News - Positive talks over memorial (Ollerton)

Agreement between Tesco and Ollerton Town Council over the erection of a miners’ memorial at the former site of Ollerton Colliery is edging nearer after the two groups held positive talks. 

The council is supporting a campaign to have a memorial erected at the roundabout off Forest Road, the former pit entrance. The land is now owned by Tesco.

Two officials from Tesco’s corporate affairs department went on a site visit with council representatives and are due to make a decision on March 6.

Town clerk Mrs Karen Wakefield told a council meeting that Tesco recognised the importance of the issue to the community and that the delay had been because of a proposed extension to the Ollerton store, which could mean the memorial location would cause highways problems.

Mr Stan Crawford said: “They accepted that it needs to go somewhere where it is visible from the high street.

“What they did not want to do was agree to it only to then have to dig it up. They have their own agenda with the development of the store, but we pointed out that there should still be room for the memorial and they accepted that.” 

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Positive-talks-over-memorial

News - Memorial talks set to start (Ollerton)

Tesco has agreed to meet representatives of Ollerton Town Council to discuss the building of a miners’ memorial on land near their store. 

It follows strong criticism of the supermarket at December’s town council meeting when it was accused of insulting the people of Ollerton by objecting to a memorial.

Town clerk Mrs Karen Wakefield said Tesco had since contacted her to arrange a meeting between the council and Tesco corporate affairs manager Mr Jonathan Simpson and property manager Kelly Jay.

Mrs Stella Smedley welcomed the progress, but said it was long overdue.

“What a shame it has taken so long,” she said.

“Tesco still has a long way to go to restore trust in their behaviour.”

Tesco said it was against siting the memorial at Forest Road/Edison Rise, the entrance to the former colliery.

However, Jackson Design Associates, on behalf of the town council, has submitted a planning application to Newark and Sherwood Distrioct Council for a memorial at that location.

Campaigners have been trying to get a memorial for years.

Mr Ben Wells felt Press coverage had finally helped secure a meeting with Tesco.

“I would like to thank the Press, because I think they have assisted us in getting this movement,” he said.

Mr Jason Ferguson said: “I want to thank the public for their support, because that is why we have pursued it for so long.”

Residents Mrs Elizabeth Tilstone and Mrs Maureen Pickering, who first collected a petition for a memorial in 2008, were at the meeting.

Mrs Pickering said: “It is just a shame that we couldn’t have reached this stage a lot sooner.”

There is no guarantee that Tesco will agree to a memorial at the former mine entrance. It told the Advertiser last month that it may need the land for future projects, but would discuss alternative locations. 

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Memorial-talks-set-to-start

News - Determined to honour miners (Ollerton)

Calls have been made for plans to erect a miners’ memorial in Ollerton to move forward.

A site for the memorial, at the old mine entrance near the Tesco roundabout off Forest Road, has been identified.

However, the land is owned by Tesco and talks over siting the memorial there have stalled.

Residents attended a meeting of Ollerton and Boughton Town Council to voice their disappointment that the project was being delayed.

The Mayor of Ollerton, Mrs Abbie Truswell, said: “Members of the public are very disappointed that this seems to have been lost track of.

“Although the mine is no longer there, the community spirit is and we still want something to recognise the miners.

“Tesco doesn’t seem to realise how strongly people feel about it.”

The council agreed to submit a planning application for the memorial to Newark and Sherwood District Council to try to force some movement on the issue.

The chairman of the memorial committee, Mrs Irene Miller, said the roundabout site was the ideal location for a memorial and that a resolution was needed.

“Hopefully we can try and get over this because it has gone on too long,” she said.

“We have been in negotiations with Tesco and hopefully we can get it resolved.”

She said the possibility of renting the land from the supermarket for a peppercorn rate had been looked at, but talks seemed to have hit a dead end.

“The mine closed in 1994 so it really is time we had something there,” she said.

“We have dragged our heels over this for long enough. That road was what we called Pit End Lane and opened out on to the colliery site.

“The consensus of everybody in Ollerton is that it would be the ideal place for a memorial. Two elderly miners have given donations towards it and we want it to be done so they can see it.

“Some local contractors have offered their services for free as well so it needs to be done.”

A design for the memorial, featuring the names of miners who died working at the colliery, has been drawn up. It features a mining wheel with a red brick backdrop.

Tesco corporate affairs manager Mr Jonathan Simpson said: “We are certainly in talks about this and are happy to meet with representatives of the group to discuss it with them.

“If this is land that does not cause any problems in terms of access we will be very happy for a memorial to go there.”

Mr Simpson said there were a number of groups across Nottinghamshire in discussion with him about memorials, and that he would be happy to talk personally to representatives of the Ollerton group if they contacted Tesco.

From: http://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/articles/news/Determined-to-honour-miners