Nordic Bar experience is set to be in tents!

Derby’s Market Place is set to welcome a Nordic Bar experience, which will be housed in festive tipis supplied by Sami Tipi.

Opening on Saturday 2 December, the tipis form part of Derby LIVE’s Festive Derby celebrations.

To be sited in the Market Place until Sunday 31 December, the tipis will offer a Nordic Bar experience, with drinks served by Mambo Mobile Bars.

Sami Tipi is a tipi hire company, with clients across the region.

During the Covid pandemic, the business was awarded just over £3,000 from the D2N2 LEP’s Capital Growth Fund, which the company put towards a ballast system to allow its tipis to be pitched on hard surfaces.

Craig Bidder, from Sami Tipi, said: “Hosting a tipi bar in Derby’s Market Place has always been a dream for us.

“This is one of the reasons we invested, with the support of the D2N2 Growth Fund, in the ballast system and concrete blocks. This allows us to erect the tipis on hard ground and surfaces.

“Ordinarily we’d be erecting on grass where the ballast system isn’t needed.

“We’re thrilled that our growth plan, which we put together during what was a really difficult period, is beginning to take shape.”

Thomas Colombo, from Mambo Mobile Bars, is an award-winning bartender and cocktail maker.

Working with Sami Tipi, he has crafted a drinks menu to suit both the family daytime visitors and those visiting in the evening.

He said: “We cannot wait to open the doors of the tipi and help to put Derby on the map for things to do this December.”

Derby LIVE and the Cathedral Quarter have put together a line-up of free entertainment, which will take place in the Market Place and in the Nordic Bar.

To see the full programme of events visit https://www.derbylive.co.uk/whats-on/festive-bar/ .