I must step forward and defend Nottingham, the well known terror city where you WILL get your hair parted by a dum dum bullet twice a week (according to the redtops and certain TV programmes).

The city has always had its rough bits - for a pretty accurate flavour of the 1950s, read "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" or watch the film. In the 60s I went to a very well regarded school which was unfortunately situated in one of the city's red light districts, and ladies touted for business at all hours. Then and later it was pretty easy to obtain purple hearts, black bombers, dexies, wacky baccy etc in very respectable cafes (remember the Kardomah anybody?) If you go back further to the early years of the 19th century you will find that there were 156 inns and beer houses in a very small area. "Nottingham Lambs" were then known as groups of chaps you didn't cross on a Saturday night!

Reference the current binge drinking issue, I don't actually believe the current "300 pubs in a square mile" canard, but certainly there are some truly horrible drinking factories now. But who closed down the 4 traditional Nottingham breweries which owned their pub estate and didn't hound managers to maximise drink sales? Big Business helped by politicians. Who aims their marketing they do, whatever they say) and powerful sickly sweet alcopops at kids who can't take their drink? Big Business again. Who owns half of Burton on Trent? Coors, a multi national. Who separated pubs from brewers and encouraged the advent of pile-em-in alcopop bars? Politicians. Who   
can get these places closed down? Police and the justices. Who don't? Police and the justices.

Nottingham's no different from anywhere else really - these days it's all about making a fast buck and keeping the shareholders happy. But there are plenty of places even in 2010 where you can enjoy a pleasant pint and, whisper it, go to a good gig - without danger to your life or sanity. Try the Maze, the Vic, Rock City (well maybe not!) and many others.