City Life

Lucky Col

Where to start ripping this piece of nonsense to shreds .....

The quote you use from Bryan Roy is true, I'll give you that, albeit nigh on 12 years old, I bet you're looking forward to that millennium, eh ? And who was Bryan Roy anyway ? A semi-decent footballer who had an off season and threw his dummy out of his pram on his way out. What does he do now ? Is he a town planner ? Some kind of expert on city design ? No, he coaches kids in Holland & models boxer-shorts. Some expert.

Arthur Seaton wasn't real. He was a figment of Alan Sillitoe's imagination. Best be careful of going to the cinema if you think everything's real, best not go to the States in the next few weeks, there's an alien, looks like Keanu Reeves, got a big robot friend, very scary.

All the areas you list as no-go you've clearly picked up from ages old second hand reports. Living in one of them, been raised in another, friends in another and a relative teaching in yet another one of these areas, I wouldn't class any of them as no-go. Basford, by the way, doesn't exist. There's Old Basford and New Basford, separated by one of the busiest roads in Nottingham. Busy despite your incorrect "no-go" assumption.

Rushcliffe isn't in Nottingham. Yes it's a nice area, and yes it's next to a less nice area, but if Rushcliffe was used in the stats for Nottingham in the same way as nicer suburbs of Manchester, for example, are used by your fellow peddlers of cheap rubbish, Channel 4, then Nottingham wouldn't have appeared so far up (down) the list to start with, giving lazy journalists like you somewhere else to make stuff up about. You can't have it both ways.

John Player is still in Nottingham, although with reduced capacity, but it was a sad day when Raleigh closed. Especially that nice imaginary friend of yours losing his job. Fortunately, in its place, we now have a University campus with award winning designed buildings and the tallest free standing piece of art in the Country. Did you forget to mention that ? Or the fact that Nottingham has the highest graduate retention in the country. Forget that as well ?

The closure of the pits has hit every pit area hard, especially Nottingham. I doubt very much whether any other pit areas will have much sympathy bearing in mind the politics at the time, but why Nottingham is so singled out for this I’m not sure. And the vast majority of these areas are in the County. Yet again, changing the goal-posts to suit your story. And if you include neighbouring districts for comparison, include the counties far from unique, but successfully ongoing, struggle to regenerate mining areas, then yes, we can put a plaque up to Lord Byron. And there is one to Jesse Boot, you were clearly looking in the wrong place. If you looked at all.

Australian cricket commentators ? Underwear models ? These are your sources ? Tut tut tut.

Slight dig at Brian Clough OBE, bit under the belt ? He achieved more in his lifetime than both you or I put together will ever dream of. Poor.

You’re not the first to have a lazy dig at Nottingham, sat in your office of a Friday afternoon, bit of a deadline, stuck for a story. Then you remember. That stag-night you went on a few years back, up to Nottingham, on the promise that there’s “seven women to every man”, you had a good time, yet you went home unrequited, unloved, unwanted.

Maybe that’s the real story here .....

Bright side

I totally disagree with this drivel of an article. I have moved here and chosen to stay in Nottingham because I love the city. There is a real vibe to it, two Universities undertaking important research, the creative hub of Hockley, a buzzing nightlife, great shopping, thriving businesses and most of all a community which is, for the most part, very proud of the city. As for the violence? I've never seen a spot of trouble. Total ignorance.

wjk

You are absolutely right and a little more research would have shown exactly how much you have understated your article. Nottingham is an intellectual backwater and the city itself stinks in more ways than one. In reality little has changed since Robin Hood's time.

hyson green

wjk, I would love you to qualify the term 'an intellectual backwater'. I fail to see how that applies to the vibrant cultural scene in notts to be discovered in its extensive network of theatres, music venues, galleries, cinemas, boutiques, cafes and restaurants. It also doesn't quite seem to encompass the academic community supported by the two universities, the students at the two institutions gathered from around the world, the scientists at Boots or the financial and business minds at Capital One and Experian.
It certainly doesn't fit with my experience of moving here from some dire would be satellite of London and discovering a city that, despite my desire to see the rest of the world, I can't bring myself yet to leave.
Next time your here try visiting the new art exchange (yes, located just outside of Radford), take a stroll across the park and take in some of the bars and restaurants on Mansfield road (yes, next to St Ann's), then take your pick of entertainment from the theatre and cinemas in hockley, or the larger playhouse, or the concert hall, or the Malt Cross for local talent if you've picked the right evening, or if you come in the early summer you can scour the town for student exhibitions in any number of bars, and shops or vacant offices.
The writer of the rubbish above is welcome to revisit Goosegate with me on a Thursday night and see the streets full of young professionals, working types and students spilling out of packed events. In Bar Eleven for example most Thursdays you will find very noteable international DJs playing for free because they've been wooed by the talents of the local promoters to increase their exposure in Nottingham.
This article only reveals the intellectual derth and sad regional prejudices on offer from it's 'journalists' and presumably it's readership.

Will Scarlett

Not one coalmine existed within Nottingham City during the strike of the 80's & closure plan of the 90's.
Finally Nottingham appears at the top of the crime figures because it takes in to account only the city's councils medieval boundries.Some 275,000 people live here & doesnt included the 670,000 living in the Nottingham Urban area.According to Channel 4, Nottingham is the 2nd worst place to live in the Uk, and yet if you walk 200 yards over trent bridge you're in the 14th best place to live in the uk....quite remarkable....'very lazy journalism young man'....would be the reply from Mr Clough..

ned lud

There is a bust of Jesse Boot outside the entrance to the university - ya thick git

Londoner

"a University campus with award winning designed buildings and the tallest free standing piece of art in the Country."

I'm packing to move there as I type !

Bungytowers

How desperate you must be for something to write about! I admire you for travelling so far "up north" from your nice little southern (I presume) town. Or maybe you came from London which is the dirtiest city I have ever worked in/visited. I have lived in various cities, and they ALL have their positive and negative points. Where are you visiting next - please let us know, I can't wait to read about it.

Going to town...

What year was this article written? Does the spectator source its information from tabloids? There hasn’t been a shot fired in the city since 2006. How can the label of gun capital of Britain ‘stick’ when knives have apparently replaced guns?

This ‘bleak’ city with the green lungs of Jesse Boot’s oldest and largest area of Victorian detached town gardens in the world, numerous city parks, canal and tree lined boulevards. A modern tram system (so successful it is soon to be expanded with another 2 routes) taking traffic off city streets making it a pleasure to shop and socialize in.

Is the ‘melancholy’ hanging over the city the reason why many thousands of highly qualified graduating students every year, including my southern friend, choose to stay and work in a city centre expanding and integrating with the inner city’s apparent ‘no go’ areas?

Yes there is Trent Bridge cricket ground, which is located yards from Nottingham Forest’s City Ground located in a stunning setting on the banks of the Trent, not a faceless pre-pack football stadium in the middle of an industrial estate.

Nottingham’s council is soon to link the newly pedestrianised Goose Gate up with the National Ice Centre, Torvill and Dean’s Bolero Square and the historic Lace Market through a major traffic system redesign, again to enhance the pedestrian links with the places no one wants to go to or live. Apparently. Goose Gate is the model example of what cities need more of, a vibrant mix of leisure, business, shopping, residential and community uses from the sushi restaurant to the independent clothes, home and bicycle shops. You clearly didn’t venture just round to the corner past the bars and hotels to the independent Broadway cinema highlighted by Total Film magazine as one of ten in the WORLD to provide a "unique cinematic experience".

What is the point of this article? It’s shoddy and absolutely shocking journalism. Robert Beaumont HAS dragged The Spectator into another Liverpool-type embarrassment.

John Smith-Walker

I agree with the comments below - very poor journalism here with so many facts wrong in this article. What a dreadful shame that the Spectator has not checked this before it has gone to press. There are some problems with Nottingham. One of the shopping centres – now run by Westfields has become run down compared to how it was prior to the take over by this firm. There has also been an inordinate delay in extending the city’s tram system with lines 2 and 3. The local media has also deteriorated in recent years with the one evening paper, the Nottingham Evening Post, having been taken over by Northcliffe Newspapers.

Melancholic, depressed basford resident

Robert, why don't you come out for a pint at "The Fox & Crown Brewpub in Basford, The brewery tap of Alcazar Brewery's Nottingham microbrewery". It's pretty busy on Friday's though with people going for an after work pint

Peter Walker

Dear Mr Beaumont, thank you for such a brilliant piece of journalism, Boris will be so proud of you. For sure this city has its problems, the likes of which you and your Daily Mail chums love to churn up from time to time, normally to whail about Broken Britain or some other Labour-created malaise. There is some quite attrocious legacies of the 1960s in this city (besides beautiful areas such as The Lace Market) and indeed, some of the areas you mention are rather less brilliant than Fulham, or where ever you reside. However, to say this city is still recovering from the Miners' Strike, and the much needed regeneration plans are somewhat lacking, is really beyond belief! On the contrary, why not actually look at sites such as "Vision Nottingham" for some research, and perhaps note that there has not been one shooting here for over 3 years. How can this city start to rebuild its once proud reputation when it gets shot down again by people such as you? Why not actually visit if you dare, it's in the Midlands, which admitedly is the "North" for you? You may be pleasantly surprised! Have a lovely Christmas down in London.

mark.faulkner

Sadly,
R Beaumont's article hits the bulls eye.
Nottingham is a classic 'Doughnut
City'-All the jam is in the centre,but even this is starting to disappear.
Too many Council status projects plus bad finance management by the Council, leaves many residents seething at wasted resources which could be allocated to obvious problems re-poverty,crime and unemployment.

Steve

So Nottingham is bad because it's city centre is so good? The Doughnut City was created by Manchester Professor Brian Robson to describe... Manchester. He links Leeds, Birmingham and "Northern Cities".

Professor Robson at the time also highlighted the North/South divide, the best cities in the North and Midlands being Warrington, York, Derby, Leicester and...
...Nottingham!!!

A Cooper

Not sure why I am dignifying this rubbish with a response, but I suppose I feel the same way the majority of your respondents do - how can such lazy and ignorant wikipedia-style journalism be allowed to go unanswered?
Written (I assume) in London - 28 teenagers killed this year, Nottingham 0 - the claim that Nottingham is some violence-drenched hell-hole sticks deeply in the throat. Just what right do some people think they have to slag off such a great, creative, vibrant city? Why is it OK to print lies about Nottingham, that wouldn't see the light of day if written about somewhere more favoured by the establishment?
But to rely on Brian Roy as chief prosecution witness, oh dear, what a give away!
Do try a bit harder next time, and maybe actually include some facts? How about:
• Nottingham has the best Test match ground in the country (matched only by Lords), hosting next year’s 20-20 World Cup amongst other events
• It has two football league sides
• It has the Trent FM Arena, hosting gigs and shows on a mammoth scale, as well as incredible events like the Dalai Lama’s visit earlier this year
• It has an array of other venues at all levels which make the city one of the best in the country in which to see live music, including Royal Concert Hall, Rock City, Rescue Room, Bodega Social, Lakeside, The Maze and loads more
• In Nottingham Playhouse, it has one of the most successful producing theatres in the country
• In Broadway, it has one of only six flagship independent media centres in England & Wales, which shows an amazing array of films and hosts to an extraordinarily successful hub of creative people
• Talking of which, Nottingham has probably the most successful cluster of film-makers in the country outside of Soho, having spawned films like This Is England, Control and London To Brighton in the last couple of years
• Coming on stream is Nottingham Contemporary, which will be the fourth biggest contemporary art gallery in the country, and will sit alongside The Castle, New Art Exchange, Djanogly and a variety of other galleries which make this an amazing place to see art at first hand
• Nottingham’s creative sectors – designers, fashion designers, artists, writers, and lots of others – are among the strongest in the country, alongside an extraordinarily vibrant arts scene; this is all recognised in the Nottingham Creative Business Awards, now in their second successful year
• Nottingham Trent University has an almost unrivalled reputation in producing top-quality creative graduates who go on to work at the highest levels across the creative sectors - and an increasing number of them are choosing to stay in the city to build their careers
• Nottingham University is in the elite of British research-led universities, and the only one in the country with a campus in China
• Nottingham has Science City status, reflecting the concentration of science-based companies which have grown up around the universities, and evidenced in BioCity, Nottingham Science Park and other flagship developments
• Nottingham’s financial and professional sectors are far more highly developed than anywhere else in the region
• Nottingham has a superb central area – the new Market Square is a beautiful, vibrant place that would grace any European city of note
• Nottingham has a plethora of good places to eat, led by Michelin-starred Sat Bains, winner of this year’s Observer Restaurant of the Year Award
• Its public transport is second to none, topped by a successful and growing tram system
• Most of the regional HQs I can think of are in Nottingham – Government Office, EMDA, BBC, Arts Council, EMMedia and many more.

Paul

This is the most disgraceful piece of 'journalism' I have ever read. Who is Robert Beaumont? The Spectator should be embarressed at this article. He is totally clueless about the subject, why is he targeting Nottingham? There are other much worse cities in this country.

Gavin Cox

If the 'writer' of the this piece had gone to the trouble of opening his eyes on the Thursday night he visited Goosegate and looked at Jesse Boots first shop properly he would have seen a restaurant called The Larder on Goosegate on the first floor. The restaurant celebrates the fantastic local produce of local farmers and growers in the Nottinghamshire area. We proudly display the first 'Boots The Chemist' sign in our reception area. Maybe mentioning the fact that a successful business, proud of its location in the historic listed building didn't fit with the bias the writer was so desperate to apply. As with the majority of businesses in the Goosegate area we are independently run and like our peers are doing what we can to survive in this challenging economic climate. Far from being 'run down' the area is actually a vibrant and bustling example of what every City centre should have, independent businesses run with care and passion competing against the formulaic and bland corporate brands that are causing city centres in this country to become soulless and dull.

Pieces like this that are written with such an obvious lack of research and knowledge do our cause no good. I called the Spectator this morning to discuss the piece with Robert Beaumont and funnily enough they wouldn't give me any contact details for him. What a suprise! Rather than write such an inflammatory, one sided and inaccurate piece and then hide behind switchboards, I wish that the opportunity had been taken to perhaps speak to people who know the area and the challenges they face and offer a constructive and more importantly, accurate commentary. But no, the easy option was taken - poor research, arrogance and self satisfying drivel. I wish I could say I was suprised and disappointed by the piece unfortunately I was simply angered and disappointed. I think the volume of derision this article has already recieved speaks volumes of the fact that the approach to the piece was wholly wrong. We won't hold our breath for an apology.

Geogre C

This article is the biggest load of shit I've read for years. This obvious stuck up southerner almost definately hasn't visited the city of Nottingham, whcih like all cities has both positive and negative points. I doubt this writer has experienced any. Come and visit nottingham, then write a new article. Thats my advice.

Some 17 yr old wh lives in Nottingham

This Article sud be called "City Life; A Guide to Nottingham written by someone whose never bin there"
tell Me Mr Beaumont(very public school, very southern n dead posh) do you ave a grudge against the nOrth (or east Midlands which is where nottingham is actually is). Since, yur article presents a biased southern view of Nottingham (and other cities n places north of London. You have referred several parts of Nottingham to 3rd world status. Nowhere in Nottingham is that bad n they arent no go areas. Its also unlikely that yu'll get shot and the number of shootings had decreased ever since the main gang leaders of nottingham have been arrested. Also, you have moaned that there is no memorial 2 Jesse Boots in nottingham. If you had gone 2 these area, then yu would say different, iam pretty sure there are areas of your beloved London which do classify as 3rd world status. You'll also fail 2 mention that Nottingham has won The Britain In Bloom n Britain most attractive city and the number of students who come from outside of the city who go to Nottingham world renowed Universities and colleges, very rarely go back 2 their home cities since they like the city so much. Something which can't be said about other cities in the UK which are far worser. You also forgot about Paul Smith, the famous fashion designer from Nottingham. Oh and WJK, Iam pretty sure your a southern as well (either that or your from Derby, sheep shaggers),clearly you have never been to nottingham and so you can say that load of codswhallop bout us bein a interlectual Backwater. Strange considering we have some of the best universities in the country.
Do us a favour lads visit our city 1st then write bout us. Oh and by the way has the shaggy dog (boris) edited any of this?

Jon

(that guy's from Derby)