The Approach's guide to the Boat Race from the big screen

The annual Varsity Boat Race brings Cambridge and Oxford together on the River Thames for one of Britain’s most watched collegiate sporting contests. Thousands of spectators line the banks, while the crews and their coaches focus on every stroke, call and tactical decision. Watching the Boat Race from The Approach’s big screens turns the broadcast into a shared occasion, with multiple HD screens, live music and sports fans, plus a full bar menu within reach.

For Australian sports fans, the main adjustment is the clock. The race is usually shown as part of an afternoon broadcast from Britain, which can mean breakfast television in Brisbane, a late-night session in Sydney or Melbourne, or an early start in Perth. Australian daylight-saving dates do not always match Britain’s, so confirm the event time rather than relying on a fixed nine-hour difference. Planning ahead turns the trip to a Nottingham city-centre bar into a proper weekend occasion.

Why the race works on a big screen

The Boat Race, formally known as the Varsity Boat Race, is a spring head race with roots in the famous university rowing fixtures. Cambridge and Oxford crews cover roughly 4.2 miles, or 6.8 kilometres, from Hammersmith Bridge to Putney, trading strokes with sweepers and decisions from the coxswain. The contest sits between elite Henley racing and the relaxed pageantry of a regatta, so newcomers can enjoy the colour and rivalry while regulars watch the speed, pacing and crew strength.

That mix of intense sport and social theatre explains why the big screen works so well at The Approach. A televised start makes the sense of anticipation immediate: engines from the commentary, close-ups of faces in the boat and an expert explaining why a crew chose to move at that moment. The venue’s live music and entertainment programme also gives the occasion a weekend atmosphere, especially when a band or special event is scheduled alongside the coverage.

Australian supporters will find plenty familiar in the mix of big-screen footy, pub food and communal reactions, even if they are watching from Nottingham rather than a home set-up. Sports bars near the SCG in Sydney or the MCG in Melbourne provide a similar ritual of a match, a meal and a drink; The Approach adds British ales, Sunday roasts and a city-centre setting. One useful piece of local vocabulary: “football” on a Nottingham event listing usually means association football, whereas many Australians would hear “footy” and think of AFL. Check the fixture before ordering a round.

Getting there and timing the coverage

Nottingham is a compact city for a race-day plan, and The Approach sits in the centre rather than out by a car park. Nottingham Station, Market Square, Broad Marsh and the city’s tram and bus network make it practical to arrive early, settle in and stay for the finish. For visitors who also want a cricket day, Trent Bridge is another well-known sporting landmark nearby, while the River Trent connects the city’s sporting story to the Boat Race happening on the Thames.

Full practical directions for the venue are available in the guide to getting to The Approach, including advice on Nottingham Station, local transport and the easiest routes into the city centre. If you are coming from an Australian airport or arranging a group trip, check each traveller’s onward connection before leaving the station; Britain’s rail and ticket systems work differently from many Australian routes. Allow a little extra time for a walk, a short tram ride or finding the right bus stop.

A 2 pm BST start lands at 9 am in Perth and 11 am in Brisbane. In Sydney and Melbourne, it falls around midnight while daylight saving is running, or 11 pm after they switch to standard time. The race itself is brief, but the broadcast build-up can run for well over an hour, so put the start time into a calendar reminder and check the venue’s opening and first-service times. It is the kind of detail that separates a missed start from a brilliant morning session.

Food and drink for a race-day crowd

Build the food order before the crews reach the start and the pub will feel like part of the match-day routine. The Approach serves pizzas, Sunday roasts and regular food and drink promotions, so a group can mix a substantial meal with lighter plates while keeping one eye on the screens. Groups that want a different Nottingham setting for the build-up can also check The Terrace Venue before choosing their preferred base.

For the table:

At the bar:

Regular promotions can make a group booking more economical, but the exact drink, food and music schedules can change from week to week. Ask what is running on the chosen date, and do not assume a televised race replaces the venue’s live entertainment. If it is a busy Sunday, ordering a few pizzas and sharing plates first can keep the group together; the Sunday roast is the more traditional choice, while cocktails and wines give non-beer drinkers somewhere to start.

Following the crews from Hammersmith to Putney

Know what to look for before the start. Each crew has eight rowers, a coxswain and two sweepers; the boat leaves the start with a burst, settles into a racing rhythm and then gathers speed again as the chase crews come through the course. The margin is measured in metres or boat lengths, and a legal overtake, or “bump,” can decide the outcome. Explain the basic order to anyone who has never watched an eight, and point out the overlap between the boats because that overlap often signals the race’s decisive move.

On a big screen, the broadcast adds detail that the riverbank view can hide: the angle of the blades, strain in the shoulders, a cox making a calm call while the rest of the crew works blind, and the chase boat threatening from behind. Keep the sound up when the commentary explains a tactic, and follow the on-screen course graphic if the crews appear to be level. The race covers a little over four miles and can take only 15 to 20 minutes of elapsed time, yet the final few hundred metres often produce the loudest reaction in the room.

For anyone following the race or betting market from Australia, separate the broadcast from the betting market. Australian bookmakers commonly use decimal odds, while UK race prices are often shown as fractions; promotions, payment methods and account rules do not travel neatly between the two countries. Use an authorised operator, meet the legal requirements where you are located and treat any wager as entertainment rather than a way to recover a loss. The same discipline fits the wider pub setting: watch responsibly, keep the race in proportion and let the crews, banter and friendly rivalry provide the real charge.

Book the table and make a proper race day of it

Check the diary for the confirmed Boat Race broadcast, start time and any listed entertainment before the group commits. The Approach’s multiple HD screens are designed for major football, rugby, cricket, motorsport, golf and other sport, while special events and sports-related appearances can add another layer to a particular date. A live act may affect the sound, seating or atmosphere, so the latest venue information is more reliable than an old fixture post. If the race appears as part of a broader weekend programme, arrive with enough time to order, find the best screen and settle in before the first crews are shown on the water.

Book as a group rather than leaving it to chance, particularly for a popular broadcast or a weekend with live music. Tell the venue how many people are coming, whether anyone needs step-free access and whether you want to concentrate on the race or stay close to the band. In Australia, many sports bars become lively around daytime footy and casual lunch meetings, and tables near a screen are often claimed early; the same practical habit works in Nottingham, although the drink choices, promotions and booking terms are the venue’s own. Arrive early enough to take a table together and share a first round while the pre-race discussion builds.

Choose the date, check the current event and food-and-drink offers, then secure a table for you and your crew at The Approach. Bring your Cambridge or Oxford colours, settle in front of a big screen and make the annual Varsity Boat Race a Nottingham occasion to remember.