Are you pining for summery vibes and warmer climes as we approach the dark depths of the winter solstice, or just want to add a tropical flavour to your Christmas nights out? The ever-creative Fletchergate Industries are already a few steps ahead of you. This Christmas they’ve opened a brand new spot, Tahula's Tiki Shack, located on the former lower floor of Hockley Arts Club, Carlton Street...
When the LeftLion team visits Tahula's Tiki Shack, newly opened in November, our first impressions are that the bar is set to reinvigorate that well-worn phrase ‘hidden gem’ as we head down a side street to find its portal-esque hidden entrance.
We amble through into a kaleidoscopic interior, adorned with all the expected Tiki Bar decor and more, from palm fronds, to bamboo to Tiki masks and varied artwork. We’re also shown the room-spanning, multi-coloured disco lights set to add all-the-more energy to many a night-out, especially on Fridays when the bar will host a regular live DJ.
It’s certainly an impressive spot to behold, which isn’t surprising - Tiki bars are elaborately dressed affairs, and Fletchergate are responsible for most of the quirkiest bars in Notts, from Blind Rabbit to The Walrus.
"Opening a venue from scratch is always incredibly fun,” says General Manager Em Spray, longtime member of the Hockley Arts Club team. “It can be stressful at times, but once you open the doors, get people coming in, get to speak to everyone and see what they think of it, it's great. The team is also really excited to get started.”
After migrating from California to the UK in the 1960s, Tiki bars and their associated, Polynesian-influenced-party-culture saw a huge emergence across the nation, before declining in the latter 20th century.
Tiki is synonymous with vibrant decor, playful cocktails, and a carefree party atmosphere, and the resurgence of retro aesthetics and the growing demand for immersive experiences from today’s social media conscious revellers have brought them into vogue. Tahula's Tiki Shack offers a colourful antidote to boring modernist bars, an inviting mix of nostalgia and novelty that’s perfectly suited to its Hockley surrounds.
Across the 2010s, and particularly in recent years, Tiki culture has seen a revival as more people look for exotic, escapist spaces for their nights out. The colourful, classic Tiki cocktails like Mai Thai and Zombies, which lend themselves well to home mixology, are ever-popular adornments.
“We’re always passionate about delivering unique experiences that set our venues apart,” says Dan Ellis, CEO of Fletchergate. “Tahula’s will offer Nottingham something fresh—a space to unwind in a tropical escape with inventive cocktails, great music, and unbeatable beach vibes. We can’t wait to welcome everyone later this month.”
With the varied nightlife in Hockley more buzzing than ever, Fletchergate Industries think that there’s no better time to provide Notts revellers with this transporting, South-Pacific experience.
Visit Tahula’s Tiki Bar’s at 20A Carlton Street, NG1 1NN
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