T'was the night before Christmas... well almost. The last working day before businesses close for the Christmas break has traditionally been a busy day as workers head out to celebrate the festive season.
It's been a difficult year for pubs and restaurants in the city centre which have struggled with the cost of living crisis and also a steep rise in energy bills. The result has meant higher operating costs and customers staying away to save money for bills. Some bars and restaurants have been forced to raise prices or close.
Staff at many pubs across the city centre said that Christmas has created a rush for them especially as visitors have been drawn in by the Christmas market. Many have popped into the pubs to grab a cheeky pint or a quick lunch before heading back out again.
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Pub owners have also said they are concerned about what this will mean in the notoriously difficult month of January. Which is traditionally seen as the most depressing month of the year.
Despite this, Sneinton has been thriving in recent times with different places to eat and drink. The Bath Inn reopened last year and the Bustler Market - known for its vast array of street food - has opened in recent months. Several pubs celebrated making it through the previous years of Covid restrictions such as Liquid Light brewery and the Fox and Grapes.
We got into the Christmas spirit and decided to head into Sneinton and Hockley to see what the atmosphere was like and how people are celebrating. Pubs were still quiet in the late afternoon although crowds were starting to build with Santa hats, tinsel and a few Christmas jumpers.
Amy Browne came into the city from Beeston and was celebrating because her office had closed early for the day by having a pint at King Billy, in Eyre Street in Sneinton. It's not a regular for her but she was persuaded to come into the city by her partner who was also with her.
"It's quiet in town at the moment but I'm guessing it's going to get busy later on. We just came for a few drinks and a pizza before heading back to Beeston," she said.
"It feels a bit like the calm before the storm although I don't know how busy it's going to get later on. It has been crazy busy in previous years so I don't really want to be here later on."
Nigel Thomas from Edwalton was with a large group of friends drinking in Bunker's Hill at the bottom of Hockley. He had been out for a bit but planned to head away before Nottingham got busier.
"We broke up for Christmas on Wednesday and we were banging on this door at 12pm today. I've not done that for many years but here we are. We plan to stay out until everyone starts to disappear as we have no real plan. We might be done by the early evening. Hopefully, before the chaos ensues in Nottingham," Nigel said.
Richard Gemini from Sherwood was outside King Billy having a last-minute cigarette before heading towards Bunker's Hill for another pint. He said he had just broken up from his work at a local accounting agency and was now 'on Christmas time' complete with tinsel.
"I’ve just broken up from work for the next six days so I’ve come to King Billy to enjoy a nice pint of lager to get me in the spirit. It might be early but I’m on Christmas time now," he said.
Bartenders across Sneinton and Hockley are also unsure what to expect given this is the first Christmas break in two years without any Covid restrictions. Many were expecting a rush but it is the early hours in bad weather.
Tom Woods, who is based in the city centre, is the chef at The Goat on Broad Street. The Goat was one of the newest bars to open on the street in 2022. It's quiet but the street shows signs of picking up as it gets late.
"I have no idea how busy it's going to be. It could be quite busy but I would have thought last week would have been the busiest time and that we would just be quiet from here on out. but maybe people will have one last hurrah," he said.
The Fox and Grapes had only been open for an hour but already tables were being take at the popular pub on Southwell Road. Danylo Semak, the manager, said that the previous two years of venues throughout the pandemic meant it could be a busy night.
"It's been good so far and we've had a few of the regulars in and we are starting to see a lot of the early finishers from local businesses and lots of Christmas shoppers," he said.
"It should be busy but I think the backup from the past closed two Christmasses is going to bring a lot of people out. The fact that everyone breaks up today ready for next week means it should be a good week for us. We close at ten O' Clock tomorrow."
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