The venue of the Nottingham Hard Rock cafe on King Street off Market Square
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The famous Hard Rock Cafe chain is to open an outlet in Nottingham.
It'll be located in King Street, overlooking the Market Square, and is scheduled to open in early June. It's just over 30 years since the first Hard Rock Cafe opened in London. Now there are more than 100 theme-restaurants scattered over 40 countries. However, the Nottingham development will be only the fifth Hard Rock Cafe to open in Britain, joining those in London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham. It'll cover 6,800 square-feet at 11 King Street, a building formerly occupied by Clarendon College and originally the home of a branch of the Prudential. The President of Hard Rock Cafe International, Pete Beaudrault, said: "We're particularly delighted to open a cafe in Nottingham, known for its rich history, shopping and entertainment offerings."  | | The famous brand can now be seen in the city |
What many people will be interested in is the type of rock memorabilia the cafe will house. Hard Rock has memorabilia valued at nearly £22 million so there's plenty to choose from. The story of the birth of Hard Rock’s memorabilia collection is interesting. The collection was started when Eric Clapton, a regular customer at the original Hard Rock Cafe London, asked the staff if he could hang his guitar on the wall to mark his favourite bar stool as "his spot." They did, and one week later, a package from The Who’s Pete Townsend arrived with a guitar and a note bearing the message, "Mine’s as good as his! Love, Pete." | "We're particularly delighted to open a cafe in Nottingham, known for its rich history, shopping and entertainment offerings." | | Pete Beaudrault,President of Hard Rock Cafe International |
The company isn't yet giving any details of what it'll include in Nottingham. It's to be hoped they won't go too big on Nottinghamshire's top pop stars of the 1970s, Paper Lace. Those behind the eating establishment say that in addition to artefacts from the world's top musicians the cafe will also house pieces from Nottinghamshire's top local artists. The venue is also set to become a centre for live music. The decision to open a Hard Rock Cafe in Nottingham is further evidence of the city's rise in importance as a prime entertainment area. Have you visited our entertainment section? See what's happening in the world of music. | 
