elite League.

Other leading attractions in the city include the Castle, the City of Caves, the Nottingham Natural History Museum and the Nottingham Contemporary Art Gallery.

Transportation in Nottingham

Nottingham’s transport system is well respected and has won a raft of awards in recent years. Major investments have been made into public services since the 1990s and now the city boasts regular train connections to nearby towns as well as fast services to London. The Nottingham Express Transit, an electric tram system that opened in 2004, now makes getting around the city easier than ever.

Bus services operate across the city and are run by Nottingham City Transport (NCT), while Trent Barton run wider services to towns and cities such as Derby and Mansfield.

The nearest aviation hub to Nottingham is East Midlands Airport, which is likely the place of arrival for expats moving to Nottingham. It is located around 15 miles to the south west and handles more than four million passengers each year. Doncaster Robin Hood is around 40 miles to the north.

Education in Nottingham

Nottingham has a diverse education system which includes inner city comprehensives, fee-paying independent schools, a number of specialist colleges and two universities.

The city’s oldest provider of education is Nottingham High School which can trace its history back to 1513. Notable alumni include the writer D.H Lawrence and the politician Kenneth Clarke.

Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham collectively have more than 60,000 undergraduate students and in excess of 15,000 postgrads.

For a more general introduction to the British education system, please refer to our dedicated articles on the various types of schools and higher education in the UK.