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Here is the Nottinghamian from Friday, December 23:
Hello,
To round up this week, the Nottinghamian brings news of a key step in the Broadmarsh plans. Nottingham City Council looks set to accept thousands of pounds in grant to help carry out further stages of the redevelopment.
We also take a look at future nurse strikes as well as two Nottingham charities benefiting from money raised by the Robin Hood Fund. Plus Lady Bay is set to get a new food outlet and I give a festive recommendation for this weekend.
Key step
A key step has been made in the redevelopment of the former Broadmarsh Shopping Centre as Nottingham City Council looks to accept a £100,000 grant from a Government agency. Homes England, a housing agency which funds new affordable homes across the country, has offered the money to go towards the master-planning of the Greater Broadmarsh area.
It comes as a decision on the authority’s bid to Government for £20m of Levelling Up funding was pushed back to the new year. The council had missed out on funding in the last round, but submitted another bid alongside a stronger business case for the site in the second round.
A decision was intended to be made before the year is out, but it is now understood this has been delayed. “It is disappointing we won’t get that decision,” Cllr Adele Williams (Lab), the portfolio holder for finance at the local authority, said. "I hope we are successful in getting further funding for Broadmarsh but we will nonetheless press ahead with the Green Heart.” Read more here.
Not affected
NHS organisations in Nottinghamshire will not be affected by two new nurse strike dates in January. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) announced its members would walk out on January 18 and 19 in a continuing dispute with the government over pay.
Despite the number of NHS trusts affected in England increasing from 44 to 55, no organisations in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire will be impacted by walkouts in this round of action. The RCN said this was to help it sustain strike action for longer.
Staff at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH), Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation and the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB all went on strike on December 15 and 20. Across both days, more than 1,000 absences were recorded due to strikes, with more than 2,500 appointments being postponed.
Strikes will however take place at organisations across Derbyshire, which could affect patients on the Nottinghamshire border. A RCN spokesperson said the union would not rule out further strike action at the Nottinghamshire organisations and added that the "ball is in the government's court".
Weather and trivia
Weather: Bright spells and showers on Saturday. Temperatures becoming closer to average. Breezy again overnight with further scattered showers arriving from the west. Maximum temperature 9 °C.
UV: Low
Further reading: Nottinghamshire Christmas updates as shoppers make last-minute preparations
Trivia question: How big is the Christmas tree in Market Square?
The answer to today's trivia question is at the bottom of the newsletter.
Recommendation
Name: Nottingham Winter Wonderland
Address: Old Market Square, Nottingham, NG1 2HU
What better way to bring in the Christmas weekend than a visit to Nottingham's own Winter Wonderland. Spend some time wandering through the many stalls to pick up some last minute gifts or take to the sky in the very first Sky Skate ice path.
There is plenty to do for all the family. Entry is free and the market is set to stay until 31 December. Winter Wonderland has many food and drink outlets but even if you don't fancy them, it is nice to walk around and take in the atmosphere.
Catch a glimpse of Nottingham's Christmas tree in pride of place ahead of the bid day. It will be hard to leave Market Square and not feel festive.
'Gap in the market'
A new burger restaurant and takeaway is coming to Lady Bay in 2023. Burg will be opening on the corner of Trent Boulevard and Pierrepoint Road, in the former Pricewise shop.
It comes nine months after the plans for a change of use of the building were approved by Rushcliffe Borough Council despite 24 objections. Work to convert the premises is now underway ready for a grand opening on January 8 with entertainment and mirror dancers.
As well as takeaway, there will be seating for 16 inside. Burg already has a takeaway in Mapperley and a restaurant in Bramcote Lane, Wollaton, specialising in hand-crafted smash burgers. Residents had previously campaigned to save the Pricewise store when a Co-op opened in the neighbourhood and had mixed feelings about a burger joint.
A spokesman for Burg said: "We found a gap in the market here in Lady Bay/West Bridgford, when customers would travel to us at Mapperley and Bramcote saying we need you in Bridgford. We will be the only fresh smashed burger joint in the area and have already been welcomed by local residents, commending us on how nice the shop looks and they can’t wait for us to open." Read more here.
Vital funds
Hundreds of people across Nottingham will be given vital support after two charities received a share of £20,000 through the Robin Hood Fund. The last 12 months has seen an increase in people struggling to make ends meet, amid the rising cost of living and soaring energy bills.
The fund, supported by Nottinghamshire Live and the Nottingham Project is in place to ensure grassroots organisations receive the help they need to keep functioning. The campaign has raised more than £20,000. The St Ann's Advice Centre, which provides support and advice on issues including employment, debt and benefits, has received £10,000 from the fund. This money will go towards providing clients with food vouchers.
Hope Beeston, one of the city’s biggest food banks, also received £10,000 in funding. Nigel Adams, founder and ambassador of the charity, said: “We are delighted and extremely grateful for the wonderful support from the Robin Hood Fund, especially at a time when the need is greater and the costs of providing support are higher than ever. We especially want to thank the good people of Nottinghamshire whose generosity is astounding.” Read more here.
That's all for this week
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, how big is the Christmas tree in Market Square, is 60ft high. It is a Norway Spruce and is decorated with 4,000 lights.
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