Old Market Square

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Old Market Square is an open town square in Nottingham, England, the largest such surviving in England, and forms the heart of the city of Nottingham. It covers an area of about 22,000 m².^[1]

Nottingham Council House from the square

Designed by Gustafson Porter in 2004 and completed in March 2007, the Old Market Square is built with three shades of granite. The central open space is a light coloured granite, with white, beige and dark grey granite used for the fountains, terraces and flowerbeds.

The new square is a modern, single tier area, reflecting the history of the city including the recreation of an ancient border which once divided Nottingham. A new water feature dominates the west side of the Square, with jet fountains and waterfalls. These water features can be turned off if required, allowing a amphitheatre-like seating area to be created for shows and concerts. The opening events included concerts and parades, with plans being made for May Day and St Georges Day celebrations, as well as to bring back a regular local farmers market, reflecting the original purpose of the Square.

The front of the square is dominated by the Council House, which serves as the city hall. The bell inside the council house dome, named 'Little John', has the deepest tone of any bell in the country. The sound produced by the bell travels over 7 miles on a clear day.

One of the stone lions, a popular meeting place

Two large stone lions guard the Council House steps, and they have historically been a popular symbol of the city, with the City Council recently adopting the lion on some of its recent 'Nottingham Proud' campaign posters. People have been meeting at the lions for decades and have served as a meeting point for city residents. The 'Left Lion' is most popularily used for meeting. The square is often used for large local events, many events envolve music and a stage is often erected for such events.

[edit] History

Historically the Square forms a meeting place for the people of Nottingham and is also the location for local events, civic protests, royal visits, celebrations and public mourning and many of Nottingham's most defining moments have occurred here. Trophies won by Nottingham Forest Football Club including the European Cup and the FA Cup have all been held aloft in front of crowds here. More recently in 2003 a memorial service to remember the life of Nottingham Forest's former manager Brian Clough was held there in front of national television cameras and thousands of local football supporters.

Previously, the Square has been affectionately nicknamed 'Slab Square' owing to the high numbers of concrete blocks which formed the former Square. The city coat of arms was painted in front of the Council House on the square.

The Square was redesigned to compliment the New Council House in 1927 and became an uneven area with several different height platforms creating a procession way. However the decline in the quality, changes in function and issues surrounding disabled access spurred a City Council led international redevelopment competition in 2003 known as Square One.

Construction of the new design got underway in 2004. The Square was scheduled to reopen before the end of 2006, but following delays reopened in late March 2007.

Fountains in the resdesigned Old Market Square

The Market Square was once at the heart of the city road network however today it is closed to all traffic except buses and the Nottingham Express Transit (NET) which stops there. As well as many shops, bars and department stores, the Square is also home to the Nottingham City Transport Travel Centre. The city tourist information centre and Nottinghamshire Angel Row central library are also both just near the Square. The Bell Inn, thought to be one of the UK's oldest pubs dating back to around 1276, also sits at the back of the Square.

Folklore has it that it was in the Market Square where outlaw Robin Hood took advantage of an amnesty and won the coveted silver arrow in a contest devised by the Sheriff of Nottingham. This contest forms the central plot to the Disney version of Robin Hood.

The Square has been the focal point of Nottingham's entry to the Britain in Bloom competition in recent years, taking the title four times (1997, 2001, 2003 and 2007).

In December every year, the Square hosts a Christmas German Market and is the centre of local New Year's Eve celebrations. The Nottingham Christmas Lights switch-on event also takes place here.

Ferris Wheel in Old Market Square, 2008

In February 2008 a Ferris wheel, nicknamed the Nottingham Eye, was installed in Market Square. At 60 metres tall the wheel provided panoramic views of the city and was the centre piece of Nottingham city councils "Light Night".^[2]