Summer starts here as Nottingham Beach Opens in Old Market Square

As the summer holidays begin and people start to think of sunshine and holidays, Nottingham City Council and Mellors Group are bringing the ever popular Nottingham Beach back, as Old Market Square is transformed into a relaxing city by the sea. The beach will remain in the Old Market Square throughout the summer until Sunday 3 September. The main new attraction for this year is a brand new Caribbean style Beach Bar where visitors can relax with beach themed cocktails and beers. There is also a private gin garden area which is available for bookings. The bar is open daily between 10am – 11pm Sunday – Thursday and 10am – 11:30pm Fridays and Saturdays. There will be regular free entertainment, DJ’s, and live acts scheduled each week. Visitors can also grab a deckchair and enjoy top sporting events and movies on the giant screen, including:

• The Wimbledon Finals weekend (15/16 July)
• Test Match Cricket live From Trent Bridge (14-18 July from 11am)
• Movie dates are to be confirmed

To celebrate England’s Test Match against South Africa being played in Nottingham from Friday 14 to Tuesday 18 July, there will be a free Beach Cricket training session from 12-2pm on Sunday 16 July hosted by Trent Bridge Community Cricket – everybody is welcome to come along for these fun cricket games and activities aimed at children. Alongside the expansive golden sands, and paddling pools the popular Water Balls, Bungee Trampolines, and Hook a duck; there are the more thrilling Crazy Wave and Sky Swing rides. Other new rides and attractions for this year include the Wave Rider, BBQ burger and jerk chicken beach shack and Mod Pizza order point. Cllr Dave Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture said: “Everybody you ask knows the beach in the Old Market Square. For parents, it often brings back memories of childhood holidays, and the kids have a great time with lots of activities on offer and fun rides to try. I really think that having the big screen this year will enhance the experience and get a real community atmosphere going as people cheer on the England Cricket Team and Wimbledon champions or come to watch our movie screenings. Nothing is impossible in this city, we can bring the sea inland and we can offer a holiday experience right through the summer.” James Mellors Snr of Mellors Group said: “We are delighted to be bringing the UK’s first urban beach back again to the City of Nottingham. We are a Nottingham based company and take great pride in delivering a free to enter public event that is enjoyed by so many people from the East Midlands. We are continually striving to make this event fresh and exciting every year and we hope the public enjoy the brand new bar and other attractions coming to this year’s event.” To find out more about the beach go to our what's on guide.