Looking for Christmas party ideas in Nottingham that go beyond a set menu and a function room? Start the night with a 1-hour indoor airsoft target shooting tournament at Shooters Range Nottingham, 20 Norfolk Place in the city centre, then head out for dinner and drinks. Up to 12 people shoot at once across 4 lanes, packages start at £25 per person, and nobody needs any experience.
It works for a work Christmas do, a festive night out with friends or a family get-together with older children. Everyone gets a turn, the electronic targets keep score, and by the time you sit down to eat there is a winner to toast and a loser to tease.
December weekends book up early, so book ahead. This guide covers how to plan a Christmas party in Nottingham around a range session: group sizes, costs, a festive tournament format, sample evenings, and how to find the venue, which is tucked away down an alleyway.
At a glance
| Christmas parties in Nottingham | Details |
|---|---|
| Venue | Shooters Range Nottingham, 20 Norfolk Place, Nottingham NG1 2AA (city centre) |
| Phone | 0115 646 8935 |
| Price | £25 to £60 per person, depending on the package |
| Session length | 1 hour on the range; arrive 10 minutes early to check in |
| Capacity | 4 lanes, up to 3 per lane, so up to 12 shooting at once. Groups of 13+ get a tailored package |
| Opening hours | Closed on Mondays. Check the Nottingham venue page for the latest opening times, including any festive changes |
| Ages | 11+; ages 11–16 with a responsible adult who stays for the session. No upper age limit |
| Parking | No on-site parking; NCP car parks and pay-and-display street parking nearby |
| Reviews | Google 4.9 from 280+ reviews; Tripadvisor 4.9 from 120+ |
Why add an activity to your Nottingham Christmas party?
A Christmas party with something to do at the start is easier to enjoy and easier to remember than a meal on its own. At a sit-down dinner people talk to whoever they are sat next to, and the evening slips past without much to show for it.
Give the night a main event and it changes shape. People mix while they wait their turn, cheer on the other lanes and swap stories at dinner. The meal becomes the celebration after the competition rather than the whole plan.
An activity also helps the people who find parties hard work. Having something to focus on takes the pressure off small talk, which is why it suits a work do where not everyone knows each other well.
What is indoor airsoft target shooting?
Indoor airsoft target shooting means firing BBs from airsoft replicas at electronic targets down a lane. You never shoot at people. Every session at Shooters Range Nottingham starts with a full safety briefing, a trained range officer supervises throughout, and everyone wears the safety equipment provided, including eye protection.
The lanes use Attacksense smart targets, which detect hits in real time and score automatically. There are 14 game modes, from solo challenges such as Target Practice, Shooting Gallery and Sudden Ambush to head-to-head modes for 2 or 3 players on a lane: Blitz, Streak, Draw, Endurance and Clear the Board. Scores also go onto our national leaderboards, so the night's champion can see how they rank.
You do not need any experience. That makes it a fair choice for a mixed group, from colleagues who have never held a replica to friends who are convinced they will win. If anyone is nervous, what to expect on your first shooting range visit walks through the hour step by step, and our safety page explains how sessions are run.
Christmas party ideas for different groups
The same hour on the range fits several kinds of Christmas get-together. Here is how it works for each.
| Type of party | Typical size | Why it works | Good time to go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work Christmas do | 6–12, or 13+ for larger teams | Mixes departments and levels the hierarchy; beginners can beat the boss | Friday evening, or a Tuesday to Thursday evening |
| Friends' Christmas night out | 4–12 | A competitive start before a night out in the city centre | Friday or Saturday evening |
| Family festive outing | 3–9 | Adults and children aged 11+ can compete on equal terms | Saturday or Sunday daytime |
| Small team or client thank-you | 2–6 | A relaxed hour that gives everyone something to talk about besides work | Early evening, Tuesday to Thursday |
Work Christmas parties
For a work Christmas party in Nottingham, the range makes a tidy first act. Teams of up to 12 can split across the 4 lanes and play as lane teams, which gets people talking who might not normally work together. Our guide to team building activities in Nottingham has more formats if you want the session to double as team building.
Christmas with friends
A group of friends can book together and play head-to-head modes, then carry on into the city centre. Shoot before the bar: everyone needs a clear head for the safety briefing, and finishing on the range gives you something to argue about over drinks. If you are planning a bigger night, our Nottingham stag do guide has ideas for building a full evening in the city.
Family Christmas outings
The minimum age is 11, and there is no upper age limit, so grandparents, parents and older children can all take part. Anyone aged 11 to 16 must be with a responsible adult aged 18 or over, who stays for the whole session. Weekend daytime slots are a good fit for families.
How to run a Christmas tournament across the lanes
The easiest format is a lane-team tournament. With 4 lanes and up to 3 shooters each, a group of 12 splits into four teams of three. Give each lane a festive name, such as Elves, Reindeer, Snowmen and Grinches, and the rivalry starts before the briefing ends.
| Round | Game mode | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | Target Practice | Everyone gets used to the replica and the targets |
| Round 1 | Shooting Gallery | Solo scores added up for each lane team |
| Round 2 | Clear the Board | Head-to-head between the players on each lane |
| Round 3 | Sudden Ambush | A solo reactions round, added to the lane total |
| Final | Endurance | Everyone plays; the top individual score is crowned champion |
Treat this as a starting point rather than a fixed running order, and ask your range officer on the day which modes fit your hour. Endurance is the headline board on the leaderboards, so it makes a natural final.
Festive touches that cost almost nothing
- A prize for the champion and a booby prize for last place, handed out at dinner.
- Christmas jumpers are fine, as long as arms and legs are covered and everyone wears closed-toe shoes.
- Leave tinsel and loose jewellery in a bag until later; loose jewellery is not allowed on the range.
- An awards speech at the restaurant, with scores read out lane by lane.
How much does a Christmas party at Shooters Range Nottingham cost?
The shooting part of a Christmas party at Shooters Range Nottingham costs £25 to £60 per person for a 1-hour session. Every package includes the gun or guns, BBs, full safety equipment and the safety briefing. This table shows the price per person and the total for a full venue of 12.
| Package | What you shoot | Per person | Group of 12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle Experience | Electric M4 rifle | £25 | £300 |
| Pistol Experience | HPA pistol | £30 | £360 |
| MP7 Experience | Tokyo Marui MP7 | £35 | £420 |
| Dual Firearm Experience | Electric M4 + HPA pistol | £40 | £480 |
| Elite Experience | M4, HPA pistol and MP7 | £60 | £720 |
Optional add-ons include an extra 500 BBs (£4) and an MP7 gas blowback with 1,000 BBs (£20). For a fair tournament, put the whole group on the same package. Groups of 13 or more should contact us for a tailored package.
Sample Christmas evenings in Nottingham
Plan the shoot first, then book food and drinks. A 1-hour session leaves most of the evening free, and the venue is in the city centre, so you can head straight on to dinner.
| Time | Friday work do | Saturday daytime with family or friends |
|---|---|---|
| Start | 17:50 arrive and check in | 11:50 arrive and check in |
| On the range | 18:00–19:00 briefing and tournament | 12:00–13:00 briefing and tournament |
| Next | 19:30 Christmas dinner in the city centre | 13:30 long Christmas lunch |
| Later | Drinks in the Lace Market or Hockley | Christmas shopping, or a visit to a city attraction such as Nottingham Castle or the City of Caves (check opening times first) |
Book your restaurant as soon as you have your range slot. For more ideas around the city, see our guide to things to do in Nottingham for groups.
When should you book?
Book as soon as your date is agreed. Weekends and school holidays sell out at Shooters Range, so book ahead for December. Walk-ins are accepted when there is space, but do not count on it for a Christmas party.
- Now: agree a budget and two or three possible dates.
- As soon as the date is set: book Shooters Range Nottingham online for groups of up to 12, or contact us for 13 or more.
- Straight after: reserve your restaurant or bar.
- Two weeks before: confirm final numbers.
- The week before: send everyone the address, the arrival time and what to wear.
If December weekends are full, a Tuesday to Thursday evening in early December still leaves time for dinner. A January party is another option, with the festive rush behind you.
Finding the venue and what organisers need to know
- Getting there: 20 Norfolk Place, Nottingham NG1 2AA, in the city centre. The venue is at the very end of Norfolk Place, which is an alleyway, so look out for the big Shooters Range banner. There is no access from Market Place, so come in from Upper Parliament Street. Tell your group this in advance, so nobody turns up at the wrong end.
- Parking: there is no on-site parking; there are NCP car parks and pay-and-display street parking nearby.
- What to wear: clothing that covers arms and legs, closed-toe shoes (required) and no loose jewellery. If the night carries on somewhere smarter, bring a change of shoes.
- Equipment: everything is provided. Personal guns and BBs are not allowed.
- Arrival: 10 minutes before your slot, so the session starts on time.
- Changes: bookings are non-refundable but can be rescheduled. The first reschedule is free with at least 24 hours' notice, otherwise £5 per person, and later reschedules are £5 to £10 per person. You can do it yourself at manage my booking.
Christmas gifts and Secret Santa
If you are also sorting Secret Santa or a thank-you for the team, Shooters Range gift cards are emailed instantly, valid for 12 months and usable at any of our three venues in Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield. For more ideas, see our active Christmas experience gift ideas. Organising for a team spread across the country? Our corporate Christmas party ideas guide covers all three venues, and the Leicester Christmas party guide helps if part of your group is based there.
Frequently asked questions
What are good Christmas party ideas in Nottingham for adults?
An activity followed by dinner works well. A 1-hour indoor airsoft target shooting tournament at Shooters Range Nottingham, in the city centre, gives the group a shared competition, live scores and a winner, then you can move on to dinner or drinks. Packages start at £25 per person.
How many people can come to a Christmas party at Shooters Range Nottingham?
Up to 12 people can shoot at the same time, across 4 lanes with up to 3 shooters per lane. Groups of up to 12 can book online. For a Christmas party of 13 or more, contact the team and they will put together a tailored group package.
How much does it cost per person?
A 1-hour session costs £25 for the Rifle Experience, £30 for the Pistol, £35 for the MP7, £40 for the Dual Firearm and £60 for the Elite Experience. Each includes the gun or guns, BBs, safety equipment and a safety briefing. A group of 12 on the Rifle Experience costs £300.
Can children come to a family Christmas party at the range?
Yes, from age 11. Anyone aged 11 to 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult aged 18 or over, who stays for the whole session. There is no upper age limit, so it suits a family group of mixed ages. Weekend daytime slots are a good fit for families.
Can we wear Christmas jumpers?
Yes. Christmas jumpers are fine as long as everyone's arms and legs are covered and they wear closed-toe shoes, which are required. Loose jewellery is not allowed on the range. Safety equipment, including eye protection, is provided.
How do we find Shooters Range Nottingham?
The venue is at the very end of Norfolk Place, NG1 2AA, which is an alleyway with a big Shooters Range banner. Market Place is fenced off, so enter from Upper Parliament Street. There is no on-site parking, but NCP car parks and pay-and-display street parking are nearby.
What happens if our date changes?
Bookings are non-refundable but can be rescheduled. The first reschedule is free with at least 24 hours' notice, otherwise £5 per person, and later reschedules cost £5 to £10 per person. You can move the booking yourself online through manage my booking.