Nottingham After Dark

We were appointed by the Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID) to produce an innovative study into the experience of Nottingham city centre in the evenings and at night time.

The purpose of the study was to create a shared vision for the city centre after dark. The process of developing the shared vision involved a series of carefully-designed and well-structured workshops – see photos, right. These events were designed to engage a variety of stakeholders from across Nottingham, all with an interest in the success of the city centre after dark.

A wide range of stakeholders were identified to take part in the process. These included: representatives of daytime businesses such as retail, owners and operators of licenced venues, the police, public transport operators, taxi drivers, urban planning and urban design officers, economic development officers, the city centre management group, representatives of residents’ associations, record shop owners, DJs, concert promoters, live music venues, hotel operators, arts venues, local architecture studios and representatives of student unions from both universities.

The workshops were designed to uncover a consensus over key topics and ideas for future interventions. In preparation for the workshop, we made a series of clear and engaging graphics, maps and diagrams that helped explain to this wider audience how the city centre functions and performs after dark. We also conducted a business survey that resulted in a city animation, showing the levels of activity across the city on a typical Friday and Saturday night.