Our much-loved Beer and Carols returned this December and proved more popular than ever, with queues stretching down St James’s Street as festive visitors waited to secure their place at what has become one of Nottingham’s most anticipated seasonal traditions.

Across four completely sold-out nights, our historic Victorian music hall was filled to capacity as guests were welcomed with mulled wine on arrival, before settling in for a cosy evening of joyful carol singing, festive cheer and community spirit.

For many, Beer and Carols has become an unmissable date in the Christmas calendar, with attendees sharing on social media:

“Can’t wait for Beer and Carols for my birthday, it’s my favourite night of the year.”

“Ohhhh yes, we count down the 364 days between Beer and Carols.”

Alongside the festive fun, the event also made a powerful impact for local charities. Through the Tap to Donate portal, an amazing £916 was raised to support YMCA Robin Hood Group’s Pay It Forward Christmas appeal, helping to support young people living in YMCA Supported Housing across Nottinghamshire.

Supporting Young People This Christmas

YMCA’s Pay It Forward appeal called on the community to help make Christmas brighter for young people who might otherwise spend the festive season alone. Donations went towards essentials many of us take for granted at this time of year – from festive meals and decorations to the chance to celebrate together – creating moments of belonging and hope.

One YMCA resident shared:

“I really appreciated it. It meant a lot to be thought of at Christmas.”

An additional £582 was also raised in cash donations on the night, directly supporting the Malt Cross chefs prepare Christmas dinner for YMCA Supported Housing residents.

Backing Nottingham’s Night-Time Community

Nottingham Street Pastors were also present throughout the evenings, raising an impressive £852.31 to continue their vital on-street support for Nottingham’s night-time economy.

Based at here at Malt Cross, Nottingham Street Pastors are a team of trained volunteers working alongside emergency services to provide practical, compassionate and non-judgemental support to those in need in the city centre at night. Established in 2010, the group is a multi-church response to urban night-time challenges, with over 60 volunteers from 40 Nottinghamshire churches regularly patrolling the streets on Friday and Saturday nights, helping ensure safer nights out for the 30,000–40,000 people who visit the city centre each weekend.

With its unique mix of festive entertainment, tradition and community fundraising, Our Beer and Carols continues to be a true highlight of Nottingham’s Christmas calendar – and with another record-breaking year behind them, organisers are already looking ahead to welcoming guests back again next festive season.

We also host a vibrant programme of events all year round, making it us one of Nottingham’s most loved community venues.

A firm fan favourite is The Big Quiz, which takes place every Monday night and regularly fills the hall with teams competing for prizes and plenty of laughs. Alongside this, guests can enjoy popular Sip & Paint evenings, stand-up comedy nights, and a busy schedule of live music every weekend, showcasing local talent in the venue’s Victorian surroundings.

With something happening almost every night of the week, here at Malt Cross we continue to be a welcoming hub for culture, creativity and community connection in the heart of Nottingham – not just at Christmas, but all year round.