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Bus driver Louise Lawrence is Awarded trentbarton Bus Driver of the Year 2026

The results of the 2025-2026 trentbarton really good service awards are in...

LeftLion Interviews Podcast #15: Blur’s Dave Rowntree on NASA, Nottingham gigs and his new book of old Blur photos

This episode we are joined by Blur drummer Dave Rowntree who talks about Blur's early years, his memories (or lack of) of their Nottingham appearances, NASA and space and his new photo book No-one You Know'..

Blurry photos: Blur drummer Dave Rowntree talks his brand new photography book

As well as being one quarter of seminal English alternative rock band Blur, Dave Rowntree has been a politician, lawyer, animator, composer and alcoholic (not necessarily in that order). He’s heading to Metronome this month to showcase No One You Know, a book of photos from the early days of the band…

LeftLion's Latest Listens #39: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens for 2026, our music team reviews new releases from ALT BLK ERA, Book of Churches, The Red Line, People Laughing and Pict...

Gig review: BBC Introducing East Midlands Showcase at Metronome

Local Nottingham venue Metronome delivered another sellout event in partnership with the BBC Introducing team, represented by Dean Jackson. There’s always a vibrancy inherent to nights like this, no doubt triggered by the breadth of grassroots talent, and Nottingham’s music lovers entered the room with the enticing persuasion that they might witness a slice of the future in the making...

The LeftLion music awards: what we loved in 2025

From thriving new venues to an abundance of local talent gaining national exposure, 2025 proved that our city is one of the best in the country for breeding and platforming exceptional musical talent. With this in mind, we thought we’d celebrate with some end-of-year awards – championing the best local releases and gigs to happen this year in Nottingham. Voted for by our music team, here’s what stood out in the Notts music world in 2025…

Book review: The Unravelling of Mary Reddish by David Whitfield

We take a look at The Unravelling of Mary Reddish by David Whitfield, a novel about the blurred lines between sanity, control and women's autonomy, which is set against the backdrop of Nottingham General Lunatic Asylum - the first publicly-funded asylum in England.

Journalist and author Frances Ryan on her new book and life as a woman with disabilities

Nottingham journalist and author Frances Ryan is Britain’s leading writer and activist for disabled people. She has spent years calling out reckless government policies and social ignorance towards disability, and been a beacon for people living with disabilities. This year she released a new book describing the daily differences of living with a disability. We caught up with her for a chat…

Book Review: 'Huckleberry Dreaming' by Brooklyn Beaumont

A charming coming-of-age novel about what it means to grow up and find family amongst strangers, set against the backdrop of a dystopian regime and shaped by themes of drug abuse, gang violence, and personal responsibility. 

LeftLion's Latest Listens #31: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from Sancho Panza, Parisa East, Fools & Sages and Blackadder...

Whose streets are they anyway? How street art crossed the pond from New York to the East Midlands

Graffiti, tags, murals, stenciling, paste-ups… street art is a diverse artform with many subcategories and styles. While some might deride the practice under the blanket term of vandalism, for proponents of the artform, taking art out of the gallery and into the streets is about civil disobedience, ownership of space, and creative expression outside of the mainstream. We dip into the origins of graffiti in NYC and speak to artist Richie ‘Pops’ Baker about how the medium came to Nottingham in the 1980s…

Book review: The Undisputed King of Selston by Danny Scott

Writer Danny Scott’s memoir, The Undisputed King of Selston, delves into Nottinghamshire's rich mining history from a personal and emotional perspective. Marcus Lawrence delves into the journalist’s newest book, and his deep-rooted, generational connections to the city.

Back to the future: chatting with the dual winners of Future Sound of Notts 2025

Back in July, what could safely be described as Nottingham’s most exciting music competition: Future Sound of Nottingham, returned to Rock City – eight local acts taking the stage to showcase their talent. R&B singer Saffron Gray and alt-rock trio Archy & the Astronauts were crowned dual winners, and bagged nothing less than a main-stage slot at Splendour Festival later last month. We thought that it was the perfect time to catch up with these two acts (before they’re swept up by the national music press, of course)... 

Book clubs, sing-a-longs and pride parties: Here's what's on in Nottingham this week, 21-27 July

From pagan literature book clubs, to legendary ice rink openings for family summer fun- whether you're an art enthusiast, music lover, or just looking for a new club to join, there'll probably be something happening in Notts this week which you'll enjoy. Here are our picks for this week...

Nadia on... child poverty

In her monthly column, Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome talks about child poverty in Nottingham.

LeftLion's Latest Listens #25: Notts music we're currently spinning

In this edition of LeftLion's Latest Listens, our music team reviews new releases from Parisa East, Torn Sail, Those Once Loyal and Mollie Ralph...

Out of Time: the lost history of Nottingham revealed in a new book by Joseph Earp

Having recently published a new book that tracks the peculiar history of lost Nottingham buildings, Nottingham Hidden History team leader Joseph Earp told history editor CJ De Barra about how he took a detailed trip through time, discovering many of the stories hidden in our city streets. 

Gig review: BBC Introducing East Midlands Showcase at Metronome

BBC Introducing returned to Nottingham's Metronome with a fresh showcase of local talent, expertly curated by East Midlands legend Dean Jackson. This edition featured SPLIT, Manye Fi, Harry Lyon and Drew Thomas...

The Young Creative Awards Celebrate a Bumper Year

Theatre Review: The Book of Mormon

Outrageously irreverent and infectiously joyous, with almost divine precision...

The Official LeftLion Guide To 2025 Festival Season

Can you hear that? It’s finally in the air – instruments reverberating across wide open fields, the chimes of communities singing and laughing together, the sound of footsteps as friends stumble back to their tents or homes, ready to do it all over again the next day, or the following weekend. That’s right, the 2025 summer festival season is finally here, and with the return of Splendour Festival right here in Nottingham, it’s shaping up to be a big one!

To give you the lowdown, here’s our ultimate guide to the best local festivals taking place in the city of Nottingham and the surrounding areas over the next few months…

Our May cover artist Becky Appleyard talks comic books, table-top games and advice

This month’s cover artist Becky Appleyard talks comic book art, inspirations, and advice for artists…

We catch up with Moonlit, winner of the 2025 Ultimate Battle of the Bands competition

Following their triumph at the Ultimate Battle of the Bands this year, and ahead of their Rough Trade appearance, we caught up with all six members of Moonlit to find out what the win meant to them, how they feel about playing Splendour Festival, and what else is on the horizon for them as a band…

The Winners of The 2025 Duckies Are...

It's in Nottingham hosted it's inaugral The Duckies awards evening at St Mary's Church on Tuesday 29 April to celebrate and champion the hundreds of high street businesses who contribute to life in Nottingham City Centre...

Book Review: 'Manfishing' by Peter Pheasant

Callum Minford reviews a journalistic thriller nearly fifty years in the making.