School transformation plan announced for town centre Wilko
Plus: Tributes to man killed while working in Spain
Good morning and welcome to your Thursday briefing of Ashfield News. In this edition, details are announced to transform a town centre Wilko, tributes are paid to a man who died after an incident in Spain, an update issued on a shop destroyed in a fire - and much more.
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School transformation plan for Wilko store
A former town centre Wilko store could get a new lease of life as a school building, new plans show.
The large unit in Outram Street, Sutton-in-Ashfield, has been empty since it closed in September last year, following the collapse of the retail giant.
Now, plans have been submitted to Ashfield District Council to see if prior approval is needed to turn the site into a state-funded school.
The application from West Notts College shows the centre would be for students aged 16-18.
Many items would be stripped out of the building and internal partitions created to turn the building into an education centre, the application shows.
Due to the early nature of the proposal, further information is not yet available.
However, planners are expected to make a decision on the application by September 8.
Temporary shop announcement after fire
A shop destroyed in a major fire is moving to a temporary location.
Crews worked through the night on June 28 and the early hours of June 29 following the incident at the Urban Road Business Park in Kirkby-in-Ashfield.
Among the businesses affected was the Lockdown Tackle and Bait shop, which was completely destroyed.
At the time, bosses said they were “deeply saddened”, adding: “Our livelihood went up in flames, and we are heartbroken by this unexpected tragedy.”
But there is now hope for the future of the business after it announced it was moving to a temporary premises.
A spokesperson said: “We’re excited to announce that we’re picking up the keys to our temporary location, courtesy of Lee Anderson MP.”
The site is based at 30 Lowmoor Road in Kirkby.
A fundraising page has also been launched to support the team while the business is rebuilt.
To donate, click here.
Tributes to man killed after incident in Spain
Loved ones have paid tribute to a Nottinghamshire man who died while working in Spain.
Nikki Robinson, from Hucknall, died after an incident in Spain on Friday, June 21, with the incident being investigated by Catalan Police.
The 20-year-old worked as a carpenter for Evolution Sport and had been working for Red Bull during the Formula One racing, his family said.
He loved travelling the world and enjoying quality time with his friends, family and dog Bulla, they added.
A statement from his family said: “We are truly devastated at the loss of our beloved son, brother, uncle, grandson, and great friend Nikki Robinson.
“Nikki was a hard-working lad and a family man who tragically died whilst working for Red Bull out in Spain during the Formula One. The matter is under investigation by the Catalan Police.
“Nikki loved his job and had the great opportunity to travel the world with life long friends with whom he worked alongside, made possible by Evolution Sport.
“When Nikki was at home, he loved spending time with his dog and his family; particularly his Mamma Alice and was in the process of renovating a camper van for more adventures.”
Nottinghamshire Police is supporting the family with specially-trained officers on behalf of the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office and Spanish law enforcement.
Strike action called off at three hospitals
Strike action taking place at hospitals in Ashfield and Mansfield has been suspended, a union has announced.
Almost 300 workers at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust were set to down tools at hospitals including King’s Mill and Mansfield Community on August 1 and 2.
The workers included porters, cleaners and security staff employed by contracting giant Medirest as part of an ongoing dispute over terms and conditions of private contractors in the NHS.
A number of walkouts had taken place in recent months, but an agreement was announced between the GMB union and Medirest on Wednesday, July 31.
Workers will take part in a ballot to officially suspend future industrial action, with a result expected later this month.
Cameron Mitchell, GMB Organiser, said: “This is the first step on the road to equal pay, terms and conditions for contractors in our NHS.
“GMB will never accept works being treated like second class staff in our NHS, and this campaign has show just how vital they are to the day to day running of our hospitals and services”.
Images released after M1 vehicle fire
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service has released images following an incident on the M1.
A crew from Ashfield was called to the northbound slip road at junction 28 following reports of a vehicle fire.
A team from Alfreton was also sent to the scene on Sunday, July 28.
The incident led to traffic building up on the A38 and the fire was brought under control by 4.05pm.
Update issued on progress of county council HQ
Construction of Nottinghamshire County Council’s new headquarters is expected to be completed by early next year, it has been announced.
All three floors and the roof are now in place on the office building, which will be fully electric, off the A611 Annesley Road,
Oak House, as it will be named, is designed to offer “long-term savings” for taxpayers and the environment.
Ben Bradley, leader of the council, said: “Not only will it be the home of some of our front-line services and the place where all council decisions are made, it is an investment which will help bring jobs, skills and more investment into the Hucknall area.
"It’s all part of our wider plan to prioritise delivering services rather than just running expensive buildings, which is why we are reducing the number of council offices from 17 to nine.”
A target of 86% of local spend has been set for the project and associated infrastructure works, with subcontractors and tradespeople located within 20 miles of the site.
Keith Girling, cabinet member for economic development and asset management, added: “I’m delighted that local small and medium-sized businesses are already benefitting from this project, which is great news for the local economy.
“Oak House is a fitting name for this new office. An oak tree is the main image on our council’s logo, which is of course a nod to the county’s world-famous Major Oak.”
Construction work is still on track to be completed in early 2025.
Construction of a new section of road and roundabout within the site, which began in September 2023, is also now complete.
This will provide access when the new office is open and help traffic flow ahead of planned new housing due to be built on the wider site, known as Top Wighay, which will include 805 properties.