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Review: Beat The Streets 2026

“This is our 8th edition since 2018; we’ve raised over half a million pounds so far!” proudly announces Managing Director of DHP Family George Akins during the Beat The Streets press tour backstage at Rock City. It’s a mind-blowing sum of money and a reminder that this festival hasn’t just become a staple of the Notts calendar for giving the city an amazing day of live music – it’s an event that makes a huge difference. Heading out for another day of venue roaming and charity fundraising, this is what our LeftLion team got up to at Beat The Streets 2026…

From Firefly club nights to Light Night 2026: Architecture Social Club on returning to Notts

Through February 6 and 7, Old Market Square will look a little bit different as it hosts the centrepiece of this year’s Light Night: Parallels, an installation built by London studio Architecture Social Club. The project is particularly close to the heart of two studio members – Design/Project Manager Andrew Walker – who’s a Notts native – and founder Satyajit Das – who in the early 2000s made his name in Notts music when he launched mythic techno club night, Firefly. They tell us more about the installation which marks a grand return… 

LeftLion's Latest Listens #38: Notts music we're currently spinning

With this year off to a great start for new music, in this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens for 2026, our music team reviews releases from Divorce feat. Marcus Mumford, Blackadder, Bloodworm and Make Strangers...

Love at first sight: a look inside Southwell's newest vintage boutique

Fashion editor Addie Kenogbon-Harley catches up with Lottie Baxter, owner of one of Notts’ latest vintage boutiques, Love at First Sight, to find out more about how her teenage dream became a reality in the form of a small but mighty fashion hideaway in Southwell with a cult following.

Interview: Stevie Gray comedian and MC at Comedy in the Caves

There's a new venue for stand-up in the city. And it's a cave. Left Lion chats with award-winning comedian Stevie Gray on his bold gamble to shake up Nottingham's comedy circuit... 

Left Brian: John Robertson, John McGovern and a Kenny Burns Night Supper

It's Burns Night today, and we've been inviting our regular Notts County, Mansfield Town and Nottingham Forest football columnists to muse on the influence of Scotland in the history of their own clubs. Julie Pritchard - our Nottingham Forest columnist - decides which Forest players she'd invite as guests for a Burns Night supper... 

From stadiums to stages: Here's what's on in Nottingham this week, 26 January - 1 February

There are some big, once in a blue moon events this week in Notts, from live jazz and protest comedy to football and theatre.

Left Stag: Dave Smith, Sandy Pate and Anglo Scottish Adventures in Ayr

With Burns Night on the horizon on Sunday 25 January, we invited our regular Notts County, Mansfield Town and Nottingham Forest football columnists to muse on the influence of Scotland in the history of their own clubs…

Below, Josh Osoro Pickering - our Mansfield Town specialist - tells a Mansfield-set story of Anglo-Scottish sport... 

Left Magpie: Jimmy Sirrel, Don Masson and the Anglo Scottish Cup

With Burns Night on the horizon on Sunday 25 January, we invited our regular Notts County, Mansfield Town and Nottingham Forest football columnists to muse on the influence of Scotland in the history of their own clubs. 

Below, Julian McDougall - our Notts County specialist - gives his take... 

Riding high: the triumph and tragedy of Tom Simpson

Six thousand feet up a mountain in southern France, surrounded by a pitiless landscape of sun-bleached rocks, stands a stone memorial to a Nottinghamshire man. Professional cyclist Tom Simpson collapsed and died there in 1967, creating a sporting legend still being kept alive by his family back home. As an annual festival in his memory grows into a week of Simpson-mania, Chris Breese pedals off in search of how a skinny miner's son from Bassetlaw created a legacy still being lauded from Lowdham to Leuven.

Life Behind Bars, with Lucy Simons, co-owner at The Abdication

We chat to Lucy Simons, co-owner at The Abdication...

How Jordana Chin founded Lenton healthy eating spot Avocafe

Ten years ago, Jordana Chin was travelling by trike across university campus, delivering home-cooked food to hungry students. Today, the University of Nottingham graduate turned entrepreneur owns a healthy food cafe and community hub in Lenton. Our food co-editor Lucy Campion talks to Jordana about the evolution of Avocafe, and her plans to connect local people with sustainable produce through an ambitious new open food network. 

Undercover Artist: Craig Whitemore shares his journey into professional graphic design and illustration

Our January cover artist Craig Whitemore shares more about his journey into professional graphic design and illustration.

Pick Six: Adrian Bhagat of Sherwood's vegan emporium The V Spot

To celebrate Veganuary, for this month’s Pick Six we reached out to Adrian Bhagat who looks after Sherwood vegan emporium The V Spot, and runs the successful Sherwood Vegan Market.

Album lauches, gripping theatre and top quality comedy: Here's what's on in Nottingham this week Monday 19 - Sunday 25 January

New year, new music. If you’re looking to add some new albums to your playlists, look no further than this weeks’ gig picks. If drama is more your thing, we have you covered with gripping theatre and opera. If you’re simply looking to brighten up the January days, we have a dose of comedy that will do just the trick.

Seeing the wood for the trees: what makes Nottingham a 'green' city?

With the recent success of urban greening projects, like the Green Heart Park, Nottingham is starting 2026 with lots of love for spots of nature in-and-around its city centre. Caradoc Gayer looks at what makes Nottingham a particularly ‘green’ city, and how in 2026 we can continue to ensure that it stays that way. 

LeftLion's Latest Listens #37: Notts music we're spinning in 2026

In this, the first edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens for 2026, our music team reviews new releases from Daudi Matsiko, Ruby Aeron, ktlyle, LYVIA and Verbal Warning...

Sleaford Mods and Stewart Lee at Rough Trade

Rough Trade hosted a discussion between Notts legends Sleaford Mods and Stewart Lee, a sold-out small gathering consisting of a conversation between them and then a question-and-answer session with the audience...

Any way you slice it: we check out new pizza joint The Slice

We check out The Slice: a new artisan bakery and Roman pizza spot on Middle Pavement...

Fine Fat Funk: Fat Digester talk thirty years of making music ahead of Beat the Streets

Not many Nottingham-based bands and acts can boast a thirty-year longevity, but Fat Digester certainly can. The eclectic, cool and funky collective have been making audiences move and groove in awe since the 90s, and have no intention of stopping or slowing anytime soon. We had a chat with frontman Paul 'Ned' Needham all about the band’s approaches, stage shows and very exciting future plans!

Sunday Service: eight great spots in Notts for a roast

As we move through winter, the season of traditional British roast dinners is upon us. Here we’ve picked out eight of our favourite city centre spots to hide away for a feast with your friends and family…

From grassroots gigs to arena shows: Here's what's on in Nottingham, 12 - 18 January

January: a quiet month? Not in Nottingham. This week the city stays busy as ever, with nationally loved bands playing shows and smaller gigs taking place at local venues. If you're suffering from January blues there's bound to be something here that will banish them... 

Sai Masud on facilitating Tenx9: a storytelling event at Broadway Cinema

Branching off from a unique event in Belfast, Tenx9 Nottingham sees nine local people tell ten minute stories about their lives in the atmospheric surrounds of Broadway Cinema. The next instalment of the event is in January, so we heard more about it from facilitator Sai Masud.

From The Kitchen with Connor Sullivan, Head Chef at Bar Iberico

We chat to Connor Sullivan, Head Chef at Bar Iberico Nottingham

Review: The National Youth Orchestra-Shimmer at the Royal Concert Hall

What could be more uplifting than the country's national orchestra for young people. And they are in town. So how did they do...