Hockley, Nottingham

Nestled on the eastern edge of Nottingham’s city center, Hockley is a vibrant, bohemian neighborhood often dubbed the “Soho of Nottingham.” Part of the city’s Creative Quarter, this eclectic area brims with an independent spirit-think vintage clothing stores, secondhand bookshops, tattoo parlors, record shops, and artisan boutiques selling everything from jewelry to quirky homeware.

By day, Hockley’s colorful streets buzz with shoppers and café-goers. The Broadway Cinema, a cornerstone of the local arts scene, screens arthouse films and festivals and boasts a standout café and bar. Come evening, the area transforms into a nightlife hotspot, drawing a cool crowd to retro pubs, intimate live music venues, and stylish cocktail bars tucked among restored Victorian buildings and bold street art murals.

Historically, Hockley’s roots stretch back to the 13th century, when it was known as Walker Gate, named after the cloth-softening technique of “walking” wool. The area was central to Nottingham’s once-thriving textile industry, with the city’s wool market prices used as national benchmarks in the 14th century. Despite its fashionable present, Hockley has humbler origins-Sir Jesse Boot, the future founder of Boots the Chemist, was born here in poverty in 1850.

Among its cultural claims to fame, Hockley was home to The Screen Room, once the world’s smallest commercial cinema with just 21 seats. It holds the distinction of being the first UK venue to screen Pulp Fiction after its Cannes premiere.

Named one of the UK’s “coolest places to move” by The Times in 2022, Hockley is where old meets new: warehouse clubs rub shoulders with indie cafés, and street murals speak to a community rooted in creativity and reinvention. Whether you're browsing for records, catching a film, or just soaking in the vibe, Hockley is pure Nottingham with a twist.