A planning application submitted by Montagu Evans on behalf of The Crown Estate to change the use of Unit R2 from Class E(b) restaurant / café to class E(a) retail and / or Class(b) restaurant / café has been approved by Gedling planners.
The unit was previously occupied by Frankie and Benny’s, prior to their closure in 2020 and supporting planning documents submitted by Montagu Evans advise that the application was submitted with the aim to facilitate occupation of the Unit by Hotel Chocolat.
The planning statement provided in support of the application advises that the application only refers to the use of the Unit and does not involve any physical works and that any new signage will form a separate application for advertisement consent.
The planning statement further advised that a sequential assessment concluded that there are no sequentially preferable sites within either Arnold Town Centre or any other nearby Local Centre’s within the Borough capable of accommodating the development. Therefore, the application site was the most sequentially preferable location to accommodate the proposed development.
It is believed that the proposed occupation of the unit by Hotel Chocolat will generate 15 jobs in both full and part time positions.
Hotel Chocolat opened it’s first shop in London in 2004 and currently has 126 stores including 40 in Japan.
A murky start, with fog, low cloud and perhaps the odd shower. Gradually brightening up to a mainly fine day with increasing sunny periods, perhaps sparking a few further sharp showers in places before becoming dry later. Maximum temperature 23 °C.
Mainly fine during the evening, however fog and low cloud should move in from the east to affect many areas overnight. Becoming chilly in inland sheltered areas that remain clearer. Minimum temperature 6 °C.
Tomorrow is forecast to see areas of fog and low cloud probably proving slower to retreat than on Saturday, but warm sunny periods still developing. Maximum temperature 23 °C.
There are concerns communities are losing out because Nottinghamshire councils are yet to spent more than £93m in financial contributions given to them by developers as part of building projects.
Before local authorities grant planning permission for a major schemes, a developer typically agrees to contribute financially to the local area to reduce the impact of the project.
These agreements are known as Section 106 obligations, and the money provided typically goes towards affordable housing, schools, open space improvements and employment and transport infrastructure.
However, owing to the current economic climate and inflated construction costs, fewer and fewer developers are being obligated to provide financial contributions.
Before local authorities grant planning permission for a major schemes, a developer typically agrees to contribute financially to the local area
If assessments rule the development is not financially viable because if a 106 cost, the payments may be waived.
While this alone has prompted concerns and calls for reform from some Labour councillors in Nottingham, other critics also say the economic challenges are affecting the value of financial contributions already held in the bank by councils across Nottinghamshire.
The top three councils with the most unspent 106 cash in the bank are Rushcliffe Borough Council, which has a balance of around £45m, Nottingham City Council which has £14.956m, and Newark and Sherwood District Council which has £9.781m.
According to Rushcliffe Borough Council, the sum of money it holds is down to a higher volume of growth in the borough compared to other areas.
They are followed by Ashfield District Council’s £9.6m, Mansfield District Council’s £4.1m, Broxtowe Borough Council’s £3.942m, Gedling Borough Council’s £3.6m and Bassetlaw District Council’s £2.976m.
Co-chair of the Nottingham Green Party and former Rushcliffe Borough councillor, Ben Gray, says he sees the length of time between when contributions are calculated and when they are eventually spent as “a huge problem”.
“For example, £500,000 for a community hub in 2014, that is delivered in 2024, would only now be worth the equivalent of £375,000 in today’s money,” he says.
“This would be bad enough, but you also need to factor in the uplift in property values.
“The same £500,000 community hub from 2014 would now cost you £766,000 to construct, and because of a ten-year delay the community will now have to make-do with something that is half as good as they were promised.
“Ten years isn’t unusual, or even particularly long in planning terms. After 20 years what has grandly been called a community centre might well be delivered as barely more than a scout hut.
“It is communities who are missing out.”
Nottingham Trent University’s Professor Peter Murphy, who worked as a senior civil servant in four Whitehall departments and spent 23 years working in local government, said the concerns are generally valid ones.
He described it as an increasing problem that is likely to get worse.
“The longer a payment stays in an account beyond what was originally intended or anticipated – by both developer and local authority – the more likely it is to be inadequate for the original intentions or agreement if it is beyond the original timescale envisaged,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
“You might say that 106 agreements should routinely make provision for inflationary changes and in earlier years this was often the case.
“But in those days – even before the long period of stable low interest rates – rates were relatively stable in the short or medium term and both local authorities and developers could at least reasonably calculate the risks to both sides.
“But in the current climate it is the uncertainty, volatility and short-term variability in rates both in the UK and abroad that isn’t making for a business environment that is conducive to either coming to agreements or to their implementation.”
Associate Professor for NTU, Dr Peter Eckersley, whose research focuses on central and local government relations and public policy, said the agreements can almost be compared to long-term – and sometimes controversial – Private Finance Initiative (PFI) deals.
“What they agreed to pay at the beginning over the course of the contract is different in value terms than perhaps what people were expecting when the contract was agreed,” he said.
“They were kind of agreed at a time when nobody was envisaging the level of austerity that we have seen over the last few years and so they are tied into these deals.”
There is also a risk Section 106 contributions may have to be returned to developers, typically because money has not been spent within an agreed time period.
Mansfield District Council said none of its unspent money has been reclaimed, as did Nottingham City Council.
Nottingham City Council added its figure, as of March 31, includes both sums committed and sums not yet committed, and contributions it receives usually have a minimum five-year period in which it is to be committed.
What happens to interest on sums in the bank also differs depending on the authority.
A spokesman for Rushcliffe Borough Council confirmed interest earned is not retained by the council.
“In 2022/23 the interest rate applied was 1.69 per cent,” the spokesman said.
“The council is effectively the ‘banker’ for the monies and the speed of spend is dictated by how quickly development takes place in areas such as education and health, which are not the responsibility of the borough council.
“The borough council’s remit is to make S106 payments as quickly as possible when relevant development conditions have been met.”
The authority added Nottinghamshire County Council is now a signatory to funds, and receives funds from developers directly to pay for schools and other projects, so the funds held in future by Rushcliffe Borough Council will be reduced.
Mansfield DC says contributions are index-linked as per agreements, and interest is charged where appropriate on late payments which are infrequent.
Any interest will be added to the contribution, it says.
Contributions are also paid in to the council’s bank account along with the council’s other revenues, and any interest paid on these balances would be treated as income to the council which would go towards the council’s services.
Meanwhile, Newark and Sherwood DC says it does not add interest to the balance.
East Midlands Railway (EMR) is urging its customers from Nottingham to book in advance and secure a cheap fare to the seaside this summer.
EMR has released 6,900 Advance Single tickets priced at £7.70 and 3,450 Advance Return tickets priced at £15.40 – all for trips from Nottingham to Skegness.
That means customers can get to the Lincolnshire seaside resort for less than the cost of a Full English Breakfast at Wetherspoons or the average cost of fish and chips*.
There is more good news for families on a budget as Butlin’s Skegness has a number of special offers for early summer breaks that mean EMR customers can spend a few days away without going over-budget.
Butlin’s, the Home of Entertainment, offers fantastic value for families looking for a summer holiday. With early summer breaks starting from £89**, there’s so much included in the price. Alongside accommodation everyone visiting Butlin’s has access to the pool, unlimited fairground rides, live shows and headline acts, soft play and the incredible SKYPARK playground.
Dave Meredith, Customer Services Director at East Midlands Railway: “Our fares to Skegness make seaside getaways a reality for families on a budget.
“Book in advance and enjoy a few days with a wallet-friendly escape to Skegness with EMR’s Advance Single tickets at £7.70 and Advance Return tickets at £15.40.
“Spend less than you would on breakfast or a takeaway, and make memories by the sea.”
Catch-up Screenings: Back to Black (15)– Bonington Cinema, Arnold
Fri 17 – Thu 23 May, Various Times £6.80pp
A celebration of the most iconic – and much missed – homegrown star of the 21st century, Back to Black tells the extraordinary tale of Amy Winehouse. Painting a vivid, vibrant picture of the Camden streets she called home and capturing the struggles of global fame, Back to Black honours Amy’s artistry, wit, and honesty, as well as trying to understand her demons. An unflinching look at the modern celebrity machine and a powerful tribute to a once-in-a-generation talent.
“Amy Winehouse biopic buoyed by extraordinary lead performance” Guardian ★★★★
Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson With Marisa Abela, Jack O’Connell 2hrs // UK/US 2024
That They May Face The Rising Sun (15)– Bonington Cinema, Arnold
Fri 17 – Thu 23 May, Various Times £6.80pp £5.00pp on Tuesdays
Capturing a year in the life of a rural, lakeside community in late 1970s Ireland, That They May Face The Rising Sun is a sensitive and beautifully realised adaptation of the last novel by John McGahern. Joe (Barry Ward) and Kate (Anna Bederke) have returned from London to live and work in a small, close-knit community in rural Ireland, close to where Joe grew up. He’s a writer, she’s an artist who retains part ownership of a London gallery.
Now embedded in a remote lakeside setting, the drama of a year in their lives and those of their neighbours unfolds through the rituals of work, play and the passing seasons. A delicate, meditative exploration of ritual, community bonds, and the question of how best to live.
Directed by Pat Collins With Barry Ward, Anna Bederke 1hr 51mins // IRE/UK 2024
Sarah Middleton Woolley – Waggon and Horses, Arnold
Challengers (15)– Bonington Cinema, Arnold
Fri 17 – Thu 23 May, Various Times £6.80pp £5.00pp on Tuesdays
From visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Bones And All), Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist – West Side Story), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor – The Crown, La Chimera) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win.
“A thrilling, intoxicating and extravagantly sexy tennis psychodrama” Independent ★★★★★
“Smart, sexy and engaging” Little White Lies ★★★★★
Telegraph ★★★★★ Empire ★★★★★ Times ★★★★★ Guardian ★★★★
Directed by Luca Guadagnino With Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, Mike Faist 2hrs 11 mins // US 2024
Diode Electronic Music Festival – Bonington Theatre, Arnold
Sat 18 May, 12:30pm £35.00pp
Thorsten Quaeschning (DE) (of Tangerine Dream)
Thorsten Quaeschning is the band leader and driving force of German electronic music pioneers Tangerine Dream. This solo performance will combine the very best of Berlin school sequencer music with ambient sound design.
Ron Boots and Rob Papen (NL)
Two of the Netherlands greatest electronic musicians who have been producing albums and performing live since the 1980’s. Sequences, ambience and melodies in abundance.
Callisto (David Wright + Stephan Whitlan) (UK)
David Wright and Stephan Whitlan are long time collaborators and stalwarts of the UK electronic music scene. Their music is multi layered incorporating many classic elements of the genre and always including strong melodies.
Peter Challoner (UK)
Local Nottingham electronic musician who was brought up on the classic 70’s and 80’s electronic music which provides inspiration for the music. Primarily ambient sound design with rhythmic sequences.
Set Times
Doors open 12.30
Set 1 – 2.00pm – 3.00pm – Peter Challoner
30 minute refreshment break
Set 2 – 3.30 – 4.30 – Calisto (David Wright + Stephan Whitlan)
Dinner break 4.30 – 7.00
Set 3 – 7.00 – 8.00 Ron Boots and Rob Papen
30 minute refreshment break
Set 4 – 8.30 – 10.00 Thorsten Quaeschning (main set + encore)
Jazz in the Bar – Jim Walker Violin – Bonington Theatre, Arnold
Sun 19 May, 7:30pm £8.00pp
This month Jazz in the Bar goes continental with a programme of French influenced jazz.
We welcome back jazz violin virtuoso Jim Walker who impressed everyone on his previous appearance last year. Jim’s playing is influenced by Stephane Grappelli and he has a wide repertoire of French inspired jazz. He will be accompanied by the talented trio of: Eliot Lewis, Guitar, Steve Truman, Double Bass, Clive Loveday, Drums.
Expect a night of finger snapping toe tapping jazz.
Flying High Film Workshop – That They May Face The Rising Sun (15)– Bonington Cinema, Arnold
Tue 21 May, 10:30am £10.00pp
We would love you to join us for this once a month opportunity for adult members of the community to come together for fun, camaraderie, learning, sharing food and film.
Each month in the Bonington Theatre, we will meet at 10.30am for a 2-hour exploration workshop (discussions, exercises, some role play and improvisation for those brave enough!) examining the themes, context, characters, ideas and plot of a particular film. There will be a light buffet style lunch, teas and coffees before watching the film at 1.30pm. The event should finish 3.00pm – 3.30pm depending on the length of the film.
That They May Face The Rising Sun is a sensitive and beautifully realised film capturing a year in the life of a rural, lakeside community in late 1970s. early 1980s in Ireland. Joe (Barry Ward) and Kate (Anna Bederke) have returned from London to live and work in a small, close-knit community in rural Ireland, close to where Joe grew up. He’s a writer, she’s an artist who retains part ownership of a London gallery. How do they become part of this secure, small, remote community where landlines were scarce and people had to interact with visits on a daily basis?
Now embedded in a remote lakeside setting, the drama of a year in their lives and those of their neighbours unfolds through the rituals of work, play and the passing seasons. A delicate, meditative exploration of ritual, community bonds, and the question of how best to live.
Directed by Pat Collins With Barry Ward, Anna Bederke N.B. The film is 1hr 51 mins so will finish around 3.20pm
EVENT CINEMA: ROH Live: The Winter’s Tale– Bonington Cinema, Arnold
Wed 22 May, 7:15pm £15.00pp
King Leontes of Sicilia is crippled with an all-consuming jealousy when his friend, King Polixenes of Bohemia, stays with him and his wife Hermione. What follows is a tale where a marriage is destroyed, a child is abandoned and all hope is seemingly lost for two lovers. Celebrating its tenth anniversary, The Winter’s Tale is an award-winning modern ballet classic, packed with emotional turmoil heightened by Joby Talbot’s compelling score and Bob Crowley’s atmospheric designs.
BALLET Choreography – Christopher Wheeldon Music – Joby Talbot
A rather cloudy start is forecast today with extensive low cloud, fog locally, slowly burning back to reveal warm sunny spells. Staying dry for many but with the odd shower for some. Maximum temperature 22 °C.
Showers dying out in the evening, a risk of fog in any clear spells in the west. Minimum temperature 10 °C.
A similar start on Saturday, with low cloud burning back. Some warm sunny spells and a few showers, perhaps heavy, in the afternoon. Maximum temperature 22 °C.
Nottinghamshire’s Conservative County Council leader Ben Bradley has survived a vote of no confidence.
The Conservative group walked out in protest at the motion, which accused him of failing residents.
The Independent Alliance claimed that Cllr Bradley had been too focused on the East Midlands mayoral election, which he lost to Labour candidate Claire Ward, and not enough council services.
An extraordinary council meeting was called on Thursday (May 16) to vote on the motion.
Cllr Bradley said it was a “waste of all our times” and he was going back to his office rather than listen to it.
Conservative members then rose and left the council chamber in protest during the debate, only returning for the vote.
The vote was a symbolic motion to put pressure on the council leader, and wouldn’t have removed him from the role.
Cllr Bradley was unanimously reconfirmed as leader of the Conservative group in a meeting on Wednesday.
Independent leader Councillor Jason Zadrozny said: “Cllr Bradley claimed he would stand down if he won the election. Now he’s lost, he’s returned cap in hand, expecting to do a job he hasn’t been doing for the last three years.
“He’s used the chamber for his own ends – surely residents expect better.”
He claimed that Cllr Bradley serving as both council leader and MP for Mansfield was a “failed experiment”, adding: “He’s let down both the people of his constituency and the whole of Nottinghamshire.”
Cllr Bradley responded: “With all the national turbulence, this council has been a port in a storm, and I have a record I’m incredibly proud of.
“This vote is a waste of all of our times. The Independents are going through the motion of personal attacks.
“It’s irrelevant, as the leadership of the council has already been decided.”
He pointed to investment in expanded special needs schools, lower-than-average council tax rises and investment in bus services as evidence of his leadership.
The Labour group dismissed the vote as “yet another publicity stunt” from the Independents, and abstained from the vote.
Leader Kate Foale said: “We’ve seen how replacing one Conservative with another in Westminster didn’t fix anything.”
It was defeated 34 votes to 13, with 13 abstentions.
Garden homes, often evoking images of quaint cottages nestled amidst blooming flora or modern structures seamlessly integrated into lush landscapes, embody a timeless charm that captivates the imagination.
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Contemporary homes encompass a wide spectrum of styles and functions, ranging from rustic cabins and elegant pavilions to innovative eco-friendly structures.
Whether serving as guest accommodations, home offices, artist studios, or simply tranquil retreats, these spaces are designed to enhance the outdoor experience while providing comfort and shelter.
Modern advances in architecture and sustainable design have further expanded the possibilities, allowing for energy-efficient materials, green roofs, and seamless integration with surrounding ecosystems.
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One of the defining characteristics of garden homes is their seamless integration with the landscape, blurring the boundaries between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Floor-to-ceiling windows, open-air verandas, and strategically placed skylights create a sense of continuity with the natural environment, allowing sunlight, fresh air, and panoramic views to permeate the interior.
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Price of Products
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Three men have been arrested on suspicion of drug dealing and possessing an offensive weapon after a car was stopped in Arnold and a weapon, drugs and cash were seized.
The force’s knife crime team were conducting a patrol around the town when they spotted a car that had previously been involved in drug activity and made the decision to pull it over.
When the vehicle came to a stop in Rolleston Drive, the team approached it and found three people inside, at around 4.45pm on Friday (10).
A search was then conducted of the car, which resulted in multiple deal bags of cocaine, cannabis, and quantities of cash being discovered.
Police stopped the vehicle on Rolleston Drive in Arnold (IMAGE: Google)Officers seized dugs, cash and a knuckleduster following a search of the suspects
The trio were all subsequently detained at the scene, at which point searches also recovered a knuckleduster from inside the vehicle.
Three men, aged 32, 28, and 21, were all arrested on suspicion of possessing with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs, and possessing an offensive weapon.
The 28-year-old suspect was also arrested for driving without the correct insurance.
Sergeant Matt Daley, of Nottinghamshire Police’s knife crime team, said: “These arrests provided a great example of why our team conducts the proactive patrols we do across Nottingham.
“By being out in the police cars and assessing the situation as it developed, we were able to spot a vehicle that intelligence suggested could have links to drug supply.
“Between us, our team were then able to bring the car to a stop, and ultimately retrieve quantities of drugs, as well as an offensive weapon from inside it.
“Our team focuses our activity towards taking weapons off the streets, and this includes knuckledusters, which are illegal to have in public, or indeed to even keep at home or in a private setting.
“From our experience, we know that those who tend to carry weapons often have links to the sale of drugs, which is precisely why we look to target those people intelligence suggests could be involved in this activity.
“Using this method, we were ultimately able to take an offensive weapon and drugs off our streets, while arresting three suspects too, so we were really pleased with this result.”
Lidl has announced it has revamped its loyalty scheme Lidl Plus Offers in a bid to make it easier for customers to save on their shopping.
The new offers will provide the discount grocer’s loyalty scheme members with weekly discounts on a range of products that, unlike the existing ‘Lidl Plus For You’ Coupons, don’t need to be activated.
The new discounts will automatically be applied at the checkout when customers scan their Lidl Plus app.
The discount grocer has revamped their loyalty scheme
The grocer has stores in Daybrook and Netherfield.
Lidl said that while these new offers will not be personalised, they will be available alongside the coupons which are personalised and give customers discounts on items tailored for them.
A Lidl spokesperson said: “This benefit, which is in addition to our personalised Lidl Plus for You Coupons, gives Lidl Plus users access to an amazing selection of savings that don’t need to be activated and will automatically be applied at the checkout when customers scan their Lidl Plus app.
“It also means that we’re able to provide even more personalised discounts through our Lidl Plus for You Coupons, giving customers a tailor-made way of getting the things they love at even lower prices.”
