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Here is the Nottinghamian from Tuesday, February 21.
Hello,
Today's edition of the Nottinghamian follows the uncertainty traders are still facing at Victoria Market. It comes as many businesses are preparing the leave their pitches.
We will also take a look at a music venue celebrating its 20th birthday and the closure of a family business in Lady Bay. Plus a look back into Nottingham's clubbing past.
'In the dark'
Confusion reigns amongst traders over when, or if, Nottingham's Victoria Market will be closing. Stallholders said they had been given details of compensation packages and dates for vacant possession had been agreed. They have been selling fixtures and fittings, letting staff go and not ordering stock under the impression that they would be forced to shut down.
Some had agreed to leave their pitches by February 24, while others were given various dates in March. But now Nottingham City Council, which leases the market in Victoria Centre, said negotiations are largely completed and it is considering whether the financial impact of closing the market is the best use of taxpayers' money.
Steve Dyer, the owner of Frothy Coffee, told customers he would be closing on Friday (February 24) but now he's not so sure after the council's update. Yolanda Small, co-owner of Ty's Continental Food Store for 36 years, said they had been getting rid of stock with the intention of quitting on March 2. She said: "On Friday we were told that has now been put on hold. We don't know where we stand. It's been handled very very shoddily."
A city council spokesperson said: “We have been undertaking confidential discussions with all traders about recommended offers of compensation in the event that the market closes. This engagement has now largely been completed and the council is able to consider the full financial impact of the proposed exit from the market. We will now need to undertake further work to consider whether this represents best value for taxpayers before a final decision is taken on the future of the market.”
Read more here.
Weather and trivia
Weather: Early cloud and rain clearing eastwards by Wednesday lunchtime. A mixture of sunshine and showers to follow. Further rain overnight. Maximum temperature 9 °C.
UV: Low
Further reading: Protesters refuse to be silent over 'discriminatory' allotment evictions
Trivia question: Who once said that “Nottingham is a county there to fill the spaces up”?
The answer to today's trivia question is at the bottom of the newsletter.
Notts nostalgia
When it comes to nightclubs, Nottingham has had its fair share of legendary spaces from - Rock City to the Palais. Over the decades we have loved and lost many that have gone down as urban legends of their time. One club in particular, has gone down in local history for having some of rock and pop's best-known musicians grace its stage including Elton John, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder and Van Morrison.
The Dungeon Club on Stanford Street opened in 1964 and it became the place for Nottingham's teenagers to go to listen to new records or watch bands perform. England was at the height of the mods and rockers subculture which saw many teenagers adopt one of the fashionable styles or the other.
The small, dark venue was run by Mick Parker and it was unlicensed, which wasn't unusual at the time. Visitors could only buy soft drinks or coffee. The club was known for its 'all-nighter' sessions where it would open for its Saturday session before closing at midnight for an hour and reopening in the early hours of Sunday morning for guests to head back.
The building, which is now solicitor offices near the Broad Marsh site, reveals nothing of its former life as a busy nightclub in both the 1960s and 1970s. Although there were unsuccessful attempts by a group of Dungeon Club regulars to place a blue plaque on the wall in 2019. Read more here.
20 years
A Nottingham music venue is holding a week long celebration to mark 20 years. Rescue Rooms has been at the forefront of Nottingham's music scene for the past two decades.
It comes at a time where grassroots gig spaces in the UK are “going over a cliff” following the pandemic and shutting off the pipeline of future talent. Over the past 20 years, Rescue Rooms has seen musical heavyweights take to their stage, including The Libertines, The Killers, Amy Winehouse and Jake Bugg.
Anton Lockwood, Director of Live at DHP Family, said: This is particularly meaningful in a time when music venues are under more and more pressure – so I’m delighted to bring a positive story about grassroots live music!” To celebrate, the venue will be welcoming Frank Turner as headliner of a special solo show on Saturday 25th February.
The sold out show to celebrate the 20 year milestone comes after a week of special events at the Goldsmith Street venue featuring live music, dj sets, club events, drag shows and bingo. See the full event listing here.
Closure
A family run boutique has closed its doors. No. 41 Style & Home was a small boutique selling clothing and gifts, as well as 200 Degrees coffee and cake.
The owners of the shop, in Trent Boulevard, Lady Bay, thanked customers for their support over the last five years. They described their decision to close as "incredibly hard."
"We love our boutique and it's been a pleasure here in Lady Bay," they said, before the final day. It's not the end, however, as the business will run online.
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, who once said that “Nottingham is a county there to fill the spaces up”, is Jeremy Clarkson.
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