Gedling Eye looks back at the highs and lows of 2023 across the borough, continuing with July to September…
JULY
THE FATE of a new development in Arnold remained in limbo following news that the housebuilder has gone into administration.
Work on the new development on Rolleston Drive was put on hold while the manufacturer of the factory-built homes destined for the site sought a buyer to help raise cash to keep them operational. However news broke that the modular homes builder, Ilke Homes had gone into administration resulting in the closure of its manufacturing facility.
A preschool which had been serving communities in Gedling borough for 50 years announced that it was closing due to financial difficulties. Carlton Preschool Playgroup, which is based at the Richard Herrod Centre in Foxhill Roady rented out a room at the centre from Gedling Borough Council and had 34 children on its roll. Seven staff have been made redundant as part of the closure, which manager Maxine Payne described as “devastating”
A suspect from Carlton was charged in connection with a string of 14 shop thefts as police continued efforts to crack down on retail crime. A 33-year-old man was arrested in the Carlton area by officers investigating raids at the Co-op store in Westdale Lane West, Mapperley, between February 11 and 2 July 2023. Daniel Whitchurch, aged 33, of Portland Road, Carlton, was subsequently released on conditional bail and was due to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on July 20 2023.
More than 1,200 incidents of fly-tipping across Gedling borough ended up costing taxpayers £189,000 in 2022. Fly-tipping, the illegal dumping of waste, is the costliest form of waste crime in England with estimates from 2021 from the Environmental Services Association (ESA) suggesting the overall cost of fly-tipping across the country is £391.8m a year. During a Gedling Borough Council Full Council meeting on Wednesday, July 12, Cllr Mike Adams (Con) asked the Labour-led administration what the total cost of fly-tipping was to taxpayers. Responding Cllr Marje Paling, the chairwoman of the environment and licensing committee, said: “Last financial year the cost for removal of fly-tipping in Gedling was calculated at £189,000, which equates to £1.61 per resident and it was for 1,220 incidents in 2022.”
A wanted man from Mapperley Park who fled the country was left “speechless” after returning on a plane and finding police waiting for him. Anas Bahbaishi, aged 33, bought a one-way ticket to Saudi Arabia after being charged with driving whilst disqualified. The businessman was due to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on 10 May but flew out of London Heathrow four days earlier. A warrant was issued for his arrest and Nottinghamshire Police inquiries found he had flown out to the city of Jeddah. Police at Manchester Airport received a notification from Border Force that Bahbaishi, previously of Cranmer Street, Mapperley Park, Nottingham, had checked in for a flight from Jeddah to Manchester and Nottinghamshire Police was informed and officers from the City South neighbourhood policing team travelled to the airport and awaited his arrival. He was arrested on the plane moments after landing and transported back to Nottingham for questioning.
A Netherfield GP will hung up her stethoscope after serving the community for 31 years. Dr Caitriona Kennedy informed patients via social media that she has taken the decision to retire. The GP has worked for Trentside Medical Group, which owns the Netherfield Medical Centre where she is based, for three decades. In a post on the Trentside Medical Group Facebook page she wrote: “After 31 years at Trentside, it is with a mixture of sadness and excitement that I am retiring from the Partnership.”
A new CCTV camera was installed at an anti-social behaviour hotspot in Colwick after Gedling Borough Council was granted funding from the Government’s Safer Streets fund. The 360-degree CCTV camera was installed on Balmoral Road to help tackle anti-social behaviour and support the new Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) which is active in the surrounding area. The camera provides high-quality images to the council’s CCTV control room and is used to assist the police with investigations, as well as aiding the council’s Community Safety Team and Neighbourhood Wardens in tackling anti-social behaviour.
A project to restore an historic Victorian train station in Gedling to its former glory was dealt a major blow after its bid for £250k of heritage lottery money was rejected. A grant application to support Gedling Youth and Community Hub with their work in restoring the building on Shearing Hill has been rejected by The National Lottery Heritage Fund for England, Midlands and East, according to their website. The announcement gives no indication as to why the grant application was rejected however a spokesperson from the National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We can confirm that Transforming Gedling Old Station has been rejected. We know this is very disappointing news. There is a high level of competition for grants at every stage of the grant application process and unfortunately, we are unable to support all the applications we receive.”
A teenager appeared in court after a fight in an Arnold street. Police were called to Cavendish Street following reports of an assault and when officers arrived at the scene they found a teenage girl had suffered stab wounds. She was taken to hospital with injuries that are not currently believed to be life-altering or life-threatening. Officers quickly located a suspect in a nearby street and a 17-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, possession of a knife in a public place and possession of a Class B drug.
AUGUST
A CCTV appeal was launched by police after a disabled man was robbed on the doorstep of his Carlton home. The victim was trying to unlock his front door when a man rifled through his shoulder bag and stole cash before leaving the scene. It’s believed he was followed by a man after getting off a Nottingham City Transport number 27 bus at the bottom of Carlton Hill, Carlton, and then walking to his home in Southdale Road. As part of their ongoing inquiries, officers released images of a man they believed may have information that could assist with their investigation.
After being closed for over two years, due to Coronavirus restrictions and the death of the museum keeper, the Calverton Folk Museum reopened. Owned by the Calverton Preservation and History Society and situated on Main Street, Calverton next to the Baptist Church the Museum is housed in a 4-roomed, Grade II listed, 18th. Century cottage. The museum was opened in 1974 and has a variety of displays depicting local history and heritage. There is also a kitchen and bedroom from about 100 years ago and a variety of objects relating to local coalmining, farming and education.
Newstead’s annual Family Fun Day event was heading towards cancellation due to the atrocious British weather until the British bulldog spirit kicked in. After some very last minute changes and the addition of an indoor venue the event was able to go ahead much to the delight of the several hundred people who attended. Those braving the weather were rewarded as the weather Gods decided to be kind and blue skies finally emerged in time for the main attraction – the Savage Skills Stunt Show.
KH Hair Arnold stylist, Amelia Krasinski secured her place at the UK finals of a major hairdressing industry competition. The 18-year-old was named as a finalist in the Colour Visionary category at the Wella Professionals TrendVision Awards UK & Ireland. The prestigious event celebrates exceptional talent and has become one of the most iconic hair competitions in the hairdressing industry.
It was a season of success in the borough for one talented primary school. Stanhope Primary, in Gedling village, reached the finals of the county cup football competition with both their girl’s and boy’s teams, with the girls going on to take the crown. Years five and six were competing and the amazing achievements of both teams were recognised by sporting royalty, with the pupils having a video message from Carl Froch, as well as a special assembly with England international Sophie Bradley-Auckland.
A man was caught hiding in a loft at an Arnold property with a JD Sports bag containing cannabis and cash when he tried to evade arrest. Officers attended an address in Worrall Avenue on Thursday, August 10 were looking for a man wanted in connection with a GBH offence. Within the rear first floor bedroom was a small loft hatch leading into the loft space. Officers made themselves known but no one responded. Once entering the loft, they found the suspect in a dressing gown lying on his side in front of the water tank attempting to hide. A search of the loft – close to where the man was hiding – recovered a black jacket containing a quantity of cash and a black JD Sports drawstring bag containing a quantity of cannabis and more cash.
Administrators confirmed that hundreds of staff at Wilko working for the collapsed chain would lose their jobs. The redundancies were being made after the latest deal to buy the business fell through. Private equity firm M2 Capital said it made a £90m bid for Wilko but was unable to provide proof of funding in time to complete the sale. PwC, which is overseeing Wilko’s sale, said it was it was clear there was no viable offer to buy the whole business.
SEPTEMBER
Nottingham City Transport expanded its network to serve the new Chase Farm development in Gedling. Chase Farm is now served by an extension of NCT’s Sky Blue 45 service, providing a 10 minute Monday to Saturday daytime service to Mapperley and the City Centre with Sunday daytime buses operate every 20 minutes, with a half hourly service every night and last buses back from the City at midnight on Mondays to Saturdays.
A Mapperley man appeared in court after a woman was attacked in an alleyway. The 50-year-old victim was walking home after a night out when a man crept up behind her in Diversity Way, Radford. It was reported the attacker grabbed the woman around the neck and pulled her to the ground, before stealing her handbag. Following inquiries, police arrested a suspect in connection with the incident. Darren Unwin, of Mapperley Road, Mapperley Park, Nottingham, was subsequently charged with robbery and intentional strangulation.
Sainsbury’s launched an exciting new service in Colwick, with the introduction of a brand-new Ultra-rapid Electric Vehicle (EV) charging hub at its store by Colwick Loop Road. ‘Ultra-rapid’ is the fastest type of EV charging currently available on the market. Designed to be quick, reliable and easy to use, Sainsbury’s new service will allow customers to charge Electric Vehicles in as little as 30 minutes – providing enough power to travel up to 200 miles – rather than waiting for hours when using slower types of EV charging.
Carlton Community Hub hosted their official launch and family fun day on Saturday, September 23. The hub was established by Christian charity Hope Nottingham two years ago, building on a long-standing foodbank partnership with Main St Methodist Church. The community hub offers a wide range of holistic support to the local community and the foodbank has been enhanced with a wonderful community café every Tuesday and Friday afternoon.
A woman from Gedling risked arrest and a possible two-year imprisonment by holding up signs outside Nottingham Crown Court, as part of the growing public campaign Defend Our Juries. The silent protest was one of 21 being held today across England outside Crown Courts. Amanda Pumo, 64, a retired therapist from Gedling said: “Defendants should be able to tell the jury the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Isn’t that what you swear to do in Court? And the truth includes why you’re protesting. If defendants can’t tell the whole truth, how can the jurors make a truly informed decision about their guilt or innocence?”
