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Urgent repair plan to be drawn up at Newstead Abbey to remove it from heritage risk register

Joe Locker (LDR Reporter)
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Urgent repair plan to be drawn up at Newstead Abbey to remove it from heritage risk register

Urgent repair works are being planned at the ancestral home of poet Lord Byron in a bid to remove it from the heritage at risk register.

The project to develop a programme of repairs at Newstead Abbey will cost £130,000, with £104,000 coming from Historic England and the remainder from Nottingham City Council.

The site is managed by the Labour-run authority’s City museums and galleries service.

The plan is expected to be finished by February 2025.

“Following on from previous restoration and development work delivered at Newstead Abbey over the last five years, the museum service has been working with Historic England to develop up a programme of urgent repairs to remove Newstead Abbey from the Heritage at Risk Register,” council delegated decision documents say.

“Currently the building suffers from long-term ingress resulting in internal areas becoming unsafe for staff, visitors, volunteers and collections.”

Newstead Abbey dates back as far as the 12th century and was home to the poet from 1808 to 1814.

Newstead_Abbey
Newstead Abbey is managed by the Labour-run authority’s City museums and galleries service.

In 2014 a condition survey revealed the roofing needed replacing urgently and within five years.

Work has been taking place ever since, however some areas of the roof are now being propped up to prevent collapse.

In some areas, particularly in storage areas, ceilings have collapsed and the
museum collections have been relocated to protect them.

“The grant award of £104,000 from Historic England will enable the service to contract a professional team,” documents add.

“Individual contracts will be awarded to a conservation accredited architect, structural engineer and quantity surveyor to develop up the programme of repairs to support future funding applications whereby the programme of repairs can then be delivered.”

Newstead Abbey’s 18th Century Cannon Fort and dock, which sits across the lake, was also put on the risk register in 2018.

It was built in around 1750 and was used for entertainment, including the recreation of famous naval battles.

In 2019 funding for the masonry work on the fort, and repairs to the West Front of the abbey, was granted.

Historic England made a grant of £151,334 at the time, alongside The World Monuments Fund which gave £57,000, and the council which provided £101,666.

Aldi remains UK’s cheapest supermarket despite rival loyalty schemes

Emily Sanchez
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Aldi remains UK’s cheapest supermarket despite rival loyalty schemes

Budget retailer Aldi has been named as the cheapest UK supermarket in August, beating Lidl, Sainsbury’s and Tesco, even when factoring in loyalty discounts.

According to the latest data from Which?, which compared the prices of 62 popular grocery items including Heinz baked beans, milk and cheese, Aldi was the least expensive at £110.58.

Lidl was a close second, costing £111.88 with the Lidl Plus discount and £112.17 without the loyalty scheme savings.

Meanwhile, the consumer watchdog found that Asda was £9.68 more expensive than the discounter, costing £121.85 for the 62 items.

While Tesco and Sainsbury’s prices were close, Tesco was cheaper at £123.13 with a Clubcard discount, followed by £123.62 at Tesco without the loyalty savings.

Sainsbury’s with Nectar prices was just 13p more expensive at £123.75, while the price for the items at the supermarket giant without the Nectar discounts was £129.63.

Morrisons came in at just 16p more expensive than Sainsbury’s at £129.79, followed by Ocado at £133.99 and Waitrose as the priciest grocer at £140.89.

For a larger shop of 165 items (excluding Aldi and Lidl), Asda was again the cheapest traditional supermarket at £424.51, however, Sainsbury’s with a Nectar card was found to be cheaper than Tesco with a Clubcard at £428.10 and £430.15, respectively.

Aldi UK managing director of buying Julie Ashfield said: “We’ve always promised our customers that we will never be beaten on price, and when looking at the Which? analysis, the results speak for themselves.

“Our ongoing commitment to providing shoppers with the very best, for less clearly shines through when customers see how much money they can save simply by switching to Aldi.”

Waitrose was again found to be the most expensive supermarket, costing £466.08 for the larger trolley of items.

MATCH REPORT: Paviors 41 – Market Bosworth 21

Nigel Youl
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MATCH REPORT: Paviors 41 – Market Bosworth 21

Pavs recently completed their pre-season preparations with a confidence boosting win over erstwhile league competition, Market Bosworth. Pavs were able to give opportunities to a number of youngsters in the guise of Ollie Anderson, Noah Bhatia, Ash Holmes and Jacob Playford, all of whom performed admirably.

From the kick off, both sides took a little time to settle, before some early enterprising play led to speedster Will Taylor sprinting in from distance to touch down and with Ollie Anderson’sconversion give Pavs a 7-0 lead. Pavs continued to try and move the ball away from the contact with Doug Billam and  Owen Taylor adding two more scores before Bosworth narrowed the lead with a well taken try following a series of Pavs penalties.Half time 19-7 to Pavs. 

After the break, Pavs introduced Noah Bhatia, Josh Hall, Ben Taylor and Joe Wilson. Pavs continued to push to the width with hooker Owen Taylor completing his hat trick, skipper Doug Billam motoring in for his second, whilst Ollie Anderson ghosted in for his first competitive 1st XV try. Bosworth then scored two good converted tries themselves. With a further two Anderson conversions the final score ended at 41-21 in favour of the home side.

All in all, a good runout for both sides as the season approaches. Next weekend, 7th September, Pavs travel to Melbourne RFC for the season opener. 

Squad: Tom Ryan, Owen Taylor (3 tries), Jake Baldry, Harry Pritchard, Josh Flanagan, Jacob Playford, Matt Molyneux, Tom Gladwin, Jonty Green, Ollie Anderson (1 try, 3 conv), Dan Flint, Doug Billam (C) (2 tries), Morgan Jones , Will Taylor (1 try) , Ash Holmes

Impacts: Noah Bhatia (40), Ben Taylor (40), Josh Hall (40), Joe Wilson (25) 

Flood alerts now in place across parts of Gedling borough

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Flood alerts now in place across parts of Gedling borough

Food alerts are in place across Gedling borough this weekend, according to the Gov.uk’s Floodline website.

Stretched across the county, they were issued yesterday (7) and are set to run through into today.

Parts of Arnold, Carlton and Gedling are affected by the alerts. The villages of Burton Joyce, Calverton, Lambley and Woodborough are also being told to be prepared for flooding.

PICTURED: Flooding in Netherfield town centre last year

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “Small, flashier rivers and streams may respond to heavy rainfall as a result of localised thunderstorms passing through the area.

“Areas most at risk are low lying agricultural land, roads and footpaths close to small rivers and streams. Water levels could rise rapidly and potentially generate deep, fast flows.

“Thunderstorms and heavy rainfall are forecast over the next 24 hours, with low confidence over exact timing and locations.

“We are closely monitoring the situation.

They added: “Please avoid using low-lying footpaths near local watercourses and plan driving routes to avoid low-lying roads near rivers, which may be flooded.”

Warning issued to swimmers and dog owners as harmful blue-green algae found at East Lake at Colwick Country Park

David Bratton
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Warning issued to swimmers and dog owners as harmful blue-green algae found at East Lake at Colwick Country Park

Nottingham City Council has issued a warning to the public of the dangers of blue-green algae after finding it in the East Lake (Trout Lake) at Colwick Country Park.

Posting on social media, visitors are warned to be careful as the blue-green algae can kill dogs and other animals.

For humans, it can cause rashes after skin contact and other illnesses if swallowed.

Colwick Country Park
Visitors are warned to be careful as the blue-green algae found at Colwick Country Park can kill dogs and other animals. (IMAGE: Gedling Eye)
Blue-green algae can cause rashes after skin contact and other illnesses if swallowed by humans

The council posted on Facebook: “Recent testing has shown higher levels of Blue Green Algae in the water of the East (Trout) Lake at Colwick Country Park.

“Swallowing or contact with the water, algal scum or shoreline mats can cause stomach upsets, skin complaints or more serious health effects.

“As a precautionary measure, we ask that no one enters the water or shoreline areas, including children and dogs, to avoid possible contact with algae at this time.

“The West Lake is not currently affected by this advice, having lower algae levels present.”

They added: “We are testing both lakes weekly and will provide any updates to this advice as required.”

Arnold’s The Arrow pub to close next week for six-figure refurbishment

David Bratton
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Arnold’s The Arrow pub to close next week for six-figure refurbishment

A popular Arnold pub is to temporarily shut next week as it undergoes a makeover.

The Arrow pub on Gedling Road will be closed for a short period from Monday, September 9 while it undertakes a six-figure investment. 

The pub will reopen its doors to the public on Friday, October 4 following the completion of major renovations.

Arrow_Pub

The pub was last renovated in 2017.

The current pub was built in 1998 on the site of an earlier, smaller Home Ales pub of the same name.

The previous building had a distinctive sloping roof intended to mimic an arrowhead.

The old Arrow also had a large guided missile-like arrow that was around 20ft tall that stood vertically near the front door. 

Netherfield man jailed after starting fire in Nottingham tower block basement

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Netherfield man jailed after starting fire in Nottingham tower block basement

An arsonist who put hundreds of lives at risk when he deliberately lit a fire in a city centre block of flats has been jailed.

Netherfield man Andrew Dmytruk torched a car and van in a car park on level three of the Litmus Building, in Huntingdon Street, Nottingham, on April 29, 2024.

Occupants had to be evacuated from the complex, which has almost 300 flats and more than 600 residents, when it began to fill with smoke in the early hours.

Sixty-three-year-old Dmytruk, of Hodgkinson Street was jailed for four-and-a-half years when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (7).

He had earlier pleaded guilty to committing arson while being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

Emergency services were called to the complex when fire alarms began to sound around 3.25am.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service put out the fire and a joint investigation with police discovered an accelerant had been used and the blaze had been started deliberately.

CCTV footage revealed Dmytruk had caught a taxi to Clinton Street West before walking to the Litmus Building and forcing open the gates to the complex.

The Litmus building on Huntington Street in Nottingham
Nottingham_Crown_Court
Dmytruk was jailed for four-and-a-half years when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday

After starting the fire he is then seen exiting the building as fire alarms ring in the background.

Detectives discovered during the investigation that Dmytruk had been removed from the building by security staff on previous occasions.

He had been seen behaving in a bizarre manner and interfering with vehicles belonging to staff members.

Detective Sergeant Al Prentice, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Lighting any fire is dangerous but to start a blaze in a complex housing hundreds of people shows a reckless disregard for life.

“I hope people who live in the Litmus Building take comfort from the response of the emergency services.

“The fire was rapidly brought under control and no one was hurt due to the efficient work of firefighters.

“Once it was revealed to be a deliberate ignition, officers have worked hard to identify Dmytruk as the offender using a host of investigative tools.

“Detectives have then built a case which left this arsonist with no alternative but to plead guilty.

“I’m pleased the judge has now put Dmytruk behind bars where he will hopefully reflect on this dangerous and reckless behaviour.”

Watch Manager for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Arson Task Force, Chris Trendowicz, said: “This incident saw a lot of disruption to the residents of the Litmus building and the wider community. This attack could have had a severe impact on those nearby, and ultimately, it put lives at risk.

“Over 50 firefighters attended this incident, and they were able to bring the fire under control quickly to stop it from spreading, however it meant our resources were tied up from attending other incidents if they were to come in, which could have potentially been even more significant.

“We will always work tirelessly with our emergency service colleagues to bring justice to those who put others at risk. Hopefully, this shows individuals that setting fires deliberately does have serious consequences.”

Popeyes on the hunt for im-peck-able staff to be ‘joy creators’ at new Teal Park restaurant near Netherfield

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Popeyes on the hunt for im-peck-able staff to be ‘joy creators’ at new Teal Park restaurant near Netherfield

Chicken chain Popeyes are on the hunt for local people to take up the role of ‘Joy creators’ at their new restaurant on Teal Park near Netherfield.

The outlet is currently still under construction but adverts have been circulated revealing the chicken chain is on the hunt for people to join their team.

Joy Creators are being employed to support daily restaurant operations ‘ensuring outstanding customer experiences, effective teamwork and exceptional food quality’.

Work began on the new Popeye’s Drive-Thru site on land off Colwick Loop Road earlier this year (PICTURE: Christopher Marlowe)

They will also be tasked with working on one of the restaurant’s stations ‘preparing, serving or cooking their epic shatter crunch chicken’.

Staff can earn £8 per hour if they are under-18, £9 if they are between 18-20 and £11.44 if over 21.

It’s not yet known when the new restaurant on Teal Park will open.

Those looking to apply can email recruitment@popeyesuk.com

Assessment centre days are being held between September 17-18 at Jury’s Inn on Station Street in Nottingham city centre.

TONY CAVE: Passenger numbers at Carlton and Netherfield Stations are now higher than before Covid

Tony Cave
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TONY CAVE: Passenger numbers at Carlton and Netherfield Stations are now higher than before Covid

Netherfield and Carlton Stations update

Starting off on a positive note, apparently the number of passengers using Carlton station is currently over 59,000 per year, and Netherfield over 8,000, which means numbers have surpassed pre-covid at Carlton when we had 57,552 in 2019/20.

Numbers have held up at Netherfield which had 8,292 in 2019/20. One reason I believe is that in the last year or two, more tickets are being purchased in advance, rather than on the train, which meant many were unable to obtain a ticket.

I estimated pre-covid that around 1009 000 passengers were using Carlton Station each year, with Robin Hood tickets not being recorded as from Carlton or Netherfield. Despite the increase I have noticed a big decline in passengers using the train after having dropped off a car or coming to collect one from British Car Auctions. Perhaps now the 24 bus runs every 10 minutes in the daytime from Netherfield Retail Park to Nottingham via Carlton Hill, this service is now being used.

Whilst on the subject of lost ticket sales, a rough estimate is that £240 million per year is lost in ticket fraud and evasion on Great Britain’s railways.

Back to Carlton and since Covid we have also lost direct trains to Matlock and the Derwent Valley stations. There is now a long wait for a connecting train from Nottingham, so while some use this service others have said it is easier to revert to going by car, even though the roads are often busy and there is the problem of parking.

At the same time we also lost hourly services to Attenborough, another popular destination for the Nature Reserve. On the other hand, population in our area is increasing at a rapid pace with all the developments in the area, so that brings more passengers.

Another positive is that we have a new adopter, so welcome to Alan. We now have five adopters. Always room for more.

In collaboration between Community Rail, the wider rail industry and the Scouts, groups ranging from Squirrels (4-year-olds) to Explorers (Up to 16-year-olds) have been visiting their local stations and engaging in Community Rail activity. If your group is interested contact nancy.roberts-gordon@eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk

There is a lot of confusion regarding train services to Lincoln. After the 08.40 weekdays from Carlton and until the evening trains, you will be routed via Nottingham where you will catch the direct train from there to Lincoln. This of course (except to railway people!) does not seem logical, so people wait on platform 2 for example, thinking they are catching a 10.04 train from there to Lincoln, whereas the 10.04 is to Nottingham from platform 1. So always read the small print which will show one change on your journey, this being at Nottingham. This of course is if you have booked your ticket in advance.

It also seems to route you this way when you could go via Newark and change there without changing platforms.  For example, 12.03 to Newark or 12.04 to Nottingham will get you to Lincoln at the same time. I also mentioned last time that if you are having a day out and do not know the exact time you will be returning, some opt for the Any Time Return, whereas the Off-Peak Return, which is cheaper, is valid on any train after 09.00 weekdays and all day Saturdays and Sundays and Bank Holidays. If you read the small print it will say valid on any specified train.

We are trying to get another ticket vending machine on platform 1 at Carlton, and we have approached EMR regarding this request.

The following is part of an email which came from a reader of Gedling Eye: “Very informative article with lots of small details which you rarely get in news reports – especially about the railways. The devil is in the detail and the biggest demon that leaps out, to me, is the absence of four trains at times when previously they stopped at Carlton and at busy times when they were well used. Can you imagine cancelling station stops in rush hour in the London area but its ok here apparently. The timetable as well as many other things is tightly controlled by the Department of Transport in London with little evidence of local input. Now we have a local mayor for Notts. and Derbyshire, let’s hope there will be some changes for the better with public transport, although the next item isn’t a positive one as you will see.

Reopening of railway lines and stations

The ‘Restoring your Railway’ projects have been a victim of pending cuts announced recently, and only projects already started will continue. Locally the Leicester­ Coalville-Burton reinstatement will not go ahead at present. It had already been cut back to Coalville-Burton as a first phase.So it must mean that the Maid Marian Line (Mansfield-Pinxton-Toton), Robin Hood extension to Edwinstowe and Ollerton and Chesterfield to Sheffield via Barrow Mill, are all victims.

Numbers at Carlton Station are now higher than they were before Covid

Cross Country Trains

Until 9th November Cross Country Trains are running an emergency timetable to help improve reliability and reduce last minute cancellations. As a result, a number of services will be withdrawn on the Nottingham-Birmingham-Cardiff route and also Reading to Newcastle via Derby. Edinburgh-Derby-Plymouth trains will run and have extra coaches where possible. By 9th November more drivers will be available so the services can be restored, as the driver training backlog will have been reduced. It is also planned to increase the number of coaches on North East to South West services which run via Derby, when ‘Voyager’ trains from West Coast are cascaded.

EMR news

A new section of the Midland Main Line was energised on 28th July between Kettering and Wigston, south of Leicester. This is a 21-mile section which the new ‘Aurora’ bi-mode trains will be able to use as they enter service which is expected to be early 2025. The next phase of electrification work will probably be between Syston and East Midlands Parkway. The bit through Leicester is a little more complex!

Netherfield Station in 1962

I was given a copy of the Eastern Region staff Magazine for 1962 in which is an article on the line from Grantham to Netherfield. A couple of pictures below. In the booking office picture you might be able to make out the handrails and steps to the left top of the photo., about all that is left today.

Brief encounters

  • Engineering work. Sat. and Sun. 21/22 Sept. London St. Pancras services will terminate at Bedford and restart from Luton with a bus replacement between these places
  • From 15th Sept. Railcard discounts ‘reduced from 34% to 33.4%

Business lessons from the gaming world

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Business lessons from the gaming world

In the current fast-paced digital economy, businesses and entrepreneurs seemingly need to innovate on a constant basis to stay competitive. However, with traditional approaches to business management and marketing, it can be difficult to stay ahead of the curve. So, what solutions are available to British businesses? 

Looking beyond the usual playbooks is needed here, and one source of inspiration can come from an unexpected place: gaming. The global gaming industry has grown exponentially in recent decades, becoming a multi-billion-pound behemoth that influences consumers and industries alike. 

While gamification is a trend adopted by industries from fashion to banking, there are also tangible lessons that can be transposed from the gaming world to the boardroom. Let’s explore six key strategies from various gaming sectors that can be employed by entrepreneurs and SMEs in order to thrive in today’s market.

Insights from eSports – Adaptability 

The eSports sector is a prime example of how adaptability can lead to success. Competitive gaming evolves at a breakneck pace, with new strategies, updates, and even entire games regularly causing shifts in the landscape. Professional gamers must constantly adapt, refining their strategies and polishing their techniques to stay on top. 

For the small business owner, the lesson here is clear: adaptability is essential. The market can shift quickly due to multiple factors, with pressing disruptions often being centred on technological changes, consumer preferences, or economic conditions. Businesses need to remain agile and be willing to experiment with new ideas and strategies. 

As a business owner and entrepreneur, are you regularly reviewing your business strategies to adapt to changes in your industry? If not, you may find yourself left behind.

Insights from Online Poker – Risk Management

Poker is the only casino game that’s widely recognised as a mindsport, due to it being a compelling mix of skill, strategy, and psychology. This traditional card game has also been fully incorporated into the gaming industry and is now a stand-alone digital gaming genre in its own right. Today’s gamers are just as likely to be logging into a specialist platform like PokerStars to participate in online poker games as they are to play A++ titles on PlayStation Plus. Poker’s also a particularly useful game to learn lessons in risk management from. 

Risk-taking in business can lead to significant rewards – but only if approached strategically. Entrepreneurs can learn from the keen sense of risk management that poker players have. This involves assessing potential opportunities – often with limited information – weighing the risks, and then deciding whether to proceed or hold back. It’s not about avoiding risks altogether but about understanding and managing them effectively.

By adopting a balanced approach and taking calculated risks, you can seize opportunities while protecting your business from potential downsides. Like a seasoned poker player, you should know when to go all in and when to play it safe.

Insights from Strategy Games – Resource Management 

Strategy games, from classics like Civilization to more recent titles like Starcraft 2, teach players to manage resources efficiently. Whether it’s time, money, or manpower, these games require players to think critically about how they allocate their limited resources to achieve their key objectives.

For entrepreneurs and SMEs, efficient resource management is crucial. In today’s economic climate, many business owners are facing limited resources, making it vital to know how to allocate them in the most appropriate and beneficial ways. This might involve deciding where to invest your budget, how to allocate your time, or how to prioritise your team’s efforts. By thinking strategically, just like RTS gamers, you can ensure that you’ll be maximising your business’s potential by putting every resource to its best use.

Are you making the most of what you have? Consider conducting a resource audit within your company or ventures. You might discover that the resources you have could be better allocated to ensure more substantial performance results. 

Insights from Multiplayer Gaming – Community Building

Multiplayer games, particularly massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), are, at their core, about building communities. These vast online games, such as World of Warcraft, offer environments where players connect, collaborate, and share experiences. These communities are often self-sustaining, with players returning regularly not just for the game but for the social connections they’ve built.

For SMEs, building a community around your brand is one of the most powerful things you can do. A strong community can turn customers into brand advocates, driving word-of-mouth marketing and fostering loyalty. 

Consider how you can create spaces where your customers can connect, share their experiences, and engage with your brand. This could be through social media, forums, or even in-person events. Like in multiplayer games, a connected and engaged community can be one of your business’s most valuable assets.

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