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Here is today's edition of The Nottinghamian:
Hello,
Today's edition of the Nottinghamian focuses on an Arnold couple hoping to take their bakery business to the next level. They are set to appear on a new Channel 4 show, aiming to secure a deal with Aldi.
We will also take a look at a pub that's getting a £100,000 makeover and we take a look back into Nottingham's past and discuss how different transport could have been for the city. We'll also feature a report outlining how the woman at the centre of an alleged racist incident at Nottingham Castle is to attend a meeting there next month.
'Next Big Thing'
Anyone who has ever tasted one of Harrison & Griffiths' cakes knows how good they are... including the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, and son George, who once visited their stall. Now the Arnold couple behind the mouth-watering treats are hoping to take it up a level by getting them onto the shelves of one of the UK's biggest supermarkets.
Paulette Griffiths and Colin Harrison are bidding to become Aldi's Next Big Thing. The Channel 4 TV series is giving small-scale food producers the chance to pitch their ideas for the chance of a lifetime. The duo will feature in the episode on Thursday October 27 in the hope of winning the massive contract to supply all Aldi stores in the UK.
Sworn to secrecy about the outcome, the couple are giving nothing away but Colin, 69, said: "Win or lose for everyone it's the publicity none of us could afford to pay for a prime time advert. You've got exposure and online sales will go up for everybody."
Paulette, 59, said: "We travel up and down the country at food and drink shows and you couldn't reach that amount of people in an hour. For us it was an experience. Everything we brought, they tried. They enjoyed all of them. When you have someone of that calibre, in that line of work, who must have tasted thousands of cakes for their career and for them to try our cakes, it was amazing." Read more here.
'Healing wounds'
The woman at the centre of an alleged racist incident at Nottingham Castle says a meeting is being held next month to try and begin "healing wounds". Panya Banjoko, who curated the 'Don't Blame the Blacks' exhibition at the attraction, claimed her two grandchildren were the victims of a hate incident in the castle grounds on August 17 last year.
Panya Banjoko says that when she raised the incident with a member of the senior management team at Nottingham Castle, she was met with "aggressive" behaviour and "kettled" into a corner. An internal investigation found several staff needed more training to handle such incidents.
Ms Banjoko says she will be meeting with Nottingham Castle on November 30, although the castle itself has refused to comment on the matter. Panya Banjoko said: "I view this as a positive step towards healing wounds. The meeting is about building bridges and bringing the community together. It is about ensuring Nottingham is a place where all people can feel safe and their concerns can be heard."
Weather and trivia
Weather: Windy with scattered morning showers on Wednesday, perhaps heavy with a low chance of thunder. Otherwise, sunny spells and mostly dry through the afternoon. Very mild. Maximum temperature 18 °C.
UV: Low
Further reading: Nottingham MP deletes tweet saying Rishi Sunak election 'isn't a win for Asian representation'
Trivia question: The UK’s first radio phone-in was in 1968 on which Nottingham station?
The answer to today’s trivia question is at the bottom of the newsletter.
Notts nostalgia
How different would Nottingham look if it had more than one train station and still had one right in the heart of town. Victoria Railway Station was a grand building served by Great Central Railway and Great Northern Railway, having opened on 24 May 1900. The construction of the station resulted in the demolition of entire streets including some 1,300 houses, 24 public houses and St. Stephen's Church.
The main station building was in true Victorian splendour, in a Renaissance style using the best-quality red-faced bricks and Darley Dale stone. Services were varied and included a London to Manchester express, local routes, cross-country and freight workings. However, as time went on the services declined.
The whole Great Central route was run down as services were diverted, cut, or faced very slack timetables. Locomotives and rolling stock were old and unreliable, and the line did not benefit from British Rail's new diesel locomotives. Passenger numbers started to fall in the 1960s and closure seemed inevitable. Victoria station was finally closed on 4 September 1967 and demolished amidst much opposition. Today, only the clocktower survives amongst the new Victoria Shopping Centre and flats.
£100k revamp
The team who worked their magic to turn a flagging village pub into a thriving business are at it again. Earlier this year owners Sean and Nicola Reddington along with their staff turned the Old Vol at Caythorpe into a destination for food lovers and families.
Now they're about to do it again - just two miles away, at another country pub. This time it's the Reindeer at Hoveringham. The pub has now closed and will be undergoing a £100,000 makeover. It will reopen on December 1, just in time for Christmas celebrations. The same chefs and front-of-house staff will rotate between the two to ensure the same high standards but with more of a focus on classic British, such as pie nights, curry nights and pub quizzes.
The Old Vol has just been awarded two rosettes by the AA Restaurant Guide for its 'exceptional' menu and boasts a coveted garden bar and terrace with a tiny town for young visitors. Its popularity means it is well on course for a £2.5 million turnover in its first year, making it one of the highest turnovers of all pubs in the UK currently. Read more here.
That’s all for today
Thank you for joining me for today's edition of The Nottinghamian. I hope you enjoyed it, and if you did why not sign up to receive it directly in your inbox every weekday by clicking here.
The answer to today’s trivia question, the UK’s first radio phone-in was in 1968 on which Nottingham station, is Radio Nottingham.
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