Plans for village pub announced and cannabis house shut down
Your weekly round-up of Ashfield News
Good morning and welcome to today’s edition of Ashfield News. This week, plans have been announced to change a village pub and world-famous art is coming to three towns in Ashfield.
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Pub could be turned into house
A former Nottinghamshire village pub could be turned into a house, as part of new plans for the site.
The Maypole at Skegby received rave reviews from customers, with Google reviews describing it as a “great pub” with a “great atmosphere”.
But a proposal has now been submitted to convert the site in Dawgates Lane.
The application, submitted to Ashfield District Council on February 27, is aiming to determine whether prior approval is needed to change the use of the building from a pub to a dwelling.
Drawings submitted to Ashfield show the ground floor would include a study, dining room, kitchen, living room and a toilet and shower room.
No drawings are yet available for the first floor.
A decision is due on the application by April 8.
Kirkby roads to be re-surfaced
Two roads in Kirkby-in-Ashfield are set to be re-surfaced as part of a £4m scheme.
Sutton Road and Diamond Avenue will benefit from the funding announced by Nottinghamshire County Council on February 22.
The authority plans to treat and repair damaged surfaces to nine roads in total across the county.
The final decision on the scheme is due to be made in mid-March.
Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, cabinet member for transport and environment, said: “While we’ve had to focus on the essential severe weather damage and emergency repairs of late, this funding serves as a reminder that we are still committed to our strategy of making ‘right repair, first time’ permanent repairs wherever we can.”
Council leader Ben Bradley added: “We know how important the roads are to residents and they’re a priority for this council as well.”
Despite the news, there has been criticism of the total list of roads chosen.
Councillor John Wilmott, who represents Hucknall North for the Ashfield Independents at the county council, described the announcement as “another slap in the face for Hucknall”.
He added: “I have a list as long as my arm on major roads across Hucknall that need re-surfacing.”
House shut down as cannabis found
A Nottinghamshire home was shut down after a cannabis farm was discovered inside.
A total of 60 plants with an estimated street value of £100,000 were spread across two rooms in Chatsworth Drive, Hucknall.
Housing officers from Ashfield District Council were called to the scene along with police on Tuesday, February 20.
A Nottinghamshire Police spokesperson said: "This has since been dismantled and the address has been closed. There is an ongoing investigation for this offence."
Update on banking hub
A premises has been ‘identified’ to bring a new banking hub to Kirkby-in-Ashfield.
The town lost its last bank in February 2022, when Lloyd’s closed its doors for the final time.
Cash Access UK, which provides banking hubs for customers across the UK, has now provided an update on its plans to open in the Ashfield town.
A spokesperson said: “We have identified a premises and currently in negotiations. We are currently on track to have the Banking Hub open in the summer of this year."
The hub will include representatives from each major high street bank.
Lee Anderson refuses to apologise
Ashfield MP Lee Anderson refused to apologise for suggesting London mayor Sadiq Khan is controlled by Islamists, but admits his words were ‘clumsy’.
Mr Anderson, who was elected as a Conservative MP in 2019, was suspended as a Tory MP for the comments he made on GB News.
The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, described his comments as wrong but did not say whether or not he thought they amounted to Islamophobia.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the PM was ‘too weak’ to call out the comments.
On Monday, Mr Anderson released an updated statement through GB News, which employs him as a broadcaster.
The statement said: “When you think you are right you should never apologise because to do so would be a sign of weakness.
"My words may have been clumsy but my words were borne out of sheer frustration at what is happening to our beautiful capital city."
World-famous art tour
Famous works of art will be coming to Ashfield in March.
The Art Explora Mobile Museum, run in collaboration with Tate and MuMo, will travel to Kirkby, Hucknall and Sutton as part of a 12-week tour.
The museum will include paintings, drawings, photographs, digital art and sculptures, featuring artists such as Andy Warhol, Cornelia Parker and Damien Hirst.
It will be based in Kirkby on March 9, in Hucknall on the 16th and Sutton on March 23.
Ashfield District Council leader Jason Zadrozny said: “We are thrilled that Ashfield is one of only nine locations in the country to be chosen as part of the tour. A lot of our residents won’t have had the chance to visit galleries in London and further afield to see genuine artwork, so bringing the art to them is an amazing opportunity.
Helen Legg, Director, of Tate Liverpool, added: “Tate is proud to be working with Art Explora on the Mobile Museum that will bring artwork from the national collection closer to more people across the country. It is rare that the collection is shown in this way, in non-traditional settings, but it is key if we are to breakdown perceived barriers and bring crucial encounters with art to young people and communities.”