Monstrosities Mon Amour: The Victoria Centre

April 27, 2026 watson

I was a guest on my favourite architecture podcast + May tour availability.

Keep reading for exciting news of my podcast appearance… First of all, a shout-out for my upcoming tours. This is basically my job now, and I really appreciate the support and wonderful feedback that I’ve received from so many of you. Hopefully, the weather is going to start behaving itself so, it’s the perfect time to join me and discover even more of Nottingham’s architecture.

Some of the buildings you can learn more about on The Carrington Crawl. Photos: Lucy Brouwer.

The Carrington Crawl, Saturday, 9 May, 1 pm

More Watson Fothergill, this time his domestic architecture and the work of his Chief Assistant, L.G. Summers, plus a few surprises. Starting at Mapperley Road, taking in Sherwood Rise and ending in Carrington, where we can explore inside the Ukrainian Cultural Centre at Clawson Lodge.

Nottingham Deco in the Details: Part One, Sunday, 3 May, 11 am

Nottingham was transformed in the 20th-Century interwar years, with great examples of modernism, Art Deco influence, and decorative flourishes. This walk starts and ends at TC Howitt’s Council House, with a look at a full-on Deco Woolworths, the fabulous Viyella factory and much more.

Nottingham Deco in the Details: Part Two, Sunday, 17 May, 11 am

There was so much being built in the 1920s & 1930s in Nottingham, it takes two tours to cover it, you can do them in either order, do one or both. This one starts with Howitt’s YMCA and explores dance crazes, pubs and markets through the medium of architecture.

Not forgetting my original Nottingham city centre architecture tour:

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 24 May, 2 pm

If you’ve already done it, tell your friends. If not, what are you waiting for? A rare afternoon outing for this tour of buildings by Victorian architect Watson Fothergill (aka Fothergill Watson). Recently called Nottingham’s Charles Rennie Mackintosh by a visiting London tour guide…(I’d argue that you could call him Nottingham’s Gaudi!). Join me to find out what all the fuss is about!

Monstrosities Mon Amour!

If you’re interested in architecture, like me, you may have read John Grindrod’s books – particularly Concretopia (which will change your preconceptions about Modern buildings) and IconIcon, which looks at landmark buildings in contemporary Britain.

Author John Gringrod on my tour of Nottingham’s architecture. Photo: Lucy Brouwer

Recently, John came to Nottingham’s Five Leaves Books to talk about his latest book, Tales from the Suburbs, on LGBTQ+ people’s experience of suburbia. Monstrosities Mon Amour is John’s podcast where he invites writers, tour guides and experts to talk about the architecture that other people love to hate. After taking John on a personalised tour of Nottingham, he asked me to contribute and here’s the result!

Monstrosities Mon Amour

It was great fun to do, and I hope you enjoy listening to it.

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Art Deco, Events, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

Deco in the Details walks moved to Sundays, Carrington Crawl & Hine Hike now booking.

April 13, 2026 watson

Deco in the Details now on Sundays

A few people have asked if I can move my Deco in the Details tours to the weekend, so I’ve given my diary a shake-up and moved the two dates (previously on Wednesdays) to Sunday slots in May.

The revised dates are as follows:

Nottingham Deco in the Details Part 1: Sunday 3 May, 11 am

This tour looks for traces of Art Deco style in the architecture of the 1920s and 1930s. Starting with the Council House and taking in Friar Lane, Viyella, Broadmarsh and Listergate to end back at the other side of the Council House (well, it is very large!).

Nottingham Deco in the Details Part 2: Sunday 17 May, 11 am

There was so much change in Nottingham in the 1920s and 1930s that this tour needs two parts. You can do either one or both, in any order. This one starts with the YMCA and winds down Parliament Street to Hockley and Sneinton Market.

There’s lots to discover on both these tours – you might be surprised how much. Expect my usual entertaining blend of architecture-spotting, history and anecdotes.

Other upcoming events

There are still some spaces on The Hine Hike, Sunday 19 April, 2 pm. If you’ve not done this tour yet, then please join me to explore the massive contribution the architect Thomas Chambers Hine made to the way modern Nottingham is laid out.

A rare chance to join me for the Carrington Crawl. This tour looks at houses designed by Watson Fothergill and his chief architectural assistant, Lawrence George Summers. I don’t do this one very often, so don’t miss out on a chance to find out more about Fothergill’s domestic set-up, his art collection, the house he built for himself and the buildings that helped to shape Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington. This walk starts at the junction of Mansfield Road and Mapperley Road and finishes at Clawson Lodge (the Ukrainian Cultural Centre) in Carrington, where you can go inside, look around, enjoy a drink and ask me questions!

Carrington Crawl, Saturday 9 May, 1 pm

The next date for Watson Fothergill Walk is Sunday, 24 May, 2 pm, and there is still good availability.

All tour tickets are £20 each.

All these tours can be booked for independent groups -I’m often available during the week. Please drop me a line to set up a tour for you and your friends, or for social clubs, gatherings, alternative works-dos etc.

Architecture in the Pub talks

Thank you for the fabulous response to these talks. The Berni Inns talk at the Abdication is now full, but I will hopefully be repeating the series and possibly adding new topics at the Vat & Fiddle in the Autumn. There will be some historical highlights on the Vat & Fiddle’s social media over the coming weeks.

Events, talk, TC Hine, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

April walk dates and more

February 21, 2026 watson

New walk dates, researching talks and return of The Hine Hike

Thanks to everyone who braved the weather for Deco in the Details Part 1 last weekend, and to everyone who came down to The Vat & Fiddle for my Watson Fothergill in the Park Estate talk. Your continued interest in Nottingham’s buildings and my own unique and “entertaining” take on them is much appreciated! Read to the end for new walking tour dates for April 2026.

Poster at The Vat & Fiddle, February 2026

I’m deep into the research for my new Nottingham’s Berni Inns and their Buildings talk. Sometimes you just have to follow the idea and see where it leads… Expect tales of old buildings given new life, familiar menus, retro adverts and maybe a little misty-eyed nostalgia for nights out gone by!

There are still a few tickets remaining for the date at

The Vat and Fiddle on Tuesday 24 March, 7 pm

There will be another date for the Berni Inns talk at The Abdication Micropub, Daybrook, on Tuesday 21 April, 7 pm – email the pub for tickets or drop in to pay cash. All talk tickets are £10 each.

The Abdication, Coronation Buildings, Mansfield Road, Daybrook.

WALKING TOURS

The March walks are now fully booked.

So here are some dates for April:

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday, 12 April, 10 am

The Hine Hike: The Buildings of Thomas Chambers Hine, Sunday, 19 April, 2 pm

All walk tickets are £20 each. Click the links for full information.

A reminder: well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome on the walks.

I’m now taking bookings for private tours with availability on weekdays into the summer. Please drop me a line to organise a walk for your group of 6 or more (maximum group size: 20 people). Versions of all my tours are available for private bookings. If you’d like a personal tour for a smaller group these can be arranged to suit your requirements. Talks are also available for groups. Email me via my website.

Keep looking up! Fothergill’s Office on George Street, Nottingham. Photo: Lucy Brouwer

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Events

Back for 2026 with more Art Deco Architecture and Watson Fothergill Walks

January 13, 2026 watson

See Nottingham differently with guided architecture walking tours

Here are some of my highlights from 2025:

Watson Fothergill Walk featuring in Made magazine

Trying out a Public Art photo walk with photographer Lamar Francois.
Delving deeper into the Thomas Chambers Hine archive with The University of Nottingham.
At long last, visiting Long Eaton for a look at the buildings!
Selling out my Art Deco Pubs talk four times in a row!

Thanks to Lamar Francois, Dan Simpkin, Louise Hunter & Lucy Simons for the photos.

Into the mix in 2026

Both my talks (Art Deco Pubs and Watson Fothergill in The Park Estate) at The Vat & Fiddle are now sold out, but I’m looking at doing some more later in the year.

Tickets are now available for my architecture tours Deco in the Details Parts 1 & 2 and Watson Fothergill Walk. I hope you can join me to explore the architecture of Nottingham city centre. My original tour looks at the work of Victorian architect Watson Fothergill. (Did I mention it has 5 star reviews on TripAdvisor?)

Deco in the Details is in two parts, each looking at a different side of Nottingham, exploring the history of the buildings of the 1920s & 1930s and looking at what makes the Art Deco style. (Do one, do both, it doesn’t matter in which order!)

The first tour dates of the year are as follows, with more info and ticket details via these links:

Deco in the Details Part 1, Sunday 15 February, 11 am

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 22 February, 10 am

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 22 March, 10 am

Deco in the Details Part 2, Sunday 29 March 11 am

All tickets £20 each (plus relevant booking fees). There will be more tours coming up, including my other walks The Hine Hike, The Carrington Crawl, and hopefully some new ideas too.

If you have a gift voucher, please use the GIFT VOUCHERS ONLY section at checkout. Gift vouchers must be used one at a time – if you have any queries or would like to book directly, please drop me a message via my website and I can make the voucher booking for you.

I am also available for private tours. Any of my walks can be done for private groups and I’m often available on weekdays. Please send me a message to organise a tour for your group of up to 20 people.

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Events, TC Hine, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

The Hine Hike, The Castle Pub & Gift Vouche

December 8, 2025 watson

Book the newly renovated function room in a Fothergill building

Thanks to everyone who came to the Introducing TC Hine event at the University of Nottingham. It was great to see some familiar faces and to explore the City as Lab project.

If you missed it, here’s a blog about TC Hine’s scrapbook from the Manuscripts & Special Collections Department. Many thanks to Dr Charlotte May and everyone at the University of Nottingham Manuscripts & Special Collections for inviting me, and to Dan Simpkin (@theparkestate) for the photos.

Some pages from the digitisation of TC Hine’s scrapbook. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

To continue the TC Hine theme, I’m offering my Hine Hike tour on S unday 14 December, 11 am. This tour surveys the Nottingham city centre buildings of the Victorian architect Thomas Chambers Hine, from The Park Tunnel to The Lace Market and gives an introduction to his life and work.

The Hine Hike, 14 December, 11 am Tickets £20 each. Now also booking on Yuup.

News from The Castle Pub, part of Watson Fothergill’s Mortimer House, which features on The Watson Fothergill Walk.

The upstairs function room of The Castle has been renovated and is ready for pre-Christmas bookings. I took a look around inside.

(Photos of the interior courtesy of Eversosensible/ The Castle Pub).

Upstairs in The Archer’s Attic (so called because there’s a great view of the Robin Hood statue), there is a bar, two dining areas with plenty of room for parties or group events, and even space for your own DJ. There’s info on capacity and more photos on the pub’s website. It’s free to hire the room, and they have some pre-Christmas availability so drop them a line if you’re interested in booking.

Mortimer House, which is also home to Fothergill’s Pub & Bistro, was built in 1882-83, and represents the Old English elements of Fothergill’s architectural style. Built for Clement Tate, a business man and surveyor, who was based in Nottingham at the time, the building was originally six houses with shops at either end. The Old Castle Inn, as it was then known, has been a public house since 1980, with a brief stint as The Fletcher and Firkin in the 1990s (look for the old Firkin doormat!) It had previously been a tea room, an antique shop and the office of a bankruptcy accountant! These days, it is a listed building and the final stop on my Watson Fothergill Walk guided tour.

Mortimer House, now The Castle and Fothergill’s (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

The Watson Fothergill Walk will be back in 2026, so make sure you are subscribed to receive dates as they are announced. Gift Vouchers for my tours are available from Gift Up, or you can book a private walk for small groups by contacting me via my website.

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Art Deco, Events, talk

Nottingham’s Art Deco Pubs again!

October 28, 2025October 28, 2025 watson

I’ll be repeating my talk on pubs of the 1920s & 30s in January 2026

There’s still time to join me for Nottingham Deco in the Details Part 2 on Thursday, 30 October at 11 am. It doesn’t matter if you’ve done Part 1 – the tour is self-contained! This time I’ll be looking at buildings including Notts Fire & Rescue, YMCA, The Palais de Danse, The Lord Roberts, Sneinton Market, and The Bath Inn.

The Lord Roberts, corner of Broad Street and High Cross Street, Nottingham. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

And speaking of Art Deco Pubs, I’ll be staging my illustrated talk on Nottingham’s Art Deco Pubs again in January at The Vat & Fiddle. Tickets via this link or from the bar at The Vat. The previous performances have all sold out so book ahead to avoid disappointment!

Nottingham’s Art Deco Pubs: Pub Architecture, Trends and Improvements in the Interwar Years, Tuesday 20 January 2026, Doors 7 pm. Tickets £10 each.

Join me at The Vat & Fiddle, 20 Jan 2026. Doors 7 pm.

My walking season is almost over, but I am working on a few new ideas for next year. You can still book me to guide and of my tours as private walks for groups – fees starting at £100 for up to 5 people (maximum group size 20). Please drop me a line here to organise a tour.

Plus – look out for some Thomas Chambers Hine-related news coming soon…

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Art Deco, Events

Autumn Walks and another chance to look for Deco in the Details

October 6, 2025 watson

Hello all. I’m back from my trip to Devon, where I attended some events at The International Agatha Christie Festival(such fun!) and visited a couple of excellent National Trust properties. I am now much better informed about seafood, scones, and murder mysteries.

Murder on the Torquay Footbridge. Photo: Lucy Brouwer

If you’re ever down that way, I’d recommend a visit not only to Agatha Christie’s house, Greenway, but also to Coleton Fishacre, the gorgeous Arts & Crafts meets Art Deco holiday home of the D’Oyly Carte family.

Coleton Fishacre (I had the best weather of the week at this National Trust property near Brixham, Devon) Photo: Lucy Brouwer

To continue celebrations of the Art Deco centenary year, I’m running both parts of my Nottingham Deco in the Details tour again this October.

These tours look at the architecture of the 1920s and 1930s in the city centre, searching for elements of Art Deco style in pubs, shops, dancehalls, and civic buildings. It’s in two parts because it’s too far to walk in one go, but you can do either or both in any order.

Deco in the Details Part 1 – Thursday 23 October, 11am – tickets £20 each

This walk starts and ends at TC Howitt’s Council House and takes in Montegue Burton – The Tailor of Taste, the Viyella building, a streamlined Deco Woolworths, and more.

Deco in the Details Part 2 – Thursday 30 October, 11am – tickets £20 each

This walk starts outside the Victoria Centre to view the YMCA building, then looks at shops, the Palais de Danse, Hockley, and Sneinton Market, ending with a look at The Bath Inn.

Both these routes, as well as my Watson Fothergill Walk are also available for private groups of 6 or more people. Please drop me a line to organise a private tour.

Here I am at Clawson Lodge at the end of the Carrington Crawl the other week. I’ll be back doing this walk again in 2026. Photo: Louise Hunter

Speaking of the Watson Fothergill Walk, the next one is on Sunday 12 October, 10am and I doubt there will be time for another before the Festive Markets on the square get underway,. There are limited places remaining, so if you’ve been putting it off, please book now!

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 12 October, 10am – tickets £20 each

It would be great if you could join me to see Nottingham differently.

Thanks for reading Watson Fothergill Walk – Lucy Brouwer! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Art Deco, Events, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

Join me to see Nottingham differently

August 31, 2025 watson

Thanks to everyone who came down to The Vat & Fiddle for my Nottingham Art Deco Pubs talk. I’ve heard that a few of you have been visiting these fabulous buildings – here’s a recap if you’d like to find some Art Deco gems in the Nottingham area: A Guide to Nottingham Art Deco Pubs

There are still a few tickets remaining for Nottingham: Deco in the Details for Art Deco Society UK on 13 September, 2 pm. This is a version of Deco in the Details Part 2. It’s also open to non-members and the Deco-curious! We might even finish off with a look inside The Bath Inn.

Tickets: Nottingham: Deco in the Details £22 each with a discount for ADSUK members.

Also, coming up: Wa tson Fothergill Walks on Sunday 7 September, 10 am, and Sunday 12 October, 10 am.

Join me for my original tour looking at Nottingham’s Victorian Architecture by its most flamboyant architect. Last chances this year, so don’t put it off book today!

See what folks are saying about Watson Fothergill Walk in my TripAdvisor reviews – It’s 5-star rated doncha know!

Tickets £20 each

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 7 Sept, 10 am

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 12 Oct, 10 am

Or book any of these walks on Yuup

Photos of Fothergill’s Nottingham and Notts Bank and Express Newspaper Offices from 1897 issue of “The Builder” (from Internet Archive).

There is also a rare opportunity to do T he Carrington Crawl on Saturday, 27 September, 1 pm

This tour looks at some of the houses designed by Watson Fothergill, architect, and his chief assistant Lawrence George Summers in Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington. There’s lots more about their lives and work too. Plus a chance to take a closer look at Clawson Lodge, a large house on Mansfield Road, now home to the Nottingham Ukrainian Cultural Centre.

Tickets £20 each.

Carrington Crawl, Saturday, 27 Sept, 1 pm

Clawson Lodge – prior to restoration – it looks even more glorious now! (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

I hope you can join me for a walking tour soon!

Lucy – WatsonFothergillWalk.com

Art Deco, Events, Mansfield, Watson Fothergill in Nottingham

More Art Deco Pubs & Mansfield Meander

July 8, 2025 watson

Extra dates for my new projects! Plus more Watson Fothergill Walks this summer.

Hello to new subscribers, and thank you to everyone who has already joined me for a walk or talk so far…

I’m lining up to repeat my new Art Deco Pubs talk at The Abdication on 22 July. This one is now SOLD OUT, so I’m staging it again, this time at The Vat & Fiddle in their Golding’s Room, on Tuesday 19 August, doors 6.30 pm. Tickets £10 (including fees) from Eventbrite or from the pub if you’d like to pay in cash.

The Vat & Fiddle, Architect WB Starr & Hall, 1937-8, previously known as The Grove, Miami, Ziggy’s, Tom Hoskins… Photo: Lucy Brouwer

I’m also offering a shorter version of Watson Fothergill Walk in honour of the 184th anniversary of his birth on Saturday 12 July, 2 pm. This was organised to coincide with a talk about architect George Gilbert Scott at Bromley House Library. We will explore some of Scott’s influence on Fothergill’s work and take a leisurely stroll back to the Library to look in the garden. It was initially only open to Bromley House Library members, but if you’re not a member and would like to join in, you can visit as my guest (as long as you’re on your best behaviour!)

Tickets for the Shorter Fothergill Birthday Walk here.

There are just 3 tickets remaining for the Hine Hike on Sunday 27 July, 2 pm.

After the amazing response to the release of tickets for T he Mansfield Meander, I’ve added a new date – Sunday, 3 August, 3 pm. Tickets here . We will explore some of Fothergill’s early buildings and look for traces of his work on the streets of his home town.

The next Carrington Crawl – a look at the work of Fothergill and his chief assistant LG Summers in Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington is on Saturday, 27 September, 1 pm. This finishes up Clawson Lodge Ukrainian Cultural Centre with a chance for a cuppa and a look at their turret!

Extra turret! Clawson Lodge. Photo: Lucy Brouwer

There are a couple of summer dates scheduled for the original Watson Fothergill Walk, these are Sunday mornings, in an attempt to beat the rush of Nottingham city centre in the holiday period… Sunday, 17 August, 10 am and Sunday, 7 September, 10 am. All ticket links and info here. I hope you can join me.

I’ve got limited availability for private weekday walks this summer – so send me a message if you’d like to bring a group of 6 or more on The Watson Fothergill Walk, Hine Hike or Deco in the Details.

Events

Phew! More dates because you can’t get enough buildings!

July 2, 2025 watson

Mansfield & Art Deco pubs sell out! More dates coming up in August & September.

Thank you so much to everyone who has shown an interest in my new events.

My new Nottingham Art Deco Pubs talk at The Abdication Micropub has sold out both nights and I’m looking for a venue to hold another performance! More news as it is confirmed.

The Mansfield Meander on 31 August is now full up… so I’m going to squeeze in another one on Sunday 3 Augus t – this will probably fill up fast so don’t delay. I’m also hoping to do this walk for private groups, so if you have 6 or more people who’d be able to do it on a weekday or evening then please, get in touch.

Watson Fothergill Walk – Mansfield Meander: Sunday 3 August, 3 pm

I’m also doing a shortened version of the Watson Fothergill Walk to mark the anniversary of the Architect’s birth on 12th July 1841. Starting at 2 pm outside Bromley House Library (following on from Nigel Lowey’s sold-out talk about architect George Gilbert Scott). I will lead a shorter than usual walk to look at some of Watson Fothergill’s buildings in Nottingham city centre and explore his use of Nottingham bricks, the influence of George Gilbert Scott and the Gothic Revival on his work. At the end of the walk, there will be an opportunity for a short visit to Bromley House Library (as my guest) to see the wonderful hidden garden. Tickets: £15 with a discount for Bromley House Library Members.

Watson Fothergill Birthday Walk: Shorter Walk Special, Saturday 12 July, 2 pm

There are currently tickets available for the original City Centre Watson Fothergill Walk and Hine Hike on the following dates:

Hine Hike: Buildings of Thomas Chambers Hine, Sunday 27 July, 2 pm – 5 tickets remaining.

W atson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 17 August, 10 am – back to early starts to beat the beach rush!

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 7 September, 10 am

There will be another chance to join me for The Carrington Crawl looking at houses by Fothergill and his chief assistant Lawrence George Summers in Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington. Carrington Crawl, Saturday 27 September, 1 pm

And Finally…

I will be running Nottingham Deco in the Details Part 2 for the Art Deco Society UK on Saturday 13 September, at 2 pm. There is a discount for ADSUK members. More details and tickets from ADSUK: Deco In The Details Part 2

As ever – if you’d like a tour or talk for you and your group I have some availability on weekdays – so drop me a message.