A carpenter applying the finishing touches to a new block of flats at Sneinton Market described hearing a 'loud bang' when recalling the moment a car mounted a pavement and crashed into the property. Aiden Bates, of All Construction Contractors, said windows had been "completely destroyed and need replacement".
Mr Bates, who said he heard a 'loud bang', was stunned to learn what happened and said a colleague informed him of the crash, shouting 'police, police'. "It is a nightmare really because we just finished it," said Mr Bates.
"Police came here within 30 seconds. No-one was injured but the window and frame were destroyed. We will be able to fix it, though. We are hoping to get everything ready in the next couple of weeks."
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The emergency services were called to the incident, at the junction of Bath Street and Southwell Road, at around 4.30pm on Tuesday, August 30. Photos from the scene had shown a blue Toyota that had mounted the pavement.
The front of the car appeared to be considerably damaged. Officials from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed a car had crashed into a building - but said that no injuries had been reported.
The new block of flats is located near the Fox & Grapes Castle Rock pub, south of the Motorpoint Arena. On the damage caused to the development, Mr Bates, who is 30 years old, said: "We got those windows from Poland so we will have to order them again. It looks bad but it is an easy one to fix.
"It is just a fuss really because the development is finished. We are just working on some touch-ups inside. This will all be renting flats. I am assuming it will mostly be occupied by students because of its location but it will not be just students."
Bath Street was partially closed by police and witnesses in the area heard sirens. Katie Vu, a 32-year-old nail technician at DK Nails in Bath Street, added: "There was a lot of police here. The sirens were going off, and then the street was blocked off. We do not see incidents like that happening here."
"London Road and the Specialist Rescue Unit from Highfields Fire Station were in attendance, to assist the casualty and make the scene safe," Nottinghamshire Fire And Rescue Service said. There was no mass structural damage to the building, and no injuries."
On Tuesday evening, a spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: "We were called to reports of a collision involving a car and a building in Bath Street, Sneinton, shortly before 4pm. No injuries have been reported and the road is partially closed while recovery work takes place. A structural engineer has assessed the damage and declared the building safe."
It comes at a time of wider improvements at Sneinton Market. The team behind the Bustler Market in Derby are set to open later this year. New student flats have also been proposed under plans to extend the iQ Exchange building, fronting Lower Parliament Street. And work has been taking place on a vast new student flats block at the main entrance to the market.
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