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Warm welcome for Carlton choir during German visit

Gedling Eye
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Warm welcome for Carlton choir during German visit

A choir from Carlrton received a warm welcome when they performed in front of large numbers in Nottingham’s twin city in Germany, Karlsruhe.

The Carlton Male Voice Choir (CMVC) was received with open arms by the people of Karlsruhe, and received a standing ovation at the conclusion of the main concert in the magnificent StadtKirche where an audience of 600 people came to see and hear earlier this month.

Musical director, Ian Watts, who also planned the musical content, led the choir and was supported by their lead principal accompanist, Roger Holland.

It’s the second time that the Carlton choir has represented Nottingham in Karlsruhe; they first paid a visit to the city back in 1994. It was 24 years ago in 1994, when musical contacts were first made

Cultural visits were made to Ettlingen and Baden Baden in the Black Forest during the visit.

PICTURED: Carlton Male Voice Choir in Karlsruhe (PICTURE: Nigel Slater)

Carlton Male Voice Choir’s marketing manager, Howard Lloyd said: “The choir were hosted by The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) University Chamber Choir  and they extended a very warm welcome. CMVC look forward to providing similar hospitality when the KIT choir visits Nottingham in 2019.

“KIT Choir member Nikolaus Indlekofer told CMVC how much they had enjoyed this first link with them. He was looking forward to 2019 and the return visit with his choir to Nottingham.

Carlton MVC’s next concert is at the Nottingham High School at 7.30pm on Saturday, June 23 and is a fundraiser for the NSPCC.

Details are on www.carltonmvc.org and tickets available from tickets@carltonmvc.org or tel 07954995636.

Severn Trent failed customers in Arnold during ‘Beast from the East’ water woes, says Ofwat

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Severn Trent failed customers in Arnold during ‘Beast from the East’ water woes, says Ofwat

Severn Trent Water has been heavily criticised by regulator Ofwat for failing to protect customers in Arnold from water shortages in the aftermath that followed the Beast from the East.

The report by Ofwat cites “poor advance planning, inadequate communication with customers and a lack of basic support, such as bottled water” during the spell of bad weather earlier this year.

Ofwat is now requiring four water companies – Thames Water, Severn Trent, Southern Water and South East Water – to submit a detailed, externally audited, action plan setting out how they are addressing the issues identified. The plans must be submitted no later than September 28.

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Ofwat chief executive Rachel Fletcher said: “The freeze and rapid thaw earlier this year was forecast and was not unprecedented.

“But too many companies were caught off guard and let people down, causing real hardship as a result. Our report shows there is no excuse for this level of failure.”

A number of residents in Arnold experienced interrupted supplies or water loss during the period of bad weather.

The leader of Gedling Borough Council, Cllr John Clarke, today issued a statement following the publication of Ofwat’s report.

He said: “During the cold weather at the beginning of March, a considerable number of residents living in and around the Arnold area experienced either an interrupted or complete loss of water supply for a significant period, causing them distress and extreme inconvenience.

Cllr-John-Clarke
ENCOURAGED: Gedling Borough Council leader John Clarke praised improvements being made by Severn Trent Water following the bad weather spell

“I know that plenty of local people found it hard to get hold of Severn Trent Water at the time of the incident and the organisation and provision of bottled water didn’t work as well as it should have done.

“Ofwat’s report published today highlights the improvements that are needed to better manage future incidents and builds on the discussions that have already taken place between the Council, local MP Vernon Coaker and Severn Trent Water during which assurances were sought from Severn Trent Water to improve the flow of information to local residents and businesses and ensure that support to our most vulnerable residents in particular was better co-ordinated.

He added: “I am encouraged to see the commitment from Severn Trent Water in respect of improvements and the Council will continue to work with the company to ensure that the impact of any future incident on our residents and businesses is minimised.

“In addition to this, positive work is underway with Severn Trent Water to recognise the heritage of the Borough with the company contributing £10,000 to fund work around this.”

In a statement issued by Severn Trent Water, they acknowledged significant numbers had experienced disruption.

A Severn Trent spokesperson said: “We’d like to apologise again to our customers who were affected during the extreme weather in March. Customers rightly expect water whenever they need it, and we’ve been working hard since March to make improvements to our incident response processes.

“We accept Ofwat’s findings and are committed to submitting our action plan in September. We’ve already announced a significant programme of investment in our network, including plans for additional monitors in our network to enable us to respond much more quickly and accurately in the future, should this ever happen again.”

Faulty fridge freezer most likely cause of flat fire that led to death of Carlton woman

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Faulty fridge freezer most likely cause of flat fire that led to death of Carlton woman

A fire at a flat in Carlton which caused the death of a woman was most likely started by a damaged flex of a fridge freezer, an inquest heard earlier this month (June 5).

Anita Hanks, 33, died after the fire at her home in Walton Court on October 2, 2017.

Ms Hanks had returned home from a friend’s neighbouring flat during the early hours, before the fire, and friends alerted the fire service when they became aware of a fire in her flat later that morning.

Crews from Arnold, Carlton and Stockhill arrived to find that the fire had self-extinguished, and found significant damage to the fridge freezer, which is believed to be where the fire originated.

The court heard that the appliance was not subject to any recall notices and an independent forensic examination commissioned by the manufacturer found that there were no technical faults with the fridge freezer.

In what Ms Casey described as ‘an incredibly rare set of circumstances’, it is believed that the freezer’s ‘flex cable’ had become damaged at some point, either when the appliance was moved or had become trapped underneath the appliance.

Returning her narrative conclusion, Ms Casey, said Ms Hanks was overcome by fumes.

Walton_Court_Carlton
PICTURED: Walton Court in Carlton

“The situation that led to this was most likely to have been developing over a period of time and we cannot be fully sure how the cable became damaged. I am satisfied following such a detailed examination of the appliance that there were no technical problems, and I would like to thank the manufacturers for their assistance with the investigation.

“I would like to express my most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ms Hanks and I would like to recognise the bravery and courage of her friends who, when they found out she was in trouble and that her flat was on fire, did everything they could to try to save her.”

Following the inquest, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) would like to highlight the need to correctly install appliances and to follow manufacturer’s guidelines.

Ian Tomlin, Fire Investigation and Arson Reduction Officer, said: “As Ms Casey has said, this is an incredibly rare occurrence and, on behalf of NFRS, I would like to express our condolences to the family and friends of Ms Hanks.

“Both our fire investigation and an independent forensic investigation returned the same conclusion that the fire was caused due to accidental damage to the ‘flex cable’.

“This raises an important issue and our advice is that if you are buying an appliance, particularly if it is second-hand, you should always inspect not just the appliance itself for damage, but also the attached cables and plugs.

“When an appliance has been moved, sometimes cables can become trapped underneath the appliance with the base resting on them. When installing appliances, we would advise you to follow manufacturer’s recommendations for installation and maintenance.

“We would also always advise regular general maintenance of your electrical appliances, making sure they are in good working order and that you register them with Register My Appliance (www.registermyappliance.org.uk) to keep up to date with any relevant recall notices.”

New mayor opens £124k revamped play area in Arnot Hill Park

Gedling Eye
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New mayor opens £124k revamped play area in Arnot Hill Park

The new Mayor of Gedling cut the ribbon on a revamped play area which was officially opened on Thursday in Arnold.

The new mayor Cllr Barbara Miller was joined by excited pupils from Arnold View School as she declared the new play area in Arnot Hill Park open.

The new-look park, which has been revamped at a cost of £124,ooo, now boasts a junior and toddler zone, new swings, climbing walls and a 2.9 metre slide in the shape of the iconic Arnot Hill House – which is situated next to the play area.

OPEN: The Mayor of Gedling Cllr Barbara Miller opens Arnot Hill Park play area
REVAMPED: The new-look play area at Arnot Hill Park play area

The play area was improved thanks to funding from WREN’s FCC Community Action Fund, a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community projects from funds donated by waste and resource management company FCC Environment through the Landfill Communities Fund.

Portfolio holder for parks, Cllr Peter Barnes said: “We are absolutely delighted that the new play is ready for the young children to use. We have to say a huge thank you to WREN for the funding, they have been brilliant supporters of our borough and this park will be something children can enjoy for many years to come.”

New coarse fishing season gets underway today

Gedling Eye
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New coarse fishing season gets underway today

River coarse fishing gets back into full swing today following the three month close season from March 15 to June 15.

But the Environment Agency is reminding anglers to make sure they have a fishing licence before they go.

The Agency reported 87 close season offences during the first 10 weeks of the annual restricted period for coarse fish.

Officers undertook 729 targeted patrols, also detecting 115 other offences, mainly unlicensed fishing, but also several illegally set traps.

Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officers were supported again by Angling Trust Voluntary Bailiff Service members on Operation CLAMPDOWN.

Now in its sixth year, Operation CLAMPDOWN is a joint initiative between the Environment Agency, Angling Trust’s Fisheries Enforcement Support Service and police forces, aimed at gathering intelligence about illegal fishing and responding through targeted patrols.

Patrols took place across rivers, streams, drains and on specific canals and stillwaters that still retain the close season.

RELAXING: The coarse fishing season begins again today
WARNING: Don’t forget your fishing licence

Kevin Austin, Environment Agency Deputy Director Agriculture, Fisheries and the Natural Environment, said: “It’s a great time to go fishing. So I’d encourage anglers to get out there, enjoy yourselves fishing and make sure you are doing the right thing.”

“The vast majority of anglers fish legally; sadly there are a small number of anglers who cheat others by fishing during the close season. It is still possible for anglers to fish during this time on many stillwaters and canals, which are open all year round.

“We respond to the intelligence we receive about illegal fishing by ensuring our patrols are targeted at the right places – and the right people.”

Dilip Sarkar MBE, Angling Trust National Enforcement Manager, said: “These figures show that our volunteer bailiffs throughout England are demonstrating their massive commitment to protecting fish and fisheries and cracking down on illegal fishing.

All anglers can help this process, in fact – at any time of year – by reporting information and offences in progress to the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60, or the police on 101/999 as appropriate.”

You can buy a licence at https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences

If you want to fish a new river this season, why not visit the fishinginfo website (www.fishinginfo.co.uk) to find details of different venues, river levels and angling clubs.

  • Anyone who suspects illegal fishing to be taking place should report the matter to the Environment Agency’s incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

Police clampdown on dangerous vehicles in Gedling borough

Gedling Eye
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Police clampdown on dangerous vehicles in Gedling borough

60 motorists were stopped and 10 dangerous vehicles taken off the road during a police clampdown in Gedling borough during the past two days.

Officers stopped the vehicles as part of Operation Highway, which took place in Gedling and also Rushcliffe during Thursday and Friday.

The aim of the operation was to combat illegal and dangerous vehicle use. These operations can take place anywhere in Nottinghamshire and on any day of the week. The teams have been on rural roads and in villages, as well as major routes.

Ten drivers were reported for vehicles being in dangerous and un-roadworthy conditions, four drivers were stopped for using mobile phones and five for failing to wear a seatbelt. Five vehicles were seized for no insurance and 10 vehicles were also banned from the road due to being in such dangerous conditions, including being overweight and having major mechanical and braking issues.

Officers also arrested a man on suspicion of taking a vehicle without consent and driving whilst banned. He was pulled over as part of the operation. He remains in custody while inquiries are on-going.

CLAMPDOWN: Vehicles taking part in the two-day operation in Gedling
SUCCESS: Officers from the agencies involved in the operation

Operation Highway is a proactive operation that sees officers tackle all sorts of dangers on the road. There have been teams conducting speed checks, teams using unmarked vehicles and plain clothes officers to spot offences like mobile phone use and teams operating multi-agency check sites for commercial vehicles.

The officers have covered several locations at any one time.

The multiple agency meeting saw Divisional officers, Special Constables, Roads Policing Team and Police Cadets work alongside the Environment Agency, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue, VIA East Midlands and HMRC.

Co-ordinating Op Transporter, PC Adam Pace said: “The difference with Op Highway is that where suitable we will seek to use education and training from our partners, instead of prosecution for minor offences. However, we will always seek to prosecute those who recklessly endanger people’s lives.

“Our Special Constables and Cadets play an ongoing, major role in this ever growing operation, which was first implemented by SC Alan Marwood in 2017.”

Police release CCTV image of man police want to speak to after serious assault in Mapperley

Gedling Eye
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Police release CCTV image of man police want to speak to after serious assault in Mapperley

Images have emerged of a man police want to speak to after a serious assault in Mapperley where a man was driven at by a car.

A 49-year-old man was arrested from the Eastwood area on suspicion of burglary, theft and assault causing grievous bodily harm last night following the incident which happened at around 4.15pm on Thursday, June 7 2018. He remains in police custody.

 

The man in the image is described as white, of a slim build with dark hair which is longer on top. He was wearing dark clothing and red gloves.

A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: “If you recognise this man or have any information that could help, please contact us on 101 quoting incident 569 of 7 June. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Police arrest man in connection with Bestwood Park assault

Emily Sanchez
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Police arrest man in connection with Bestwood Park assault

A 24-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an assault in Bestwood Park on Tuesday.

He is currently being questioned by detectives following the incident at a house on Chippenham Road at 9.49pm on Tuesday (12 June).

Police reported that a man had forced entry into the house and an assault had taken place, which is believed to be domestic-related.

A 26-year-old man was taken to hospital with a single stab wound which required stitches following the incident

A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: “A 26-year-old man suffered a stab wound but has since been discharged from hospital.”

Review: Kast Off Kinks at Lowdham Village Hall

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Review: Kast Off Kinks at Lowdham Village Hall

When is a tribute band not a tribute band? When it’s The Kast Of Kinks.

Dave Clarke (guitar and vocals), Ian Gibbons (keyboard and vocals), John Dalton (bass and vocals) and Mick Avory (drums), played packed Lowdham Village Hall on Friday.

Although they can’t call themselves The Kinks, three of the line up are Kinks. Dalton and Avory from the early days in the 60s, indeed Avory was there from day one, whilst Gibbons featured in a later line up. Clarke has an equally impressive pedigree, at one time playing with the Noel Redding Band.

The Kast tour to keep the musical heritage of The Kinks alive, and Ray Davies’s songs are certainly in good hands. In fact, there have been times in the past where Davies has made guest appearances with the band.

Whilst the evening was fuelled by fantastic music, the members were extremely humble, sharing banter, anecdotes, and a few beers. Dalton encouraged the crowd to sing along with the more familiar lyrics such as Sunny Afternoon and the audience willingly obliged.

The bulk of the vocals were taken on by Clarke who didn’t attempt to imitate Davies’s style. His delivery ranged from Paul Welleres-que on the more soulful numbers to the aggressive attitude of The Fall’s Mark E Smith on the more punky ones.

PICTURED: The Kast Off Kinks at Lowdham Village Hall

The Kast’s repertoire included all of the The Kinks biggest hits and more, from the grungy, You Really Got Me, through melodic Days, to ‘first ever punk song’ (covered by The Jam), David Watts, ‘country song’, Muswell Hillbilly, the whimsy of Well Respected Man, and their ‘most modern hit’, Come Dancing, to which many of the audience responded and danced. If you can name a famous Kinks song it was probably played!

‘This number invariably appears in our shows at some point,’ asserted Clarke, ‘although as we tend to be flexible with the set list we did once forget it. The audience weren’t best pleased. We won’t overlook it tonight!’ The song referred to was Waterloo Sunset, a classic not to be missed on this occasion.

Dalton and Gibbons also had turns on lead vocals. Gibbons most notably on ‘Apeman’.

‘We were deciding who should sing this one, but with a name like Gibbons there was only one real choice,’ explained Clarke

Two highlights were a very Status Quo sounding rocker from 1965, It’s Too Late, and Avory’s humorous take on Dedicated Follower Of Fashion, bedecked in a multi-coloured sports jacket. It’s Too Late featured Quo-like guitar riffs from their mid 70s era but had been pioneered by The Kinks almost a decade earlier.

“We’re not going to insult you by going off and then coming back on,” informed Clarke. “We’ll do another two if that is ok with you ok?”

With stonking renditions of, All Day And All Of The Night , and Louie Louie, it certainly was ok.

Supermarkets in borough slash prices at the petrol pumps

Gedling Eye
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Supermarkets in borough slash prices at the petrol pumps

Supermarkets across the borough have launched into a price war at the petrol pumps, with Asda being the latest to cut the cost of fuel.

The supermarket giant – which has a superstore in Arnold – announced plans to slash the price of petrol by up to 3p a litre.

Drivers who fill up with diesel will save up to 2p a litre.

The move means that drivers won’t pay more than 124.7p per litre for petrol and 127.7p per litre on diesel.

Asda-Front-Street
PICTURED: Asda’s supermarket in Front Street

Morrisons, which has a large store at Netherfield, also confirmed it will be cutting the cost of unleaded and diesel by 3p and 2p per litre today (14) at all its filing stations across the UK.

Rival Sainsbury’s, which has a superstore in Arnold, also slashed their pump prices at all of its forecourts,

The savings are being passed on to motorists by the supermarkets after the price of oil fell back to $76 a barrel.

Asda boss Roger Burnley said: “We know that the cost of living is centre of mind for our customers and we will always do whatever we can to reduce that burden.

“Customers can trust us to lead the way when it comes to lowering the price of fuel and putting cash back in their pocket.”

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