Upbeat residents remain hopeful of positive changes to their town, despite the area disappointingly missing out on their levelling up bid. Arnold town centre recently saw the introduction of AMP building at Arnold Market Place, with new businesses looking to contribute towards a thriving future for the town.
The site was the home of Arnold Market for more than 50 years, but in 2018 Gedling Borough Council purchased the land and work started in 2020. The newly opened businesses at the market include Cleo's Delicatessen, Taste First, Market Place Tea Rooms, Catdog, and the Post Office.
However, plans to further improve the town's fortunes, which would have included money for the construction of a new leisure centre, library and park on the north side of town, have been dealt a blow after it was confirmed that the town would miss out on the government's levelling up funding on Thursday, January 19. The current Arnold Leisure Centre, along with the Bonington Theatre, could have been replaced if the £50m bid had been successful.
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Yet, any part of the £4.8billion of funding available for local infrastructure across the UK will not be going the way of Gedling Borough Council. Councillor David Ellis says he shares the view that the north side of Front Street, Arnold Town Centre, is "in need of investment if the whole area is to be revitalised".
Local shoppers also had their say on the town following the news. Annie Beardon, 65, retired, said: "The south side is lovely now. Everybody welcomed the new market place and it seems like it's going well for the town.
"I think it was a great idea. To house businesses from across the town and give them a chance to prosper after a difficult few years in just fantastic.
"It's lovely to see. I think the town needed it For me, Arnold has always been a great place, but I wasn't really seeing many improvements in recent years, it felt like it stood still a little. But I wasn't complaining because I love it here.
"But then they brought in the AMP and things are taking off. I do think now the north side needs some attention.
"It's a little run down and if anything having the AMP makes the north side even worse, even though the market was a great idea. I know there are plans for a new leisure centre in Arnold, which would be ideal I think for a lot of people."
63-year-old Stanley Gorley, who lives close to the town centre, said: "It's not very nice. I am happy now that we've got the market place but the north side absolutely needs to be taken care of now.
"There are far worse places in Notts than Arnold, it's a prosperous area. And I really think it's on the up.
"But if people want it to contend with the best of them they need to figure out the north side, it's never been the nicest. Too many charity shops, for one.
"There are rows of empty shops and closed shops - it's a bit depressing. All I'm hearing are about are improvements to that area though so I hope that that can be delivered on eventually."
Gedling Borough Council submitted a funding bid of £50million for 'Levelling Up' funding last year after previously bidding for £20million in the first round but was unsuccessful.
David Ellis, Labour councillor and Ward for Ernehale says that he is "deeply disappointed" that the government did not support the council's "ambitious plans". He said: "For many years the Arnold marketplace has been an eyesore.
"Thanks to the Labour administration at Gedling Borough the market place has been improved with the new AMP building offering opportunities for new start up businesses, and a new public space for community events. It's still early days but we looking forward to seeing the space used more widely.
"As local councillors for the town centre, we share the view that the north side of Front Street is in need of investment if the whole area is to be revitalised. As with many high streets, Arnold has been affected by the changes to people's shopping habits and needs to find a new role and identity.
"We are deeply disappointed that the Government has refused to support the Council's ambitious plans to invest in Arnold through the Levelling Up Fund announced yesterday. We believe that the scheme would have made a real difference to Arnold, and hope that it will be resubmitted for future rounds.
"In the meantime, we will be pushing the Council to continue supporting local businesses along the whole length of Front Street."
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