A love letter to Nottingham

by Barjis Chohan, London

19th December, 2025

Some cities impress you with grandeur, some with their utter simplicity. Some welcome you with fresh air, while some cities quietly stay with you through the years. Nottingham, for us, was the latter; its simplicity, along with the grand history and architecture it has to offer, will forever remain as a cherished memory. From its renowned universities to its famed Lace industry, from art to culture, Nottingham is known for many things, but when we visited this place, it had so much more to offer. Nottingham welcomed us with open arms and emotions, leaving behind textures, scents, and stories that feel like threads woven into our memories. What stood out for us was the slower pace of life compared to London. People we walked past were smiling and looked happy. It is an old city known for its lace and bicycles, and the legendary Robin Hood. Our friend Marysia, who very kindly guided us through the beautiful lanes of Nottingham, to explore the land of tales from the philanthropic nature of the famous Robin Hood, and to its rich historical roots. One thing that I was excited for was to get to know Nottingham’s fashion scene, especially with its lace empire. The famous Fashion designer Sir Paul Smith also started his very first store here, named ‘Paul Smith Vêtements Pour Homme’ was a highlight we loved to learn about. Nottingham, here is a love letter to you.

On a bright Sunday morning, my daughters and I made our way to the heart of Nottingham, a city that hums with layers of history, innovation, and art. From the winding cobbled streets to its lively independent cafés and heroic stories of Robin Hood, Nottingham revealed itself as more than just a destination; it was a living narrative. As we arrived, we could feel a sense of ease in the leafy suburbs, a calming wind pushing us towards the city trail to explore.

We began our day with a visit to Nottingham Castle, a mighty structure of beauty that has stood the passage of time. Looking at these majestic, structured buildings made us realise that architecture is not just about designing spaces, it's about creating history with each structure we build. The magnanimity of the structure and its semi-decayed walls remind us to create pieces that will stand the test of time - building a legacy for the future generations to nurture. Not just this, the castle, once a powerhouse for war and housing the military, then a ducal palace, and now a relic that stands as a pillar of art, history and architecture, reminds us that designs and structures contextually change over time, and designing spaces keeping in mind that they can house that flexibility, is the future of architecture - something borrowed from the past. As this castle was built on soft sandstone, we found many cave-like structures with massive arched openings here. We then learnt that these caves were used for multiple purposes, from tanneries to shelter and for storage purposes. After exploring the mighty outside, I was happy to see one of my favourite things to do in any new city - visit their galleries/museums. One can learn so much more from these places than any video/online search.

Nothing beats the authenticity of seeing relics and objects from the past to know about the people, culture, and environment of a place. While others might find it boring, as connoisseurs of tradition, art, and History, it is upon us to value these places of knowledge. The gallery had quite an exquisite showcase of quirky and unique pieces from paintings to mannequins, depicting a rich history of the time when Nottingham was flourishing with lace factories, the heroic story of Robin Hood, and art installations that evoked the artist inside all of us.

The models of lace gowns, elegantly draped onto mannequins, gave us a glimpse of the opulence they carried and the intricacies of art that the weavers then used to perfect their art of lace making. Nottingham’s lace production had shaped the global fashion industry from the 1700's, making it the epicentre for lace artistry.

Behind these beautiful lace crafts lie gruesome images from the past of grim work conditions, along with the crumbling workers' health conditions and exploitation in the 1700's. While we respect art and history, this prompts us to reconsider the pain behind the creation of beauty and question the origins of what we choose to wear and how it’s made. This leaves us with the responsibility to make and choose conscious fashion. Watching this beautiful legacy of carefully crafted pieces of art and fashion reminded us to take pride in their bravery and artistry. The thought-provoking art pieces prompted us all to put on our thinking caps, allowing us to take a close look at the diverse forms and mediums of art used throughout time by many distinguished artists.

L-'Gypsy Splendour' by Dame Laura Knight, 1939.

After exploring the beautiful landscape of the castle, we took a walk to see the city’s iconic lace market district, where one could feel the pain in the air, the wind carrying thousands of unheard stories of the workers, their lives hidden in the walls of the mighty factories, few of which stand erect but weary, as if worn out by their tormented past.. One could hear the echoes of Nottingham’s famed lace industry still lingering in the architecture and archives. Standing in those spaces, knowing that generations of artisans had once created works of intricate beauty by hand, was deeply moving. For us at Barjis London, who hold craftsmanship and heritage close to our ethos, it was a moment of recognition of how creativity can become a city’s identity, and how artistry outlives time.

As we wandered further, we reached St. Peter’s Church at St. Peter’s Square, one of Nottingham's three original medieval parish churches, along with St. Mary's and St. Nicholas.

The church was destroyed twice around the 12^th Century. The church shows traces of many stages of construction from about 1180 onwards (the original church of around 1100 was destroyed by fire). The church was rebuilt between 1180 and 1220, with a south aisle; some of this building remains in use today. Major parts of the church that are accessible today, especially the west end of the churchyard, have been rebuilt and restored from the joint efforts of many during different centuries. The church had a calming stillness inside, with high stone arches and stained - glass windows filtering in soft coloured light. It was lovely to visit a church so steeped in history and read of the continuity of its ministry over 900 years. Nottingham so far, unfolded in unexpected ways, modernity rubbing shoulders with tradition, quiet green corners opening between striking historic buildings.

After a blast from the past, we moved to the other side of Nottingham to the Creative Quarter Street art in Hockley, freshly brewing with modern art and creativity - extending the feeling that in Nottingham, creativity feels ever present, then and now. Buildings and cafes covered with vibrant coloured graffiti wall art made the entire neighbourhood feel like a window into the house of an artist.

We then moved ahead to take a stroll on the bustling streets of Nottingham, grasping the history in the tiny winding lanes, fully embracing the art and culture the place had to offer. The bright colours and contemporary designs, from the walls to the cafes to the buildings-everything painted in a hue of every colour you could think of.

Bridlesmith Gate

This confirmed to me why art plays such an important role in building places - it acts as a catalyst for changes in your perspective and environment - giving you the space and time to break free from your normal ways of thinking. My daughters and I loved walking through these lanes, clicking amazing pictures, reliving the story of these artists..made me wonder about the duality of a place, much like the duality of human life.

Our day ended with conversations over tea, laughter echoing across streets, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Every city has so much to offer if we only take the time, effort, and patience to welcome the city as it welcomes us. The best way to explore culturally and heritage-rich places is to travel on foot or by local transport, engulfing the local experience.

We left Nottingham with more than just photographs; we carried with us impressions of the historical legacy and art. Nottingham, thank you for welcoming us, inspiring us, and reminding us that beauty lies not only in what is seen but also in what is remembered. Barjis Chohan

London

Barjis Chohan is a celebrated British-Pakistani designer and social entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of Barjis London - a fashion and lifestyle brand known for its high-end fashion pieces, accessories, and bespoke carpets and rugs. Her journey is one of resilience and grace: from almost choosing a career in medicine, to discovering her love for design, apprenticing under Vivienne Westwood, and establishing her own luxury fashion and carpets brand. What began as an idea built from her kitchen table while she was pregnant has evolved into a brand that ties craftsmanship, culture, and diaspora. A passionate traveller, Barjis draws her creative inspiration from the diverse styles,  textures, and

stories she encounters across her travels. She strongly believes that travelling is a powerful way to understand the essence of design and fashion.  Through The Barjis Initiative, she champions inclusion and accessibility within the arts and fashion industry, breaking class barriers and empowering underrepresented creatives.

https://barjislondon.com/ https://www.barjischohan.com/

Barjis has been ACT Advisor since 2020. (see ACT website Meet the Board).

Useful Links:

https://www.visit-nottinghamshire.co.uk/ https://nottinghammuseums.org.uk/

https://watsonfothergillwalk.com/ https://churchyardproject.org/stpeters/

https://southwellchurches.nottingham.ac.uk/nottingham-st-peter/hhistory.php

For Nottingham City Centre:

• City Centre Trails: Explore landmarks with guides from Visit Nottinghamshire or use the Go Jauntly app for suggested routes near tram stops.

• Green Spaces: Discover parks and open spaces on the Green Map of Nottingham. 

This article is published by Marysia Zipser, Founder & Ambassador of Art Culture Tourism & Keynote Speaker, Beeston, Nottingham.  https://www.artculturetourism.co.uk/  https://www.artculturetourism.co.uk/blog   E: artculturetourism@gmail.com 

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