To plan a stag do in Nottingham, start with one competitive activity in the city centre, then let the Lace Market and Hockley take care of the evening. Shooters Range Nottingham, on Norfolk Place in the city centre, gives you a 1-hour indoor airsoft target shooting session from £25 per person, with smart targets that score every shot and a range officer running the show.
The reason this works is geography. The range, the historic sights and the city's best-known bar areas are all close together, so you can spend the day on foot rather than herding a group in and out of taxis. Get the shoot booked and the rest of the Nottingham stag almost plans itself.
Below is a step-by-step plan: numbers, packages, costs, a weekend itinerary, how to find the venue (there is one thing you need to know) and what to tell the group before they arrive.
At a glance
- Venue: Shooters Range Nottingham, 20 Norfolk Place, Nottingham NG1 2AA (city centre). Phone 0115 646 8935.
- Getting in: enter Norfolk Place from Upper Parliament Street. There is no access from Market Place.
- Opening hours: Monday closed; Tue–Thu 17:00–21:00; Friday 17:00–22:00; Saturday 11:00–22:00; Sunday 11:00–19:00. Check the venue page for the latest times.
- Price: from £25 per person; packages run up to £60.
- Session: 1 hour on the range, all equipment and BBs included.
- Capacity: 4 lanes with up to 3 shooters each, so 12 shooting at once.
- Ages: 11+, with 11–16s accompanied by a responsible adult (18+).
- Reviews: Google 4.9 from 280+ reviews; Tripadvisor 4.9 from 100+.
Step 1: decide why a shooting range belongs on your Nottingham stag do
A stag activity has one job: get a group of people who may not all know each other competing, laughing and talking within the first ten minutes. Indoor airsoft target shooting does that because the results are instant and impossible to dispute.
Indoor airsoft target shooting means firing airsoft replicas at electronic targets in a supervised indoor range. At Shooters Range Nottingham, each lane runs Attacksense smart targets that detect hits in real time and score automatically across 14 game modes. The kit includes premium replicas such as the electric M4 rifle, an HPA pistol and the Tokyo Marui MP7, and everything is provided.
- Nobody needs to be "into" shooting. Complete beginners are welcome and every session starts with a full safety briefing from a trained range officer.
- Nobody gets hurt. You shoot at targets, not each other, so it suits the groom's dad as well as his mates.
- It is in the city centre. No coach out to a field, no kit bags, no washing mud off before dinner.
- It leaves evidence. Scores go onto the national leaderboards, so the best man can bring receipts to the speech.
Worried about safety? Our guide to whether airsoft is safe answers the questions the cautious members of the group will ask.
Step 2: lock in numbers and lanes
Once you know roughly who is coming, you can work out how the range splits. Each of the 4 lanes takes up to 3 shooters, and 2 or 3 players on a lane can go head-to-head in the multiplayer modes: Blitz, Streak, Draw, Endurance and Clear the Board.
| Stag group | Lane setup | Suggested format |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 lane of 3 | Every round is groom vs best man vs the wildcard |
| 5–6 | 2 lanes | Groom's team vs best man's team |
| 8–9 | 3 lanes | Lane winners compared on total score at the end |
| 10–12 | All 4 lanes | Full-range tournament; contact us for a tailored package |
| 13 or more | Run across lanes | Contact the team to plan the session |
Groups of 13 or more should get in touch rather than booking piece by piece, so the session can be tailored to the group.
Step 3: choose a package and set the budget
A Nottingham stag do at Shooters Range costs between £25 and £60 per person. Every package is a 1-hour session and includes your weapon(s), BBs, full safety equipment including eye protection, and the safety briefing.
| Package | Per person | Group of 8 | Group of 12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle Experience | £25 | £200 | £300 |
| Pistol Experience | £30 | £240 | £360 |
| MP7 Experience | £35 | £280 | £420 |
| Dual Firearm Experience | £40 | £320 | £480 |
| Elite Experience | £60 | £480 | £720 |
Groups of 13 or more should contact the team for a tailored package, so treat the 12-person column as a guide. As a rule of thumb, the Rifle Experience suits groups where budgets vary or most people are new to it, the Dual Firearm Experience is the best balance of variety and cost, and the Elite Experience is for groups who want the top tier.
Optional extras
Add-ons are an easy way to make the groom's session feel special: extra 500 BBs for £4, an Arcturus full metal pistol with 500 BBs for £15, or an MP7 gas blowback with 1,000 BBs for £20.
The groom's share
If the group is covering the stag, divide the total by the number paying. Eight people on the MP7 Experience is £280; with the groom going free, that is £40 each for the other seven.
Step 4: build the weekend itinerary
This plan uses a Friday evening shoot so the group starts competing on night one, then gives Saturday to Nottingham's sights and nightlife. It works just as well flipped, with the shoot on Saturday afternoon.
| When | What | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 17:00 | Check in to city-centre accommodation | Bags dropped before anything starts |
| Friday 18:20 | Arrive at Shooters Range Nottingham via Upper Parliament Street | 10 minutes early for check-in and the briefing |
| Friday 18:30–19:30 | 1-hour shooting session | Sets the rivalries for the whole weekend |
| Friday 20:00 | Dinner, then bars in Hockley | A short walk, with the scores still being argued about |
| Saturday late morning | Nottingham Castle or the City of Caves | Something different while heads clear |
| Saturday afternoon | A pint at Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem | One of the city's best-known historic pubs |
| Saturday evening | Dinner and a night out around the Lace Market | The main event, all walkable |
Check opening times for the castle, the caves and anywhere else you add before the day. If the group is more active, the National Ice Centre is another well-known city-centre option, and Sneinton Market is good for a slower Sunday.
Saturday-only version
Short on time? Saturday opens at 11:00, so a midday shoot leaves the whole afternoon and evening free. Shoot at 12:00, lunch in the Lace Market, a historic pub in the afternoon, and dinner before the night out.
Step 5: make sure everyone can find the range
This is the step most best men skip, and it is the one that causes late arrivals. Shooters Range Nottingham is at 20 Norfolk Place, NG1 2AA, at the very end of Norfolk Place, an alleyway marked by a big Shooters Range banner.
- Enter from Upper Parliament Street. There is no access from Market Place, so do not send the group to the square and tell them to look around.
- Look for the banner. Walk to the end of the alleyway and you are there.
- Parking: there is no on-site parking, but there are NCP car parks and pay-and-display nearby. If the night out follows, leave the cars at the hotel.
Drop the address and "enter from Upper Parliament Street" into the group chat the night before. It saves ten phone calls.
Step 6: brief the group before the day
A short message to the group the day before saves hassle at reception.
- Arrive 10 minutes early to check in, get the safety briefing and get kitted out.
- Clothing: comfortable clothes covering arms and legs, closed-toe shoes, no loose jewellery.
- Leave personal kit at home. Personal guns and BBs are not allowed; only the range's equipment is used.
- Shoot before the bar. Plan the session ahead of the drinks so everyone is sharp for the briefing and the game modes.
- Under-17s: anyone aged 11–16 needs a responsible adult (18+) who stays for the whole hour.
If anything changes, bookings are non-refundable but can be rescheduled. The first reschedule is free with at least 24 hours' notice; otherwise it is £5 per person.
How does shooting compare with other Nottingham stag activities?
Escape rooms, bowling, karaoke and comedy clubs all have a place on a stag do, and many groups pair one with the shoot. The difference is what each does for the group.
| Activity | Head-to-head scoring | Suits mixed abilities | Weather-proof |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indoor target shooting | Yes, automatic | Yes, no experience needed | Yes |
| Paintball | Team-based | Depends on fitness | Usually outdoors |
| Escape room | No, you work together | Yes | Yes |
| Bowling | Yes | Yes | Yes |
For a fuller breakdown, see our comparison of shooting range vs escape room vs bowling. Planning the wider weekend? Our guide to things to do in Nottingham for groups has more ideas, and if the group is split between cities, compare our Sheffield stag do guide and Leicester stag do ideas. When you are ready, book your Nottingham stag session online.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find Shooters Range Nottingham?
Shooters Range Nottingham is at 20 Norfolk Place, Nottingham NG1 2AA, in the city centre. It sits at the very end of Norfolk Place, an alleyway with a big Shooters Range banner. Enter from Upper Parliament Street, because there is no access from Market Place. There is no on-site parking, but NCP car parks and pay-and-display are nearby.
How much does a stag do at Shooters Range Nottingham cost?
Packages cost £25 to £60 per person for a 1-hour session: Rifle £25, Pistol £30, MP7 £35, Dual Firearm £40 and Elite £60. Every package includes your weapon(s), BBs, full safety equipment and the safety briefing. Optional add-ons run from £4 for extra BBs to £20. Groups of 13 or more can contact the team for a tailored package.
How big can a Nottingham stag group be?
The Nottingham venue has 4 lanes with up to 3 shooters per lane, so up to 12 people shoot at the same time. Larger groups run across the lanes. For any stag group of 13 or more, contact Shooters Range directly so the session can be tailored to your numbers and timings.
When is the best time to book a stag do session?
As early as possible, especially for Friday and Saturday. Walk-ins are accepted subject to availability, but weekends and school holidays sell out. Saturday has the longest hours, 11:00 to 22:00, and Friday runs 17:00 to 22:00, which suits an evening shoot before a night out. Check the venue page for the latest times.
Can we reschedule if the stag do date moves?
Yes. Bookings are non-refundable but can be rescheduled online. Your first reschedule is free with at least 24 hours' notice; with less notice it costs £5 per person, and later reschedules cost £5 to £10 per person. Moving the booking early, as soon as the new date is known, keeps it free.
What should the stag group wear?
Comfortable clothing that covers arms and legs, plus closed-toe shoes, which are required. Take off loose jewellery before the session. Full safety equipment, including eye protection, is provided. If the groom is in fancy dress, make sure the outfit covers his arms and legs and he can wear proper shoes with it.
Is target shooting suitable if some of the group have never shot before?
Yes, it is designed for that. No experience is needed and complete beginners are welcome. A trained range officer supervises every session and gives a full safety briefing first. The Attacksense smart targets score automatically, so newcomers can focus on aiming, and experienced shooters still get a proper challenge from the 14 game modes.