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Here is today's edition of The Nottinghamian:
Hello,
Today's edition of The Nottinghamian focuses on anger sparked by Center Parc's decision to close all its holiday villages on Monday for the Queen's funeral. The Nottinghamshire-based company has been met with criticism following its decision.
We will also discuss the next step in the redevelopment of the former Central Library in the city as well as how one community centre fears closure over a significant rise in rent. Plus we have all the supermarket closures across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire for the upcoming bank holiday and a look into Nottingham's past where horses had a very special job.
Closure sparks anger
Center Parcs has announced its holiday villages will be closing for the day of the Queen's funeral and guests aren't happy about their breaks being interrupted. The Nottinghamshire-based company, which has six locations around the country including Sherwood Forest, has said its doors will shut on Monday 19 September.
They are closing their holiday parks "as a mark of respect and to allow as many of our colleagues as possible to be part of this historic moment." Center Parcs added: "We hope our guests will understand our decision to support our Queen on her final journey."
Holidaymakers staying over the weekend have been told they will have to leave by 10am on Monday and guests booked in from Monday have been told not to turn up until Tuesday, September 20. Impacted guests will have the option to reschedule or cancel with a refund but many took to Twitter to share their frustration.
One said: "Very angry about this - we are not travelling directly to you, so this has left us stranded halfway up the country without accommodation for a night. 30% offered is nowhere near close enough to covering the extra costs." Another said: "Pretty disgusted at this. Had my week booked since Jan and you're now telling us less than a week before? Not ideal. I understand this is a ‘historic occasion’ but not all of us are fussed and not everywhere has to close, plenty of other places are staying open."
Progress
Redevelopment plans to turn the former Central Library into a café and gallery space are progressing. Nottingham City Council is set to appoint an architect and design team to oversee the plans for the former Angel Row library.
Part of the building will feature a creative hub and flexible workspace with a "high-quality residential building" ranging from seven to 15 storeys in height above. The new venue will provide exhibition and gallery space, studios and flexible workspace for the city’s creative industry, as well as ground floor facilities open to the public including a café.
The Angel Row plan is being funded from the Government’s Future High Streets Fund, following a successful bid for £12.5m by the council announced last summer. Nottingham City Council Leader, Councillor David Mellen said he is pleased plans are taking place at the same time the new Central Library in the Broad Marsh area is taking place. They also want to provide a space for Nottingham's growing creative sector to work flexibly and collaborate post-Covid. Read more here.
Weather and trivia
Weather: After a cool start it will be another fine and dry day on Wednesday, with sunny spells. Temperatures will remain close to normal, but feeling pleasant in the sunshine, with light winds. Maximum temperature 21 °C.
Pollen: Low
Further reading: Nottinghamshire family fall ill after paddling in brown sea water
Trivia question: Which Nottinghamshire village is the last in Europe still practising the medieval ‘open field’ system of farming?
The answer to today’s trivia question is at the bottom of the newsletter.
Notts nostalgia
What was once a familiar sight across the city, horses delivering barrels of beer, would certainly be a novelty today. Up until the 1960s brewery dray horses could be seen walking the streets of Nottingham from pub to pub. They worked for Shipstones Brewery in New Basford, which opened in 1852.
The Shire horses delivered Shipstones beer and in 1939 the brewery had a stable of 50 horses. The local business kept up the use of these horses long after other industries adopted motorised vehicles. The company produced beer, locally known as Shippos, at their 7-acre Star Brewery which became both an architectural landmark and major employer.
A red illuminated star at the top of the brewery's tower could be seen for miles, hence the name. It remained an independent family business until 1978 when it was purchased by Greenall's. Shipstones sponsored Nottingham Forest from 1987 until 1994 but production at the brewery ended in early 1991 after 139 years. Today, the company offices have been taken over while some housing and retail units have been constructed on other parts of the site. It is safe to say, we won't be seeing bobbos delivering beer anytime soon.
Future in doubt
A Sherwood community centre, which has been running for 25 years, may have to close if the council puts its rent up further. Nottingham City Council has planned to raise the rent for The Place Activity Centre on Melrose Street by tens of thousands of pounds.
The centre offers meeting rooms and activity spaces for local art groups, fitness classes and businesses. Since it started in 1997, those who run the centre have paid a peppercorn rent of £10 a year to the building's owner, Nottingham City Council. But in 2020 staff were informed that its rent would be increased to a commercial level of £12,000, eventually going up to £20,000 within four years.
The first payment was due last year, but an administrative error meant that an invoice for the original peppercorn rent was sent and paid. Thulani Molife, 53, chairman of the centre for the last eight years, says the city council still want last year's rent paying at the commercial level and the payment for this year will be due in September. Mr Molife says that the centre simply wouldn't be able to afford that.
He said: "I have had several people tell me that we could be used as one of the warm banks that have been talked about. We also have the opportunity to open a community kitchen which would be a great service. I do think that the centre is Sherwood's most hidden asset and it would be terrible for it to close. So many things that are now well established started here." Read more here.
Supermarket hours
On Monday, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s State Funeral will take place and the nation will pause with a Bank Holiday. However, the right to a bank holiday day off is not automatic and some workplaces will be open. We asked some of the biggest supermarkets in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire for their response to the bank holiday.
A number of retailers said they will close some of their largest stores, others are closing all stores and some supermarkets have said they'll close during certain hours. Aldi has taken the decision to close all of its stores across Nottinghamshire. Lidl will also be closing its doors on Monday and the store thanked customers for their understanding.
Larger Tesco stores are to close for the day, with convenience stores opening from 5pm. Sainsbury’s has said it will shut its main supermarkets and Argos shops. However, convenience shops and petrol filling stations will remain open during the evening. Morrisons, at the time of writing, hadn't made a decision. Across Nottingham and the county, Asda will close its stores on Monday, September 19, until 5pm. Full details can be found 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, which Nottinghamshire village is the last in Europe still practising the medieval ‘open field’ system of farming, is Laxton.
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