From Bodega to Rescue Rooms: This is the ultimate Nottingham pub crawl route for students

The perfect solution for when Uni work gets too much

6 months ago | UPDATED 6 months ago

Notts is the best city around in terms of nightlife. You want a night of DnB? You’re in the right place. A fan of dressing up in the most outrageous costumes alongside the cheesiest tunes? You’re covered. Is indie music more your vibe? There is a place for you. Despite this, sometimes the excitement of clubbing can wear off and the idea of queuing in the freezing cold can sound like a living nightmare. Luckily, Notts is home to an array of pubs that still guarantee a night to remember. So take inspiration from this ultimate pub crawl route, get that stomach lined and get drinking.

1. The Rose and Crown

The first stop is The Rose and Crown, Lenton. A staple of every Lenton resident’s uni experience, this pub is a good warm-up for a heavy night ahead. A crucial part of avoiding being put to bed is to make sure you line your stomach with a selection of food that is to die for. With plenty of space inside or in the two outside seating areas, this pub is ideal for larger groups or socials.

2. The Three Wheatsheaves

Sheaves is only a few minutes away from the Rose and Crown and is an iconic part of student life in Nottingham. Mainly known for its immense pub garden and cheeky £5 minimum card spend, a two-pint stop is inevitable. This place is home to many uni sports teams either celebrating a win or chopping pints to forget their sorrows. As a result, it always has a vibrant atmosphere and you can’t go wrong by including this pub in any Nottingham pub crawl.

3. Raglan Road Irish Bar

After lining your stomach and enjoying a cheeky pint, you’ll now be making your way towards the city centre. Whether you choose to bus it or brave the Derby Road hill, the next stop on our bar crawl is the Raglan Road Irish bar. This is one of the most charming places on the route, complete with a warm atmosphere and a cosy interior. Whether you stop to enjoy the live music or to watch whatever sports match is on that evening, it’s perfect for enjoying a Guinness before heading off into town.

4. Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem

This next pub is a bit off the beaten track, but well worth the bus journey. After leaving Raglan, walk to Canning Circus bus stop and hop on the 34 until Maid Marian Way. From here, it is just a six minute walk to the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem. This pub is England’s oldest surviving inn and is an iconic part of Nottingham. This place can be on the expensive side so this is the ideal place to pace yourself if you happen to be a bit of a lightweight.

5. Wetherspoons

By now the alcohol should be hitting, which is perfect because the next stop is everyone’s favourite: Spoons. Now for this stop, it is up to you to pick your poison: Lloyds, Roebuck, or The Joseph Else. All three are relatively close and all promise a messy night ahead. After a couple of pints and a pitcher or two, you will undoubtedly be buzzed and ready to make questionable choices. Don’t overdo it just yet though because there are three stops to go and you don’t want to be the person who couldn’t hack it.

6. Bodega

This next stop is a personal favourite of mine and hosts a range of club nights, gigs, and quizzes as well as acting as a casual place to go for a drink. Located around the corner from the Lace Market tram stop and a minute’s walk from the Lloyds Wetherspoons, the Bodega offers the potential for various drunken escapades. Happy hour is every day and with £3 pints and £5 cocktails, this place is dangerous, to say the least. Depending on the day, you may find yourself back here at the end of the night. If you last that long.

7. O’Neill’s

At this point in the night, you are likely to be struggling a bit so feel free to have a sip, or even a whole glass of water before you continue. You are so near the end of the pub crawl so take my advice and thank me later. O’Neill’s is an Irish sports bar in Old Market Square that offers a variety of drinks at a reasonable price. A lively place that does what it says on the tin, O’Neill’s is the ideal pub for a good laugh, which is highly likely considering the amount of alcohol consumed prior to this stop.

8. Rescue Rooms

If you made it to the final stop of the night or rather stumble to the last post, you’ll be able to enjoy everything that Rescue Rooms has to offer. It is an alternative bar that has something going on virtually every night of the week, making it the perfect way to celebrate making it to the end of this pub crawl. It has an extensive range of drinks and the best music for the end of the night. Treat yourself to a fancy drink if you have enough funds left and stay here until the very end, or head to one of the other numerous clubs and bars that Notts has to offer.