The Cross Keys occupies a handsome, newly renovated Grade II listed Victorian building at 15 Byard Lane in Nottingham's historic Lace Market — designed by local architect Robert Evans in 1899, on the corner of Byard Lane and Fletcher Gate where a tavern called the Cross Keys has stood for at least 200 years. A split-level pub with high ceilings, natural light and wooden floorboards, it pairs a relaxed atmosphere with a regular live-music programme: bands on Friday and Saturday plus open-mic nights for emerging local talent, across mixed genres and welcoming both originals and covers. A house PA, guitar and bass amps and vocal mics keep performers plugged in. Four cask beers, four craft kegs and continental bottles at the bar; pet-friendly with outdoor seating. Run as a Punch managed-partnership pub.
Nottingham · Monthly on Thursdays · No fee listed
Cross Keys Open Mic
Lace Market's thursday open mic.
Kick-off 20:00. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsAt a glance
Checked 12 Oct 2026Thursdays
| Night | Monthly on Thursdays |
| Sign-up | Walk-in |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | No fee listed · all ages |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photos02 — The details
Before you goEverything you need to know
| Capacity | – |
| Performer types | Musicians |
| Status | Being verified |
No sign-up. We review corrections within 7 days.
03 — The night
Monthly on ThursdaysHow the night runs
04 — Find Cross Keys
Lace MarketGetting there
05 — What's on stage
1 provided · 6 TBC| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
06 — About
Lace Market, NottinghamAbout the night
The Cross Keys is a newly restored Victorian pub in Nottingham's historic Lace Market, with high ceilings, cask ales and hearty British food. Its open mic runs on the second and last Thursday of every month — a friendly, well-attended night sitting alongside the pub's Friday and Saturday live-music slots. Free to come down and play.
The Cross Keys occupies a handsome, newly renovated Grade II listed Victorian building at 15 Byard Lane in Nottingham's historic Lace Market — designed by local architect Robert Evans in 1899, on the corner of Byard Lane and Fletcher Gate where a tavern called the Cross Keys has stood for at least 200 years. A split-level pub with high ceilings, natural light and wooden floorboards, it pairs a relaxed atmosphere with a regular live-music programme: bands on Friday and Saturday plus open-mic nights for emerging local talent, across mixed genres and welcoming both originals and covers. A house PA, guitar and bass amps and vocal mics keep performers plugged in. Four cask beers, four craft kegs and continental bottles at the bar; pet-friendly with outdoor seating. Run as a Punch managed-partnership pub.
One tap. It tells the next act what to expect.
| 01 | Correct the day, time and sign-up |
| 02 | Edit your profile and photos |
| 03 | Receive artist enquiries |
| 04 | Update backline and capacity |
Cross Keys Open Mic
Lace Market's thursday open mic.
Last updated: 2 June 2026
Cross Keys Open Mic — Quick Facts
Music starts around 20:00. It's walk-in sign-up - arrive early to get a slot. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band.
What’s on in Nottingham this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Cross Keys is a newly restored Victorian pub in Nottingham's historic Lace Market, with high ceilings, cask ales and hearty British food. Its open mic runs on the second and last Thursday of every month — a friendly, well-attended night sitting alongside the pub's Friday and Saturday live-music slots. Free to come down and play.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
The Night at a Glance
How Cross Keys’s Thursday night runs.
Monthly on Thursdays
Lace Market, Nottingham - the map is below.
Cross Keys provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
Get there early for a slot, have your instrument tuned before your turn.
Find Cross Keys
Lace Market, Nottingham
Cross Keys is in Lace Market, Nottingham. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station before you set off.
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive early to get your name down. Cross Keys provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
What should you charge for paid gigs? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. In the wider Nottingham live music scene.
07 — Small print8 answersCommon questionsCommon Questions
8 things people want to know before Nottingham's Cross Keys open mic.
Venues Near Cross Keys
No other gigs are listed at Cross Keys yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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Cross Keys open mic in brief. The Cross Keys open mic runs monthly on Thursdays from 20:00 (no fee listed). Cross Keys’ venue page lists its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. For another night this week, the open mics near Nottingham are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Nottingham? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.
09 — More Nottingham open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Nottingham gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near Cross Keys
All ›More rooms near Cross Keys: Binks Yard, Bunkers Hill, Canvas Mansfield, Colwick Country Park, Colwick Park, Das Kino, George Street WMC, GHOST Nottingham, Gilt, Hand & Heart and Hole In The Wall.
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