Convenience chain McColls could be saved from administration if a rescue deal from Morrisons is accepted.
Sky News is reporting that the supermarket giant has proposed a last-ditch rescue deal that would preserve the majority of its 16,000-strong workforce.
The deal came within hours of McColl’s revealling that it was on the brink of calling in administrators unless a “financing solution” to avert its collapse could be found.
McColl’s is an important partner of Morrisons, operating hundreds of smaller shops under the Morrisons Daily brand.
Experts say the deal would be a substantial financial commitment for Morrisons and its new private equity owners, Clayton Dubilier & Rice, because of McColl’s roughly £170m of debts.
Sky say that If McColl’s is forced into administration, it would be the biggest insolvency in the UK retail sector by size of workforce since the collapse of Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group in 2020.
A convicted drug dealer who went on the run four years ago is back behind bars after being caught in Papplewick.
Richard Brown was driving a Vauxhall Astra when he was stopped by officers in Main Street, due to the vehicle being insured only to a woman.
At the time, officers did not know they had pulled over someone who had been a wanted man since 2018.
Desperate to avoid capture, the 30-year-old gave false details but the photo of the person whose details he gave was clearly not him.
He went on to give his real name and date of birth.
Checks then revealed Brown had been on the run for four years, after he failed to give himself up when his prison parole licence was rescinded.
He had previously been jailed for three years for possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs.
Brown, of no fixed address, was released from jail on parole in 2017 but he failed to keep appointments with his supervisor and a letter was sent in March 2018 telling him he was being recalled to prison.
However, he did not surrender himself or get in touch with his supervisor and when checks were made at his last known address it was discovered he had moved away.
Despite extensive enquiries, he was not located and Brown remained unlawfully at large for years.
That was until Saturday, April 23, when he was finally caught.
Chief Inspector Paul Hennessy, of Nottinghamshire Police, said Brown’s efforts to con police were never going to succeed.
He said: “Criminals often tell lies in an effort to avoid arrest but our officers are not easily fooled.
“In this case, Brown was stopped by officers who were alert to the fact he was driving a vehicle insured only to a female.
“This demonstrated their vigilance and attentiveness – yet Brown still naively believed he could trick them by providing false details.
“He was wrong. Thanks to the competency of the officers concerned, Brown’s time on the run was up.
“I am pleased he has now been returned to prison and hope this serves as a reminder that if you run from the law, sooner or later you will be caught.”
Paying tribute to the officers involved in Brown’s capture, Ch Insp Hennessy added: “Any arrest of a fugitive is a fantastic result, even more so since Brown had been a wanted man for four years.
“Thanks to their efforts, Brown has been returned to the Criminal Justice System – an excellent result that demonstrates there is nowhere safe to hide.”
Under the terms of a standard recall, Brown will remain in prison until the end of his original sentence or until a parole board deems him suitable for release.
Schools in Gedling borough have been reminded to ensure costs of their uniforms are “reasonable” amid concerns over high prices for branded school items.
Councillor Tracey Taylor (Con), chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council’s children and young peoples’ committee, said she has written to schools to raise the point as concerns mount over costly bespoke uniforms at some schools.
Her comments are in a written answer to a question which was due to be posed at a full council meeting in March, when Cllr Taylor was expected to be asked if she supports the “growing campaign” to stop schools insisting on branded items.
The question, posed by Cllr Andy Meakin (Ash Ind), was not asked due to time limits during the meeting but the council has since published Cllr Taylor’s answer in full.
In her response, Cllr Taylor, who represents Misterton, said she supports measures to minimise the cost of school items “especially when other costs of living are rising”.
She says no child should “suffer or miss out on education” due to costly uniforms and confirmed the authority has reminded all schools about new Government guidance regarding costs and value of items.
PICTURED: County Hall
Cllr Taylor said: “The Government published guidance regarding branded school uniforms in November 2021. This stated all schools must ensure ‘school uniform costs are reasonable and parents get the best value for money’.
“Nottinghamshire County Council has reminded all schools through our schools bulletin, and in governors’ newsletters, about the statutory guidance on the cost of uniforms published on November 19.
“All schools should ensure that their uniform policy is published on their website and is clear and easy for parents to understand.
“This administration is encouraging all schools, regardless of their governance, to consider these matters carefully when setting their uniform policy for the next academic year.”
Some schools ask parents to buy items with the school’s emblem embroidered into the fabric, which is often only available from one or a limited number of suppliers, rather than allowing families to buy cheaper, generic items and the emblem individually.
The council’s children and young people’s committee has previously discussed the issue, and the authority has an ‘exceptional payments’ scheme to help families struggling with uniform costs.
Exceptional circumstances are defined as “families who have experienced and can demonstrate severe hardship which has resulted in the family being unable to afford the cost of school uniform and where this affects the ability of the children attending school”.
This includes families who have lost clothes in a fire, a flood, theft or have been made homeless or are fleeing domestic violence.
And speaking after the issue was discussed at the committee’s meeting in March, Cllr Daniel Williamson (Ash Ind), who represents Kirkby South, labelled branded uniforms “utterly ridiculous”.
He said: “We have a massive cost of living increase and utility bills are soaring. There is no real wage increase to match it.
“We end up in a desperate situation where parents are paying for something with a little emblem on it for five or six times the cost of unbranded uniforms.
“It’s about a child’s access to education rather than their appearance. You should be presentable but not at a cost of your ability to learn.
“The real impact is the unbearable cost on parents.”
High street jobs could be at risk in the borough as hopes of a rescue deal for McColl’s Retail Group, one of Britain’s biggest convenience store chains, fade.
The chain, which has stores on Carlton Hill and Calverton could call in administrators as early as Friday, according to Sky News
The broadcaster says the company’s imminent collapse is expected to trigger renewed interest in a partial takeover from both Morrison’s and EG Group, the petrol retailing giant owned by TDR Capital and the billionaire Issa brothers Mohsin and Zuber.
McColl’s, has an extensive national partnership with the supermarket giant Morrisons.
The company, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, employs about 16,000 people, or roughly 6,000 on a full-time equivalent basis.
The chain trades from approximately 1,100 convenience stores and newsagents across Britain, with about 200 of them now trading under the Morrisons Daily format through a partnership with the supermarket giant.
McColls had warned earlier this week that its shares would be suspended at the end of May because it would be unable to meet a statutory deadline for filing its annual results.
Morrisons is said to have proposed a rescue deal to McColl’s lenders in recent weeks, with the supermarket chain injecting new capital.
In a statement to Sky News, The McColls Group said: “It is increasingly likely that the Group would be placed into administration with the objective of achieving a sale of the Group to a third-party purchaser and securing the interests of creditors and employees.”
Members of the public and councillors will be consulted on plans to create bus lanes along the “heavily congested” A60 near Arnold before any changes are brought into force.
It follows concerns being raised from councillors in both the Labour and Conservative groups at Nottinghamshire County Council.
Some have labelled the idea “unbeneficial” to the motoring public.
The council’s transport and environment committee reviewed the plans at its final meeting on Wednesday (May 4), with funding for the proposals to come from the Government’s Transforming Cities pot.
Initial plans had suggested three bus lanes would be created along the busy road on its approach into Nottingham.
These were between the A60’s Esso petrol station and Arch Hill, between Appledorne Way and Cross Street in Redhill, and then along the nearby Oxclose Lane at its approach to Edwards Lane.
The plans were originally supposed to accompany a park and ride facility off the Leapool Island near the A614 junction, however, councillors were told the costs for this proposal have since risen from £2 million to above £9 million.
The park and ride facility, which aimed to get drivers off the roads and onto public transport, will now no longer form part of the council’s plans.
However, its omission led to concerns from some councillors that the bus lanes alone will not provide a solution to easing traffic along the A60.
Council figures suggest journey times between the large roundabout and Woodthorpe Road in Daybrook have risen by three minutes in the past decade, with motorists taking on average 13 minutes to travel this stretch of the road.
The bus lane and park and ride facilities were planned to bring this figure down and reduce the number of cars on the carriageway.
PICTURED: Cllr Michael Payne voiced concerns from residents at the meeting(Photo: Facebook)
But councillors in the meeting said the updated proposals will not reduce traffic concerns without the park and ride facilities and have called for the plans to be rethought.
Councillor Michael Payne (Lab), who represents the Arnold North division, where the bus lanes would be built, spoke in the meeting to air his and residents’ fears about the plan.
He said: “The original proposal was for the park and ride and in principle, I always thought getting vehicular traffic off the A60 before it approached Redhill was a sensible proposal.
“Disappointingly, we’ve not ended up there, and we’ve ended up with a drastically-different proposal for bus prioritisation schemes through the A60.
“Anybody looking at these proposals would see that they will drastically alter the character of the Redhill community going through the A60.
“It’s questionable whether it would have any significant benefit to reducing congestion on the A60 and the fundamental question is, without the park and ride facility, how will bus lanes reduce traffic?”
Cllr Chris Barnfather (Con), who represents the neighbouring Newstead division, said he agreed with “99.9 per cent” of Cllr Payne’s points.
He raised concerns about the potential bus lanes being empty for the majority of the time and the frustration it could cause for motorists still caught up in congestion.
He said: “There’s nothing more frustrating for a motorist than to sit in a heavily-congested lane, to then look to their left and see an absolutely empty bus lane.
“There is little benefit to that. The benefits here of this scheme are well-outweighed by the disadvantages to the bulk of the motoring public.
“We can now go away and think again, to have a look at it, to listen to people who are going to be directly affected by whatever scheme we put in.”
Nottinghamshire County Council had originally planned to begin work on the three bus lanes following Wednesday’s meeting.
However, Cllr Payne and Cllr Neil Clarke (Con), chairman of the committee, agreed on a change in the recommendation to launch a consultation on the plans.
Members of the committee urged the authority to consult residents and councillors on all divisions and areas that regularly use the A60, including areas in Mansfield, Ashfield, Gedling and Newark and Sherwood.
Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry has faced questions about her future in the role after she admitted five speeding offences at court.
The independent chair of Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Panel, Christine Goldstraw, said the news was “a bombshell” and “deeply disappointing”.
Mrs Goldstraw, who served as a magistrate for 10 years, chairs the panel which supports and challenges Mrs Henry’s elected role.
The panel intends to raise questions on how the offences will impact on her “high-profile role where she is expected to set by example”.
But the panel says it does not have the authority to demand her resignation.
Mrs Henry has said she intends to explain more about the incidents “in due course” adding she did not want to comment further until the case is fully concluded.
The Home Office, which supports police and crime commissioners, said it is unable to comment as the case is ongoing as Mrs Henry will not be sentenced until July.
Mrs Henry also declined to say whether she had considered stepping down when asked by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Mrs Henry (Con), 51, of Giltbrook, was elected as crime commissioner in May 2021 and is responsible for holding Nottinghamshire Police to account and overseeing the force’s spending.
She appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, May 3, after committing five speeding offences from March to June 2021.
The offences took place while she was campaigning to be the new crime commissioner as well as after she had been elected to the post.
Mrs Goldstraw told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Obviously, I think for all of us, the news is a bombshell.
“Speaking for myself as the chair this is deeply disappointing, and I am shocked to hear the number of offences.
“Our next meeting is not until June and that will be the first formal opportunity that panel members will be able to put questions to the commissioner on how this will impact on her high-profile role.
“People in high-profile roles are expected to set by example. This is going to be a difficult time of reflection for her and the future going forward.
“The role of Police and Crime Commissioner is unique.
“They are elected on their own manifesto. We have no powers to require her to resign or sack her, but we are a long way off those discussions.
“Until the outcome (of sentencing) in July is known it is difficult to second guess.”
Serving magistrate Cllr Linda Woodings (Lab), who also sits on the police and crime panel, said: “It is really disappointing she has accrued five speeding offences in a 12 week period. Any person can miss a sign and get caught out but five is a different problem.
PICTURED: PCC Caroline Henry (PHOTO: LDR service)
“She has made promises about improving the safety on Nottinghamshire’s roads. Is she a fit and proper person to be holding this office? That’s what needs to be asked at the next police and crime panel meeting.
“If I had accrued five speeding offences I would be expected to hand in my resignation to the bench, and if I failed to, I would be removed. Why does the same not happen here?”
Cllr David Mellen (Lab). leader of Nottingham City Council, has also spoken out over the news.
He said: “Having pledged to crack down on speeding and promised to ‘reduce crime with action, not words’ it is ironic that the Commissioner has been caught speeding five times, including twice near primary schools in Nottingham.
“There’s a reason speed limits exist around schools, it’s to protect the lives of children and keep them safe. Thankfully, no one was hurt in these offences.”
Cllr Kevin Clarke, leader of the opposition Nottingham Independent group at Nottingham City Council is calling for her resignation.
“She should resign immediately. Speeding is speeding,” he said.
The Police and Crime Commissioner is elected on a mandate she is going to stop crime in Nottinghamshire, but she is committing it.
“Five speeding offences in four months is a little bit too much for me.”
Mrs Henry has pleaded guilty to all five offences but the case could not be concluded on Tuesday, May 3.
She exceeded 30mph in Chilwell, near Olympia Sports Centre, on March 17, 2021, at 2.56pm. The speed recorded was 35mph.
She also exceeded the 30mph speed limit a day after on March 18, 2021, at 10.33am, on the A610 in Nuthall Road between Stockhill Lane and Bar Lane. The speed was recorded at 40mph.
She then exceeded the 30mph speed limit again on May 2, 2021, at 11.05am on the A6464 Woodside Road in Beeston. The speed was recorded at 38mph.
She then exceeded the 30mph speed limit near Burford Primary School in Oxclose Lane in Daybrook on May 27 at 8.33pm. The speed was recorded at 38mph.
Her last offence was on June 8, at 9.13pm, at Oxclose Lane in Daybrook where she drove at 35mph on a 30mph road.
However, her lawyer, Noel Philo, argued sentencing should be dealt with by a district judge and that two of the incidents should be challenged under ‘special reasons’.
If special reasons are proved, it could prevent some of a potential 15 points being added to Mrs Henry’s licence.
A total of 12 or more penalty points on a driving licence can result in a ban from driving of a minimum of six months.
The court heard in a written statement Mrs Henry was “embarrassed and ashamed” about the incidents.
She will have her case heard and sentenced in July.
In a statement following the hearing Mrs Henry said: “For technical legal reasons the court has constituted that they cannot deal with the case today.
“I cannot comment on the ongoing case. I will be explaining the context of this matter in due course.”
Wetherspoons customers in Gedling borough could face further price hikes as the pub chain said it expects to break even this year after returning to profit in the third quarter.
Chairman Tim Martin shared the warning to customers of the popular pub giant known for it’s cheap prices for beer and food.
Mr Martin said the group is “cautiously optimistic about the prospect of a return to relative normality” in the next financial year, but warned over rocketing inflation.
“As many hospitality companies have indicated, there is considerable pressure on costs, especially in respect of labour, food and energy,” he said.
“Repairs are also running at a higher rate than before the pandemic.
“The company anticipates a continuing slow improvement in sales, in the absence of further restrictions, and anticipates a ‘break-even’ outcome for profits in the current financial year.”
PICTURED: Wetherspoons chairman Tim Martin
Britain’s hospitality sector is slowly recovering after a series of Covid lockdowns hammered trading.
Sales are now bouncing back, but firms are dealing with the next crisis as the Ukraine war compounds already sky-high inflation.
Rising staff wages, eye-watering energy bill increases and higher food costs are all conspiring to take their toll on hospitality companies.
JD Wetherspoon said like-for-like sales in its third quarter to April 24 were 4% below the same period in 2019 before the pandemic struck, but bounced back to stand slightly higher in the final two weeks.
It said it had returned to profit since March 13 and is hopeful of a further gradual improvement in sales over its final quarter.
The figures come after half-year results in March showed it remained in the red with a pre-tax loss of £21.3 million for the six months to January 23.
The new owner of Morrisons is set to sell off 87 of its petrol stations to push through the £7 billion takeover of the supermarket group.
Private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) won an auction to buy the grocer, who has a supermarket in Netherfield, last year.
However, in January, the UK’s competition watchdog opened an investigation into the move as it raised concerns that the deal could lead to higher petrol prices for some customers.
CD&R also owns Motor Fuel Group (MFG), the country’s largest independent petrol station operator, which runs 921 forecourts across the country.
Meanwhile, Morrisons runs 339 petrol stations across England, Scotland and Wales.
PICTURED: Morrisons in Netherfield (PHOTO: Neil Slack Photography)
The Competition and Market Authority (CMA) highlighted potential competition concerns in 121 local areas across England, Scotland and Wales.
In order to address these concerns, CD&R said it will sell off 87 of its MFG-run petrol stations to a CMA-approved buyer.
The regulator said it is consulting over the proposals but is “minded to accept” the offer.
It added that this appears “to be suitable to restore the loss of competition brought about by the deal across each of the 121 local areas in which the concerns were identified”.
The CMA added that while the number of sites proposed for sale is lower than the number of areas previously highlighted, the sale of some petrol stations will address concerns in multiple areas.
Colin Rafferty, senior director of mergers at the CMA, said: “The sale of these petrol stations will preserve competition and prevent motorists from losing out due to this deal, which is particularly important when prices have recently hit record highs.
“If we conclude that the competition issues have been addressed following a consultation on CD&R’s offer, the deal will be cleared.”
Exlibris, the masked book sellers of Nottingham, marked an end to their 20 years of charity book sales with a final event in Carlton over the weekend.
Bob and Chris Cann, the founders of the charity booksale, organised a final sale at their property in Vernon Avenue.
The mammoth event started on April 15, and ran for 3 long weekends, finishing on May 2
The unsold books will now be donated to Books for Good Causes foundation in South Yorkshire and a collection of children’s books will be given to foodbanks.
The profits from the final sale will go to the local charities WE R HERE and Host Nottingham.
The charity has also collected tins of vegetarian food from the visitors to hand over to Netherfield Food bank.
Chris said that they are both sad and relieved with the end of the venture.
She said: “it feels almost as if we’ll be losing part of our identity.
“We’ll very much miss the excitement of receiving new book donations, the thrill of sorting and shelving them, the pleasure of meeting customers and seeing them delighted with their finds, the ecstasy of having our toilet monitored, and the satisfaction of handing over useful amounts of money to good causes.
“It also makes us feel relieved. No more worrying about getting enough publicity done; an end to the heavy box lifting; no more book sale related chaos in our house.”
The team also set-up a silent auction for rare collection of books.
Exlibris will be running a final stall at this year’s Green Festival in September and have vowed to keep a box of books for free outside their house for keen readers out there.
Since 2006, they have raised and distributed £24,636.85 to lots of different local good causes with main beneficiaries being Nottingham & Notts Refugee Forum, Hayward House end of life care, Nottingham Green Festival, We R Here, Sharewear, Host Nottingham.
They follow the tradition of victorian bibliophile Josiah Saithwaite and pay homage to him by wearing masks.
Many bibliophiles of Nottingham are saddened with the end of these book sales.
A Nottingham-based booklover said: “I thank them for running these events.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed finding great books, some by authors I know, others by new ones, whilst supporting charities.
“I am really going to miss it.”
Chris and Cam thanked the supporters through their Facebook page for their constant love and support over the years.
Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry has pleaded guilty to five speeding offences in the space of four months.
Mrs Henry, 51, of Giltbrook, was elected as a Conservative commissioner in May 2021 and is responsible for holding Nottinghamshire Police to account and overseeing its spending.
Her case appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, May 3, and involves five speeding offences from March to June 2021.
The offences took place while she was still campaigning to be the new crime commissioner as well as after she was elected to the role.
The court was told an automatic camera recorded her travelling at 35mph in a 30mph zone in Chilwell, near Olympia Sports Centre, on March 17, 2021, at 2.56pm.
She also exceeded a 30mph speed limit a day after on March 18, 2021, at 10.33am, on the A610 in Nuthall Road between Stockhill Lane and Bar Lane. The speed was recorded at 40mph.
She then exceeded a 30mph speed limit again on May 2, 2021, at 11.05am on the A6464 Woodside Road in Beeston. The speed was recorded at 38mph.
She then exceeded the 30mph speed limit on Oxclose Lane in Daybrook on May 27 at 8.33pm. The speed was recorded at 38mph.
The final offence was on June 8, at 9.13pm, at Oxclose Lane in Daybrook, where she drove at 35mph on a 30mph road.
Mrs Henry had already pleaded guilty to all five offences at a previous hearing.
PICTURED: PCC Caroline Henry (PHOTO: LDR service)
However, her lawyer, Noel Philo, argued sentencing should be dealt with by a district judge and that two of the incidents should be challenged under ‘special reasons’.
If special reasons are proved, it could prevent some of a potential 15 points being added to Mrs Henry’s licence.
A total of 12 or more penalty points on a driving licence can result in a ban from driving of a minimum of six months.
The court heard in a written statement Mrs Henry was “embarrassed and ashamed” about the incidents.
Mrs Henry attended the court building today but was not present during the hearing itself. She will now be sentenced by a district judge at the same court on July 19.
In a statement following the hearing Mrs Henry said: “For technical legal reasons the court has constituted that they cannot deal with the case today.
“I cannot comment on the ongoing case. I will be explaining the context of this matter in due course.”
Outside court she declined to answer when asked by reporters if she had considered resigning from her position.
