Student Accommodation

Nottingham

University of Nottingham

The University of Nottingham’s main campus, University Park, is a few miles from the city centre, with bus services into the city. It has campuses in Nottingham and overseas, in Semenyih in Malaysia (opened in 2000) and Ningbo in China, and more than 43,000 students study at its UK campuses. The university opened a new School of Veterinary Medicine and Science in 2006, the first new veterinary school to be established in the UK for over 50 years. Its Students’ Union supports a wide range of clubs and societies, and offers advice on welfare, academic issues and employment.

Nottingham Trent University

Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is based in the city centre, with its City Campus around Shakespeare Street. Its Students’ Union building on Shakespeare Street has three floors of social, sports and leisure space, including a 100-station gym, a 30-foot climbing wall, a multi-purpose sports hall and venues such as The Loft, The Landing and The Level, which includes a 2,400-capacity space. Students can also take part in the SU’s clubs and societies, and work with its media outlets.

Where to Eat

Nottingham has a wide range of places to eat, from casual spots and independent restaurants to chains.

Student Hangouts

For Indian food, Mogal-E-Azam at 7 to 9 Goldsmith Street is a family-run restaurant serving traditional dishes. Mayfair at 79 Mansfield Road is a Chinese restaurant with a long-standing reputation for good value.

Pubs and Sit-Down Dining

The Sir John Borlase Warren at 1 Ilkeston Road, Canning Circus, is a Regency-era pub operated by Lincoln Green Brewing. It serves home-style English dishes, stone-baked pizzas and a Sunday roast, and has a beer garden and rooftop terrace. It’s dog-friendly too.

Chain Restaurants

The Cornerhouse, in the city centre, has a large number of chain restaurants, including Bella Italia, Wagamama, Turtle Bay, Nando’s and Pizza Hut, alongside bars and entertainment.

Nights Out

Nottingham has a lively mix of live music venues, student club nights and bars, and the city has been awarded Purple Flag status for its night-time economy.

Live Music

Motorpoint Arena Nottingham is the city’s largest indoor venue, hosting major touring artists, with a capacity of 10,000 seated and up to around 15,900 with standing.

Rock City at 8 Talbot Street opened in December 1980 and is one of the UK’s best-known independent music venues. Its main hall holds around 2,000, and it hosts live music across rock, indie, alternative and electronic genres.

Rescue Rooms is a 450-capacity live music venue and club next door to Rock City, opened in 2003. It’s part of the DHP Family group, alongside Rock City and Stealth.

Clubs

Ocean on Greyfriar Gate is Nottingham’s only 100% student nightclub, open only to students during term time. Wednesday is the official Nottingham Trent sports and societies night, and Friday is the University of Nottingham night.

Rock City runs student club nights through the week. Wednesday is CRISIS, the University of Nottingham’s student night, and Thursday is TUNED, with two-for-one drinks across several rooms.

Stealth, on Masonic Place next to Rescue Rooms, focuses on electronic music and has two rooms. It also hosts Stealth Tuesdays, Nottingham Trent University’s official student night.

Staying Fit and Active

Nottingham has a strong sporting culture, with major university facilities, specialist national centres and plenty of live sport to watch.

University Sport

The University of Nottingham has been named Sports University of the Year by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide three times since 2018, most recently in the 2024 guide. Its flagship facility is the David Ross Sports Village on University Park, which cost around £40 million and hosts national and international events. The university says it offers more student sports clubs than any other UK university, and its teams compete in British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) leagues, so there’s a place for you whether you want to compete or just stay active.

Other Sport Facilities

The National Ice Centre is home to the Nottingham Panthers ice hockey team, and Nottingham is closely linked to figure skating through Olympic champions Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, who won gold at the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics. The National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont, just outside the city centre, offers canoeing, kayaking, rowing, sailing, wakeboarding and white water rafting.

Spectating

Nottingham Forest play at the City Ground, on the banks of the River Trent, and are two-time European Cup winners. Notts County play at Meadow Lane, just across the river, and describe themselves as the oldest professional football club in the world. Trent Bridge is the home of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club and hosts international cricket.

Where to Shop

Once you’ve settled into your luxury student accommodation in Nottingham, you’ll want to find the local supermarkets and shops, as well as the high street names and independent stores worth exploring.

Shopping Centres

The Victoria Centre, just north of the city centre, is Nottingham’s main shopping centre. It has fashion and high street chain stores, cafés and restaurants, and a John Lewis, as well as the Victoria bus station. The former Broadmarsh Shopping Centre closed in 2020, and demolition of the site began in 2026, with redevelopment expected to start in 2028, so it’s no longer a shopping destination.

The High Street and Bridlesmith Gate

The city’s traditional shopping core runs south from the Victoria Centre, down Clumber Street, through Old Market Square and Bridlesmith Gate towards Lister Gate. It’s a good place to find high street brands in a compact, walkable area.

Independent Shopping

Nottingham has a good independent scene. Hockley and the Lace Market area are known for independent shops, cafés and bars, and Bridlesmith Gate has been revitalised with a mix of independent and national brands.

Events and Attractions

Nottingham has plenty to see and do, from legends and heritage to live music and festivals.

Robin Hood

The legend of Robin Hood is part of the city’s identity. The Robin Hood Town Tour is a good way to learn about the stories and to see more of the city, and a visit to the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest, just outside the city, is a popular day out. The Robin Hood Festival is held each summer in Sherwood Forest, with entertainment inspired by the legend.

Parks and Heritage

Wollaton Hall and Deer Park, to the west of the city centre, is an Elizabethan country house set in parkland, and was used as Wayne Manor in the Batman film The Dark Knight Rises. The Peak District National Park is within reach of the city for hiking and cycling, and Sherwood Forest offers walking trails and green space.

Festivals

Dot To Dot is an annual city-centre music festival that takes place on a Sunday in late May. Its line-up of emerging and established artists is spread across Nottingham’s venues, including Rock City, Rescue Rooms, the Bodega and Stealth, and the 2026 edition took place on 24 May. Nottingham’s Splendour Festival at Wollaton Park ran for 18 years, with the final edition taking place in July 2026. The D.H. Lawrence Festival in Eastwood runs for around six weeks from August to September each year, celebrating the writer’s life and work.