Shopping
Moving to a new country can be stressful, especially when you don’t know where to go for a loaf of bread or a new pair of jeans. To help you get settled in, we’ve made a list of shops, services and other bits and pieces so you’ll feel like a local in no time.
Supermarkets
Top tip: Most big supermarket chains give you the option to shop online and arrange home delivery. This can be helpful if you don’t have a car and don’t live close to a supermarket. Check out the supermarkets’ websites to find out more.
Top tip: Most supermarkets also do super-cheap clothing ranges.
Asda
www.asda.co.uk
Cheap and cheerful. There’s an Asda in West Bridgeford and another in Hyson Green.
Tesco
www.tesco.com
Britain’s biggest supermarket chain. There’s a Tesco Express in Lenton (a mini version of the supermarket that’s good for basics like bread and milk).
Sainsbury’s
www.sainsburys.co.uk
There’s a big Sainsbury’s in Beeston and another one between Nottingham city centre and University Park. There’s also a mini Sainsbury’s in Lenton.
Waitrose
www.waitrose.com
More up-market than Tesco, Asda or Sainsbury’s, but known for its ethical credentials.
The Co-Op
www.co-operative.coop
A chain of corner shops that, like Waitrose, places the emphasis on ethically sourced products.
Marks & Spencer
www.marksandspencer.com
A clothes shop that also does food! Definitely at the more expensive end of the market, but if you have money to burn, there’s a Marks & Spencer with a food hall in Nottingham city centre. On the top floor you can exchange money commission free too.
Home Stores
Ikea
www.ikea.com
Budget furniture, kitchenware and soft furnishings. The PGSA will be taking a bus to Ikea on Saturday 27th September. Tickets are available from the Students’ Union in the Portland Building.
Wilkinson’s
www.wilkinsonplus.com
All sorts of household bits and pieces, from towels to wardrobes.
TK Maxx
www.tkmaxx.com
Big discounts on popular brands. Good for soft furnishings and kitchenware.
Argos
www.argos.co.uk
Browse through the catalogues in the shop, write down the reference numbers for the items you want, pay at the checkout and then wait while a member of staff collects your goods from the store room. Or, of that sounds a little too complicated, you can just order online instead!
Homebase
www.homebase.co.uk
Homebase has all the usual furniture and home-ware as well as DIY products like drills, paint and other tools.
B&Q
www.diy.com
A pretty similar deal to Homebase (see above).
Debenhams
www.debenhams.com
A department store which sells pretty much everything you’ll need to kit out your new home (not the cheapest option though).
John Lewis
www.johnlewis.com
Another big department store, with a branch in the Victoria Centre, that sells pretty much everything, including clothes, furniture, kitchen appliances and electrical goods. More expensive than Wilkinson’s or Ikea, but good quality.
Men’s clothing
Topman
www.topman.com
Burton
www.burton.co.uk
French Connection
www.frenchconnection.co.uk
Ted Baker
www.tedbaker.com
H&M
www.hm.com
TK Maxx
www.tkmaxx.com
Primark
www.primark.co.uk
Dune
www.dune.co.uk
Shoes
Office
www.office.co.uk
Shoes
Shuch
www.schuhstore.co.uk
Shoes
Debenhams
www.debenhams.com
Department store
House of Fraser
www.houseoffraser.co.uk
Department store
Women’s clothing
Topshop
www.topshop.com
Dorothy Perkins
www.dorothyperkins.com
New Look
www.newlook.co.uk
River Island
www.riverisland.com
Primark
www.primark.co.uk
Zara
www.zara.com
French Connection
www.frenchconnection.co.uk
Ted Baker
www.tedbaker.com
Office
www.office.co.uk
Shoes
Schuh
www.schuhstore.co.uk
Shoes
La Senza
www.lasenza.co.uk
Lingerie
Bravissimo
www.bravissimo.com
DD+ lingerie
Debenhams
www.debenhams.com
Department store
House of Fraser
www.houseoffraser.co.uk
Department store
Transport
Taxis
Trent Cars
0115 950 5050
Cab-Line Taxis
0115 922 5226
DG Cars
0115 9607 607
Nottingham Cars
0115 970 0700
Bus Companies
Nottingham City Transport
www.nctx.co.uk
Trent Barton
www.trentbuses.co.uk
Trains
Top tip: It’s usually far more expensive to buy a train ticket at the station on the day you travel. Save yourself some money and book your ticket online, as far in advance as you can. If you’re 25 or under, or a full-time student, you can save even more money with a Young Person’s Railcard.
The Trainline
www.thetrainline.com
Find out how to get from A-B and book tickets online.
National Rail Enquiries
www.nationalrail.co.uk
08457 48 49 50
Find out train times and book tickets.
Young Person’s Railcard
www.16-25railcard.co.uk
Get discounted rail travel.
Going Out
Bars/pubs/clubs/other hangouts
The British love their pubs. Establishments range from cosy old buildings full of regulars who’ve been drinking there for years to swanky bars frequented by trendy young things. Beer and cider are popular drinks and a lot of Nottingham pubs serve locally brewed ales which are worth a try. Most pubs also serve food and the quality ranges from basic to posh, depending on the place. Classic pub dishes are bangers (sausages) and mash, meat pies, burgers, and fish and chips.
The Den
www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/goingout/theden
The Students’ Union club in the Portland Building. It’s open six nights a week and entertainments range from live music to comedy nights.
Mooch
www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/goingout/mooch
The Students’ Union bar (also in the Portland Building). As well as the usual alcoholic and soft drinks you can get coffee, tea and hot chocolate. They also serve food all day.
Belle & Jerome’s
www.belleandjerome.co.uk
Wine bar.
Vodka Revolution
www.revolution-bars.co.uk
Vodka bar – good for cocktails.
Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem
www.triptojerusalem.com
Allegedly the oldest inn in England!
The Approach
www.theapproachnottingham.com
Live music, sports and comedy.
Pitcher & Piano
www.pitcherandpiano.com
A pub in a big, converted church.
Cock & Hoop
www.cockandhoop.co.uk.
Cosy city centre pub serving good food.
NG1
www.ng1club.co.uk
Gay club.
Rock City
www.rock-city.co.uk
Live music venue pulling some big names.
Junktion 7
Another live music venue.
Bodega Social Club
www.thebodegasocialclub.co.uk
There’s a bar downstairs and a venue upstairs where bands perform.
Stealth
www.stealthattack.co.uk
Club that is popular with students.
The Ropewalk
www.theropewalknottingham.co.uk
One of the many pubs in Canning Circus that are popular with students.
Restaurants
There are more good places to eat in Nottingham than we could ever list here, so get out there and explore! The restaurants on the list should get you started though.
The Warsaw Diner
www.warsaw-diner.co.uk
Legendary for their breakfasts.
Tamatanga
www.tamatanga.com
Indian
Kayal
www.kayalrestaurant.com
South Indian
Yo! Sushi
www.yosushi.com
Japanese – sushi
Wagamama
www.wagamam.com
Japanese
Nando’s
www.nandos.co.uk
Portugese-style chicken restaurant chain.
Pizza Express
www.pizzaexpress.com
Italian
Zizzi
www.zizi.co.uk
Italian
Squeek
Vegetarian and vegan
Alley Café
www.alleycafe.co.uk
Vegetarian and vegan
The Larder on Goosegate
www.thelarderongoosegate.co.uk
Locally sourced, seasonal, British food.
French Living
www.frenchliving.co.uk
Seasonal French food.
Flaming Dragon
www.flaming-dragon.co.uk
Chinese buffet. Look out for their special offers and student discounts!
Entertainment
Cinemas
Top tip: UK cinemas usually offer discounts for students so don’t forget to take your University Card.
Savoy Cinema
www.savoycinemas.co.uk
Small, independent cinema in Lenton. The programme usually includes a selection of mainstream films and you can take a beer into the cinema with you!
Broadway Cinema
www.broadway.org.uk
A highly-acclaimed independent cinema and media centre. Broadway shows a mixture of mainstream, art house and foreign language films. There’s a mezzanine bar and a café-bar which serves good food so it’s worth a visit even if you don’t want to watch a film. Look out for their themed nights, special screenings, film festivals, talks and other events.
The Screen Room
www.screenroom.co.uk
With just 21 seats, it’s the world’s smallest cinema! As it’s so small, it’s worth booking your seat in advance. You can hire the whole cinema for not too much money a head and if you have the DVD, they’ll show any film you like.
Cineworld
www.cineworld.co.uk
Big multiplex in the centre of Nottingham showing Hollywood blockbusters and the odd independent film too.
Showcase Cinema
www.showcasecinemas.co.uk
Another multiplex on the outskirts of town. Similar to Cineworld.
Theatre and music
Lakeside
www.lakesidearts.org.uk
0115 846 7777 (Box Office)
Theatre and arts centre on University Park.
Royal Concert Hall/Theatre Royal
www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk
0115 989 5555 (Box Office)
Music, comedy, dance and theatre.
Nottingham Playhouse
www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk
0115 941 9419 (Box Office)
Theatre, music, comedy and dance. If you’re under 26, you can get free tickets through the ‘A Night Less Ordinary’ scheme.
Nottingham Arena
www.nottingham-arena.com
08444 124 624 (Box Office)
The biggest venue in Nottingham. Catch big comedy names and bands.