Nottingham has its fair share of speakeasy bars, but you’d be hard-pressed to stumble across this favourite if it weren’t for the queue outside. Hockley Arts Club is a three-storey affair offering plenty of crowd-pleasers: experimental cocktails in the dimly lit, indie-blasted ground-floor bar, with its glitter balls, neon-red strip lights, mismatched lampshades and retro furniture; small plates and posh comfort food in the upstairs dining room; and a fairy-lit gin and Prosecco bar for hire up top. At the bar, order Late Expectations – a bubbling witch’s brew of grapefruit juice, Scotch, gunpowder tea and beer, served in a teacup. Snacks make the most of the area’s produce (pork crackling with Bramley apple sauce, for instance, or deli boards heaving with charcuterie and local cheeses) – as do larger plates such as flavour-packed burgers. The vibe is friendly and laid-back, and staff do their best to cope with the venue’s popularity.