A popular pie shop in Carlton has urged its customers to pay their bills with cash after revealing the amount of fees it has to pay for the use of its card machine.
The notice revealed that the small business is paying £300 each month in fees for the use of its card machine.
Bank charges for card machines vary depending on a number of factors, but typically include a percentage per transaction for credit cards and a flat fee per transaction for debit cards.
PICTURED: The queue outside Project Pies on Carlton Hill when it opened back in February (PHOTO: Gedling Eye)
In the social media post, Project Pie encouraged its customers to pay with cash so the fees do not eat into its profits.
Danny Lione who runs the store, wrote: I’ve had an amazing eight months now and I can’t believe how much we produce and sell.
“I’ve had this amazing little pie shop for almost eight months now and I seriously cannot believe how much we produce and sell. And that’s simply down to you, the people.
“I understand paying by card is quick and easy BUT together we can help each other out.
I pay around £300 on my card machine each month and it’s a very cheap rate too, so all I ask is if you can pay by cash, I’ll give you a small discount. It might only be 50p or £1 a depending on your purchase but throughout the year we (the people) will benefit. It might not seem a lot but put those savings in a child’s piggy bank and it will grow slowly.”
The store on Carlton Hill replaced Big Mike’s Fat Kitchen Cheesecake Shop that closed at the end of December.
Council managers have faced questions over whether more could have been done to prevent ‘horrendous’ treatment of children at a special needs school near Ravenshead which was later forced to close by inspectors.
The Harlow Academy, which was rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted, was shut in August 2022.
It followed a number of “serious safeguarding matters” being found during a visit by the education watchdog, which said pupils were not being kept safe and were at risk of “immediate and imminent harm”.
At the time the school had 79 pupils, aged three to 18, with severe learning difficulties, physical disabilities and complex medical needs.
The school, which was run by the Evolve Trust, was closed down following the concerns. The building has since re-opened as Fountaindale School, under a different trust.
PICTURED: County Hall
The events were discussed by a committee at Nottinghamshire County Council on Monday (October 16), which led some members to ask council officers why more was not done before Ofsted intervened.
The council’s director of children’s services said neither they nor Ofsted had been able to specifically identify any child exposed to what would be considered serious harm.
A review into the situation by Dr Mark Peel has since been completed, which led to a report published in June.
The review concluded there is “considerable hurt and anger in the parent and carer community about what has happened”.
The report found during the autumn 2021 term, there were 20 incidents of concern reported about care at the school.
These were lodged by staff at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which oversees care for people with intellectual disability and mental health problems.
The concerns included inappropriate use of restraint, failure to provide equipment and poor management.
The review concluded Nottinghamshire County Council, the healthcare trust and Nottinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group did not put a process in place to address the safeguarding concerns.
The situation was discussed by county councillors at a children and young people’s committee on Monday (October 16).
One councillor questioned why a ‘serious incident notification’ was not raised with Ofsted before the closure.
A serious incident notification is raised when a child dies or is seriously harmed.
Another councillor said there was a “culture of bullying” within the school and said some children suffered from abuse.
Cllr Anne Callaghan (Lab) said: “The physiotherapists and the speech therapists, pulled out of Harlow Academy because of what was going on.
“The county council knew, so why wasn’t a serious incident notification raised?
“The report doesn’t reflect the seriousness of what took place at Harlow Academy to some of our most vulnerable youngsters.”
But Lawrence Jones, Service Director, Children and Families, said: “We could not identify a child who had been seriously harmed and Ofsted did not notify us of a child who had been seriously harmed.
“Arguably, children may have been harmed, the question is around the question of seriousness.
“We treated the issues regarding Harlow as if a serious incident notification had been made.”
Cllr Callaghan replied: “In over 30 years working for Nottinghamshire County Council, I never come across a school where Ofsted came and within five minutes closed that school down.
“There obviously were serious issues.”
Cllr Michelle Welsh (Lab) told the committee that she had met some parents from Harlow Academy.
She said one child was left in their wheelchair all day when they were supposed to be having physiotherapy – and has now been left with long-term complications.
She said: “What those kids went through was utterly horrendous.
“It went on for far too long. I’ve never known Ofsted to go in and virtually shut down a school straight away.
“How many complaints were made to the county council? Did we visit the school when we received a complaint?
“Are we reassured that in the future, if someone makes a safeguarding complaint that we as a local authority will do something?
“What are we doing now for some of those families and parents and children who suffered? I would say some of it was abuse.
“Surely alarm bells would start ringing when the NHS pulled their therapies from that school because of a culture of bullying.”
Colin Pettigrew, Corporate Director, Children and Families, said: “The chronology, who knew what when, and how parents and carers were supported is all subject to a report in the public domain that was published in June of this year.
“That report was shared with all the parents and carers.
“Harlow was being led by the Evolve trust which has been closed down.
“The schools that the Evolve trust were responsible for managing have all been transferred to alternative providers.”
Tracey Taylor, cabinet member for children and families, (Con) said: “Much as the Harlow example has been horrendous, the benefit that has come out of the report is that it has identified our problems that could exist anywhere else in the country.
“I take the recommendations from the independent report as a huge benefit.”
The borough’s dedicated police team have presented their priorities for making Gedling a safer place to live in over the next month.
Gedling’s Neighbourhood Police Team plan to focus on tackling anti-social behaviour as the nights draw in.
The police agree their priorities with Gedling Borough Council‘s Portfolio holder and they have agreed to focus on the following areas
• Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) in Front Street and parks in and around Arnold • Tackling anti-social behaviour in Netherfield • Tackling antisocial behaviour associated with car cruisers – Operation Triplefin
A police spokesman said: “It is very important for us to stress that we are confident we know who several of the perpetrators of ASB in the Arnold and Netherfield area are. As a result, we will be targeting these people, including working with their families to intervene and educate. This will give them an opportunity to reflect on their behaviour, how that is impacting on the local community and hopefully change.
Police also revealed last month’s priorities delivered some successful outcomes.
They focussed on addressing car cruising in the Netherfield area, under Op Triplefin. Colleagues from Gedling Borough Council have also complimented this work with the introduction of a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to the area.
In the last three months the team have achieved the following:
17 x Sec 59’s 10 x RFS/TORs issued for varying offences 7 Vehicles seized using Sec 165 powers 2 Vehicles seized using sec 59 powers 3 Arrest for Driving Unfit through drugs (namely cannabis) 1 Arrest for Drink Drive
They have also issued seven prosecutions for a breach of the PSPO.
Bed bug sightings are on the rise in the UK – but would you know what to do if you spotted them in your home?
With recent bed bug outbreaks across Paris, there are concerns we could soon see a similar outbreak here in the UK.
Because of this, experts at Bed Kingdom have provided seven signs to look out for and some tips to remove bed bugs from your bedroom.
Unusual smell
One of the early signs of bed bugs is a strange, musty scent lingering in your bedroom, despite there being no clear cause of it being there, such as a dirty pile of clothes. When bed bugs feel threatened, they emit what is called alarm pheromones which have a faint smell of raspberries, cilantro, or almonds – and in severe bed bug cases, this smell we be mixed with the odour of dead bugs and shed cell casings which creates a rusty scent.
Bites
If you wake up with red, itchy bites, this could be a sign of bed bugs as they typically feed on blood during the night. Usually, bites will appear on arms, hands, and legs and will be in small clusters of a few bites, but they can also show up in single bites. These bites are not usually dangerous, but some people can be allergic – so if you experience extreme itchiness, swelling, blisters, or a fever it’s crucial to seek help from a medical professional.
Blood stains
Once a bed bug is finished feeding itself, the blood can leak out if you squash them during your sleep by sudden movements like rolling over. If you notice any small splotches of blood on your bed sheets or clothing, check for anything on your body first that could be the cause, like a scab. If there’s no visible cause of the blood, it’s likely that these stains occurred from bedbugs.
Dark, brown marks
Dark marks from bed bug droppings about the size of a pen tip can appear on mattresses, sheets, headboards, and even your walls, and they’re a lot smaller than blood stains. They will also give off a faint, rusty smell that contributes to the unusual odour altogether.
Eggs
Bed bug eggs can be hard to spot, as they are only around 1mm long – but they can be found by paying attention to anything that looks like small rice grains in your bed. They can be loosely stuck to different types of surfaces, typically the mattress seams and joints or behind the headboard.
Shell casings
Often easier to spot than the bed bugs themselves, shell casings are an early sign of infestation. Bed bugs shed several times during different lifecycle stages, meaning that their shell casings can come in different sizes – but you can spot them by their yellow, translucent appearance in the seams, folds, and crevices of mattresses, or even other areas such as cracks in walls and furniture.
Live bed bugs
It can be quite a challenge to spot a live bed bug, as they normally look for a hiding place, however with a severe infestation you are more likely to notice them. Adult bed bugs are approximately 4-5mm long, with bed bug nymphs starting at just 1mm. Their hiding spots can be various places from your bed and the area next to it to furniture and your walls.
How to remove them from your bedroom
It can be difficult to completely get rid of bedbugs, especially with a severe infestation, so it’s advised to contact the council or a pest control service to ensure they’re no longer taking over your bedroom. However, there are some steps you can take yourself to put your mind at ease.
First of all, try to identify all of the areas where the bed bugs could be hiding by using a flashlight and a magnifying glass. This includes your entire bed, cushions, cracks in walls and furniture, loose wallpaper, the seam between wallpaper and the ceiling, and underneath decorations on your wall.
Wash all of your affected bedding on clothing on a hot wash, as well as using the tumble dryer on a hot setting for a minimum of half an hour. For anything that can’t be washed, place them in plastic bags and leave in the freezer for 3-4 days.
Using an insecticide is not recommended as some of them can contain harmful chemicals that can be dangerous when used indoors, but you can opt for a bed bug spray to use before vacuuming which is typically safe for mattresses and furniture.
Clear out any rubbish from your bedroom and put it in the bin, such as magazines, and make space ready to vacuum. Use a vacuum on the entire floor, making sure to get all of the corners – you can use the small wand to get into other areas of the bedroom, such as furniture and cracks in the wall.
A spokesperson from Bed Kingdom told Gedling Eye: “Since the bed bug crisis began in Paris, people across the globe are anxious that these insects will soon take over their home. While getting cosy in bed on an evening is something that many people look forward to at the end of the day, this time to unwind may now be ruined for many due the fear of bed bugs living in your bedroom.
“Knowing the signs of bed bugs is now more important then ever so that you can get back to relaxing quickly and avoid a more complicated process of removing them.”
When your wedding anniversary is approaching then you are probably planning ways to celebrate. Perhaps a romantic weekend away or a nice meal out with the family? Well not for this Newstead bride.
Erika Astill (24), Newstead wanted to re-create her special day at her families special place but with a twist. The newlyweds were not asking for gifts or cards they simply requested the company of friends, family and the local community to join them at their wedding reception venue, The Pit at Newstead, and dig deep into their pockets for a cause that is close to Erika’s heart, Cancer Research. And to say Erika did the charity and her community proud is an understatement!
Over 100 people accepted the open invite to the event which was held last month (September) and it continues to keep raising funds with the current total exceeding a whopping £1200.
On the day the couple recreated a little slice of their wedding reception with live music from local artist Chris Fox who generously donated his time and food from Zenzerros Wood Fired Pizza. The creator of their wedding cake also provided stunning cupcakes to sell and friends and family donated raffle prizes.
However, all eyes were still firmly on the bride at this event when Erika not only ‘braved the shave’ but also gave others the opportunity to have go at shaving her head, in exchange for a donation of course!
Erika Astill said “It couldn’t have gone better and I couldn’t be more thankful. A day surrounded by my family, friends and my inspiration Rosie. I never dreamt we would raise such a huge amount.”
PHOTOS: Courtesy of The Pit @ Newstead
The shaving was started by Rosie, Erika’s work colleague who was the inspiration behind the chosen charity and husband Calum even took the opportunity to have a go at shaving his gorgeous bride.
The event also included a mind blowing raffle prize of a tandem paraglide that was also up for grabs and local resident Josh Booth did a jubilant celebratory lap of the field when he was announced of the winner.
The Pit @ Newstead Landlady Lorraine Horrocks said “Today has been a shining example of the superb community we have in Newstead. Despite many residents not being overly affluent they have still contributed by means of time, support, attendance as well as financially. It’s been a fun and worthy day for the whole community”
These are the roadworks and closures you need to know about…
Burlington Road, Carlton 23 October – 27 October Road closure for repairs along full length of road. Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Burton Road, Gedling 18 October – 21 October Responsibility for works: Severn Trent Water
Burton Road, Gedling 21 October – 29 October Delays likely due to road closure to create new Access to Carlton le Willows Academy plus Zebra Crossing between Beaumaris Drive and Linden Grove. Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Calverton Road, Arnold 23 October Responsibility for works: Hutchison 3G Ltd
Meadow Road, Netherfield 23 October – 05 November Delays likely due to road closure Responsibility for works: Cadent
Old Rufford Road, Calverton 19 October – 25 October Responsibility for works: Virgin Media
Redland Avenue, Carlton 17 October – 18 October Delays likely due to road closure for pothole repairs from junction of Redland Grove to junction of Park Avenue Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Victoria Road, Netherfield 23 October – 05 November Delays likely due to road closure so that Cadent can carry out essential gas maintenance in the road to replace old iron gas mains with more durable plastic pipes. Responsibility for works: Cadent
Wighay Road, Linby 24 October. Delays likely due to road closure for pothole repairs Responsibility for works: Nottinghamshire County Council
Bank Hill, Woodborough 18 October – 20 October Responsibility for works: Severn Trent Water
Burntstump Hill, Calverton 19 October – 25 October Responsibility for works: Virgin Media
Burntstump Hill, Papplewick 19 October – 25 October Responsibility for works: Virgin Media
Carlton Hill, Carlton 23 October – 25 October Responsibility for works: Cadent
This weekend Arnold‘s Pavs travelled over to Melbourne RFC in round 6 of the Midlands 2 North rugby competition for the first 1st XV fixture between the two clubs. Pavs were able to welcome back Will Taylor and Doug Billam from injury in a pacey looking backline.
From the kick off, it was Melbourne who took the early initiative with some strong forward plays. Accordingly, they scored their first try on three minutes, followed by a second on thirteen minutes to go 14-0 up.
During this early period, Pavs had been playing some expansive rugby, but seemingly got punished every time there was error. On nineteen minutes, Pavs finally crossed the line when the Billam brothers combined and a skilful behind the back pass from George was snaffled by Doug who then sprinted in to score.
George then added the extras the narrow Melbourne’s lead to 14-7. Not to be outdone, Melbourne again powered back after a strong period of Pavs play to again extend their lead to 19-7 at half time.
Immediately after the break, the expansive style that Pavs always try to play with was well rewarded when hooker Owen Taylor finished off a fine movement and with the Billam extras again bring Melbourne within range at 19-14.
The home side added a penalty to go 22-14 up on forty nine minutes. From this point on, Pavs seemed to grow in confidence, with the multi phase play they had been trying to establish in the first half now being executed with no little style and skill. On fifty three minutes, a slick wide passing move saw Will Taylor sprint in to touch down and with another Billam conversion narrow Melbourne’s lead to 22-21.
Pavs confidence then built further, with scrum half Ben Taylor taking the ball from the back of a well executed driving maul to score and put Pavs in front in seventy minutes at 26-22. The last ten minutes was a harum scarum affair with both sides competing strongly in all areas.
Moving into the last three minutes, Melbourne camped on Pavs line. Aaron Langan and Matt Molyneux were invited to take a ten minute rest, leaving Pavs with just thirteen players to defend the lead.
A huge defensive effort saw Pavs turn the ball over on their own line before being awarded a penalty which George Billam put in to touch with still a minute left on the clock. Both sides went at it hammer and tong, before Ben Taylor punted the ball into touch to secure a hard fought for victory.
A highly entertaining game, thoroughly enjoyed by the gathered throngs and also one that should give Pavs the confidence boost they need. They scored 19 points to 3 in the second half and had to defend for their lives away from home – no better way to prepare for next week’s home fixture against Sutton Coldfield RFC where Pavs will look to take their building form up another level.
Squad – Steve Allen, Owen Taylor (1 try), Jake Baldry, Aaron Langan, Theo Collier,Josh Flanagan, Josh Alton-Smith, Phil Eggleshaw, Ben Taylor (1 try), George Billam (3 conv), Will Taylor (1 try), Morgan Jones, Doug Billam (1 try), Alex Rimmington, Matt Molyneux.
Rep – Tom Gladwin (70 mins), Harry Kerr, Harry Pritchard.
Forward of the Match – The Pack !!
Back of The Match – The Backline!!
Paviors Rugby Club play at Burntstump Hill, Arnold, NG5 8PQ and the club runs over twenty teams.
New players are always welcome – girls, boys, men & women, there is a team for all.
Police are introducing new measures to prevent shoplifters from selling on their stolen wares to Gedling borough pubs and their customers.
Nottinghamshire Police has launched Operation Motivation in the hope that these new measures will prevent shoplifters from making money through their crimes.
Cops say shoplifters will often attempt to sell on their stolen goods such as alcohol, tobacco, meat and beauty products to customers at local pubs to fund addictions and other complex needs.
They will also attempt to sell on high-value items to some pubs or an off-licence at a discounted price.
Officers are now working with hundreds of licenced premises across the county – including Gedling borough.
They will be encouraging licenced premises to report any shoplifter who comes into their business and attempts to sell items to customers or staff.
Licensees who turn a blind eye to this behaviour will find themselves in trouble, from a written warning to having their licence revoked.
Inspector Oliver Vale, who is leading the operation, said: “A lot of shoplifters will steal from local stores and then attempt to sell them quite close to where the crime took place.
“We are aware of shoplifters that will enter pubs and try and sell to customers. We are also aware of shoplifters that will try and sell to venues.
“We want licenced premises to feel empowered and to report this activity and know that we will act.
“Shoplifting is not only a massive blight on businesses but also the community as a whole.
“Businesses have closed due to repeated bouts of shoplifting and then communities lose vital businesses on their doorsteps as a result.
“It also funds other criminality, lining the pockets of organised criminal groups who peddle dangerous drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine on the streets of Nottingham.
“We want to educate and inform. However, for those businesses that actively allow shoplifters to sell on their stolen items within their premises then we will take enforcement action.”
Posters warning of the dangers of buying from shoplifters will be displayed in premises in the borough over the coming months.
Staff guidance packs are also being delivered on what to do if they come across this activity.
Inspector Vale added: “Retailers have been calling for policing to look not only at the root cause of offending but also where these stolen items are disposed of.
“It is clear that thieves will tend to select things that are easy to sell.
“Licenced premises such as pubs have at times been used as a marketplace to sell items quickly and in close proximity to the area from which they were stolen.
“There is also a market for some licenced premises to purchase items such as alcohol and tobacco to re-sell at a massive profit.
“These premises are in the minority and we are lucky in Nottinghamshire to have such a high proportion of professional licensed premises.
“The scope of the campaign is to educate licenced premises on the impact, gather support to prevent premises being used as marketplaces, and to dissuade from purchasing stolen products for re-sale.”
A business that knowingly allows stolen good to be sold by another within their premises will be issued with a written warning.
If there are previous breaches of licence conditions this will be raised to a final written warning or review as appropriate, which could see their business closed.
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A business which purchases stolen goods shall have their licence reviewed, which could see their business closed, and shall have criminal proceedings taken against them for handling stolen goods.
Calverton Parish Council has announced plans for an open day to introduce three new community units created as part of an extension to the village hall.
The event is due to take place on Saturday, October 21 from 10.00am to 3.00pm and provides an opportunity for residents and businesses to get a first glimpse of the new units.
Calverton Parish Councillor Andy Meads said: “This occasion offers a perfect opportunity for members of the public, community organisations, and prospective hirers to explore this valuable addition to the village’s facilities.
“Each unit has been designed to be self-contained, including amenities such as air conditioning, ample storage space, and kitchenette. The versatile space is available for booking during regular morning, afternoon and evening slots, providing a flexible solution to cater to a variety of community needs.
“One of the units is envisaged to potentially serve as a community cafe, offering an additional amenity for visitors to William Lee Park and other Village Hall users.”
Pictured: Updates on the progress of the new community units (Facebook)
Calverton Parish Council has been keeping the community regularly updated on the progress of the new builds with regular photos of the construction progress.
During the latest works, 44 and 44A buses will be diverted and not serve the town they will divert via Burton Road, Colwick Loop Road and Private Road No. 1 in both directions.
A spokesman for NCT said: “Stops sited on Manor Road, Station Road, Victoria Road, Meadow Road and Chaworth Road cannot be served.”
Residents took to social media to voice their disapproval at the delays
Angie Mar wrote: “It’s the businesses I really feel sorry for as times are tough enough, people from outside Netherfield will start going elsewhere.”
Molly Reilly posted: “I swear Netherfield is just a constant building site.”
