Those lucky enough to have been in Burntstump last weekend witnessed a showcase that shows why Arnold’s Paviors are one of Nottinghamshire’s favourite rugby clubs.
A weekend of frantic action started with Paviors RFC First XV progress to the final of the Notts, Lincs and Derbys Cup, defeating Glossop in a tight semi-final at Burntstump on Saturday May 13.
Paviors reward for the brilliant win over Glossop is a Senior Final on Saturday May 27, against Dronfield, at Newark RFC.
PHOTO: N Kendrick
On Sunday afternoon Paviors Under 15 Boys overcame Southwell to win their County Cup, the NLD Plate at Lady Bay.
Meanwhile in Burntstump the large crowd, experienced not only a lovely Spring Day but got to enjoy some great entertainment and group activities for youngsters, followed by a tag rugby display from the Under 11 Squad.
Then there were two displays (pre-match and halftime) by the magnificent Dako Flying Angels Gymnastic Group, a group whose gymnastic prowess was admired and appreciated by all who witnessed it.
It was then in the ‘main event’ that the Presidents XV, otherwise know as the Carlton Le Willows Dragons, a team mostly made up of Old Boys of Carlton le Willows School put on a stunning display of aggressive rugby to comfortably beat the Paviors 3rd XV.
Pictured: The amazing Dako Flying Angels Gymnastic Group (PHOTOs: D Turner)
Club President, Neil Kendrick, was delighted by the outcome. Neil said ‘’It was great to see so many ex-le Willows students and a couple of guests, roll back the years. It made me me feel that all those cold winter night training sessions, and Saturday morning journeys all over the East Midlands, so long ago, were not in vain.
“The young player development system adopted by clubs such as Paviors and Mellish also needs singling out for praise, for although some players were playing their first game for 15 years, the ability of others who have played regular rugby, showed through on the day. The match was a great advert for junior rugby.’’
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.
Further information about the club including contact details can be found on http://www.paviorsrfc.co.uk/ .
A hearty breakfast always sets me up for the day and this week I decided to trade in my usual bowl of Shreddies and thought to myself it was a day for a Full English breakfast.
I decided to visit the Bread & Bitter which can be found housed in a former bakery and nestled away on Mapperley Top. The Bread & Bitter has been serving the local community as a Castle Rock pub since 2007.
It is clearly popular with tradespeople and locals who seemed like regulars.
There’s a large choice on the menu, including a wide range of breakfasts, snacks, main courses, sandwiches, pizzas as well as a kids menu.
Pictured: Full English at the Bread & Bitter (GEDLING EYE)
The menu also provides a range of options for vegetarian, vegan and gluten free diets and it was evident that a lot of thought regarding dietary requirements had gone into their menu.
I went with the meat version of the Full English that is priced at £8.95 and for under nine quid you get a pot of tea, toast, beans, two sausage, two bacon, hash brown, mushroom, tomato and an egg.
Condiments were provided in a basket containing salt, pepper, HP sauce, Heinz ketchup and butter.
Everything was lovely, the sausages were meaty, the bacon smoked, the hash brown crisp and the egg had a delicious runny yolk. The tea even came with one of those little biscuits in the red packet.
The Full English Breakfast (meat version) was lovely in terms of quality and price, and when combined with the superb customer service from the two welcoming ladies on duty I had already decided before I finished that it would not be too long before I came back again.
You can find the Bread & Bitter at 153-155 Woodthorpe Drive, Mapperley, Nottingham, NG3 5JL
Greene King’s decision to go cashless at a pub in Mapperley has left regulars angry.
The change at The Travellers Rest on Mapperley Plains is part of the company’s trial to drop cash payments as most customers pay via card.
But, many punters do not agree with this decision as they do not want to participate in a cashless society.
Ross Da’Bell, 65, of Arnold, was one of many customers disappointed with the change.
He said: “I was a regular and they didn’t tell me this had happened until I finished my meal there.
“I’m against this as I’m older generation and like paying cash, I know where I am, but more, they’ve taken away choice.”
He lives just five minutes from the pub and stated that he won’t be visiting anymore due to only being able to pay with card.
He has worked in licensed trade for 47 years and has seen other businesses make this move but revert back to both cash and cards within months.
Another customer added their view on a Facebook group post, they wrote: “Won’t be going again unless this changes.
“They will lose many customers.”
However, some supported this decision, as one local commented: “I’ll still go, otherwise another pub shuts and people will be laid off.”
A spokesperson for Greene King said: “We’re undertaking a trial in a small number of our pubs where around 90% of customer spend is made via card payment.
“This is a trial and we have not made a business decision to permanently go cashless in this small number of pubs, or any other of our pubs, at this stage.”
Other Chef & Brewer pubs taking part in the trial include Hutt in Ravenshead, the Ferry Inn in Wilford and the Wheatsheaf Inn in Burton Joyce.
The spokesperson added: “Customers are notified about our cashless payments during the online booking process.
“We also advise our teams to notify guests in person when visiting the pub.”
Cameras will be used in two locations in Gedling borough to clamp down on motorists breaching bus lane rules or parking and blocking bus stops.
Nottinghamshire County Council plans to increase its traffic enforcement across the county because of “significant contraventions” of road laws.
The council says this includes problems at bus lanes where surveys found more than one in five vehicles using the routes were not buses. Mansfield Road in Woodthorpe was one of the locations highlighted.
The northbound bus lane on Bridgford Road, in West Bridgford, and the eastbound bus lane on Bridge Street, Mansfield, will also be targeted.
The location will get a new automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera to monitor cars contravening the bus lane regulations so fines of up to £70 can be issued to motorists.
The authority says more surveys will check other bus lanes to see if there are further problem areas.
And any new bus lanes introduced across the county will also be installed with camera enforcement from the start to ensure they are used properly, the council says.
In a report, the authority said: “It is hoped that, with an increased number of enforced bus lanes, motorists will become more aware, and compliance will improve at all locations.
“As part of this scheme, the existing signage and lining will be reviewed at each of the identified bus priority sites to ensure motorists are fully aware of the rules and restrictions in place.
“It is also proposed that any new bus lanes will be introduced with camera enforcement from the outset and motorists will be given an appropriate notice period to get used to the new measure.”
Another “hotspot” bus stop in the borough will also be targeted by cameras to prevent motorists from blocking buses from using them.
A static ANPR camera will be used on Woodborough Road in Mapperley at bus stops that are “frequently blocked by other vehicles”.
Existing signs and lines will be reviewed to ensure drivers are aware of the rules, as well as camera enforcement.
If motorists are found breaching either the bus lane or bus stop rules, the council says fines start at £70 but are halved if paid within 14 days.
The changes were approved by Councillor Neil Clarke (Con), cabinet member for transport and environment, during a delegated decision on Monday (May 15).
Speaking after the decision was taken, Cllr Clarke told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We want to enforce bus lanes as there have been complaints of other road users using them.“We want to make sure buses get priority as that’s what bus lanes are for, so enforcing it is the right thing to do.”
The Woodlark Inn really puts the micro in microbrewery.
Just off of the main streets in Lambley, you can feel the village vibes all around.
It is the sort of place you look forward to seeing when turning the corner, as you know a great pint is ready and waiting for you.
It is genuinely surprising how much the team at the Woodlark manages to do in their small premises, serving an extensive food menu on the one side and a large, ever-changing selection of ales, beers and wines on the other.
But the pub faces the same challenges as the rest of the industry – rising fuel costs and customers with less money to spend.
And it means, for now, their brewing days have stopped.
“It has been pretty horrendous actually,” says Elaine Delaney, chef patron and landlady at the Woodlark.
“Number one we’ve not had much time to brew, and number two with all the energy hikes it has seriously compromised our potential for brewing. Crazy.”
“We’ve had to halt that completely.
“And we’ve seen some of the smaller breweries that we were dealing with fall by the wayside as well.
“But we do, at the same time, try and support the small Nottinghamshire breweries that we have been supporting, and the new guys as well.”
Elaine Delaney (left), chef patron and landlady at The Woodlark Inn, Lambley.
While they have not been able to sell their own beers, they do like to keep it local with their produce, both because they want to help businesses like their own and, more importantly, they know the locals love them.
But in the difficult times of rising costs and supply prices, they were left with a dilemma of taking the hit themselves, passing the cost to their customers, or doing a bit of both.
“We’ve done a mix of them all really,” she adds.
“It’s just you have to stay relevant, you have to stay affordable and you have to stay current.
“We’ve been in the trade for 25 to 30 years, and it’s the most challenging we’ve had.
“So the old guys in there right now (the bar) they come in every day and drink their Theakston’s, we try and keep that down for them, so they do come in every day.
The beer selection at The Woodlark Inn
“We’re a lifeline for some of these guys.
“But then we’re also fully booked for tonight (Friday 12), we’ve got a couple of birthday parties and an anniversary party. We just try and stay as relevant as we can.”
The Woodlark has a separate bar and restaurant area, which Elaine describes as being: “Same building, separate thing, same owners.”
The dining area is cosy and compact, with space for 40 covers, and a menu that reflects Elaine’s experiences across her years in the industry.
“I suppose the menu, because of our background, where we’ve been and travelled, you can expect British to Mediterranean, predominantly fish dishes.
“But we have a standard menu where you can get a great steak that is locally farmed.
“We specialise in fish that we get from all over the country, from Cornwall to Grimsby to Norfolk.
“We deal with a lot of independent fishing people.
“We’re massive supporters of the Cornish fishing industry because we saw the struggles with everything that went on, so we’ve got lots of good mates that are skippers and they FedEx their catch straight up to us.
“We do a very ‘shore to door’ policy of freshness, but we’re not formal at all. You get a nice plate of fish and chips served by smiley people.”
Elaine has had a varied career in the industry, starting out in Calverton followed by Scarborough, Cornwall and Portugal before coming back to the borough five years ago.
And despite having such a career, with many other financial crises striking during those times, Elaine thinks the current landscape presents the biggest challenge the industry has ever faced.
Independents are ceasing to trade, chains are becoming supreme, and covid showed those in the sector the sort of things they can do outside of it. Workers in the industry, particularly in the kitchen, are hard to come by.
Elaine said: “Pre-covid, you’d have put up an advert for a chef or a kitchen assistant and you’d have 40 people in a room waiting to apply.
“You do that now and you get four to apply if you’re lucky, two may come in for an interview, and you may get one genuine applicant for it.”
And on the bills front, Elaine says there are no signs the burdens will ease, and furthermore, energy companies are overstepping their mark and billing incorrectly.
“We’ve just had two of our bills in last week and there’s no indication of that (the prices) slowing down, even though we’re using less heating at this time of year,” she adds.
“We’re constantly on the phones to energy companies telling them they’ve got to get this right.
“For example, this week we got a bill in and they overestimated it by 700 units, and that equates to about £1k. You then spend three hours of your life on the phone to them to get it back down, but they still overestimate the next one.”
It is because of this Elaine suggests the future for microbreweries is not a pretty picture.
She believes the Woodlark’s survival is down to their diversification, with the food on one side and beers on the other, but if a new brewery was to try and strike out at this time, it would be destined for failure.
“If you have more than one string to your bow then yes you can.
“But I think striking out as a microbrewery on your own is a very difficult thing, purely because of the energy to make your beer.
“Then how much you can sell that cask for, as it’s a super, super competitive market out there? The future’s going to be quite hard.”
And yet, despite the obvious challenges facing the industry and the Woodlark themselves, Elaine and the team still ooze positivity and affection for their pub and what they do, and it seems whatever happens, that is one thing that will never change.
She says anything you eat there will be “cooked wit love and care and attention, and served with the same”.
Elaine adds: “We’ve done three recessions and a pandemic in our careers so far, and we’re still here and sort of smiling.”
The team at Woodlark are ready and raring to face whatever may be thrown in their direction, and they will battle it with the experience to boot.
Residents in Gedling borough have called for more measures to curb the increasing pavement cycling problem.
Riding a bike on the pavement is an offence under the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 and can result in an instant Fixed Penalty Notice fine of £30 or a fine of up to £500 upon prosecution.
But the small fraction of UK cyclists who are fined for this offence has raised concern among residents.
Carole Tracey, 77, said: “Now I see a lot of cyclists on the pavement, and I completely disagree with that.
“I know the roads are dangerous with many cars parking along, so they have to go on the pavement. But sometimes they don’t even consider that pedestrians are walking.”
As a parent, Susannah Jane prioritises her daughter’s safety above all else when they venture out together.
The 51-year-old mother said she felt safer letting her children ride on the sidewalk than on the roadway and called for a better network of bike paths.
She said: “I know many parents like me who don’t want their children to ride their bicycles on the street when it’s crowded, but equally, I understand why people are against cycling on the pavement because it’s a footpath for pedestrians.
“I know it’s illegal to cycle on the pavement, but I think that’s safer to some extent. I think we need either wider pavement or a better network on the road.”
For Connor Cuffe, of Carlton, the concern is personal as he was once hit by an e-scooter while walking on the pavement.
The 20-year-old blamed the mishandling of the matter on the police.
He said: “I don’t think the police pay much attention to it even though they could have done it better.
“When I got hit, the guy just looked at me, got back on his scooter, and drove off without saying a word.
“I also think roads should have more markings, such as Colwick Loop Road, to separate bikes or scooters from cars and pavement.”
According to the E-scooter trials: guidance for users, released by the Department for Transport in July 2020, users “must not use an e-scooter on the pavement.”
Under Section 72 of the Highway Act 1835 and the Highway Code, cyclists are prohibited from riding on the pavement.
Section 72 of the Highway Act 1835 forbids “willful riding” on footpaths, while the Highway Code states: “You must not cycle on a pavement.”
More than 500 local residents have called for a revamp of a local park which they say is needed to make it more suitable for current users.
A volunteer group has launched the petition around Arno Vale Park – or ‘Helicopter Park’ as it’s known locally to gather support for a possible refurbishment.
The Arno Vale Park can be found on Arno Vale Road, Woodthorpe.
Tom Andrews is one of a number of local people that are part of the ‘Friends of Arno Vale Recreation Ground – Helicopter Park’ group.
Pictured: The famous helicopter at Arno Vale Park (PHOTO: Tom Andrews)
The group say they are fighting for improvements for a park that holds a place in many adults’ hearts, many having played there themselves over the last thirty-plus years.
Tom said: “The equipment in the park is in a very poor state with paint peeling off, the play equipment being outdated, and especially the play area surface being all loose stone chippings that children regularly slip over on and graze themselves.”
Pictured: The gravel at Arno Vale Park (PHOTO: Tom Andrews)
Tom told us that as a result of the decaying park, like-minded people have now come together to look at establishing a ‘Friends’ group to bid for external funding in the hope that the council will contribute towards this.
Their aim is to completely redevelop the play area and the all-weather pitch, and then whatever else the remaining funding permits, including lighting and potentially a pathway from Arno Vale Road to the alley that leads onto Aylesham Avenue.
Tom said that “The local councillors, especially Ron McCrossen have been very supportive, and after liaising with a few of us last year, he arranged for around a hundred trees to be planted around the field, by the probation service.”
Tom was keen to stress that this is currently the establishment phase of the group and that it will be led by the community about changes they’d like to see – and will definitely seek to preserve the ‘helicopter’ theme of the park, as that’s what everyone knows and loves.
Pictured: An unamused Tom Andrew pointing out the state of the play equipment at Arno Vale Park (PHOTO: Tom Andrews)
The group are looking for volunteers to join the committee to help shape the future design of the area and help with funding bids etc. They can be contacted through their Facebook page HERE.
The group are currently gauging interest in the local desire to see the park renovated and asking those that would like to see improvements to sign their petition which has already achieved over 550 signatures.
Nottingham City Transport (NCT) has announced that fares will increase across the county later this month.
NCT said new bus fares will be introduced from Sunday, May 28 2023, as they ‘continue to face significant increases in its costs, which has resulted in an operational loss in the last financial year’.
The average bus fare will rise by 9.6%, which they said was below the current inflation rate of 10.1%.
David Astill, NCT’s Managing Director said, “We’ve all had to contend with the cost of living situation which is affecting businesses, just as much as it is households. The government has been very understanding and has provided financial support since the lockdown of 2020. But even with that support, Nottingham City Transport has made a loss and that clearly isn’t sustainable going forward”.
New prices for core tickets in the Nottingham City Zone, which apply to all payment methods, will be:
Outer Zone fares on South Notts 1, Pathfinder 26 and Sky Blue 46, 47 will increase by up to 40p on single tickets and 70p on Day Return tickets, although those fares which are above the government funded promotional £2.00 fare, do not take effect until 1st July 2023. Easyrider Purse fares will no longer be discounted and fares paid for using Easyrider Purse will be charged at the same price as on-bus cash and contactless fares.
There will be new Easyrider Everyday and Anyday prices (including on equivalent passes on the NCTX Buses app). Lowdham and Burton Joyce will move from the City Zone to the Outer Zone, with the boundary brought in line with other tickets on Pathfinder 26 at Linden Grove/Carlton-le-Willows Academy.
The well-known Arrow pub in Arnold stands proudly at the junction of Gedling Road and Arno Vale Road in Arnold.
A lot of readers will know that the Manager, Lydia Stafford and her amazing team have been raising money for a defibrillator on the outside of the Arrow pub.
After eight weeks of solid fundraising for the defibrillator unit, the team finally raised a massive £1500 to purchase the life-saving equipment, all thanks to London Hearts charity who provide the units and have provided over 24,000 defibrillators to 2800 community partnerships to date.
Pictured: The new defibrillator unit at The Arrow (PHOTO: Courtesy of Lydia Stafford)
Lydia said: “I was so excited when it finally arrived and even more so today when it was fitted to the wall and fully registered with east midlands ambulance service, I am so proud of my team for the fund-raising efforts and of cause our wonderful community as without them this wouldn’t have happened.”
Lydia told us that the team already know what their next fund-raising events will include – an abseil in Birmingham for the children’s hospital and hopefully a swim of 26 miles for Macmillan, which Lydia says will be like swimming the English channel.
It was quite appropriate that on a day when the defibrillator was fully installed that she also celebrated her 20th anniversary as an employee of Greene King.
Lydia’s team at The Arrow took to Facebook to congratulate her on her 20th anniversary working with Greene King saying “She makes coming to work not feel like work and always puts a smile on the faces of new and regular customers. Congratulations on this great milestone. Here is to many more years x”
Pictured: The Arrow pub (PHOTO: Courtesy of Lydia Stafford)
But the Arrow, Lydia and the team don’t stop there. They also raise money for Macmillian and a Children’s hospital in Sheffield.
Last year they raised £2,725.88 for Macmillian which involved five brave souls jumping out of a plane at 15,000 feet.
A further £500 was raised for a Children’s Hospital which involved Lydia and her Assistant Manager Heather doing a glow-in-the-dark 10-mile walk in the snow and as a team, they also did a PJ day in the pub.
Pictured: Team Arrow Sky Divers – Sue Ratcliffe, Lydia Stafford, Jess Shelton, Ophelia Hiebert and Kaylum Wildgust (PHOTO: Courtesy of Lydia Stafford)
Last but definitely not least every December the Arrow hosts the ‘Gedling Toy Run’, donated toys are collected at The Arrow for underprivileged children, and the Salvation Army collects and delivers them.
The Arrow serves a great range of pub food, weekly deals & offers and a great selection of drinks served in a friendly, local pub setting and next time you are in don’t forget to support their fundraising activities.
The Arrow can be contacted on Facebook HERE or via their website at https://www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/pubs/nottinghamshire/arrow/ .
