There are lots of great things about Nottingham – some well known others not so.

This is my attempt to share over a period of time some of the great stuff about Nottingham. I had originally thought that this might be limited to ‘independent’ and ‘quirky’ stuff and that is probably my driver. Theses are the things that differentiate us. These are the things that make us stand out. They make us a destination. They make us a reason for people to come here. I am not expert – I am simply reflecting what I think is great. I am wondering if I can get to 100…

So how do we start?

Number 1?

Well, my life has been pretty much punctuated by music since an early age. I have an eclectic taste. And recently I re-discovered vinyl. For many years I have been a CD collector – I have lost count of the number. They are ripped into iTunes and held in various places!

But there is something about vinyl which is hard to describe. It does make you listen – you do have to flip it over. Tracks have a deliberate order.

In my mis-spent youth ‘Selectadisc’ on Market Street was a must. But sadly that has long gone. But there is a new vinyl store in the heart of Hockley. I can wholeheartedly recommend it. It is called The Music Exchange – and it is much more than an independent music shop. This from their website:

The Music Exchange is a social enterprise that is dedicated to supporting Nottingham’s local community as well as its music scene. The shop acts as a safe platform wherein people in supported housing are given the opportunity to gain independence and re-build social networks by volunteering in the shop.The success of the store is undoubtedly as a result of the dedication possessed by our team of volunteers. In addition to the volunteers from Framework, our staff come from a diverse range of backgrounds, some work full time, several are students, and others have no work history at all. Nevertheless, our team are united by their shared love of music and strong belief in the work of The Music Exchange. We think that the diversity and inclusivity of our team of staff helps to make The Music Exchange unique.

I love the place and recently bought Lloyd Coles new album, Standards. It is brilliant. Go the The Music Exchange to buy it!

The Music Exchange is at 2 Stoney Street Nottingham (the Hockley end!)

I should mention that these ‘great things’ are in no particular order!