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MGS 2018 will be held on the Jubilee Campus of the University of Nottingham, hosted by School of Computer Science (campus map). The Jubilee Campus has won many awards for its design and environmental features, and is located close to both beautiful University Park Main Campus and historical Wollaton Hall and Deer Park. The Nottingham City Centre is just a short bus or tram ride away (see below for details).

Nottingham is centrally located in the UK, and is easily reachable by all forms of transport. General directions for getting to Jubilee Campus can be found here. In terms of airports, East Midlands Airport is by far the closest and well-connected to Nottingham. However, the number of destinations served is relatively limited. Birmingham, Manchester, and London Luton airports are all within reasonable distance from Nottingham and well-connected by train. Other London airports such as Stansted, Heathrow, and Gatwick are also options, but a bit more of a trek. If you travel into Heathrow and intend to catch a train to Nottingham from St Pancras International, the cheapest option is to travel by tube (Piccadilly Line), and only a bit slower than alternatives such as the Heathrow Express.

The Jubilee Campus is well-connected by bus or tram; e.g. to various points in the City Centre including the Nottingham Train Station.

The closest bus stop is Hillside on Derby Road, just south of building 59 on the campus map. There are a number of operators and lines. Among others, Hill Side is serviced by line 36 (operated by NCT, Nottingham City Transport; usually big orange double deckers) and Indigo (operated by Trentbarton; most often distinct purple colour, but not always, despite the name). Both are good options to/from the City Centre (but neither service the train station directly). Fares are around £2 depending on the operator. It is still possible to pay cash on buses, but be aware that NCT insists on exact change. You might thus want to consider a Robin Hood Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) card (details below) for convenience and slightly cheaper fares. Not all operators accept the Robin Hood PAYG card, but both NCT and Trentbarton do, although the latter not on night buses (midnight until 4 AM) or the Skylink Express servicing East Midlands Airport. Buses are frequent to relatively frequent, and real-time displays at bus stops tell you exactly when to expect the next few connections. (Maps, time tables, and journey planners are of course also available on-line should you need it.)

Nottingham also has a tram network, connecting the City Centre, including a stop at the railway station, to surrounding parts of the urban area. The closest tram stop to Jubilee campus is Queens Medical Centre south of the campus. It is further away than the Hill Side bus stop, but still a reasonably easy walk (unless you have a lot to carry). You need to buy tickets before you board the tram, but there are ticket machines at all tram stops. Or you can use the Robin Hood PAYG card: touch in before you board the tram, and don't forget to touch out once you have reached your destination.

The Robin Hood Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) card is a convenient way to get around Nottingham using public transportation for visitors. It is valid with many operators, including Nottingham City Transport (NCT), Trentbarton (with some restrictions), and on the tram (NET). The card itself costs £2, and it can then be topped up in increments of £5, £10, etc. up to a maximum of £100. Cards can be bought and topped up at vending machines all over Nottingham and surroundings, including at the Nottingham Train Station and outside The Exchange on Jubilee Campus (building 2 on the campus map). Paying with the Robin Hood card is slightly cheaper than paying cash.

If you drive, parking is included for those who are staying in campus accommodation. Otherwise, pay and display parking is available at £7 per day.

All non-local participants have been booked into Newark Hall on Jubilee Campus, see the campus map. There is a Hall Manager at reception between the hours of 08:00–17:00, and from then on until midnight there is a building porter on duty. Guests arriving after midnight until the following morning will need to phone security on arrival (0115 9513013). For guests staying in the halls, full English breakfast is served in The Atrium Restaurant, building number 5 on the campus map. Parking is also included if you stay in the halls.

There will be an opportunity to meet and greet other MGS participants late Sunday afternoon (8 April) at the nearby pub Rose & Crown. The organisers will be there from 5 pm for a couple of hours, and we are very much looking forward to other participants joining us. Rose & Crown is a good place for a drink, and they also serve good pub food making it a nice option for dinner Sunday evening. It is situated just outside Jubilee Campus, south of the Advanced Manufacturing Building, number 59 on the campus map. Address: 500 Derby Road, Nottingham NG7 2GW.

Eduroam is offered across all of our campuses, and many participants will likely have access to this. If not, or if Eduroam is being uncooperative, there is an additional guest network:

UoN-guest

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/it-services/connect/wifi/visitors.aspx

Spokes restaurant, located in the Jubilee Conference Centre (building 50 on the campus map), is open all day (except Sunday afternoons) and offers a menu that includes salad, pizza, burgers, steak, and more. It is also a café serving coffee from local artisan coffee roasters 200° Coffee along with a range of cakes and pastries. The Atrium Bar, right next to Spokes, offer a selection of wines, beers and cocktails, as well as a menu of light bites. There is also a Starbucks right next to the Jubilee Campus Sport Centre (building 30 on the campus map), open from 8 am until 7 pm.

A little further away, the pub Rose & Crown on Derby Road just south of Jubilee Campus serves good pub fare. Leave Jubilee campus next to building 59 on the campus map, and you'll see Rose & Crown on your left. Across the street is Savera, a good Indian restaurant serving typical British Indian food. There are also a number of takeaway options next door, including Subway, and Savera itself also offers food to go.

If you are looking for a nearby convenience store, there is a SPAR in The Exchange (building 2 on the campus map), and a Co-op on Middleton Boulevard, just off the north end of campus. However, be aware that the there is a gate at the Jubilee Campus entrance on Middleton Boulevard which is only open from 6 am to 6 pm. Use the Main Entrance on Wollaton Road at other times (see map).

The City Centre is not far away and there are many good restaurants to chose from. Ideas include Petit Paris, Bistrot Pierre, Kayal, and Tarn Thai. Calling ahead to make a reservation is always advisable, especially if you arrive as a large group.

On the Tuesday evening, we invite all participants on a little excursion. Nottingham is built on sand stone into which hundreds of man-made caves have been carved over the centuries. Indeed, Nottingham was once known as Tigguo Cobauc, meaning “place of caves” in Old Brythonic. Some of the caves are open to the public, and we will visit City of Caves.

We have hired a coach (from Silverdale) to get us into the City Centre. It will depart 17:10 from outside the Exchange Building (building number 2 on the campus map). Note that the departure time is SHARP! Traffic can be very bad this time of day, so we may need up to 30 minutes to get to the City Centre. The coach will drop us off outside Pitcher and Piano, High Pavement, from where there is a 3 to 4 minute walk to the entrance to City of Caves, upper level of the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre (NG1 7LS). The entrance fee to the caves is included in the MGS registration.

As space is limited down in the caves, there will be three separate groups for consecutive time slots with entry times of 17:45, 18:00, and 18:15, respectively. Each participant is assigned to one group: you will find your assignment on the personalised excursion information sheet in your registration pack. Please be at the City of Caves entrance five minutes prior to your entry time. If you are not in the first group, please take some time to look around the surroundings before heading to the City of Caves entrance as space there is limited and to keep the groups separate to streamline entry into the caves.

If you do not wish to take part in the excursion, please give your personalised information sheet back to the organisers! There are a few more MGS participants than we could fit into the groups, so someone else might be eager to go in your place.

After the tour of the caves, we suggest that participants make their way to Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, situated in caves carved into the rock on which the Nottingham Castle is built, and said to be the oldest inn in England, dating back to 1189. Thus a suitable continuation to the cave-themed evening! On your way there, take the opportunity to visit the incontournable Robin Hood right outside the Castle ramparts for a photo opportunity. Ye Old Trip serves food, so dinner there is an option. Otherwise, there is a wealth of good restaurants to chose from in the City Centre with options for all budgets.

Note that you will need to make your own way back to Jubilee Campus after the excursion. See travel above for information on local transport.

On the Thursday evening, all participants are invited to the MGS 2018 dinner at Mr Man's Chinese and Malaysian Restaurant. Mr Man's is located on the edge of Wollaton Park and is within easy walking distance from Jubilee Campus. Allow 25 Minutes from Newark Hall. Again, be aware that the there is a gate at the Jubilee Campus entrance on Middleton Boulevard which is only open from 6 am to 6 pm. Use the Main Entrance on Wollaton Road at other times (see map). The dinner is included in the registration fee. A reasonable amount of drink is also included; more can be purchased from the bar.

Historical Wollaton Hall and Deer Park is well worth a visit and just a short walk away from Jubilee Campus. Wollaton Hall itself dates back to the late 1500s and is a prime example of Tudor and Jacobean architecture. Today, it houses the Nottingham Natural History Museum as well as historic rooms and Nottingham's oldest pipe organ. Wollaton Hall was also one of the locations where the Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises was filmed, featuring as Wayne Manor. The house is surrounded by a beautiful formal garden in which the Camelia House is situated, the oldest cast iron glasshouse in Europe. The Nottingham Industrial Museum is situated in the former stables of Wollaton Hall and houses a very interesting collection of items showcasing Nottingham's diverse industrial history, including some very impressive steam engines. Open weekends.

The University Park Main Campus, one of the largest and most attractive in the UK, is also worth a visit. It is about 15 minutes by foot from Jubilee Campus. It is also possible to get to the University Park campus from Wollaton park by using Derby Road gate and then cross the road. There is an entrance to University Park Campus just opposite.

Nottingham Castle is located in the city centre at the top of a large sandstone promontory, “Castle Rock”. Most of the medieval castle is gone, demolished in 1649 in the aftermath of the civil war. What remains are massive ramparts, a testimony to the importance this Royal fortress once held, and an impressive gate house. A “Ducal Mansion” was built in the castle grounds in the 17th century, currently in use as a museum and art gallery. Castle Rock is full of caves, including ones that form part of Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, said to be one of the oldest pubs in England dating back to 1189.

Of course, no visit to Nottingham is complete without stopping by to say hello to Robin Hood, legendary heroic outlaw, just outside the Castle, and pose for a selfie. The historicity of Robin Hood and his relation to King Richard and Prince John remain hotly debated. What is true is that Nottingham Castle was the site of a major battle in March 1194 when King Richard besieged the castle as part of his campaign to put down the rebellion of Prince John.