News - Anger over abbey lodge sale (Newstead)

NOTTINGHAM City Council has announced plans to sell one of the residential lodges in the estate of Lord Byron's former home, Newstead Abbey.

The proposed sale of the grade-II listed West Lodge has provoked fears that the council may "split up" the estate, which it is struggling to maintain.

The Post previously reported that the council plans to close the abbey and its museum collections every day except Sunday in a bid to save cash. It is currently open four days a week.

Ken Purslow, chairman of the Newstead Abbey Byron Society, said the West Lodge was in a "dilapidated state" after being empty for about 10 years. Before that, he said, the caretaker used to live in the lodge."It's a clear indication that they can't look after it," said Mr Purslow."If it's got into a dilapidated state like this, then the solution is to find someone who will put it in decent order."There is a great danger of breaking up the estate if they're starting to do this now – what are they looking at next?"

The council claims it has been forced to reduce the opening hours because it has been hit by a 16.5% cut in Government funding, which is about £60 million. It has revealed budget proposals to save £33 million.

The two-storey stone lodge is about half a mile from the abbey and has a large garden surrounded by a brook and a grade-II listed wall.

The council plans to sell it in an auction with a reserve price on it, to prevent it going too cheaply.

A spokeswoman for the council said she was unable to confirm any other details.

The abbey was given to the people of Nottingham in 1931 by owner Sir Julien Cahn, whose granddaughter Miranda Rijks has written to the council urging it to give or sell the property to another organisation to help keep it open.

The plans for West Lodge were approved by Councillor Dave Trimble, portfolio holder of leisure and culture.

From: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/Anger-abbey-lodge-sale/article-3192821-detail/article.html

 

Event - Nottingham city centre will shine at night with Light Night on Friday 18th February!

Visitors can see fantastic entertainment and artist commissions and take advantage of many special offers in bars and restaurants across the city. Come out and enjoy surreal light installations, music and street performers will transform the city and bring it to life after dark. Experience secret gardens, spooky terror tours, live jam sessions, treasure trails with a twist, and things in the city that visitors never knew existed!

'Lite' Night, on Saturday 19^th February, provides a chance to see many of the attractions of Light Night for those unable to make it on the Friday night.

Councillor David Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Customers at Nottingham City Council, said: "Light Night is about celebrating all that's good about Nottingham, its people, art, cultural, the build environment, bars, restaurants and other retail outlets.

"We are now in our fourth year of Nottingham Light Night and our programme this year is filled with many free events, activities and offers for all ages to enjoy.

"Whether listening to live poetry, taking part in a dual at Nottingham Castle, making a ukelule or going out for special meal, there is something to suit all. Light Night is a very special event and visitors will be amazed at how difference things look after dark!

"As well as enjoying the evening's spectacles, visitors can also take advantage of late night offers, including discounted travel, retail, bar and restaurant offers."

"Many activities are unique to Light Night so don't miss your chance to explore, experience and see the city in a new perspective."

Nottingham City Council is once again joining up with sponsors We Are Nottingham, who together with the Greater Nottingham Partnership have provided the funding for the 'Lite' Night event as well as special offers for visitors to enjoy on both nights around the city. We Are Nottingham is a Business Improvement District representing the city's leisure businesses.

Sylvia Manser, Chief Executive of We Are Nottingham, said: "Light Night is a great opportunity for visitors to come and enjoy Nottingham after dark.

"Nottingham has recently been awarded a Purple Flag for the diversity of entertainment and welcoming atmosphere it offers at night, so if you've not visited in the evening for a while, Light Night gives you the perfect reason to come."

The Light Night programme begins on Friday 18^th February from 6pm with events across the city centre from the Old Market Square, to Hockley, to the Lace Market, St. Mary Church; to Nottingham Castle, and Trinity Square.

The Castle Quarter, including the Castle; Robin Hood Statue; Castle Road; Brewhouse Yard and the Waterworks Building and Courtyard plays host to many indoor and outdoor entertainment, activities for children, illuminations and other attractions. The galleries and inside areas will be open until 9pm and the grounds close at 10pm.

Renaissance East Midlands will also be showcasing many exciting and diverse projects in the Castle Quarter and Nottinghamshire Archives on Wilford Street.

This will be a unique opportunity to see the community engagement work being done in museums and heritage sites across the region, with examples ranging from site excavations, wicker sculpting, and the creation of replica Stone Age tools to film workshops and exhibition design.

The Old Market Square will see the return of the Wheel of Nottingham which is a popular attraction for families who will get the chance to experience the vast array of light illuminations across the city from above. Families can also enjoy many events including; Brazilian Samba; Solar Powered Disco Dance Floors; the Moving Maze; Bongo Bongo Twinkly Tales; Terror Tours at the Galleries of Justice; songs by the Nottingham Music Groups and KaleidoscopiaLive where they can make their own kaleidoscope patterns.

As well as Light Night, the 18th February sees a celebration of Spirit Nottingham - a partnership between 11 of the city's key cultural organisations including cinema, theatre, art, museums and dance together with restaurants and bars.  A new Spirit website has been created to attract more visits to the city and to encourage cross over visits between the different venues.  It will provide a valuable aid to planning a day or night out in Nottingham.

Stephanie Sirr, Chief Executive of Nottingham Playhouse, one of the founding partners, said: "Spirit Nottingham is a great way of accessing the city's fantastic cultural offer in one place - arts, culture, heritage as well as food and drink. Nottingham has a fantastic reputation as a cultural city and we wanted to highlight this in the website. The cultural offer of the city is worth over £100 million per annum to the local economy and is a major local employer.  It's really something to celebrate and to experience.

"Events at Broadway Cinema, Lakeside Arts Centre, Dance4 and Nottingham Playhouse, to name but a few, are all featured on the Spirit Nottingham site. It is easy for visitors to find out what is happening across Nottingham in one place - we hope the site will encourage them to try new things." 

There are also many films, performances and exhibitions to enjoy across the city including; Wine and Rhyme at Edins on Broad Street; Word of Mouth at Antenna, Piano Tag Team at the Royal Concert Hall and Fable - A Film Opera at the Broadway Cinema.

'Lite' Night on Saturday 19^th February sees many events and commissions continuing. The grounds of the Castle will be open both on Friday 18th February and Saturday 19th February for illuminations from 6pm until 10pm. Light Commissions HIG at St. Nic's church, KaleidoscopiaLive at the Castle and Light Flower on Angel Row will also still be illuminating the city. Visitors will also still be able to enjoy many of the activities including; Festival of Light at The Alley Cafe; Towers of Light on Goose Gate; Victoria Installation on Angel Row; Poems and Light Painting at the Nottingham Photographers' Hub and Music at the The Maltcross.

Both evenings offer the chance to save money in bars and restaurants across the city including: The Cumin Indian Restaurant, Aubrey's Traditional Creperie, Cape, Fothergill's Bar and Restaurant, Pitcher & Piano, Strada, Fat Cat Cafe Bar and Yates.

For more information, event listings and offers during Light Night call Nottingham Tourism Centre on 08444 77 5678 or visit Nottingham Light Night 2011

From: http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=13416

News – Sheffield Council Calls On Local People To Name City’s Favourite Buildings

Sheffield City Council is inviting local people to put forward their suggestions on which of the city’s buildings have architectural and historic significance. 

 

The suggestions could then go forward to go on a local list so that they are formally recognised as important to the city. The locally listed status of a building will be a material consideration in any planning application affecting it

 

Councillor Penny Baker, Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Planning said: “Sheffield is a very distinctive city and much of that is down to its buildings. Around 1,200 are ‘listed’ due to their national architectural or historical significance, but there are many more locally significant examples that do not meet the strict national criteria. What we want is for Sheffield people to nominate their personal hidden gems in the city, buildings that are part of our fabric. This is about Sheffield people having their say and helping to preserve some of the city’s amazing architecture.”

 
A local list will provide formal recognition of those buildings and structures that are valued for the contribution they make to the character of local neighbourhoods or for particular historical associations. Buildings and structures are eligible so this could include milestones, walls, shelters, bridges or even pillar boxes.
 

While local listing does not provide any additional legal protection or access to funding, it does acknowledge those buildings and structures valued by local people and will be a consideration in the planning process.

 
Councillor Baker continued: “This is an opportunity to provide recognition of the buildings and structures that are genuinely valued by local people; the features that make their city and neighbourhood special. The local list will not introduce an additional tier of bureaucracy; it is intended to complement existing measures.”
 
An online nomination form can be completed, and further details about the list obtained, at www.sheffield.gov.uk/conservation

Nationally listed buildings and those within the city’s 38 Conservation Areas already enjoy a significant degree of protection so will not be eligible nor will buildings within the Peak District National Park.
 
The local list will be based on the nominations of local people. Nominations are being accepted up until 12 February 2011 and decisions will be based on five criteria and must meet at least one. These are:

Architectural interest, local historical significance, setting or group value,
For this to apply the building should be by a significant architect, be a strong example of a particular style or type, or exhibit quality in terms of materials or construction techniques.

Local historical significance
Buildings associated with a particular historical event or movement, or a notable person.

Setting or group value
A landmark or a group of buildings that makes a significant contribution to the character of an area.

Age and rarity
Particularly old or rare examples of a building type.

Authenticity
Properties which have not undergone significant alteration  
 
The list will be formally determined by Community Assemblies. Once the provisional list has been endorsed the owners of the relevant properties will be contacted.

A copy of the final list will be posted on the City Council website.

For more information please contact conservation@sheffiled.gov.uk or telephone 0114 27 34223 

 

From: http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/sys_upl/templates/PT_Directory/PT_Directory_details.asp?esLtr=ALL&ItemId=109739&action=Display&pgid=131107&tid=154&DirectoryKeywords=&OrderDir=DESC&OrderFld=

Plan to Cut Open Times at Newstead Abbey

NEWSTEAD Abbey, the ancestral home of Lord Byron, faces reduced opening times as part of cost-cutting drive.

Nottingham City Council is set to change the way it runs the historic site in a bid to make savings and balance the budget - and while the gardens will continue to stay open throughout the year, access to the house will be mainly by appointment for pre-booked groups, conferences, weddings, catering and as an event venue.

The proposals would mean that house tours for the general public will only be available on Sundays (between April and October), on Bank Holidays, for Christmas events and for heritage open weekends.

If given the go-ahead, the plans would mean that house tours for the general public will be available on Sundays (April to October) and Bank Holidays and for Christmas, festive events and heritage open weekends. It is proposed that school groups would continue to access Newstead Abbey as before by pre-booking.

Council bosses say that it costs the authority up to £600,000 a year to run Newstead - but these proposals could halve this.

Earlier this month, the Government announced a 16.5 per cent cut in the council’s budget - which equates to a £60 million reduction in grants for the next financial year.

The new operating model will only be implemented after the 90-day consultation period has concluded.

A spokesman from the council said: “The City Council remains open to discussions on how best to continue to manage the house and site in the longer term and is willing to talk to other partners or operators about the site and how best to preserve and conserve this important part of Nottinghamshire heritage.

“In the meantime, it is proposing to change to the new operating model to reduce its costs and ensure access is maintained to this important heritage site.

“The new arrangements would lead to changes in staffing and operations and consultation is currently underway with affected staff and the trade unions.

“Every effort is being made to re-deploy staff where possible and minimise job losses as result of the changes needing to be made.”

From http://www.chad.co.uk/news/local/plan_to_cut_open_times_at_abbey_1_2889857

Women of Steel Share Stories for Oral History Project

Sheffield´s Women of Steel have shared their stories with students from the University of Sheffield to keep alive their memories of working in the city´s steelworks during World War II.

The recordings were part of a wider campaign, led by the Sheffield Star in partnership with Sheffield City Council, for recognition for these women whose efforts in the workshops of the steel industry sustained Britain during the war.

Three women from the campaign met with five students from the University´s School of English this week (13 December 2010) to record their memories to produce permanent digital artifacts. They discussed their role in the factories, what they enjoyed about their work and personal memories of family life and relationships during this time.

The recordings were taken as part of the student´s Collaborative Learning and Teaching module in the School of English which sees students taking their own responsibility for a project. The project is linked to the Storying Sheffield module which sees students working with members of the local community to collect, record and produce stories about their lives in Sheffield through creative representations.

The recordings will be showcased at an event in February which is part of the Off the Shelf History Weekend. The interviews will also be made available to the public on the Storying Sheffield website and will feed into the Council´s current plans to produce a permanent memorial in the city centre to commemorate the women´s efforts during the war.

Holly Willis, a third-year student from the School of English, said: "It´s been so interesting to meet with people who lived through the war. Their experiences are so far removed from anything we have been through and I think it is really important to keep these memories alive and give these women an opportunity to pass their stories on to our generation. I´ve heard some really interesting stories today, and I think the ladies we´ve spoken to have also enjoyed hearing about how our generation view their efforts during the war."
Notes for Editors: The oral histories will be posted on the Storying Sheffield website in the new year.

Off the Shelf Festival - Highlighting History will take place 3 - 6 February 2011.

Author events with historians and local history talks and walks have proved to be one of the most popular elements of the Off the Shelf festival and in 2011, for the first time ever, a mini festival is being organised on this subject. The four day event will include popular tv historians Michael Wood and Amanda Vickery, a talk on Black Diamonds by Catherine Bailey, illustrated talks by local historians, history walks, workshops, open days at Sheffield Manor Lodge and Bishops House and more. For details pick up a leaflet from 7 January 2011, visit the website below or telephone 0114 273 4400. http://www.offtheshelf.org.uk/

From: http://www.shef.ac.uk/mediacentre/2010/1818.html

Blitz 70th: Silent tribute to remember Sheffield victims

A SNOWY Sheffield cemetery fell silent in tribute to hundreds who lost their lives when the city was devastated by German bombers 70 years ago.

Wreaths were laid and a minute's silence observed at City Road Cemetery to mark the anniversary of the Sheffield Blitz.

The ceremony took place yesterday at the mass grave for victims of the World War II bombings.

Several local community groups took part alongside police officers, MP Paul Blomfield, Manor and Castle Development Trust, Park Community Action, Skye Edge Group, Manor Top PA and one of The Star's Women of Steel, Dorothy Slingsby.

Children from Wybourn Primary School joined in and laid their own floral tribute.

A total of 668 Sheffield civilians and 25 servicemen died, 1,586 were injured, and 40,000 made homeless during two nights of bombing in 1940.

Yesterday's event was organised to remember effect war has on the ordinary people and pay tribute to their sacrifices.

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Blitz-70th-Silent-tribute-to.6657742.jp