Notts Going On — monsters on rooftops and Hockley Hustle
Spooky buildings, a country hall, iconic festivals, and more...
Hello and welcome to Notts Going On — your weekly local guide with news, property, events, and more.
Today is actually the first anniversary of The Notts Edit, marking the first article that we published. I’m going to be on Notts TV’s Notts Today show on Tuesday chatting about us and I’ll be sending around a little round-up with highlights this week. I’m so proud of what we’ve done in the past year and I’m excited about the future. Thank you all for your support!
One of the big things we’ve done is launch Notts Going On, which we send out every Monday. If you’re reading this and aren’t subscribed, you can do so for free to receive NGO and our other articles in your inbox.
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Notts Going On
By Eve Smallman
News 🗞️
🎃 Hello Halloween: It’s in Nottingham’s Halloween Festival is returning again this year, with plenty of spooky offerings happening around the city. The notorious rooftop monsters will be on top of city buildings from October 26-November 3 — you can either pick up a map at the Nottingham Tourism Centre to catch them all yourself or hop on the Monster Bus Spooky Safari to see them in style. There will also be a Monster Mash at Nottingham Castle on Halloween itself. itsinnottingham.com
🏍️ Winner, winner: Jacksdale's Kyle Ryde became British Superbike Champion over the weekend. The 27-year-old clinched the title by just a single point at Brands Hatch, winning a dramatic final race against reigning champion Tommy Bridewell with a decisive overtake on the final lap to take victory. Commentator James Whitham declared it "the best race ever." Hucknall's Richard Cooper also claimed the National Sportbike Championship. britishsuperbike.com
🥃 One more drink: Worksop-based rum brand DropWorks Distillery has released its first barrel-matured product. Barrel Drop Rum is 40% ABV and has tasting notes of rum and raisin ice cream, jammy dates and warm winter spices. The brand has also created a world-first rum barrel hybrid that combines American Oak STR and Portuguese Oak STR to impart a rich, jammy fruit taste. Keep an eye out for our feature with them, as we spoke with them about this and more. dropworks.co.uk
🏋️♂️ Heavy lifting: The old Tales of Robin Hood Building on Maid Marian Way could be turned into a ‘supergym’, with plans being submitted for a multi-million-pound build by Castle Gym. Notts TV went into the building (which shut in 2009), had a nosy around, and took some fascinating pictures, including a menu chalkboard listing sandwiches for £2. Those were the days, hey? nottstv.com
⚽ Scores on the doors: Notts County left it late against Chesterfield (again!), with top scorers Alassana Jatta and David McGoldrick on the scoresheet. Trailing 2-1 in injury time, Nottingham-born McGoldrick stepped up on his 550th league appearance to take a penalty, missing but tucking home the rebound. The point moves Notts into 3rd in League Two. In ice hockey, the Panthers held on to a crucial win at home against Cardiff Devils, winning 3-2 and extending their Challenge Cup Group A lead.
Hot Property 🏡
This country house in Kingston on Soar is seriously striking, thanks to its gorgeously grand exterior. It’s officially known as Kingston Hall and was built in the 1840s, so it has plenty of character. Inside, you’ll find a contemporary interior, four bedrooms (including the principal one with its own dressing room), and three modern bathrooms. There are other homes around it, and there are communal picturesque grounds and even an indoor swimming pool you can all share. It’s listed at £649.95k and marketed by Solo Homes Ltd. rightmove.co.uk
Chef’s Table 🍽️
Piccalilli's Dan Coles is relishing bringing familiar yet different flavours to Nottingham
Nottingham’s food scene has got a little bit bigger, thanks to the addition of Piccalilli — a British and European small plates restaurant in Cannon Court.
What’s On 🗓️
An Audience With Paul Smith 🧣
When: October 15
Where: Nottingham Playhouse
How much: £25pp
Beeston-born fashion designer Sir Paul Smith will be in conversation with journalist and author Richard Williams, talking about his career, inspiration, and impact on the global fashion scene. You can either go for the 4pm show or the 7pm show — tickets for both are quite limited now, so you might want to be quick in booking tickets.
Do if: You fancy mixing up your mid-week entertainment by hearing from one of Nottingham’s biggest exports.
Mayhem Film Festival 🍿
When: October 17-20
Where: Broadway Cinema, Nottingham
How much: £11pp per show, £95pp for full festival pass
Watch the very best in contemporary horror, sci-fi, and cult cinema and fiction during this festival’s 20th edition. You can see film premieres, previews, masterclasses, and international special guest filmmakers. The full line-up is on the Mayhem site, but highlights include Daddy’s Head which will also have a director’s Q&A after (October 17, 9pm) and Last Stop Rocafort St. which is having its UK premiere here (October 20, 6.30pm).
Do if: You haven’t got any TV shows or films lined up to watch this week and you’d like to shake things up.
Hockley Hustle 🎶
When: October 20
Where: Various venues around Nottingham
How much: £22pp, £11pp concessions, £10.99pp students
Discover a whole range of talented musicians and creatives during this city-wide celebration filled with community and culture. There will be acts playing at 50 (yes really!) locations, so you can spend the whole day diving in and out of venues and dancing. Headliners this year are rapper JayaHadADream, legendary local poet Bridie Squires, and alt-folk band Catmilk.
Do if: You want to discover more of the brilliant things Nottingham has to offer (or just have a free Sunday!).
A Tiger’s Tale 🎭
When: October 20
Where: Lakeside Arts, Beeston
How much: £9.50-£10pp
A ramshackle travelling troupe will be telling the true story of a family of acrobats and their adopted tiger cub. This will all be brought to life with the help of circus, puppetry, and live music. The performance is suitable for ages four and upwards, so you can take little ones and big ones alike. If you can’t make it on Sunday but would still like to head to Lakeside this weekend, there is also a free Museum Explorers workshop drop-in on Saturday.
Do if: You’re looking to start half-term off in a fun and interesting way.
Museum of the Moon 🌕
When: Until October 22
Where: Southwell Minster
How much: £4-£5pp adults, under 16s £2-£3pp
See a stunning installation of the moon, which will have detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface and an approximate scale of 1:500,000. It will be accompanied by surround sound composition created by BAFTA award-winning composer Dan Jones. The ticket price varies between daytime and evening time, so you can choose whichever suits you best (the evening will likely be especially enchanting, though!).
Do if: You’re looking for a dazzling Nottingham date night idea.
More events:
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