As best man I’m currently trying to organise a stag do in Nottingham.

Location is non negotiable as hotel and day activity already sorted out. Destination was chosen to be inclusive for all friends/family regardless of salary and is also central for everyone travelling.

But, I’m not local and I’ve no knowledge of the place having never visited. I know there’s a hooters but which areas/where would be good to go?

It’s a group of 11 blokes, not the most raucous but equally we’d like some interaction/banter with ladies, hen groups etc. We will be in fancy dress Saturday night.

There’s a “Gentleman’s” establishment at an out of town retail park type thing – don’t go there, its awful.

Black Orchid???

As you are a party of 11 in fancy dress, your options may be limited as many establishments refuse entry for stag do’s/single sex parties.

What sort of place are you looking for, pubs? bars? clubs?

There’s a “Gentleman’s” establishment at an out of town retail park type thing

?

jon1973

I remember that establishment standing all alone & forlorn round the back of the station – you could see it from a pub, like some sort of seedy osasis out amongst the old rolling stock

Is the Pitcher & Piano in the old church still there? That was a pretty impressive place to have a few beers and to chat up locals (regaling them with my winning exploits earlier that day at the go-karts – how interesting I must have been).

Top tip – don’t throw naan breads at a bloke when they complain at you looking ‘at his bird’ in a curry house though – the locals don’t seem to like that.

🙂

Every second building in the central square mile of Nottingham is a pub, bar or club. Here, I drew a handy guide:

There are plenty of exceptions to that, like the Alley Cafe and Malt Cross and most of Chapel Bar in the NW being nice. Nottingham got a bit more diverse in terms of night life after every small place stopped trying to be gatecrasher around 2009.

From the market square NW up to Rock City is where you’ll find the more chainpub type places like Squares and Yates’s.

Hockley (Around Carlton St./Goosegate, NE of the map): Some places with good beers, hipster bars (for want of a better term), Brewdog etc., and a Revolution incongruously in the middle of it all on Broad Street. North of here is Oceana, Nottinghams go to twelve room tacky superclub.

Lace Market (SE around High Pavement and Pilcher Gate): More upmarket, though a lot of places there only have licenses for seated drinking now (About a decade ago it was full of cokeheads, and doormen who’d check you were wearing the right labels. Then there were stabbings. It’s peaceful now and still upmarket).

As you are a party of 11 in fancy dress, your options may be limited as many establishments refuse entry for stag do’s/single sex parties.

This. I would ask any places you find in advance if they will accept the group. When we were in Leeds a few weeks ago we noticed many Hen parties in fancy dress but very few equivalent stag dos, they where trying to be more low profile IMO. Stil out in a group but in normal clothes. Normal tactic AFAIR is to try get into places in smaller groups

Like most places you might struggle to get in the really good places if there are 11 of you in fancy dress. The best plan might be to split up very slighty when trying to get in (though with fancy dress that might be pointless).

Pitcher and Piano (big church) is still there and there is a good chance they’ll let you in. There are a few other bars on the same street (High Pavement) that might be worth a try (Brass Monkeys and some live music place). Otherwise I’d just hang around the Lace Market/Hockley area, pretty sure you’ll get in Cape/Pit and Pendulum/Lloyds. You’ll then be able to see where everyone else goes from there.

Hooters is still there and worth a go for both food and beers. Reds True BBQ has opened near market square which would be a good choice is you fancy really nice burgers (I would book first though).

Saltwater (bar on top of the Corner House) is a good choice in the day as they have a big beer garden on the roof. You probably wont get in at night though.

Great, thanks everyone. Yeah, we understand options maybe limited and will be happy with the cheesey bars/clubs come Sat night.

You should be able to book into Reds for food. Service isn’t great but the food and beer is. If you ask really really nicely you can get the burgers served pink so much juicier.

You probably won’t get into anywhere nice as a big group of guys in fancy dress so I strongly suggest calling around some venues before hand to check. you can then plan around that.

P&P would be a good shout, been done out so very nice these days – check before hand that you’ll get in though.

I’d go straight to Abrakebabra.

Hooters.

Crafty crow pub

Is Rock City still going?

Is the Irish still going? Good cheesy night to be had in there (fifteen odd years ago).

The Irish
Never mind 15 years ago, It was a great night 22 years ago especially on a Thursday ‘nurses’ night 🙂

God I feel old now