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Here is today's edition of The Nottinghamian:
Hello,
How do you fancy owning a Wetherspoon pub? Well, in today's edition of the Nottinghamian we take a look at how 32 chain pubs have been put on the market including one in Nottinghamshire.
We will also delve into Goose Fair's past in our Notts nostalgia section as well as a really interesting piece by our life writer Lynette to find out if there really is a connection to Geese. Plus, whilst it may be way too early for some, shops across Nottingham are preparing for Christmas. So if you want to get into the festive spirit or get ahead of your present list, we have detailed where to go.
Pubs for sale
Wetherspoons is a staple in most high streets and city centres up and down the country but 32 of them being put on the market is not something you hear every day. The pub chain is selling some of its sites having previously warned that it faces losses of £30m due to rising staff wages and repairs.
The pubs, a mix of ten freehold and 22 leasehold units, are being considered for sale either individually, in small packages or as a portfolio. They include the Widow Frost in Mansfield, which is on the market for £350,000.
JD Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: "On occasion, Wetherspoon does put some of its pubs up for sale. This is a commercial decision. We understand that customers and staff will be disappointed with it. The pubs will continue to operate as Wetherspoon outlets until they are sold."
Weather and trivia
Weather: A bright start on Wednesday, but turning cloudier with spells of rain spreading south and west through the afternoon and evening. Maximum temperature 15 °C.
UV: Medium
Further reading: Discount store announces opening dates of 2 new Nottinghamshire branches
Trivia question: What was Boots' most popular product when it was founded?
The answer to today’s trivia question is at the bottom of the newsletter.
Notts nostalgia
Friday marks the return of Goose Fair but one thing we will certainly not be seeing is wild animals on Forest Recreation Ground. Turning the clock back to 1921, exotic animals in touring circuses were commonplace at the fair. Even a troop of elephants paraded over Trent Bridge when Barnum and Bailey's circus visited West Bridgford towards the end of the 19th century.
Travelling zoos, or menageries as they were also called, brought 'exotic' never-seen-before animals to the streets of Nottingham, like an elephant from one of the sideshows being taken to Bulwell Wakes in the early 1900s. Bostock and Wombwell’s Menagerie, which existed from 1805 all the way until the 1930s, featured elephants, lions, tigers, and Billy the Pelican, who was a big attraction.
The animals were a regular attraction at Nottingham's Goose Fair when it was staged in Old Market Square. It's hard to believe that the use of wild animals in circuses was only banned in 2020.
Goose Fair's long history
Did it really revolve around the sale of geese? Our life writer Lynette Pinchess has taken a look into Goose Fair's past to really find out when it began and how it got the unusual name. What we know for sure is the annual autumnal event is very different from its humble origins hundreds of years ago.
No one really knows if the fair sold geese due to limited historical records. The earliest use of the name Goose Fair dates to 1541 when 22d was paid for the 22 stalls held by the sheriffs on ‘Gose feyre dey’. The fair's original purpose was to sell goods and livestock. Some accounts refer to 20,000 geese, with their feet tarred, walking from the Lincolnshire fens to be sold for the traditional Michaelmas dish, but no one knows if that was true.
City archaeologist Scott Lomax said: "Goose Fair may derive its name from the sale of geese, though medieval court records show that geese were sold throughout much of the year in Nottingham and could be bought for as little as 2d." As the years rolled by more and more people began to look upon the fair as an excuse for a good time. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Bostock and Wombwell's Menagerie rolled up and steam power meant the arrival of rides by the early 1900s to Old Market Square.
The growth of the fair meant it was fast becoming a national institution but plans to build the Council House meant Slab Square could no longer be home to the event. There was a public outcry at the time but the council stood firm and the fair was relocated to Forest Rec in 1928, where it has taken place ever since. Find out more about the fair's history here.
It's beginning to look like Christmas
While some of us might still be looking ahead to Bonfire Night and Halloween, that has not stopped retailers across the city getting into the festive spirit. Some shops have wasted no time in getting their Christmas stock ready with decorations, trees and festive food already on display.
Life writer Caroline Barry has been stopping off at the Nottingham stores getting into the holiday mood. Many popular shops including B&M, the Range and Boots have been stocking up. Take a look at the article here, to know where to go to get the Christmas spirit months ahead of the big day.
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, what was Boots' most popular product when it was founded, is Boots No Name Ointment.
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