Bringing chilled afternoons of coffee and music that blend into evenings of DJ sets and dancing, Movers is the latest edition to Hockley’s hive of cultural activity. Since opening at the start of July, the multi-use venue has been making waves in the area as the hottest new bar in town. We spoke to director and founder Felix Coulton, also one of the minds behind Notts’ own Swing Dash Radio, to see how it's going so far and what they have coming up...
Located in a former Victorian butchers shop, Movers is the perfect example of how old can be transformed into new; the cream-coloured tiles at the entrance are a reminder of the building’s past, while inside the space has recently become something sleek and vibrant – aided especially by the minimalist white walls and daylight exceeding from the skylight above.
Operating as both a day and night venue, Felix believes the idea redefines what a venue might be: “We cannot open past midnight, partly down to licensing laws, but the day-to-night split concept is an interesting one,” he says. “People can chill in the daytime, have a coffee, listen to some tunes, and later, have a night time space to have a drink and be absorbed in dance music without an event going way past its peak.”
The emphasis on day and night living, and its links to Swing Dash Radio, makes Movers an interesting concept in comparison to traditional bricks-and-mortar venues. Catering to a variety of needs, from the laid-back afternoon crowd who can drink coffee as they study, work or read, to those looking for a different vibe entirely – the energetic hustle and bustle of city centre life. This concept is sure to open a debate for the future of Nottingham nightlife and how spaces can be utilised to cater for audiences at any time of day.
“I think the overarching thing is that Notts has been crying out for a place like this,” says Felix. “We’ve had really good feedback - I think people are generally after a community space that they can get behind.”
Having only been open for a couple of months, Movers is growing one stage at a time, with the cafe, bar and DJ decks all set up. The multitude of yet-to-be-used space allows for further expansion for other projects to flourish.
Adding to the relaxed atmosphere and the shared community ethos that the space is trying to enhance, Hunt’s Emporia opened in Movers at the start of August and provides a vast array of quality vintage clothing. Ash, its founder and the cafe manager (while serving me up a nice frothy cappuccino) tells me of his appreciation for a space like this: “It is cool to see a space that allows other independent businesses to flourish. Which, in my opinion, is really good.”
Felix comes from an artistic background – from his collaborations with Swing Dash, he was able to create a hub for dance-music enthusiasts, as well as friends and creatives who were supportive of his efforts. There is a strong link between the venue and the various promoters who put different events on, exposing people to all kinds of music. As we chat, the sounds from the speakers ebb and flow from deep house music to Ethiopian jazz, and soft techno.
“While our main focus is on dance music, I want to bring people on board who put a focus on something else,” says Felix. “I want to show that dance music can be lots of different things. It can be jazz, it can be hip hop. We are a broad church and want to bring everyone together through music. There is too much division in society now, so it is good to have somewhere where people can meet and share an experience together.”
Felix admits that acquiring the building was far from easy. He speaks of the annoyance of talking to solicitors about difficulties of acquiring commercial property, as well as the adequate funding to keep places like this afloat.
When it comes to commercial property, Felix admits that it can be a bit of a “wild west”, with time spent drawing up contracts with solicitors to make sure things adhere to regulations. “It is a very unregulated industry, with lots of hoops to jump through to get the contract.”
Opening a multi-purpose arts space is a brave venture in today's climate. Many venues and spaces face a daily struggle, with a plethora of obstacles: from licensing hours, to the issue of noise in an urban environment. According to data from the NTIA (Night Time Industries Association), in 2024, a total of 65 nightclubs and late night venues closed nationwide. This worrying trend is only set to continue unless legislation is passed to help venues survive. In addition, changing social attitudes to nightlife have added to this struggle; fewer young people view late night clubbing as an all-positive experience with wariness around excessive drinking, spiking, and sexual harassment.
However, Felix is gradually finding ways to overcome some of these obstacles. After meeting someone from the same company that soundproofed nearby venue Metronome, he was struck by how adequately the venue worked, despite being below a huge residential area.
Catering to a variety of needs, from the laid-back afternoon crowd who can drink coffee as they study, work or read, to those looking for a different vibe entirely - the energetic hustle and bustle of city centre life
“It is an absolute benchmark for what we should be doing across the country. They have about 180 flats above their gig space, but they haven’t received a noise complaint, to my knowledge,” he explains, suggesting that government grant funding could be offered to soundproof nightlife spaces. “But you’re looking at thousands of pounds. If we had a fund to help soundproof our venue, then everyone wins, we win, the nighttime economy wins, the neighbours win.”
Venue spaces have been sacred temples for generations of music lovers. From passing through the foyer up to the dancefloor, this is usually a scene of pilgrimage for those seeking a good time. Every Friday and Saturday night, people pass through doors to make memories, forge friendships, and sometimes even spark love interests and relationships.
To quote emprosario Tony Wilson on his experience of the Hacienda: “There is something totally epoch-making taking place. They’re applauding the DJ. Not the music, not the musician, not the creator – but the medium.”
This description of clubs and nightlife is just as relevant today. Nightclubs were once revered as cathedrals of youth culture – the DJ a saintly figure curing your ills and providing you with a good time. It’s been difficult for venues since. But fear not! One venue is trying to buck the trend. It is up to us to help it succeed.
Head down to Swing Dash: Celebrating Nottingham Dance Music on Fri 19 September at Movers. Find them at 15 Hockley, Nottingham NG1 1FH, open Tues - Wed 9:30 - 6pm and Thur - Sat 9:30 - midnight.
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