The new landlord of one of Carlton‘s most well-loved pubs has big plans ahead for its future – with a focus on food and live sports.
Local lad Jamie Huckerby will become the new landlord of Inn for A Penny on Friday (6).
He takes over from previous landlady Sophie Shepherd, who took on the Burton Road boozer back in 2020.
PICTURED: The popular pub on Burton Road
Jamie has been working at Carlton Town FC for the last eight years, running the bar, catering operation and also managing the facilities.
The Green King pub is currently managed by Venture Inns, who will step back from running the pub in April – and Jamie hopes to take the lease over from Green King at that stage.
The brewery are have plans to refurbish the pub and kitchen facilities as well as the living quarters in April.
Jamie, a passionate Nottingham Forest fan, says he will keep the well-liked weekend entertainment discos, karaoke and quiz nights running and told Gedling Eye that he will also focus on showing live sports.
Food will also be on the menu at the Penny in the near future, he says.
He also said that existing contracted staff jobs at the pub ‘are safe’.
Mr Huckerby said: “I feel the time is right for me to move into pub management and I’m looking forward to seeing all the locals and new customers in the Penny from Friday supporting their ‘local pub’.
It’s bad news for those taking part in Dry January!
Wetherspoons pubs across Gedling borough are now serving up cut-price drinks in a New Year price drop that runs until January 17.
A number of popular drinks, including Carlsberg, Bud Light, Guinness and Stowford Press Dark Berry Cider, are set to cost punters less at all 560 of the chain’s outlets in England and Wales, bar those within airports.
A pint of Ruddies Beer will be available for 99p and the cost of spirits is also being reduced, including whiskey, gin, rum and vodka. The price drop is not just on alcoholic beverages with coffee and soft drinks down to 99p in almost all of its 810 pubs UK-wide.
Tim Martin, Wetherspoon founder and chairman, explained: “Department stores and shops hold their sales in January, so it is the perfect time to have a sale in the pub too.
PICTURED: Wetherspoons chairman Tim Martin
“The range of drinks and food on sale in the pub is aimed at suiting a wide variety of tastes. This year we have included our biggest selection of low and non-alcoholic drinks.”
The popular chain has three pubs in Gedling borough.
A goal from the penalty spot by goalkeeper Mikey Emery in the eighth minute of stoppage time saw Carlton Town earn a 1-1 draw at Long Eaton Utd in a dramatic game at Grange Park.
The goal sparked wild scenes of jubilation from the 60 or so Millers fans packed behind the goal and was no more than Carlton deserved – but a last gasp goal from a goalkeeper was in keeping with events on a chaotic afternoon in Derbyshire.
Both sides finished with 10 men after an early bout of fisticuffs between Jamie McGuire and Nat Watson and the referee dished out another 10 yellow cards, including at least one that ought to have been a red when ex-Miller Riece Betram took out Niall Davie with a brutal challenge that left the Carlton wide-man with a double fracture to his left leg.
Carlton also hit the woodwork and had a goal disallowed while Long Eaton passed up a number of opportunities to seal the game in the second half before Emery’s dramatic late intervention. No one in the impressive crowd of 469 could complain about lack of entertainment, even if the quality of the play and particularly the officiating at times fell below standard.
Mark Harvey and Tommy Brookbanks made two changes to the team which had been beaten by Worksop last time out. Dean Freeman, recalled from a loan spell at Sherwood Colliery, and Kyle Tomlin replaced Kyle Dixon and Alex Howes.
Long Eaton began with ex-Carlton players Bertram, Ben Hutchinson and Jamie Walker with two further former Millers on the bench in Danny Gordon (the ex-Ilkeston player of that name) and Kieran Walker.
Carlton started well and Tomlin had an early effort which drew a decent save from Loui Turner in the home goal before the game’s first controversy on 10 minutes. A challenge between Watson and McGuire saw the two of them tangle on the floor. Hutchinson then joined in, running in and shoving Watson before the usual handbags resulted with multiple players from each team involved.
The referee consulted the linesman before showing Watson a red card. He then consulted the linesman again before McGuire, who had provoked Aaron Opoku into a red card in the reverse fixture, also saw red himself. Given the early stage of the game, a pair of yellow cards and a stern warning about future conduct may have resulted in a better afternoon for the officials. As it was, the two were sent off, Hutchinson received a yellow card for his involvement and the game recommenced. The die was cast for the spate of bookings that were to follow.
Tom Cursons had Long Eaton’s first effort but his run and shot saw Emery save routinely.
PICTURED: Carlton Town manager Tommy Brookbanks (PHOTO: Twitter)
Carlton should have opened the scoring on 19 minutes. The influential Tomlin dashed down the right hand side before crossing to Brad Wells. The striker took an extra touch with the result that his first shot was blocked. A second effort suffered the same fate and when the ball ended up back with Tomlin, he fed Wells again whose third effort went just wide of the post.
Minutes later Carlton passed up another great opportunity to score. A superb ball from Niall Hylton sent Davie away on the left. He outpaced Tyreece Robinson and had Khyle Sargent in the penalty area completely unmarked. However Davie too hesitated and when his cross was delivered it took a deflection off the retreating Robinson which sent the ball towards the goal, only for Turner to claw it away from under the crossbar and out for a corner.
Long Eaton counter-attacked quickly from the corner and Cursons found himself clean through, only to shoot straight at Emery. Shortly afterwards Walker did the same from a similar position.
Up to this stage the game had been keenly fought but, the McGuire/Watson nonsense aside, fought fairly within the spirit of the game. It was clear that Carlton were winning the midfield battle and Davie was having an influential effect on the game.
That changed on 36 minutes when Bertram went in late and high on Davie midway in the Long Eaton half as the Carlton man launched another attack. It was a dreadful challenge and plainly deserved a red card, all the more so given the number of petty yellow cards subsequently handed out in the game. As it was the former Carlton Town supporters player of the year only received a yellow card and Davie, after lengthy treatment on the pitch, was stretchered off, taken to hospital and found to have broken his left tibia and fibula.
The injury seemed to knock the stuffing out of Carlton and the delay meant that there were eight minutes of first half added time. Long Eaton pushed forward and send over a series of dangerous crosses. One of those, from Cursons, was headed clear but with the half almost concluded, the home side took the lead. A long throw into the area wasn’t cleared and Walker fired home through a crowd of players into the corner of the net.
The home side had been largely ineffective in the first half, in part due to fine defensive work from Dan Brown and Freeman negating the threat down the middle, but they started the second half well and when Hutchinson picked up a poor Emery clearance and fed Cursons, the goalkeeper made up for his error with an excellent save.
Minutes later Carlton were desperately close to equalising when Brad Wells beat Turner with a 20-yard free kick, only to see the ball crash against the post.
Goals: Emery 90+8; Jamie Walker 45+8
Tomlin then slipped the ball to Kyle Dixon who cross was headed goalwards by Hylton only to be saved by Turner.
Long Eaton then won possession deep in their own half and countered at great speed. A lovely crossfield pass from substitute Gordon found Cursons clean through on the left but in a one-on-one with Emery it was the Carlton goalkeeper who came out on top, making a fine save down to his right.
Carlton continued to press forward and a Lewis Durow throw was won by Lawrence Gorman who did well to divert the ball into the middle of the six yard box where it was begging to be forced home but no-one was on hand to apply the finishing touch.
Long Eaton then attacked from a Carlton corner and only more good work from Brown averted the danger.
The Millers made their final change with 14 minutes remaining when Alex Howes replaced Sargent and soon afterwards they had the ball in the net when Hylton chased a through ball and knocked it into the net after Turner dropped it, only for the referee to award a free kick in the goalkeeper’s favour.
As the 90 minutes approached Howes played a short corner to Dixon who in turn fed Durow who fired high over the bar.
Carlton continued to press as the game entered another eight minute period of added time, but for all their pressure they had made Turner do comparatively little in the home goal. With the match in the final minute of added time Hylton twice won the ball on the left when he really should have been dispossessed by the home side. Instead, having advanced to the edge of the box, he played a deep cross to the back post. Howes came in and controlled the ball and was tripped by Sam Parker as he looked to cross the ball. The referee took a couple of seconds to see how the attack developed before awarding the penalty to the delight of the travelling fans behind the goal.
Their delight was tempered by knowledge of Carlton’s poor record from the spot in the post-Tom Maddison era. It was noticeable in the FA Trophy penalty shoot out defeat at Lincoln Utd earlier this season that the best penalty was taken by goalkeeper Emery and it was he who trotted forward to take this one. He made no mistake, sending Turner the wrong way and sparking ecstatic scenes in the visiting support.
There was still time for another Carlton free kick into the area but Turner cleared well and a breathless match finished all square.
Carlton Town: M Emery, L Gorman, N Hylton, D Freeman, D Brown, J Holmes (L Durow 58), N Davie (K Dixon 42), K Sargent (A Howes 73), B Wells, N Watson, K Tomlin. Unused substitutes: R Stainsby, A O’Connor
Many of our regular readers will know Bob Massey, a well-respected and published local historian that brings history to life with his regular talks around the borough.
What you may not know is that Bob has been working with computers since the 1980s and is a qualified further education tutor in the subject. In fact before he retired Bob taught computer subjects as well as history at colleges and with the WEA (Workers’ Educational Association).
As well as the standard computer classes three of Bob’s classes for the WEA were in computer maintenance. When Bob retired and no one took over his classes at the WEA several of the students wanted to continue so Bob started a computer club with these students, some of which are still members while others have joined over the years.
The club has been running for a number of years and the aim of the group is for students to look at computer problems they have and fix them, such as slow running machines, upgrades, downloads, different software, etc.
Students often bring in machines which they have acquired or bring their own to work on, but there are also machines owned by the group.
Bob said: “Anyone with problems with their computer or just to want to learn more is welcome, just pop in and see what we are doing.
“Some people come for a while and others stay for a long time, they often get hooked.”
The group is a club and not for profit and charges just enough to pay for the hire of the community centre.
The club works over ten / twelve week blocks to fit into term times as some students have children or grandchildren to look after in the holidays.
The club restarts on January 17 at Eagles Nest Community Centre, Arnold. £3.50 per person. The club runs from 10.00am to 12.30pm and no experience is needed.
Residents in Gedling borough are being urged to have their say on the Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan.
The plan will help shape future planning across the county – including Gedling borough.
Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe Borough Councils along with Nottingham City Council have created a joint Strategic Plan, which sets out the policies which will help guide future development across their combined areas.
The plan will look at how Greater Nottingham’s longer-term development needs can be met up to 2038 supported by more detailed policies which will be developed in each Council’s own individual Local Plan. The Councils have written a ‘Preferred Approach’ document which will form the basis of the Strategic Plan.
The plan was published today (3) for consultation, to seek views on the proposed strategy and vision, the approach to housing and employment provision and the proposed strategic sites.
Once approved, the document, along with other planning policies, can be used for guidance by developers and planners as part of the planning process.
Consultation responses to the Preferred Approach document will feed into a full draft of the Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan, which the councils say will aim to:
Have the right number and types of new homes, which are built in the right places and meet the needs of our local population and diverse communities
Protect, enhance and increase the area’s natural resources, blue and green infrastructure, landscapes, heritage and biodiversity
Ensure new developments address the causes and effects of climate change, assisting each council’s ambition to become carbon neutral;
Create vibrant and viable city and town centres, which are sustainable and are places where people want to live and work;
Provide the right conditions for economic development which generates new jobs and economic growth, and to enable strong, safe and healthier communities.
Approval of the Strategic Plan is a matter for each Council and the Preferred Approach document has been considered by each Council’s Cabinet, endorsing the consultation to commence on 3rd January 2023 for six weeks.
Councillor Milan Radulovic, Chair of the Greater Nottingham Joint Planning Advisory Board, said: “The Greater Nottingham Strategic Plan will help us plan for a better future, recover quicker from the Covid 19 crisis, and contribute to progress on making Greater Nottingham a great place to live and work, to visit or do business in. The consultation on the Preferred Approach is an important part of this process.
“We welcome views from residents, organisations and businesses, and encourage anyone who would like to help shape how we plan for our future development to have their say on the plans which are available to view online.”
Once the consultation has closed, comments will be considered and a summary of responses made available along with the Councils’ response. A draft Strategic Plan will be published next year when there will be a further opportunity to comment.
A care home in Stoke Bardolph passed its first official inspection with flying colours.
Rivendell View care home received a CQC (Care Quality Commission) rating of ‘GOOD’ in their first inspection since opening in 2021.
It was rated ‘GOOD’ in all five areas on inspection, which are designed to ensure that care homes are safe, caring, effective, responsive, and well-led.
During the visit, CQC inspectors observed the residents’ experience in the home. They spoke to several residents, their families, and staff members, seeking feedback on the service the care home offers.
Staff and residents at Rivendell View Care Home in Stoke Bardolph
In the resulting report from the CQC, Rivendell View was found to have a ‘strong person-centred culture’, and staff were commended for supporting residents to express their views and make decisions around their care and lifestyle.
Inspectors found that Rivendell View’s values ‘ensured people were at the heart of the service’, and that staff were motivated to deliver ‘high-quality care’.
Upon speaking to the care team at Rivendell View, the CQC inspector found the staff to be knowledgeable, skilled and experienced, saying ‘management and staff were motivated to put people at the heart of the service.’
Thrilled with the outcome of the inspection, home manager, Lisa Tungate, said: “I am incredibly proud of my team, and thankful for their hard work and dedication. We have some amazing people living with us, and we feel honoured every day to spend time with our residents.
“Thank you to all the staff, residents, families and community members who have supported Rivendell View since we opened. It’s been great to see the wider Rivendell community growing over the last few months and we are enjoying building relationships with the new school and local businesses. Here’s to a very positive future for us all!
Rivendell View is a purpose-built, luxury residential and dementia care home operated by Ideal Carehomes.
Gedling Borough Council is once again offering residents across the borough the opportunity to dispose of large waste items for free, for a limited period in January and February.
The council usually charges for bulky waste collections (except for pensioners, who can arrange a free bulky waste collection throughout the year), however, free collections for anyone living in Gedling borough, are available from Monday, January 9 to Friday, February 10, 2023.
The council has said it will take away up to three large items from outside residents’ homes for no cost, when a free bulky waste collection is booked.
Residents will need to book a collection online at www.gedling.gov.uk/bulkywaste or call the council on 0115 901 3901. The number of collections per day are limited and it is first come, first served and subject to availability.
Portfolio Holder for Environment, Councillor Ron McCrossen said: “The free bulky waste collections are always extremely popular and we are pleased to be able to offer this service to people across Gedling Borough again this year.
January is a good time to have a clear out and we hope that the free collections help people to get rid of things that are too big for their bins. Items that can be collected include TVs, carpets, artificial Christmas trees and mattresses.”
Thousands of fish found new homes over Christmas thanks to the work taking place at the Environment Agency’s fish farm in Calverton.
In Leicestershire, 3700 fish – including 1500 chub, 700 dace, 1000 roach and 500 bream – reared at the Calverton farm – were released in the River Sence and River Soar as part of the annual programme.
Every year, Calverton Fish Farm breeds coarse fish for release into rivers and still waters across England to help boost fish populations, and the restocking in Leicestershire will provide a welcome boost to the angler experience in the area.
PICTURED: An EA worker at Calverton Fish Farm
Responsible fishing provides a good opportunity to connect with nature and feel the range of benefits doing so can bring. However, it is important to remember that a valid rod fishing licence is required, and anglers must adhere to fishing byelaws and fishery rules.
Jake Dorey, Fisheries Technical Officer for the Environment Agency, said: “While there is a healthy amount of fish in Leicestershire’s waterways, occasionally a helping hand is needed to restore the natural balance following a pollution incident or decline, or to create new fisheries and opportunities for anglers.
“The work of our National Fish Farm is funded by income from licence fees, so in the lead up to Christmas it’s great to see the fish farm continuing to produce strong and healthy fish needed for restocking and recovery.
“The restocking is part of an annual programme funded by income from rod licence sales. Restocking occurs in winter because water temperatures are low and this minimises any stress on the fish, giving them the best possible survival rates.
“Christmas is a good time to introduce the fish into rivers, as it enables them to acclimatise to their new surroundings, ahead of their spawning season in the spring. Fish also play a critical role in sustaining a river’s finely-balanced eco-system, so the wider natural environment will also get a festive boost.
You need a rod fishing licence to fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel with a rod and line in England. Get yours from https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences.
Police are encouraging people in Gedling borough to form community speed watch teams to prompt motorists to slow down.
Nottinghamshire Police have a launched a brand-new Community Speed Watch scheme to help tackle the problem of speeding across the county.
One community in Notts said they are already reaping the benefits since signing up to the scheme – with 12 volunteers tackling hotspot areas in the village.
Now police are calling for more areas to sign up to take part, with training provided.
Community Speed Watch is where volunteers can monitor and record the speed of vehicles travelling through their community.
Hayley Holt is the co-ordinator for the Awsworth Community Speed Watch scheme, which was launched this Autumn.
She said: “We are at three different locations in the village at different times of the day. We wanted to be involved because we were worried that someone will get seriously injured.
“We have had a number of cars veer off the road into walls and into the front of people’s gardens – and it is not like this has happened once. It happens a few times a year. This is the first step towards sorting this problem out.
“It is quite worrying the amount of people we do catch speeding, but we hope that people now know we are about.
“I would definitely encourage people to sign up. It is run by volunteers and it is a real community scheme to make the area safer.”
Chief Inspector Chris Pearson, in charge of City Neighbourhood Policing, said: “Speeding is a major concern for lots of communities across our city and county.
“Speed limits are there for a reason and deciding to go over them has the potential to really hurt someone or even cause a fatality.
“This relaunched scheme will act on results sent through by the Speed Watch teams.
“Once a driver is clocked by the teams it will be recorded and a letter sent. If that driver is caught elsewhere in the city and county speeding, then we will know this is continuous behaviour and will be considering paying them a visit.
“We want this relaunched scheme to have teeth. Yes, it is about prevention, and we know having Speed Watch in areas does make drivers think twice about speeding.
“However, we also need to enforce when drivers are showing the same patterns of behaviour.”
“We really want neighbourhoods to take up this offer. We would love to welcome you onboard.”
Police are now actively looking for volunteers to drive the speed watch programme in their communities. If you are interested in volunteering please contact CSW@notts.police.uk.
