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How the Midlands Fuels Small Business Growth Across Britain

Graham Finch
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How the Midlands Fuels Small Business Growth Across Britain

The Midlands has long been described as the engine room of the country. For residents in communities like Gedling, the region’s economic dynamism is a vital part of local identity.

The Midlands provides a blueprint for how regional strength can foster national success and move beyond historic manufacturing roots to a burgeoning tech scene.

The Midlands’ Business Ecosystem

The region’s reputation as a hub for industry and entrepreneurship is well-founded. The Midlands boasts a diverse array of thriving sectors, including advanced manufacturing (including EV development), life sciences, green energy, and digital services. This variety creates a resilient ecosystem where small businesses can find niche markets and stable supply chains.

Central to this success are local support networks and business communities that provide access to reliable, essential services. The availability of competitive and transparent commercial energy suppliers also ensures that new ventures can manage their overheads effectively, allowing them to focus their capital on growth and recruitment rather than struggling to keep the lights on.

Infrastructure and Support for Start-Ups

The Midlands’ strategic central location offers supportive transport links that connect local entrepreneurs to major markets in London and Manchester. Physical connectivity is further bolstered by significant investment in digital infrastructure and modern business parks.

Local councils and regional initiatives often provide the safety net required for new ventures to take their first steps. The region ensures that tangible resources support the transition from a kitchen-table idea to an online and high-street presence, whether through small business grants or dedicated innovation hubs.

Trends and Challenges for Small Businesses

Digital visibility and investment are essential for SMEs – and many Midlands firms are leading the way in integrating AI and e-commerce into traditional business models. Sustainability has also become a core focus, with businesses seeking greener ways to operate and demonstrate core values to customers and clients.

However, challenges remain, including access to early-stage finance and the ongoing battle to recruit skilled talent away from larger employment hubs, both of which can hamper expansion in a competitive market. Despite these hurdles, the region’s ability to adapt is evident in the rise of remote-work hubs and flexible office spaces.

The Midlands’ National Impact

The success of businesses in the Midlands has a profound ripple effect across the entire UK. The region’s small businesses act as a catalyst for broader economic stability by generating a significant share of national export value and providing thousands of jobs.

For Gedling, this national influence translates into local prosperity, providing the jobs and community investment that keep our local high streets vibrant. When a Midlands start-up succeeds, it’s also a victory for the British economy at large.

Borough man says stroke won’t stop him from leading active life

Emily Sanchez
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Borough man says stroke won’t stop him from leading active life

For Stroke Awareness Month, we’re sharing Terry’s story.

Terry suffered a stroke at the age of 73, which left him struggling with communication, balance and ongoing fatigue. However, with invaluable support from Nottinghamshire Healthcare’s Community Stroke team, he is now recovering well as his speech improves, and he regains his independence. 

Terry was a Primary School Head Teacher who retired early due to a heart condition. He has been married to his wife, Terri, for 50 years.

He is a very active member of Mapperley and Arnold Rotary Club, organising charity events in the community and he leads a Memory café for those people living with dementia and their carers. He is also actively involved in Calverton U3A, running a social group for men.

At the time of Terry’s stroke, he experienced violent vomiting as he was going to bed and woke up early morning feeling confused and unstable.

“I passed off the vomiting as food poisoning as we had been out for lunch,” explained Terry.

“I then woke up at around 4am and again at 11am feeling very confused and unstable and difficulty in speaking. My wife realised I was having a stroke, as my face was also drooping slightly on the left-hand side. She phoned for an ambulance immediately having seen the FAST adverts on TV.

“While waiting for the ambulance, I felt frightened and emotional as I realised, I was having a stroke, and I knew what the consequences might be.”

The paramedics monitored Terry, and he was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham. After scans and being offered a clot buster injection he was taken to the Acute Stroke Care Unit. 

“I was in QMC for four days where they discovered my carotid artery was 95% blocked and they confirmed a right hemispheric stroke,” said Terry.

“I was added to the waiting list for right carotid endarterectomy and bovine patch repair, a surgical technique to mend or strengthen, cardiac, vascular or soft tissue damage.

“The operation was done within two weeks of the stroke. I was in hospital for a further four days because my blood pressure was very low.”

Terry was then referred to the Trust’s Community Stroke team who provide specialist rehabilitation to people over 18 for the first 12 months following a stroke. 

Tiffany Coulter, Speech and Language Therapist at the Trust said, “The stroke team supported him with reviewing and assessing his balance in and out of the home and with fatigue management.

“They also assessed any cognitive deficit post stroke as well as assessing and supporting his communication needs to access his activities of daily living and to enable him to return to all the positive things he contributes to in the community.”

Terry added “We are very impressed with the support we received from the stroke team. They explained what had happened to me, so I had a clear understanding of my situation. They gave me strategies for everyday living and how to move forward and encouraged me to set targets and were very encouraging when I achieved them.

“Tiffany accompanied me and supported me in my first major target which was to attend the Memory café and talk to the clients and carers.

“The team also encouraged me to start driving again as I had passed the cognitive tests and peripheral vision test for the DVLA. This was a huge step in achieving independence and improved my self-esteem.”

Although Terry is recovering well, the stroke has affected his day-to-day living, but this has not stopped him from leading an active life.

“I miss being able to communicate easily as I organise many events,” says Terry. “I particularly find it difficult to answer complex questions, especially over the ‘phone. I have to take things more slowly than I used to do in getting around as my balance was affected, but using a walking stick helps greatly. I suffer still from stoke fatigue which can be very frustrating, and I usually need a nap in the afternoon and go to bed much earlier than I used to.  Since the stroke I have a loss of appetite and food tastes very bland to me.

“However, I am determined not to let the stroke stop me from leading an active life, I have just had to adapt a little bit. I watched my father battle to get back to fitness after his stroke when he was 60, and this inspired me to fight back and not give up. That is so important to me and my family.”

A stroke also has a profound impact on family members and Terry’s stroke brought anxieties to his wife and daughter.

“My wife and daughter have experienced tiredness, anxiety for my health and changes in routines.  But they have also felt a sense of relief now they have seen the progress being made and the positive outcomes.”

Terry’s wife said, “We are proud of his determination and are glad to see a lot of the old Terry back again.”

Terry has achieved many of his short term aims and now wants to become more fluent in his speech, walk more and become less reliant on his walking stick for balance. 

“I still need to improve my fine motor skills particularly on the laptop, which I still find frustrating,” says Terry. “My longer-term aims are to resume active leadership of the Memory Café and increase my participation in Rotary Club activities. I also am hoping to tackle the large wooden model which I received as a gift at Christmas, just before my stroke.

“We are also looking forward to planning more active holidays in the future and spending quality time with my grandchildren when circumstances allow.”

Terry’s story is a powerful reminder of the lasting impact a stroke can have and why raising awareness, recognising the signs, and supporting recovery is so important.

You can find more information about the Trust’s Community Stroke Teamor find out more about stroke and causes, symptoms, prevention, rehabilitation and support services at The Stroke Association or NHS website.

List of large Gedling borough roadworks planned over next month

Lauren Monaghan
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List of large Gedling borough roadworks planned over next month

Nottinghamshire County Council is set to send out its crews to tackle damaged roads across several locations in Gedling borough and beyond over the next month.

In March 2026, the Reform-led authority announced it would be spending a “game-changing” £122.5 million on the county’s crumbling road network in 2026/27, with an aim to resurface and patch around 16 per cent of roads.

The following month, it announced a further boost of £58.75 million to go on highways, making the year’s total spend on roads “the largest investment ever made” in Nottinghamshire’s highways, at £181.25 million.

Both boosts of cash came after a September 2025 survey found about 38 per cent of the county’s roads in ‘poor condition’, along with more than half of all road marking being in ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ condition.

Reform’s two new JCB Pothole Pro machines – hired for £132,000 for the year – will also be out fixing some of the damage caused to roads, with experts previously telling the Nottingham Post they can prepare a pothole “in as little as five minutes”.

With works across various parts of the road network already under way, here is a list of larger-scaled works the authority’s highway team, VIA, is aiming to start between Tuesday, May 26 and Monday, June 22…

Gedling

  • Lambley Avenue, Mapperley, resurfacing works to the whole length of road, estimated to start on May 26 and finish on May 31.
  • Shelford Road, Gedling (Phase 1), resurfacing from Arnold Lane to Freda Avenue, estimated to start on June 1 and finish on June 12.
  • Longue Drive, Calverton, resurfacing works from Georges Lane to Jumelles Drive and from Rowan Close to Jumelles Drive, estimated to start on June 1 and finish on June 5.
  • Prospect Road, Carlton, resurfacing from Valley Road to Standhill Road, estimated to start on June 1 and finish on June 12.

New mayors announced for Gedling borough

Emily Sanchez
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New mayors announced for Gedling borough

Gedling Borough Council this week appointment of its new Mayor and Youth Mayor at the annual council meeting at the Civic Centre in Arnold.

Councillor Sandra Barnes has been named as the new Mayor of Gedling and has announced that she will be supporting the Nottingham Hospitals Charity, helping to raise funds for premature babies at Nottingham City Hospital, for the upcoming year. 

Mayor Sandra Barnes said: “It’s a great honour to be chosen as Mayor of Gedling. I’m excited to get out and meet people across the borough, support the fantastic work happening in our communities, and shine a light on the premature baby charity at the local City Hospital that helps so many people in difficult times. I’m really looking forward to the year ahead.”

In her address to the chamber, Mayor Barnes thanked the outgoing Mayor, Councillor Kyle Robinson-Payne, for his excellent service and charitable efforts over the past 12 months. He raised £20,174.85 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association to support vital research, as well as MNDA Nottingham, which meets at Mapperley Plains Social Club and provides support to local people diagnosed with the disease.

Outgoing Mayor, Councillor Kyle Robinson-Payne, said: “During my year as Mayor, I have been met with so much kindness and selfless generosity across Gedling. I leave this role full of admiration for our borough, a place defined by compassion, community spirit and people who always look out for one another. Gedling is truly a special place, and I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to serve the place I call home.”

The Youth Council also re-appointed Lydia Yates as Youth Mayor. Lydia will once again represent the voices of young people in Gedling and work alongside the Mayor and council officers on youth-related initiatives throughout the year. 

Youth Mayor, Lydia Yates, said: “I’m proud to continue as Youth Mayor and to represent young people across Gedling for another year. I want every young person to feel listened to, valued and included, whatever their background or experience. To me, leadership means speaking up for others and making sure every voice has the chance to be heard.”

Councillor Kathryn Fox, Portfolio Holder for Life Chances and Vulnerability, said:  “Lydia has been a brilliant Youth Mayor over the past year and I’m delighted that she has been re-elected by the Youth Council and will be continuing in the role. She has shown real dedication to representing young people across the borough, and I know she will continue to be a passionate and effective voice for them in the year ahead, including being on the Greater Carlton Neighbourhood Board. I look forward to working with her again.”

Plans for thousands of homes in Gedling borough move forward

Lauren Monaghan
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Plans for thousands of homes in Gedling borough move forward

The next stage in a plan for where thousands of homes could be built in one part of Nottinghamshire has been approved.

Gedling Borough Council’s cabinet sat down on Thursday (May 21) to re-address patches of Gedling’s green areas that could one day be allocated for homes.

All local authorities that are responsible for providing housing or land for housing use something called the ‘standard method’ for calculating the housing need in their areas.

For Gedling, this number is 638 homes per year, which is a total of 11,484 new homes needing to be built over its local development plan period to 2043.

Because there are existing housing allocations in the borough and there are various housing developments either currently under construction or with planning permission, this large number drops down to 6,045 new homes being needed by 2043.

To achieve this, the Borough Council has been working towards finding suitable land where these several thousand homes could be built and has now narrowed the areas down, with an officer saying particular focus is on “as much housing as possible” to be part of the urban sprawl of Nottingham.

These patches of green space are part of the authority’s draft Local Development Plan, in which the next stage of it was approved by the cabinet on Thursday.

The proposed allocations near to the Nottingham urban sprawl include:

  • The former Sherwood Academy, Gedling – 125 homes
  • Lime Lane, Dorket Head – 925 homes
  • Mapperley Golf Course – 750 homes
  • Mapperley Plains East – 650 homes
  • New Farm, Mansfield Road, Redhill – 375 homes
  • Teal Close extension – adding 500 homes to the existing development that is under construction between Netherfield and Stoke Bardolph
  • Willow Farm extension – adding 140 homes to the existing development that is under construction

Further out and more rural areas have also been included, which could involve quieter, leafy parts of the borough, such as Bestwood Village, Calverton, Ravenshead and the Top Wighay Farm site being expanding by hundreds of homes.

These allocations include:

  • Top Wighay Farm site – 880 more homes added to the existing development that is under construction to the north of Hucknall
  • Westhouse Farm, Bestwood Village extension – 300 homes added to the existing development that is under construction
  • Park Road, Calverton – 500 homes added to the existing development that is under construction
  • Mansfield Lane, Calverton – 170 homes added to the existing planning permission for the area
  • Kighill Lane, Ravenshead – 120 homes added to the existing allocation
  • Land west of Nottingham Road, Ravenshead – 50 homes
  • Silverland Farm on Ricket Lane, Ravenshead – 750 homes

Speaking in Thursday’s meeting, Councillor Kyle Robinson-Payne (Lab), said he was supportive of a “robust local plan” but raised existing concerns those living in Redhill have on more development and some negative public feeling already towards the potential building on Mapperley Golf Club.

He said: “[Redhill] residents have already experienced congestion and I know issues on Mansfield Road and the poor air quality issues have been highlighted in the report.

“I do think when people raise concerns about the impact of development on our roads, transport, public health, schools, GP provision, flooding and drainage, I do think it’s important we listen to people’s concerns.

“These proposals are now moving out to consultation and, if there is further evidence that people want to provide for the areas and the locations they have concerns about, then this is precisely the moment for local people to put that forward.”

The council says it is planning a six-week consultation period from late June over the proposals, where residents are being urged to share their views.

The authority’s leader, John Clarke (Lab) said he wants “as much press as possible” over the draft development plan’s consultation period, which will “help the council form an opinion”.

Man charged after taxi driver strangled and robbed on Carlton Hill

Gedling Eye
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Man charged after taxi driver strangled and robbed on Carlton Hill

Detectives investigating the assault and robbery of a taxi driver in Carlton have charged a suspect.

The attack happened while the victim was driving a customer along Carlton Hill Road

Following a disagreement with his passenger, the driver decided to pull the car over, around 9.50pm on April 28.

At that point, he was reportedly strangled from behind and had a bag of coins stolen from the taxi’s central console.

In the resulting commotion, the driver tried to drive away – with the other man still grabbing his throat – causing the car to spin out of control.

When the vehicle came to a stop, both men got out, with the driver fleeing on foot and the passenger leaving the scene with the taxi’s cash float.

Police this week charged suspect Joshua Campbell, 33, with robbery, intentional strangulation and causing danger to road users.

Campbell, of no fixed address, appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (19), where he was remanded into custody.

He will next appear before Nottingham Crown Court on June 16.

Detective Constable Andre Foster, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This must’ve been a terrifying ordeal for the taxi driver, who was just trying to do his job when this happened.

“Robbery in itself is an incredibly serious offence, which is only intensified still further when violence is added in.

“This type of behaviour cannot be allowed to go unchecked.

“We’ve now charged a suspect in connection with this incident and hope this update, which we’ve shared with the victim, provides them with a degree of reassurance.”

Woodborough author’s new book takes you behind the scenes of local grassroots and academy football

Emily Sanchez
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Woodborough author’s new book takes you behind the scenes of local grassroots and academy football

A Woodborough author has shared a frank, behind-the-scenes look into the world of grassroots and academy football from a father’s perspective in his latest book.

This true story, as told by by Prez’s barrister father Andrew Prestwich, is a warm, witty and intensely personal account of their attempt to navigate the world of grassroots and academy football.

It tells of the characters, skillfulness, kindnesses, injustices, duplicity and, at times, downright stupidity that they meet along the way. 

Frank and utterly compelling, it provides a remarkable insight into the sport through Prez’s experience of junior football and the Nottingham Forest Academy. 

Incorporated into this memoir is a fascinating behind-the-scenes story arising from litigation between Brian Clough and Robert Maxwell. It also offers a unique insight into the purchase and sale of Notts County by Alan Hardy.

Other well-known football figures who pop up include Darren Fletcher and Gary Brazil, the Academy manager at Nottingham Forest who once said to Andrew, “You should watch everything that goes on here.”

How right he was…

Based on his diaries and rich in anecdotes, Prestwich brings a lawyer’s head and a father’s heart to the world of junior football and lays bare the tensions between sport, education, ambition and nurture. 

Andrew was a barrister for 30 years and has been proudly kicking out against injustice ever since.

The author explains: “The inspiration was two-fold. Firstly, it was the dismay that I felt in watching the way in which professional football academies behave. Secondly, of course, it was my son. 

“My in-depth knowledge, which started by running a grassroots football team, gives me a comprehensive understanding of kids’ football at all levels.  That is coupled with an analytical lawyer’s mind, thereby giving the reader a unique perspective on the subject.

“I kept extensive notes on everything that happened and there are many quotations in the book – several coming from some fairly well-known people in the world of football.”

Prez is due to be published on the May 28, 2026. Find out more via his website: https://prezbook.co.uk/

Roadworks and closures planned for Gedling borough this week

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Roadworks and closures planned for Gedling borough this week

Take a look at the roadworks and closures scheduled for Gedling borough’s roads for the week beginning May 18.

Make sure to plan your journey and check before your travel as these planned works could affect you. 

Burton Road, Carlton
20 May – 27 May
Delays likely – Diversion route
Responsibility for event: Nottinghamshire County Council

Orchard Rise, Lambley
21 May – 22 May
Road closure

Willow Road, Carlton
20 May – 27 May
Road closure

Kirkby Road, Ravenshead
20 May – 22 May
Roadworks, Delays likely
Responsibility for works: Virgin Media

Orchard Rise, Lambley
21 May – 22 May
Road closure
Responsibility for works: Severn Trent Water

Westdale Lane East, Gedling
19 May – 26 May
Roadworks, Delays likely
Responsibility for works: Cadent Gas

Willow Road, Carlton
20 May – 27 May
Road closure
Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council

Beck Street, Carlton
21 May
Roadworks, Delays possible
Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council

Holme Close, Woodborough
21 May
Roadworks, Delays possible
Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council

Quarry Road, Ravenshead
20 May – 22 May
Roadworks, Delays possible
Responsibility for works: Openreach

Stiles Road, Arnold
19 May – 21 May
Roadworks, Delays possible
Responsibility for works: Openreach

East Mids Mayor spends thousands on ‘luxury’ chauffeurs

Gedling Eye
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East Mids Mayor spends thousands on ‘luxury’ chauffeurs

The Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Mayor has spent more than £9,300 on “luxury, executive, premium and high-end” chauffeurs in the past year.

Newly provided data from the East Midlands Combined County Authority shows Claire Ward, the region’s mayor, who has a salary of £93,000 and extra allowances, spent £9,328 on chauffeuring services between March 2025 and February 2026.

In October, the Mayor took on duties for public transport across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, which have now been passed over from the city and county councils.

The payments were all made legally using a Government-issued corporate credit card, with new data disclosed following lobbying from the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The new data shows that between September last year and this February, the Mayor spent (£7,820.39) on chauffeurs, in addition to the £1,508 previously disclosed.

Of the £7,800, most (£7,300) was spent on the provider Pinnacle, based in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire, which describes itself as a luxury, executive, premium and high-end provider, with the rest via Blacklane in the USA.

Pinnacle details that its fleet comprises Mercedes S-class and BMW 7-series saloons, both of which are valued at more than £100,000 and include in-car Wi-Fi.

Previously, the combined authority had defended the use of chauffeurs as being a better use of the Mayor’s time than driving herself to and from visits across the extensive Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire patch – discussing issues such as public transport.

It also said that as a public politician there are safety and confidentiality considerations to be made about the Mayor’s travel while on her duties, with private chauffeuring firms insisting on DBS checks for drivers.

A spokesperson had also said Ms Ward is not allowed to drive a pool car under current legislation.

The LDRS asked for a statement from Ms Ward in response to the new chauffeur payment data, but a spokesperson for her office responded instead.

They said: “While we make every effort to arrange the Mayor’s calendar to enable multiple engagements in the same part of the region, there are some days where that is hard to achieve.

“The East Midlands is a large region, and it is important for the Mayor to visit all parts of it over the course of her term of office.

“On those days when the Mayor needs to be in multiple places over a single day, we use a local car hire company which has enough seat space so that she can make calls and catch up on email correspondence.

“This is a better use of her time than spending three or more hours driving herself.”

The new data also included a number of flights via British Airways to the USA and to France, totalling £2,685, paid for in February.

Accommodation for these trips, booked via Bnetwork in February, totalled £4,277, the combined authority details.

A spokesperson said the USA trip involved the Mayor forming part of a visit with the British Consultant General to lobby for the region and engage with investors in three different states: Chicago (Illinois), Columbus (Ohio) and Detroit (Michigan).

Meanwhile a flight to France, along with a £682 payment to a French meeting space organisation platform, were for the Mayor’s attendance and ticket for the annual international business summit MIPIM, held in Cannes, France, in March.

In response, a spokesperson said: “Regarding the expenses associated with travel overseas, Mayor Claire represents the East Midlands on investment and trade delegations, and the associated expenses are in line with those duties.” 

The authority’s allowance policy says members are expected to travel by bus or standard class rail and to share journeys where possible, with taxis to be used in “rare circumstances”.

It says overseas travel should represent “value for money” and that staff and officials ought to take advantage of offers where possible.

The combined authority previously stressed that its use of corporate cards is in line with other authorities of a similar size and was not an outlier. 

3 tips for picking the perfect engagement ring stone

Graham Finch
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3 tips for picking the perfect engagement ring stone

Choosing an engagement ring stone often starts with excitement, but it can quickly turn into uncertainty. You might find yourself second-guessing every option, wondering if you’re choosing the right shape, size or even type of stone for your partner.

When you focus on a few practical principles, you can cut through the noise and choose a stone that genuinely feels right.

  1. Think about their personal style

It’s easy to get drawn into the latest engagement ring trends. But trends change quickly, while your partner’s taste tends to stay consistent.

Start by noticing what they already wear day to day. For example, if they often wear understated jewellery, a classic round diamond or a clean solitaire setting will likely feel right. On the other hand, if they enjoy standout accessories, you might explore a larger stone or a distinctive shape like a pear or emerald cut.

This approach keeps your decision grounded in their real preferences rather than what happens to be popular right now.

  • Set a workable budget

You don’t need to follow outdated rules about how much to spend. Instead, decide on a budget that feels comfortable for your circumstances and stick to it. This step helps you narrow your choices quickly and avoids unnecessary stress later.

Once you have a figure in mind, explore engagement ring options from a trusted retailer with a wide range of price points. This allows you to compare stones, settings and materials without compromising on quality.

  • Understand the 4 Cs

The Diamond 4Cs are cut, colour, clarity and carat. They offer a clear framework for comparing stones. The system was formalised by Robert M. Shipley, who founded the Gemological Institute of America to bring consistency to diamond grading.

  • Cut often has the biggest impact on how a diamond looks, because it affects how light reflects and creates sparkle.
  • Carat relates to size, yet a larger stone won’t necessarily look better if the cut is poor.
  • Colour and clarity also matter, though many differences are subtle to the untrained eye.

In practice, you might prioritise a well-cut diamond with slightly lower clarity, as this combination usually looks bright and lively without pushing your budget too far.

Final thoughts…

By following these tips, you can make the process much more manageable. What matters most is that the ring reflects your partner and the life you’re building together. If you keep that perspective at the centre of your decision, you’ll choose a stone that feels right.

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