Stay up to date with all the latest stories across Nottinghamshire in the daily Nottinghamian newsletter. You can receive the newsletter straight to your inbox every weekday by signing up right here.
Here is the Nottinghamian from Wednesday, February 1.
Hello,
Today's edition of the Nottinghamian focuses on the first day of teacher strikes in Nottingham. We hear from those on the picket line as to what they are asking for and why they have decided to take a stand.
We will also take a look at a protest taking place this evening against a new animal sanctuary. Plus we have the first taste of Splendour Festival's 2023 lineup and a sneak peek inside a historic city pub ahead of its reopening.
'Breaking point'
Striking Nottingham teachers have said the education sector is at a 'breaking point' as they joined thousands across the country in walking out. Members of the National Education Union (NEU) - the UK's biggest teaching union - picketed outside almost 20 schools in the city as part of a national dispute over pay and conditions.
Denise Burd, who has taught at Basford's Ellis Guilford School for 18 years, said: "I see good members of staff retire early, it's a shame really. Public sector workers generally have had a difficult time and their wages have not gone up with inflation. I see young teachers coming in and only staying for a few years. Education generally is at a breaking point."
Tanya Yon, who teaches at a primary school in Sneinton, added: "There's a general lack of investment and it's the children that suffer at the end of the day. It's a really scary time to be a young person. There are certain subjects not being covered. My 17-year-old wasn't able to pick the GCSEs he wanted. Subjects such as physics are struggling to recruit."
Another primary school teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was striking due to the workload. She said: "A lot of people are striking for pay but it's not just about that. It's the conditions and the amount of work we have to do, the fact that colleagues are burnt out with work related stress, it's distressing as a profession." Read more here.
Protest
Animal campaigners will protest over plans for a new Nottinghamshire animal sanctuary. The demonstration is planned outside of Broxtowe Borough Council's offices in Beeston today at 6.30pm, opposing the plans for a large animal sanctuary on land near Station House in Trowell.
The protestors said the aim of the demonstration will be to encourage the councillors to reject the project. Guests at the sanctuary, named the Broxtowe Retreat, would be able to look into the reserves of rescued endangered animals and enjoy a themed spa and restaurant, according to zookeeper Reece Oliver.
The Animal Rebellion representative however claimed a "large number of local residents" have significant concerns with the application. They argued the proposal would destroy and fragment wildlife habitats, and that its location within a flood plain would increase not only the risk of flooding, but also increase the risk of zoonotic disease spreading to or from wildlife.
The protestors argued the proximity of the site to a public footpath and playing fields was a safety concern, both for people breaking into the sanctuary and animals breaking out. They also alleged Mr Oliver had "allowed" two big cats to breed in captivity and questioned safety procedures at his sites. Read more here.
Weather and trivia
Weather: Mainly dry but rather cloudy with the best of any brighter spells in the east on Thursday. The odd spot of rain or drizzle cannot be completely ruled out. Breezy and mild. Maximum temperature 11 °C.
UV: Low
Further reading: Nottingham travel disruption as around 1,000 striking workers march through city
Trivia question: In Nottinghamshire, there are seven districts. What are they?
The answer to today's trivia question is at the bottom of the newsletter.
Major announcement
Splendour Festival bosses have announced this year's event at Wollaton Park will again take place two days this summer - with major artists announced. Madness and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds have been confirmed as the first artists to perform at this year's event on Saturday, July 22 and Sunday, July 23.
The summer music festival will also see performances from The Kooks, Rudimental, Sugababes, Sam Ryder, Confidence Man and Altered Images across the park. Further acts are expected to be announced over the coming weeks with tickets on sale from Friday, February 3 at 10 am. The organisers have also announced there will be five stages this year spread across the historic park.
This year sees a change to ticket prices due to the cost of living crisis with the introduction of a payment plan ticket option. It offers ticket buyers a flexible option to split the cost of the tickets into monthly instalments between now and the event in July. There will also be a new youth ticket covering children from the age of eleven to seventeen, with children under ten allowed to enter for free with an adult. Read more here.
Reopening
It's the moment fans of Nottingham's historic Peacock pub have been waiting for - a glimpse of the new look after a £247,000 makeover. The good news is the layout of the pub dating back to 1850 has stayed the same - a main bar and a lounge, and many of the original features such as the peacock motif etched windows, wooden flooring and patterned tiles around the bar are still there.
Famed for its push bells, they have been restored during the renovations. Located on the back of the lounge seats, a customer can press the bell which rings behind the bar to call bar staff for service. The Peacock is the last pub in Nottingham to have the historic feature.
The revamp by Heineken-owned Star Pubs & Bars follows a closure of more than two years of the Victorian pub, in Mansfield Road. The Peacock will only be serving drinks. Three real ales, two draught lagers, ciders, craft ale, wine, spirits and cocktails will be served on the boozy side.
New licensee, Ben Bronson, has moved from Blackpool to take on The Peacock, with help from his partner Phil Gornall. He said: "People say what's your demographic? Everybody - because there is something in here that everyone will like. It's just a case of them coming in and finding which bits they do like but there's an area in here where you'll have students, shoppers and the older generation. I think the building lends itself to that. It's quirky." Take a look inside here before the pub reopens on Thursday.
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, in Nottinghamshire, there are seven districts. What are they, is Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, and the boroughs of Broxtowe, Gedling, and Rushcliffe.
READ NEXT:
Nottinghamshire doorbell camera captures 'unexplained object' falling from the sky
Arrest over reports woman punched in the face while waiting for a bus in Nottingham
Fearless fox's adventure caught on camera at Nottingham's Attenborough Nature Reserve
'Game-changer' campaign launches to tackle serious crime in Nottinghamshire
