The Lion at Basford is a characterful real-ale and live-music freehouse at 44 Mosley Street, New Basford, Nottingham (NG7 7FQ). Full of rustic charm, it has an enviable reputation for cask and craft — up to 10 cask lines, 7 craft lines and 8-plus traditional ciders, and a place in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide for five years running. Live music runs every Friday and Saturday night, with jazz on the first Sunday of the month and Irish folk on the fourth Sunday. A two-storey limestone cave well (one of Nottingham's deepest) still serves as the cask cellar, and it's a multiple Dog Friendly Pub of the Year winner.
New Basford · Every Thursday · Free
The Lion at Basford Open Mic
Nottingham open mic at The Lion at Basford — listed on Google Places. Schedule below pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Open mic at a glance The Lion at Basford · Nottingham
Thursday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
03 Jun
Last verified
Free
Entry
15 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Nottingham open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 3 June 2026
The Lion at Basford Open Mic — Quick Facts
Nottingham open mic at The Lion at Basford — listed on Google Places. Schedule below pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayThursday
Start20:00
Sign-up19:30 walk-in
Slot length15 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacity–
Performer typesMusic
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
The Lion at Basford44 Mosley St, New Basford
New Basford
Nottingham NG7 7FQ
New Basford, Nottingham — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Highlights
Free entry for all
Full backline on stage
Walk-in sign-up
Music welcome
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know and we'll re-verify within 48 hours.
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About The Lion at Basford
About This Open Mic
Every Thursday in New Basford, Nottingham
Kicks off at 20:00, sign-up from 19:30
Free entry for performers and audience
15-minute slots
Full backline on stage
Part of the Nottingham open mic directory
The Night
The Lion at Basford bills itself as 'Nottingham's oldest open mic night', held every Thursday in this rustic, redbrick free house in New Basford. It's a real-ale and live-music pub — exposed beams, a big covered beer garden, well-kept cask and cider — with bands on Friday and Saturday and jazz on Sunday lunchtimes, so the Thursday open mic draws a warm, music-literate crowd. Sign-up is on the night; start time isn't published online, so get there early to grab a slot.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How The Lion at Basford’s Thursday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
20:00Kick-off
23:00Venue closes
Every Thursday 15-min slots Free entry
Find The Lion at Basford
44 Mosley St, New Basford, New Basford, Nottingham NG7 7FQ
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until late. Full backline is provided — just bring your instrument and pedals.
Part of the Nottingham live music scene.
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Try the Rate CalculatorCommon Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Nottingham's The Lion at Basford open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Nottingham open mic nights for alternatives.
Full backline: drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp, vocal mics. Bring your own instrument and pedals.
15 minutes per act — typically 4 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Nottingham mics are free; browse the list.
Yes — full bands welcome and the backline is set up for it.
44 Mosley St, New Basford, New Basford, Nottingham NG7 7FQ.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Nottingham regulars across the Nottingham open mic scene. Nottingham open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
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