"Snottingham" a Nottingham Travel Page by northeast80

I lived here for three years whilst at Nottingham Trent University (1999/2002 BA (Hons) Decorative Arts) and have visited a great many bars and clubs, know all the cheap places to shop and the dodgy areas to live!

I've just got back from a weekend visit to Nottingham for a University reunion which was fantastic to see everyone again.
I got the coach down from Hull, taking about 3 hours and £10 cheaper than the train, met a friend and drove to our hotel but we couldn't check in until 2pm so went into town.
Went in most of the shoe shops in town, a very good selection, looked at the new town square, they've got rid of the two fountains that everyone used to put bubble bath in and have replaced it with one larger fountain, cleaned up the lions, did some planting and that's all I could tell.
We met for lunch in one of our old haunts; Russells, though now done up and is called The Orange Tree. I had a nice Belgian cherry beer to start off the day/night's drinking.
We had a little wander round town again, not much has changed, TK Maxx had moved into a large part of the Broadmarsh centre, the plans of expanding that began when I was there 5 years ago and still nothing's expanded.
The trams are nice though, makes the place seem cleaner somehow, I suppose they need to keep the tracks clear of rubbish.
We wandered into Hockley and of course checked out Ice Nine, the other gift shops, shoe shops and retro clothes shops.
Really tried to avoid the busy stretch as you cross the road from the Victoria Centre, it's such a shame they've closed Victoria Markets they we're very useful.

We freshened up at the hotel and walked back into town, met at Pit & Pendulum for a drink, laughed as usual at people trying to find the toilets in there, and then went to dim t for dinner, as there were so many of us we had to order from the set menu but it was still good.
After the meal we went to the Social which sometimes has good bands/dj's playing upstairs but I'll be so happy when the smoking ban comes in, it was discusting, the air was thick, I lost my voice and my eyes stung, so did everyone elses.
Sunday we visited the centre again, found some free parking near the castle (you don't have to pay & display on Sundays) had breakfast in a Weatherspoons, entirely non smoking, looked round town again, went to the Castle but was dissapointed to find you had to pay to get in at weekends now, £3.50 for adults. A real pity, I used to go there as a student and draw there, bit pricy to pay £3.50!
We met again with some others in The Malt Cross for lunch, I only managed a pot of elderflower tea and a lovely tiffin slice.
Waisted time going to Sainsburys and then got my bus home.