Your perfect pub crawl stop: The Approach's best deals in Nottingham

Pub crawls reveal a city's personality one stop at a time. One venue hums with match commentary, the next thrums with live guitars, and somewhere between them you find the place worth a second visit. For anyone mapping a route through Nottingham's bar scene, that venue is The Approach, a city-centre live music and sports bar run by Great Northern Inns Limited.

The Approach takes its programming seriously. Multiple HD screens carry Premier League football, Six Nations rugby, Ashes cricket, Formula 1 and the Masters, alongside whatever else the sporting calendar throws at a thirsty crowd. Weekends bring live bands, DJs and special appearances, while the kitchen turns out the kind of food that holds a group together between drinks.

Crawl culture resonates strongly with Australian travellers, who are used to bouncing between venues on a Saturday arvo in Fitzroy, Surry Hills or Fortitude Valley. The Approach echoes that casual, sport-obsessed spirit with a distinctly English twist. Think of it as a Melbourne pub that has learned to pour a proper British ale and show the footy at the same time, without losing any of the laid-back charm.

This guide walks through the deals, the menu highlights and the weekly rhythm that make The Approach a natural anchor point on any Nottingham crawl. The goal is simple: help you spend less while getting more out of your night.

The matchday atmosphere that sets the tone

Sport is the heartbeat of The Approach, and the venue leans into that identity with multiple HD screens positioned so there is not a bad seat in the house. Premier League fixtures draw a lively mix of locals and travelling supporters, while the Ashes pulls in cricket fans who want to sit back with a pint rather than fight for a view at home.

For Australian visitors, the appeal is immediate. AFL supporters gathering for a Western Bulldogs or Collingwood match can find a crowd that understands the game, and rugby league fans chasing State of Origin can book ahead for the big screens. Staff know which sport is on, commentary stays on, and food deals run alongside the kickoff.

The layout works for groups, which is essential when you are crawling. Long shared tables, booths for six and standing room near the bar mean you can settle in for ninety minutes or pop in for a half before moving on. It is the kind of flexibility that turns a planned stop into an extended session without anyone feeling stuck.

Live music and weekend energy

Friday and Saturday nights at The Approach belong to the bands. Local acts and touring tribute artists take the stage from around 9pm, and the venue fills with a mix of crawlers, pre-club crowds and regulars who treat it as a destination in itself. Entry is generally free, and the sound system is loud enough to feel like a gig without drowning out conversation at the next table.

The weekend rhythm mirrors what you find at the Corner Hotel in Richmond or the Brunswick Hotel in Melbourne's inner north, where a band in the back room is part of the weekly furniture. The Approach matches that energy with a rotating roster, themed nights and the occasional DJ set that runs past midnight. Programming this consistent makes crawl planning easier, because the music is always worth the detour.

Midweek tends to be more relaxed, with acoustic sets and open mic nights that draw a quieter crowd. Those sessions pair well with the food and drink promotions, and they give crawlers who started early a chance to recharge before the next stop.

Food that holds the crawl together

A pub crawl lives or dies by the food, and The Approach takes that responsibility seriously. The kitchen serves pub classics alongside pizzas, burgers, sharing platters and a Sunday roast that turns a weekend into an event. Prices are reasonable for the city centre, and portions are generous enough to keep a group moving for another three or four stops.

Sunday roasts are the headline act, with beef, chicken, lamb and vegetarian options served from noon until early evening. The Yorkshire puddings are proper ones, the gravy is rich, and the roast potatoes are exactly what you want after a long Saturday night. For Australian visitors who grew up on carvery-style roasts, the experience feels familiar but executed with British precision.

Pizza deals run throughout the week, often paired with a drink offer that makes a midweek meal genuinely cheap. Pizzas are hand-stretched, served in generous sizes, and come with enough topping combinations to keep a group happy without anyone resorting to a compromise.

Drink promotions and happy hour wins

Drink deals are where The Approach really earns its spot on any crawl itinerary. Pint prices on selected ales and lagers drop during weekday happy hours, and cocktail offers cluster around the early evening. The bar stocks a solid range of beers, including rotating local ales from Nottinghamshire breweries, alongside the usual suspects on tap.

For visitors used to Sydney or Melbourne pub pricing, the value is striking. A midweek pint at happy hour price can undercut what you would pay in many Australian city bars, and the quality of the ale is consistently high. Wine and cocktail menus are priced with crawlers in mind, with two-for-one deals and discounted rounds that make group bookings affordable.

Deal-hunters who appreciate the art of chasing value will recognise the same instinct in the way savvy punters track down a reliable casino bonus before signing up to a new platform. The principle is identical: do a little research, time your visit, and walk away with more than you came in expecting. At The Approach, that homework pays off in extra pints rather than bonus credits.

Special events and sports appearances

Beyond the weekly rhythm, The Approach runs a calendar of special events that turn an ordinary crawl into something memorable. Sports personalities, local legends and touring acts drop in for meet-and-greets, Q&As and watch-alongs, and the venue often hosts quiz nights, themed parties and seasonal celebrations. Checking the schedule before you plan your crawl is worth the effort.

The Approach also partners with local organisations and charities for fundraising events, which adds a community feel that you do not always find in city centre bars. For visitors, that means there is often something happening on any given weekend, whether it is a UFC fight night, a darts tournament, or a major boxing pay-per-view.

Group bookings are encouraged, and the team works with crawlers to set aside tables, coordinate timings and arrange food platters in advance. The Approach Nottingham website carries the latest event listings, and the social channels post weekly updates on deals, lineups and special guests. It is the kind of venue that rewards a little planning.

Crawl-day recommendations

• Start at The Approach if sport is on, because the screens and atmosphere are best enjoyed early.
• Book a table for Sunday if your crawl spans the weekend, as roasts sell out fast.
• Take advantage of weekday happy hour pint deals to save the most per stop.
• Pair a pizza deal with a shared cocktail round to keep group costs predictable.
• Catch the live band on Friday or Saturday and treat The Approach as your main event, not a quick pass-through.
• Sign up for the venue's newsletter or follow the socials to catch pop-up events and special guest appearances.
• Plan your next stop within a ten-minute walk, as the surrounding streets are packed with bars that complement the vibe.

If you are mapping out a Nottingham crawl, slot The Approach into the route and let the deals do the heavy lifting. The combination of sport, live music, solid food and genuinely fair pricing makes it a venue that rewards return visits, and the central location means it pairs easily with everything else the city has to offer. Pull up the latest listings, round up your mates, and let the night unfold from there.