Gedling Eye continues its look back on local stories making the headlines during 2020. Here’s a selection from July to September…

JULY

The leader of Gedling Borough Council was one of 40 people who gathered outside County Hall to take a knee in support of Black Lives Matter in early July.  Councillor John Clarke knelt for eight minutes and 46 seconds, along with the rest of the group. This was to reflect the length of time George Floyd’s neck was knelt on before he died.

Police in Gedling borough urged drinkers to stay safe and know their limits as pubs prepared to reopen their doors for the first time in three months. Hairdressers and restaurants were also being allowed to trade again as lockdown rules were lifted on what was being called ‘Super Saturday’ But despite the hype around the event, police said that most pubs in the borough were remaining shut. Inspector Chris Pearson said: “To date, only seven pubs in the Gedling borough are confirmed to be reopening today which are in Arnold, Mapperley, Calverton and Gedling.

Lincoln Cathedral, St Mary Magdalene Church in Newark, Gunthorpe Lock, and Belvoir Castle are just some of the sights visitors were able to see from two new viewing platforms that opened during July at Gedling Country Park. The two platforms were officially opened by the Mayor of Gedling and will offer visitors views as far as Lincolnshire and Leicestershire.

Officials were investigating reports of dead fish in the lagoon at Gedling Country Park. Around 100 fish are thought to have died in the incident. Officers from the Environment Agency visited the site after concerned visitors contacted them via their emergency hotline after hundreds of dead fish were spotted floating in the waters. The Environment Agency said the cause of the deaths was ‘unknown’.

Wildlife supporters hit out at plans to build new homes in Carlton which they said would impact rare creatures who have made a green space their home. An application was made to build three modern homes on the site of the Burleigh House Orchard, off Midlands Crescent. Campaigners said the land is home to badgers, barn owls and bats and were planning to object to the plans in a bid to protect the local wildlife. Burleigh Close resident Paul Farrant said: “Residents are very concerned about noise, additional traffic, safety of residential roads, the effect upon small businesses, and about the wildlife that relies heavily on the orchard for food if these plans get the go ahead. Many surrounding gardens are visited by orchard’s resident badgers – including rare white erythritic badgers. They are protected by law in the UK.  A spokesman for Gedling Borough Council said: “A decision on the application is expected to be made by the council later in the summer.”

AUGUST

A community and local councillors called on Severn Trent Water to back their bid to bring a village hall back to life in Stoke Bardolph. Residents in the village teamed up with Trent Valley councillors Sam Smith and Mike Adams to try and get the hall on Stoke Lane reopened and back in use. The hall was at the heart of the community for over 100 years and was the only meeting place apart from the church, and was provided for the use of the villagers by the Nottingham Corporation who then owned the Stoke Farm estate. The group were preparing for fresh negotiations with Severn Trent Water, who own the hall, and hoped to secure a more favourable lease that will allow them to bring their plans to fruition.  The councillors and Village Hall Trustees also approached Persimmon Homes, who are building the Rivendell development, and the developer agreed to renovate the whole of the Village Hall at no cost.

Plans for a new Sainsbury’s supermarket in Colwick were approved by Gedling Borough Council at the start of August. A new Sainsbury’s supermarket, Argos store and petrol station will now be created on land next to Colwick Loop Road. The new store will open in summer 2021. Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s Property Director said: “We’re excited about the plans for our new store, which will provide a significant investment in Colwick, supporting economic growth locally, creating jobs and providing a convenient shopping location for residents. We are delighted that our amended plans are recommended for approval and hope to welcome the local community into the new store by next summer.”

Gedling Borough Council generously footed the bill for a clean-up operation on a historic plane targeted by vandals in a Colwick school playground. Colwick Ward councillor for Gedling Borough Council, Cllr Meredith Lawrence approached the authority and asked if they would pay for a large graffiti tag to be removed from the plane, which rests in the playground of St John’s C of E School in the village.. The council pledged to pay the bill and a cleaning team were dispatched to the site on Vale Road who used pressure washers and cleaning agents to remove the tag. Head teacher Rachel Ireland said: “It’s been fantastic to see the local community, parish and borough councils all come together to show their support for our school. The graffiti tag was an eyesore and I’m glad it’s being removed.”

A construction firm apologised for sending large vehicles down narrow village roads in Gedling. Residents in Gedling village voiced their anger after HGVs and large construction vehicles were spotted using Shearing Hill and Arnold Lane to gain access to the Gedling Access Road (GAR) site near the village. Locals said the vehicles were having a ‘devastating impact’ on the local community. Geoffrey Pope, 77, lives in the village and said the narrow roads can’t cope with this kind of traffic He said: “The roads simply can’t cope with these huge vehicles. They weren’t built for that. I worry some pedestrian is going to get hurt as it gets very narrow. They need to stop now. It’s having a huge impact on the village.” Village resident Francis Rodrigues said the recent activity proved how much the Gedling Access Road is needed.

Building work began on a new £18.5 million joint police and fire headquarters in Arnold. The new three storey building is being built on land behind the existing Nottinghamshire Police headquarters at Sherwood Lodge, which will remain in use as part of a wider joint campus.

Gedling Borough Council unveiled their final plans for improving Carlton Square following a consultation with local residents, businesses and the shopping precinct owners. There will be improvements the car parking layout, including identified spaces for electric vehicle points, and improved disabled parking spaces in the southern car park. There will also be new planting and boundary treatments, new paving and improved access between the car park and shopping area and a revised siting of payment machines and lighting.

SEPTEMBER

Gedling Borough Council were hoping to get the go ahead to transform a former railway line in Netherfield into a green cycle and walking route to a country park – with a tram line also being proposed too. The route would start at Netherfield Railway Station and go as far as Gedling Country Park.

A Newstead pub landlady blamed the latest government restrictions for her decision to close for the foreseeable future. The Pit Micropub on Tilford Road shut its doors on Sunday, October 4. Landlady Lorraine Horrocks announced the decision on Facebook. She said: “It is with deep regret that I have to inform you that due to the latest mandatory obligations on the hospitality sector, The Pit Micropub will be temporarily closing over the autumn and winter period. This of course is a huge blow not only to the community of Newstead but also our customers from the surrounding areas and even further afield, our amazing staff and not forgetting the grassroots artists that we have always keenly supported and vice versa.

Eight takeaways in Gedling borough were issued with warnings by police after breaching the new 10pm curfew.  A team of pro-active Special Constables issued the warnings after carrying out spot checks across the borough on Friday night. The team visited dozens of restaurants and takeaways and observed staff from eight of the visits agreeing to serve customers after the 10pm curfew. Police said that each of the premises that had breached the closure rules would be issued with warning letters, outlining their responsibilities as a business to comply with the latest Government rules.

A Netherfield supermarket reintroduced the rationing of essential goods. Morrisons, which has a store on Victoria Retail Park, was limiting customers buying products such as toilet roll, disinfectants and bleach to a maximum of three items. All the major supermarkets had introduced temporary restrictions in March after shelves were stripped bare of essentials such as toilet rolls in the weeks leading up to the COVID-19 lockdown. Morrisons said they had seen stocking up on certain products like soup, pasta, cleaning items, etc. “Due to this we’re now introducing some max caps into store so we can ensure good availability for all our customers,” they said.

A rabbit who was abandoned and left for dead by fly-tippers was given a new life and home in Arnold after being rescued by a police officer. The white lop-eared rabbit was spotted by Inspector Marcus Oldroyd whilst he was out on a morning run. The rabbit was left to fend for himself after he was callously thrown out by fly-tippers, who dumped a load of household waste on land near Newark.The bunny was named after Operation Reacher, a proactive policing initiative which began in Bestwood during April 2018 to tackle serious and organised crime, and was led by Inspector Oldroyd. Reacher found a new home with the Ellis family in Arnold, where he also has a bunny best friend called ‘Honey’.

One very appropriate name for a new apartment complex in Carlton raised smiles locally after property developers decided to make light of a the fact the building was formerly a police station. Constable Court is the name they chose for the 67 apartments that were created out of the old Carlton Police Station building on Foxhill Road. Documents submitted to Gedling Borough Council back in November 2019 reveal that Sergeant Court and Commander Court were also under consideration by developers. And the new name was raising smiles locally. Carlton resident Tom Greenwood said: “It’s a great name. It’s a pity the apartments are quite roomy otherwise they could have called them cells. Maybe they should consider renaming Foxhill Road… Letsby Avenue.”

As Gedling borough prepares to move into Tier 4 from New Year’s Eve, one Nottinghamshire council health chief has today urged people to follow government guidelines to stop the coronavirus spread.

Dawn Jenkin, Public Health consultant at Nottinghamshire County Council said: “Remember that the Christmas Bubble arrangements only applied on Christmas Day so you must only spend New Year at home with your own household or bubble. 

“The rates of infection in our communities across the county are continuing to grow at a concerning rate.  The impact this is having on our hospitals and the rate of infection in those aged over 60 are some of the key factors which determine how the government decides what tier to place each area into.

“We appreciate how hard the new restrictions will be for many but what is important now is that we all observe the new regulations in place, understand what they mean and explain the rules to those around us. 

“Whilst it is really positive news that the vaccine is starting to roll out across the county it will be a while before it has the desired impact on infection rates, so now is not the time to let our guard down. Remember that around 1 in 3 people who have coronavirus have no symptoms and could be spreading it without realising it.  So, the very best thing you can do now to help us overcome the virus is to continue to follow the rules of Hands, Face, Space.  

“Make your New Year’s Resolution to protect yourself, your family and your friends by sticking to these simple rules. 

“In addition, if you develop any symptoms, it remains critically important that you self-isolate and get a test as soon as possible. It is these actions by each of us that will stop the spread of the virus in our communities.”

It was announced earlier today that Gedling borough would enter Tier 4 from tomorrow along with the rest of Nottinghamshire.

Gedling borough will move into Tier 4 from tomorrow following a rise in coronavirus cases across the borough and wider area.

The borough and the rest of Nottinghamshire will now join 24  million in the South East and East of England already in Tier 4.

The changes will into effect from after midnight (00.01am) on Thursday, December 31.

The changes were made as part of the first review since a number of other areas were moved into Tier 4 on Boxing Day.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock delivered the news during a statement at the House of Commons earlier this afternoon.

He said that sharply rising cases and the hospitalisations that follow “demonstrate the need to act where the virus is spreading”.

He told MPs that the majority of new cases are believed to be the new variant, which is now spreading across most of England, with cases doubling fast. He said ‘therefore it was necessary to apply tier 4 measures to wider areas.’

What services will stay open in Tier 4?

In Tier 3 and 4, pubs, restaurants and bars are all shut, although they can offer delivery or take-out options.

But the rules are much stricter in Tier 4.

Hairdressers, barbers, beauty salons and all entertainment venues will close, as well as gyms.

Essential shops including supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies, petrol stations, hardware stores, banks, pet shops and post offices are allowed to remain open in Tier 4.

Who can meet up in Tier 4?

Those living in Gedling borough will not be allowed to meet other households inside or stay overnight anywhere else.

The Government says those in these areas must stay in their homes to help combat the spread of the adapted virus.

The only way people can meet is outside – and the rules are strict. One person can meet one other person outside in a public place. So that means two households can’t meet for a walk together.

Support bubbles will continue in Tier 4, and their overnight stays are permitted. People can form a support bubble if they’re the only adult in their household, are under 18 and living without adults, are living with a disability which requires continuous care, or are living with a child under one.

Work is now well advanced to build a new eco village in Nottinghamshire. 

Known as Top Wighay Farm, it is hoped the mixed-use scheme will draw in hundreds of low-carbon jobs, as well as providing sustainable housing and architecture for a new community.

The initial stage of the work – to build a new road junction on to the site of the development just to the north of Hucknall – is expected to be finished by Spring next year. 

Eventually, it is hoped there will be a school, doctors surgery, shops, and employment space, as well as a new flagship county council office building.

One of the driving forces behind the scheme is the Conservative leader of the county council, Kay Cutts.

Speaking about the scheme, she said: “The county council bought this land, probably 20 years ago. 

“We were considering what we should do with our rented premises in Annesley. 

“They’re not in a great place, car parking is always difficult, public transport isn’t really suitable and we were thinking of where do we need an office, where does the workforce largely live, and I thought – Top Wighay. 

“I was probably one of the few people who still remembered we had got (the land). 

“That’s when we started to develop plans for the new village. It’s not just an estate, we thought very hard about what is it you would want if you were having a new village?

“If you’re going to have a primary school there, how should that be served. If you’re going to have a medical centre and shops there, where do they need to be?

“Sometimes we have put schools in the wrong place, so we thought long and hard about what the shape of the village should be. 

“In the end we put what I call the sacred heart there, with all the services together, and green walkways through to it.

“Anyone living there will be able to walk to school.

“I’m old enough to be able to remember when everyone walked to school, and actually it was quite an enjoyable occupation, you chatted to each other and made friends. 

“I’m hoping that a safer type of living will really contribute to the village.”

Detailed plans for the new village are still being fine tuned, and is expected the huge project will take years to finish.

But planners hope it will eventually create 1,000 jobs, and 800 homes on the 100-acre site.

Councillor Cutts said the bulk of the strategic, high-level planning had already been carried out.

She said: “Rather than trying to retrofit traffic calming we’re putting it there at the beginning, so it will be unacceptable to drive around there at speed. 

“We also thought about how people want to live and work, and recreation is a part of that, so we’ve got the attenuation pond which we’re keeping as a green environment.

“There will probably be a pavilion, village hall, a playing field, all built in. 

“It has not been thought through on a plan which is sterile, it has been thought through on what do we all need, and what do we all love. 

“But the reason for starting all of that was that we needed new offices in that part of the county, to accommodate our workers.

“It is very satisfying to see spades in the ground and things changing there. 

“I was particularly involved in this, because we were paying about £400,000 rent a year (for the old building) and that’s a lot of money out of the public purse.

“By providing a building of our own in the right part of the country, it will save that rent, and it has provided an opportunity to think differently.

“We will be using all the technology available to create a greener place to live and work, and I think that’s why it’s caught people’s imaginations.”

Gedling Eye continues its look back at the highs and many lows of 2020 across the borough, with April through to June covered below… 

You can read January to March HERE

APRIL

Heartfelt tributes were been paid to a long-serving former Gedling councillor who died in April. Gordon Tunnicliffe served as the Mayor of Gedling between 2003-04 and is so far the only Liberal Democrat to serve in office.  Mr Tunnicliffe was made Honorary Alderman on Gedling Borough Council in 2014 in recognition for his distinguished service to the people of the borough. Gedling Borough Council leaders John Clarke and Michael Payne were quick to pay tribute to Mr Tunnicliffe. In a statement they said: “Gordon’s trademark grace and generosity, along with his glowing smile and impeccable courtesy will be greatly missed by all those who had the pleasure to know him, work with him and call him a friend.”

Gedling Borough Council suspended all car parking charges as part of its ongoing strategy to maintain critical services and reduce the risk of Coronavirus spreading. The council announced that car parks near play areas and parks would now be closed except to Blue Badge holders.

A kind-hearted farmer from Papplewick donated 20 bags of potatoes to help feed those in need during the coronavirus crisis. Alex Marshall, who operates a farm in the Papplewick area, put together the 12.5kg bags, which were picked up by the Nottinghamshire Police’s Gedling Neighbourhood Support Unit for distribution. The bags were delivered to a care home in Gedling and also a number of foodbanks.

The generous people of Gedling borough dug deep to support a fundraiser set up to help feed people across the area during the coronavirus crisis. A target of £20,000 was set for the Giving for Gedling appeal – and this was reached in just 48 hours. All donations were given directly to registered food banks or to used by Gedling Borough Council to purchase food and essential items for distribution to those food banks or directly to residents in need.

Police in Gedling stepped up patrols at a number of locations across the borough following reports of people defying social distancing rules. Reports flooded in about hotspots where the rules were being flouted. Local police teams said they were committed to targeting these areas and encouraged local people to continue reporting those that are breaking the rules.

MAY

A community rallied round to fund a replacement for a memorial statue stolen from a pensioner’s garden in Burton Joyce. The statue of a stag, which was bolted into a cement platform, was stolen from the garden of resident Dorothy Pinkett and was part of a memorial to her late husband. Local resident Tony Bryan decided to set up a crowdfunding page and fund a replacement and villagers quickly chipped in, raising over £900 for a replacement statue in just eight hours. They also fitted CCTV at the pensioner’s home to help prevent further thefts in the future.

Gedling Borough Council restarted their glass and large bulky waste collections. Around 250 customers were contacted by the council to advise them when their collection will take place. On the first two days of restarted glass collections, over 56 tonnes of glass, double the normal amount, were collected by the council’s waste crews. The council had to double up its glass collection crews to ensure all of the extra amounts were collected.

Friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man today swung in to lift children’s spirits during lockdown in Gedling. The popular Marvel was spotted around the streets of the village, much to the delight of youngsters in the area.The webslinger’s visit was organised by TB Sport, which carries out sports coaching and activity camps in the area. The firm’s founder Tom Bingley told Gedling Eye: “It’s great to see the reactions from the children and adults. Most children who are still coming to school are in Avengers and Spiderman clothing so I feel it reaches out to a lot of people and has been great fun for all.”

The leader of Nottinghamshire County Council said ‘the time was right’ to revisit ‘plans for a Super Council that would look at scrapping Gedling Borough Council. “With councils under significant financial pressure exacerbated by the coronavirus response, it was right to look now at how to run services more efficiently in the future,” Conservative council leader Kay Cutts said. But critics argued the timing of the announcement was ‘massively insensitive’ and that local government reorganisation should ‘absolutely not be a priority’ during the current pandemic.

Police stepped up patrols after reports of anti-social behaviour at Newstead Abbey. Staff at the tourist hotspot reported receiving verbal abuse and encountering aggressive behaviour from members of the public who refused to pay to enter the grounds since lockdown restrictions were relaxed. Beer bottles and litter were left all over the grounds by those paying a visit to the park to soak up the sun.

Two Gedling photographers captured unique images of life in lockdown across the borough. Saul Morgan and Sue Simons, who run Trent House Studios in Gedling village, were inspired to let their work tell stories during lockdown by taking pictures of people on their doorsteps. They journeyed around Gedling, Carlton, Arnold and Mapperley to get the pictures, obeying social distancing rules at all times.

JUNE

A satirical cut-out mocking Dominic Cummings for breaching lockdown rules appeared in Redhill. The cutout appeared at traffic lights on Mansfield Road at the junction with Redhill Road. It featured a sign reading ‘Back to School’ in reference to pupils being asked to return to schools across the borough by the government.

Funding was secured for a new park and ride facility which will help tackle congestion through Arnold and Redhill. The new scheme is one of 50 to receive funding and will introduce a new park and ride at the Redhill Roundabout – where the A60 meets the A614. New bus lanes will also be created along the route into the city to help improve journey times and tackle congestion. The cash for the £6m scheme came from the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund, which aims to improve productivity and spread prosperity by investing in public and sustainable transport in some of the largest English cities.

A water mains was damaged by a HGV in Gedling and left 7,000 homes without water. They were cut off when a lorry struck a pipe close to the Gedling Access Road site near Burton Joyce. Engineers for Severn Trent Water worked around the clock to restore water to homes.

Gedling Borough Council carried out a review of all street names in the borough to ascertain whether there were any links to the slave trade. The council said they would ‘absolutely not’ be throwing away any of the street name signs, but would consider putting up education boards to inform people, or moving them into museums. They said names of streets would not be changed unless people who lived there wanted them to be. The decision was taken after the statue of 18th slave trader and Tory MP Edward Colston was dragged into Bristol harbour.

A plucky pensioner walked around a village square for 72 hours non-stop to raise money for the NHS. Ian West, 65, who lives in Bestwood Village, only rested during five-minute breaks he took every four hours. During the walk, residents in Bestwood Village lined the streets to cheer him on. They also brought him drinks and shared words of encouragement to spur him on. Ian said he was very grateful for all their support. He said: “The community spirit has been unbelievable. It’s been a wonderful experience. People have been out bringing me drinks, like coffee, and that’s wonderful. “It’s unbelievable what people do and to come together as a village like this is wonderful” He was videoed by resident Des Gibbons a few hours after starting the challenge and said he ‘was in good spirits’.

Gedling Eye looks back at the highs and many lows of 2020 across the borough, starting with January to March…

January

It was announced that a heroic D-Day veteran honoured for helping to liberate French families in the Second World War had died. Ray Mellors, who was a patient at Nottinghamshire Hospice in Mapperley, passed away at the age of 94. Mr Mellors had been awarded the Legion d’Honneur – France’s highest honour – for the role he played in liberating the country during the Second World War.

A popular bar in Arnold closed down suddenly just a year after reopening. The Townhouse Bar and Kitchen had a ‘Forfeiture’ sign on the door and was shut to the public. Property owner Nick Howdle posted on social media to confirm that his company had ordered bailiffs to repossess the property but hoped it would reopened in a few months.

Construction on the new Gedling Access Road began on January 6. Main construction work should now be completed in the Autumn of 2021. The road, which will be almost 4km long, will run between the existing A612 Trent Valley Road/Nottingham Road and the B684 Mapperley Plains Road.

Gedling Eye took Netherfield resident Neil Slack, a committed vegan, across to nearby Victoria Retail Park to sample the new meat-free treats on the menus at KFC, Subway, Costa and Greggs. The winner of the meatless taste test was the Vegan Steak Bake at Greggs, which Neil called “Superb’. He said: ‘You wouldn’t know that it didn’t contain meat; it tastes the same. It’s spot on.”

The worst pothole in Gedling borough was named on National Pothole Day. Readers drew attention to the junction of Mays Avenue with Mays Close in Carlton. Paul Farrell was one of the readers to nominate the holes for the accolade. “My pictures don’t do it justice,” he said.

The leader of Nottingham City Council turned down a request from Gedling councillor Sam Smith for the Nottingham Council House bell to ring and mark the moment the UK leaves the EU on January 31. A letter was sent to David Mellen, who leads Nottingham City Council, calling for Little John to ring at 11pm as the UK left the EU to mark the beginning of Brexit. But the council leader said the chimes would stop at 10.30pm as usual. He said: “The bell chimes up until 10.30pm every day to protect nearby residents from disturbance through the night. Brexit has the ability to divide our community and for the many people who would support this, there are many who would not.

The Environment Agency said it had no plans to give the public access to a bridge across the River Trent at Colwick sluice flood gates as it would pose a ‘significant health and safety risk’. The Agency was responding to recent calls from the public to open the bridge, which is used by EA teams, to all so it could be accessed by people to cross the River Trent and enjoy the facilities at Holme Pierrepont Water Sports Centre. The bridge idea had gained momentum on social media and the idea was welcomed by residents in Colwick.

Gedling Conservatives accused Labour councillors of ‘ignoring democracy’ by handing the borough’s highest honour to former MP Vernon Coaker. The group posted on social media in reaction to the news that Gedling Borough Council planned to make Mr Coaker an Honorary Freeman of the Borough. In a post they said: “Gedling’s former MP spent four years ignoring the views of Gedling residents by blocking Brexit and now Gedling Labour councillors want to ignore your vote to remove Coaker at the General Election by rewarding him the highest honour. Vernon Coaker is to receive the highest honour the borough can bestow in recognition of his years of dedicated service to the area.

Gedling borough was named in the top 50 best places to live in Britain in 2020. The Halifax Quality of Life survey ranked the borough as the 29th best place to live, factoring in the area’s employment rate, earnings, housing affordability, health and wellbeing, education, traffic and crime rates. Gedling was one of only three areas in Nottinghamshire to make the list and one of five listed in the East Midlands. Deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council, Michael Payne, took to Twitter to celebrate the result. He tweeted: “Proud to see Gedling in UK’s top 50 places with best quality of life. Gedling is 29th in the UK, 4th best place for quality of life in the East Midlands and 3rd in Nottinghamshire.”

FEBRUARY

Police officers launched a new operation to crackdown on shop thefts at a crime hotspot in Netherfield. Officers carried out regular patrols to reduce the number of shop thefts at Victoria Retail Park. Working with partners at Gedling Borough Council and retailers, Operation Quartz aimed to quickly identify offenders on the site and look to disrupt their efforts. Sgt Ebbins from Gedling South Neighbourhood Policing Team said at the time: “Shop thefts remain a policing priority for the Gedling area and we will continue to work with our partners to stop offenders operating on our patch”.

Storm Ciara lashed Gedling borough with heavy rain and winds of more than 90 miles an hour, forcing the cancellation of train services and closing major roads in the area. A number of trees were brought down during the storms which blocked major routes in and out of the borough. Traffic was brought to a standstill on Main Road in Gedling, after a tree fell, closing the road for several hours while it was removed. Traffic had to be diverted back up Arnold Lane via the roundabout and away from the village by police during the incident. Spring Lane at the junction with Mapperley Plains was also closed off to traffic after a tree fell into the road. Lowdham Lane in Woodborough and Calverton Road near Dorket Head were also closed to traffic. Trains serving Netherfield Station were cancelled during the morning and early afternoon after a tree was brought down onto the tracks. It was eventually cleared by Network Rail.

A resident in Arnold took to social media to mock a council after they carried out what he described as ‘truly awful’ repair work to a street blighted by potholes. James Street was resurfaced and repaired by Nottinghamshire County Council, but their efforts weren’t appreciated by one resident who quickly slammed their efforts on Twitter. In a tweet over the weekend @Russiankareoke wrote: “Congratulations on the truly awful job done resurfacing James Street in Arnold’ and posted a photo of the job.

One of the Silent Soldier statues, which had been placed in locations across the borough, was damaged back in February. Pictures emerged showing a silhouette located near outside Carlton Fire Station with damage to its head.

A well-known pub in Gedling looked to have closed its doors for the final time after being put up for sale. The Phoenix pub had briefly reopened at the end of 2019 after being shutdown while a new landlord was found. But it was announced the pub would close for good after the current tenants announced they would be leaving and the brewery said it was being put on the market.

While many of our pubs were closing their doors for good, one boozer in Netherfield was bucking the trend by celebrating its 21st anniversary. It’s Inn The Bank first opened up to the public on February 28, 1999 and has gone from strength to strength. The couple at the helm David and Nicola Murphy shared their favourite memories. David said he’d experienced many highs and lows whilst running the public house on Victoria Road, but was quick to point out his most memorable moment. “It was when I met my wife while working here,” he said. “She came in for a drink one night and I fell in love with her immediately. She then started working behind the bar a few months later and we eventually got together. Wife and co-owner Nicola Murphy said the pub’s continual success was down to having so many loyal customers who continually support for their endeavours. “It’s an absolute honour to serve the people who drink here in Netherfield,” she said.

MARCH

A new CCTV camera was installed to help deal with increasing reports of anti-social behaviour in and area of Arnold. Gedling Borough Council erected the CCTV camera on a pole on Rolleston Drive in a bid to help cut down on crime. The camera covers the junction of Rolleston Drive and Brookfield Road, near the Major Oak pub. The council decided to install the camera at the crime hotspot after incidents were reduced when surveillance equipment was installed at Smithy Crescent in the town.

Volunteers banded together to repair the damage done by vandals to an empty building locals were working on transforming into a community hub 12 volunteers turned up at the former Gedling Youth Club and Gedling Station building on Shearing Hill to clean up the mess created following a suspected vandal attack. Windows were smashed, tables overturned, chairs broken and a microwave was destroyed during the incident.

A Nottinghamshire County Councillor said that speculation over Gedling borough facing a shortage of secondary school places in the future was ‘complete nonsense’. Councillor Philip Owen dismissed claims from people in the local community that the borough will have a shortfall in secondary school places. He said: “I must stress once again that comments that there is a shortage of places is complete nonsense. There is no shortage and we have a clear plan in place for the future.”

Pictures from supermarkets across Gedling borough showed shelves had been emptied as the coronavirus crisis started causing many people to panic buy. Queues were reported outside Tesco in Carlton at 5.30am, with customers waiting for the 6am opening. A lot of stock was gone just minutes after opening. A store worker, who didn’t wish to be named, at one supermarket in the borough emailed to say she’d received abuse off customers when challenging the amount of food they were trying to buy. “We had a limit of what people could buy but when we stopped them taking more, we received lots of abuse.” In a bid to stop the unnecessary panic, borough stores including Tesco, Asda, Lidl and Aldi put restrictions in place, including limiting products and reducing opening hours. The main Co-op in Netherfield started putting down the shutters at 8pm, despite having original opening hours of 6am- 10pm, so they could restock,

Gedling borough’s bulky waste and glass collection services were suspended due to council staff shortages. Gedling Borough Council today said it had made the decision to stop all bulky waste and glass collections ‘to ensure its critical waste collection services can continue to be prioritised’. The council blamed reductions in staffing levels and an increase in the amount of waste being created due to people staying at home in response to the Coronavirus outbreak. Staff from other areas of the council were redeployed and trained up to assist waste collection but the pressure on COVID-19 is placing on the council’s frontline workers means there are currently insufficient crews to maintain all waste services at this time.