Gedling Eye continues to look back at the highs and lows of 2022 across the borough, continuing with July to September …
- You can read our round-up covering January to March here
- You can read our round-up covering April to June here
JULY
An off-duty police officer leapt into action after spotting a shoplifter stealing from a store while he was out DIY shopping in Arnold. The officer was perusing the paint aisle at Homebase in Mansfield Road when he heard a disturbance at the tills. After speaking with staff, he detained and searched a suspect accused of stealing goods. Wayne Lee, aged 52, was charged with two counts of theft – the second of which related to an unrelated incident at a supermarket in Hucknall.
A principal told school leavers they SHALL go to the ball after agreeing the academy would pay their tickets to its first ever prom. Marcus Shepherd, principal of The Wells Academy in Mapperley, said he did not want cost to be a barrier to year 11 students in attending an “important rite of passage”. The academy paid for tickets for all of year 11 to go to their prom at the prestigious Colwick Hall Hotel on Tuesday. The ticket price included the food, the DJ and even a taxi service laid on from the academy for pupils who needed help with transport to the event.
Toby Carvery announced it wouldn’t be serving lamb on Sundays, according to The Sun. Many of the restaurant’s customers now aren’t happy after the chain, which operates a restaurant at Colwick, announced the big change to its menu. The chain told customers that lamb is now only available on certain dates due to a supplier issue. Livid customer Ben Marriott, who works as a butcher, posted online: “Just come for a carvery to be told you’re not doing lamb unless it’s a special occasion. “That’s so rubbish – makes Sundays no different from any other day now. Fuming.”
A teenage boy was charged in relation to an assault in Arnold that left a man in hospital. Police were called to Coppice Road and found a man injured. The victim was taken to Queen’s Medical Centre with injuries that were not life-altering or life-threatening. A second man received minor injuries in the same incident but did not require hospital treatment. Following extensive enquiries, a 17-year-old boy was charged with wounding with intent and possessing a knife blade / sharp pointed article in a public place.
More than 10,000 households across Gedling borough started to receive their first direct payments to help with the soaring cost of living. Low-income households on means-tested benefits receive the money automatically in their bank, building society or credit union account. Although the payments are designed to help with rising prices, and specifically soaring energy bills, recipients could spend or save the money as they see fit.
Arnold Lane reopened fully for the first time after being shut to traffic for nearly four months while works were underway on a new tie-in road to join it up to the new Colliery Way. Arnold Lane was realigned to the five-arm roundabout on Colliery Way, meaning that local traffic for Gedling Village will now need to use the roundabout as part of their journey.
A new breakfast club aimed at bringing members of the Armed Forces together was set to launch at Richard Herrod Centre in Carlton. The club is open to any active or ex-members of the forces, including veterans and any family members connected to the forces. The club offers breakfast and drinks and also promotes some of the services available to military members in the borough of Gedling.
An additional £750,000 was awarded to Colwick and Netherfield through the fourth round of the Conservative Government’s Safer Streets Fund, which will help to make streets safer through projects to crack down on neighbourhood crimes and prevent violence against women and girls. The additional funding, part of the £50 million from the latest round of the Safer Streets Fund, is planned for investment in essential measures, including extra CCTV and improved street lighting.
Line of Duty star Vicky McClure came face-to-face with Nottinghamshire Police’s real-life ‘AC-12’ before officially opening the new multi-million pound joint police and fire headquarters in Arnold. The Nottingham-born actress, known to millions as Detective Inspector Kate Fleming in the BBC hit drama, was given a guided tour by Chief Constable Craig Guildford of the force’s professional standards department as well as other key departments including the force control room, digital forensics and operational support before cutting the ribbon at Thursday’s ceremony.
Five Gedling borough parks were named as some of the UK’s best following a record-breaking year. Gedling Country Park, Arnot Hill Park, Burton Road Jubilee Park, Bestwood Country Park and for the first time, Breck Hill Park, joined a record number of parks and green spaces collecting a Green Flag Award – the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.
Gedling Borough Council confirmed that they will be submitting a funding bid for £50 million through the government’s latest round of ‘Levelling up’ funding to revitalise Arnold town centre. The bid will include a new, multi-purpose leisure centre and theatre to replace the current Arnold Leisure Centre and Bonington Theatre, which have been in place since the 1980s. The bid will also include plans for a new library and a public realm space to drive footfall into the northern part of the town centre and create improved access from Front Street to the high street.
AUGUST
Police arrested a wanted man who was spotted in a Mapperley restaurant. Officers attended a restaurant in Woodborough Road following calls that the known suspect could be inside. A 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, obstructing police, and possession of a bladed article, while he was also wanted on re-call to prison. A search was then carried out at a house in Foxhill Road East, Carlton, which resulted in a quantity of cash and suspected cocaine being seized from inside.
Parents were urged to warn their children about the dangers of playing near train tracks after CCTV footage showed youngsters dancing in front on an on-coming train at Burton Joyce. The shocking footage showed three school-age children walking across a pedestrian crossing near the village before stopping in the middle of the track. Two girls then hop off the path just inches from the live rails where they dance as a train approaches, before sprinting off.
A brand new Aldi store at Teal Park near Netherfield opened its doors to customers with Paralympics GB athletics hero Richard Whitehead cutting the ribbon alongside residents from local care home, Rivendell View. The Magenta Way store near Netherfield will be run by Store Manager Stuart Levick, along with a team of 38 colleagues from the local community. Paralympics GB gold medallist Richard Whitehead gave away complimentary bags of fresh fruit and vegetables from Aldi’s famous Super 6 range to the first 30 customers in the queue.
A persistent offender was jailed after he was spotted pushing a stolen fridge freezer down the road in a wheelbarrow in Calverton. Officers patrolling the village were alerted to the theft of the fridge, a washing machine, dish washer and toilet from a nearby property. Witnesses later reported seeing a man wheeling the fridge through the village. Michael Wilson was arrested at his home by police officers. On searching the property, officers found the fridge freezer which was still in its packaging.
The annual Stoke Bardolph Scarecrow festival saw residents in the village decorate the outside of their homes or roadside verges with a colourful array of homemade straw-filled sculptures. Among the best scarecrows was a CSI team investigating a murder, an eco-friendly Hulk made from compostable bags and a karate instructor. Trent Valley Councillors Mike Adams and Sam Smith were invited to judge the event and chose the village tennis match as winners.
A £1.14bn devolution deal was agreed to try to kick start economic development in the East Midlands and create an elected regional mayor. Devolution involves some key powers and funding transferring to regional politicians from Whitehall. It means more political power locally on planning, housing, roads, infrastructure and economic development.
This is Gedling news magazine was launched covering in-depth news and views from across Gedling borough. This is Gedling was published for the first time with residents able to pick up a free copy from a large number of venues across Gedling borough – including most bars, leisure centres, medical centres, libraries and takeaways. The magazine featured forty pages of news, features and lifestyle articles all about the borough.
SEPTEMBER
The scale of the crisis in local bus services was laid bare after operator Trentbarton confirmed it has 130 vacant driver jobs. The company, which runs dozens of routes around the East Midlands, was forced to cancel 1,614 individual timed services in just two weeks as a result of the staff shortage, leading to concerns of communities being left “high and dry”.
Gedling Borough Council announced it has scrapped plans to sell council-owned land near Killisick Lane in Arnold. The land had previously been allocated for housing in the 2018 cross-party agreed Local Plan but following a consultation with local residents, senior councillors decided not to allow a sale of the land to go ahead. Following comments from a consultation and representations from councillors who represent the area affected, a decision was made by senior councillors not to take any consideration of sale of the land any further and review the feedback provided.
Nottingham bar Hooters sparked a debate online after announcing it was sponsoring a Burton Joyce youth football team for the forthcoming season. Hooters revealed the deal made with Burton Joyce’s under-10s side and posted pictures of a photocall held to celebrate the sponsorship. The Nottingham restaurant is the currently the only franchise left in the UK – although a Liverpool restaurant is set to open shortly. But the move ruffled feathers, with a national TV debate planned following the announcement.
Police charged three men after Lego sets and toys worth thousands of pounds were stolen from three stores. Conlon McDonagh, 22, of Gregory Road, Southall, Ealing; Tom McDonagh, 22, of Greenwood Avenue, Enfield; and Patrick Ward, 22, of Gregory Road, Southall were charged with three counts of theft.
A popular Mapperley cafe announced it will close for good. Holy Cannoli, in Plains Road, made the announcement on their Facebook page. They said: “Sadly Holy Cannoli is closing down. “We want to extend our thanks to all the loyal customers who have supported us over the years we’ve been open. This fantastic journey wouldn’t have been possible without you all, however, after sincere thought and consideration, we have made the decision to close our doors.”
Controversial plans to allow a property in Netherfield to be converted into an HMO were allowed by councillors who were given the chance to reject the scheme. The plans were submitted to change a property on Chandos Street into a seven-bedroomed HMO and were discussed at Gedling Borough Council’s Planning Committee meeting at the Civic Centre in Arnold. There were eight votes for the application and 7 against.
Queen Elizabeth II died aged 96. Charles, the former Prince of Wales, was named as King Charles III. A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: ‘The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon’. The Queen’s death saw Britain and her Commonwealth realms enter into a ten-day period of mourning.
Gedling WBA featherweight champion boxer Leigh Wood was forced to withdraw from his title defence against Mauricio Lara due to injury. Wood was due to defend his WBA ‘regular’ featherweight title on 24 September 24 against Mauricio Lara at the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham. Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn said Wood had suffered a torn bicep.
The ribbon was cut on a new development in Gedling that will create 400 new homes in the area. The Mayor and Mayoress of Gedling, together with the Rosie May Foundation, a charity carrying out incredible work within the community, were invited to cut the ribbon and officially open Keepmoat’s Park View development sales centre and showhome. During the visit, the Mayor and Mayoress were given an in-depth tour of Phase 2 of the development located on Arnold Lane and overlooks Gedling Country Park. Once complete, it will provide an additional 400 homes in the area.
A new bench paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II was installed in an Arnold park. The bench was commissioned for the Jubilee earlier this year and arrived at Church Lane Recreation Ground. The funds for the new seat were raised by Ward councillors Michael Payne and Kathryn Fox.
