Classical Music Solution to ASB, A1 Safety, Police Appeal re Cyclists knocked over & More
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Justin Doddy, Editor
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Witness appeal after two cyclists knocked off their bikes on Blyth Road
Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after two cyclists were knocked from their bikes in a Nottinghamshire village.
The riders were cycling side by side along Blyth Road, towards Blyth, when a motorcyclist allegedly reached out and pushed one of them into the other rider, causing both cyclists to collide and fall into a grass verge beside the road.One cyclist suffered cuts to his arms, while the other was left with pain to his collarbone.
The incident happened at around 5.20pm on Friday 21 August.
PC Finn Clarke, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
"Assaults on cyclists are completely unacceptable. Everyone has the right to travel safely on our roads and we are determined to identify the motorcyclist involved in this incident."
We treat all reports of assaults on cyclists seriously and are keen to speak to anyone who witnessed what happened.
"We would also like to hear from motorists who may have captured relevant dashcam footage."
Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting incident reference 26*502629."
Courtesy of #NottinghamshirePolice
More lives will be lost it highways chiefs don’t improve the safety of the A1, councillor warns
By Oliver Castle, LDRS
More lives will be lost if highways chiefs don’t do more to improve the safety of the A1, a councillor has warned.
South Kesteven District Councillor (SKDC) Elvis Stooke (Independent – Belmont) has called on National Highways to close more of the gaps along the A1 as soon as possible, in a bid to reduce the number of accidents and road deaths.
So far, National Highways has closed 14 gaps but a further 41 remain open between Stamford and Newark.
Coun Stooke suggested that these central reservations should be closed with ‘immediate effect’ in order to tackle the issue while highways bosses carry out safety improvements in the longer term.
He added:
“People are still crossing the A1 in ways that I wouldn’t even dream of doing myself and it’s clear we’re going to have another accident, another loss of life or another serious injury to a family or anybody who’s going to work or anybody who’s using the A1.
“I’ve heard that there’s talks of closing it – which is great – and I welcome that, but in the meantime let’s close them now whilst the talks are going on so we don’t have to endure any more serious accidents and families up and down Grantham and the UK do not have to have that phone call to say ‘look, I’m afraid to say so-and-so has died.'”
Coun Stooke told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that closing the gaps along the A1 should be a priority.
He said:
“I think now is the time to say, look, with immediate effect we need to close these A1 gaps now because I don’t want to see anymore deaths.
“I want people to come to Lincolnshire, Grantham, Stamford, Rutland – anywhere they can go up and down the A1 – and know they’re going to on a safe traffic and not worry when they get to Great Ponton or any points where these gaps are are they going to be involved in a serious accident?”
Coun Stooke also suggested that National Highways could consider introducing a temporary reduced speed limit along parts of the A1 in the short-term.
He added:
“If they’re not prepared to close it at the moment because they’re following whatever protocol they have to follow, then let’s get some speed restrictions in there.
“Let’s slow the traffic down through that section. Yes, it might cause a bit of delay but I think people would rather have a slight bit of delay than actually having deaths on our roads.”
National Highways route manager, Phil Shaw, said: “Our focus remains on the safety of people using the A1 and we are progressing our plans for further closures of gaps along the route having shut off 14 last year.
“This is a complex legal and technical process and we want to ensure that the decisions we make now will create a safer route and not simply shift the issues further down the road.
“To that end we are carrying out extensive surveys and drawing up potential designs which will go out for consultation.
“In the meantime, we are looking at other ways to improve safety such as the ongoing work at Foston to Little Ponton.”
National Highways identified 59 gaps in total between Stamford and Blyth. The remaining four are between Newark and Blyth. Investigations are taking place into these 45 gaps.
Grants for Worksop Businesses
Through the Government’s Pride in Place Programme, Worksop has secured £20 million over 10 years to support town centre regeneration.
To help create a more vibrant high street, £120,000 in Business Support Grant funding is available in 2026/27 to bring empty properties back into use and support local businesses.
Three grants are available to Worksop High Street businesses with more information and how to apply found on the Bassetlaw District Council website:
High Street Shop Fit Out Grant Worksop: http://www.bassetlaw.gov.uk/.../high-street-shop-fit-out.../
High Street Business Support Grant: http://www.bassetlaw.gov.uk/.../high-street-business.../
Worksop Shop Frontage Grant: http://www.bassetlaw.gov.uk/.../worksop-shop-frontage-grant/
Courtesy of Bassetlaw District Council
Let's get behind one of our own firefighters!
Next month, Worksop Fire Station firefighter Ben Shepherd will travel to the USA to take part in the Memorial Stair Climb, marking the 25th anniversary of the tragic events of 9/11.
This incredible challenge honours the 343 firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice while responding to the World Trade Center attacks. It is a powerful tribute to their courage, bravery, and unwavering commitment to serving others.
Ben is taking on this challenge not only to remember those heroes but also to raise funds for a worthy cause. We are incredibly proud of his dedication and determination.
If you would like to support Ben and help him reach his fundraising goal, please consider making a donation.
❤️ Donate here: https://tinyurl.com/pvpnr5ma
Classical music among problem-solving measures resulting in big drop in ASB incidents at McDonald's
A successful joint effort to tackle and reduce youth antisocial behaviour (ASB) at a McDonald's restaurant has seen a 75 per cent drop in incidents.
Local officers have put a range of measures in place since implementing a problem management plan in January to address ongoing issues at the McDonalds in Mills Way, Manton, Worksop.
This work has included obtaining funding for body-worn video cameras which have been provided to staff, serving as a visual deterrent to offending and providing them with added support.
The restaurant has also implemented a number of measures from McDonald's own internal toolkit to help deter ASB.
These include playing classical music during the evening, disabling free Wi-Fi and charging facilities at designated times and placing a member of staff at the entrance to manage access during key periods.
By working closely with the restaurant managers, officers have also implemented an effective 'step system' for dealing with offenders, starting with banning letters being handed out and progressing to the issuing of acceptable behaviour contracts (ABCs).
Neighbourhood officers have carried out targeted operations in response to reports of ASB in the area surrounding the restaurant.
These have included dedicated patrols, the seizure of a bike linked to reported incidents and engagement with the family of a young person identified as being involved in disorder.
Other targeted interventions available to local officers to tackle persistent ASB offenders include handing out community protection warnings and notices and applying for criminal behaviour orders.
Tackling ASB in and around the restaurant remains a local priority for local officers and the restaurant's management team.
Monthly meetings continue to take place between both parties to review any issues, share intelligence and coordinate activity where appropriate.
The number of reported ASB incidents at the restaurant peaked at 12 in March, but since then there has been a significant reduction with no incidents reported throughout May and just three reported in July.
PCSO Sarah Richardson, of the Worksop South neighbourhood policing team, said:
"Issues at the restaurant centred around youth ASB usually on an evening and during school holidays.
"We sought some advice from South Wales Police who had previously established a restaurant partnership in de-escalating a similar incident in one of their McDonald's and we used this information to help formulate our responses through this problem management plan."
She added:
"We're obviously pleased that our partnership is working with the McDonald's in Mills Way and it has helped make a difference.
"We've built up a good rapport with youths who have engaged with officers well and parents have been supportive of the action taken.
"We've seen a reduction in ASB and we've had positive feedback but we're not complacent.
“We will continue to use all possible measures to prevent and reduce youth ASB.
"This work will include increased patrols, further evenings of action and ongoing monthly meetings with the local McDonald's management to discuss progress and any concerns."
McDonald's franchisee James Thompson, who owns and operates the Mills Way restaurant, said:
"I’m extremely proud of the progress we have made in partnership with Nottinghamshire Police to address the challenges at our Mills Way restaurant.
"Ensuring that everyone can enjoy a safe and welcoming experience is a priority for us, and it is encouraging to see the impact of the hard work and dedication shown by everyone involved.
"This achievement is the result of strong collaboration and a shared commitment to creating a safer space for both our customers, communities and our team members.
"We will continue to work closely with the local police, council and community groups so that we can be part of the solution."
Content courtesy of Nottinghamshire Police
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE: ‘I was being rejected from jobs at least twice per week’
By Joseph Connolly, LDRS
Kai Burdett was unemployed for 18 months.
“I was applying for a couple of jobs per week minimum,” says the 20-year-old. “I got rejected time and time again.”
But earlier this year, his work coach at the Job Centre told him that he no longer needed to look.
He was going to be one of the first young people in the UK to get work under the government’s new “Jobs Guarantee” scheme.
The project, which has just begun, will see the government fund 90,000 jobs between now and 2029, for every single 18-to-24-year-old who has been on Universal Credit for at least a year and a half.
Kai was going to work at Boots.
“I think within two weeks of telling me, they found me the job,” he says.
Roles on offer are matched to the individual’s skillset, says the Department for Work & Pensions.
After a tour of the premises, Kai was told he’d been hired, and started around a month ago.
Now he works nine til two, Monday to Friday, as a warehouse operative in Nottingham, making sure orders are correct and sending them off to be delivered to customers’ homes.
“I get open boxes and I make sure everything in there is correct, put paper in to make sure nothing moves around when it’s being transported, stick the Royal Mail label on and then they’re transported shortly after that.”
Kai, like others, was put on the scheme – which is compulsory and not a choice for those on Universal Credit – because of how long he had been unemployed.
He admits that unemployment made him lazy and he struggled mentally – but that “socialising again” and “getting into the routine of doing work” have changed things for the better.
“I feel a lot better about myself now than I did when I was at home,” he says. “When I wasn’t working I’d be waking up at 2pm or 3pm and I’d be up all night. It definitely changes a lot inside your head.”
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden met Kai, and other young people like him, at Boots’ HQ in Nottingham on Wednesday, August 26, to see how they were getting on in their new roles.
He says work is the answer to a lot of young people’s confidence, belief and mental health issues.
“It was amazing for me to hear their stories,” he said. “You can already see how it’s changed their confidence in themselves, their sense of belief. This is about giving young people hope and the people I’ve met on this visit are full of hope. It was great to see.
“When you’ve been out of work for 12 or 18 months it’s usually harder for you to get a job. Your confidence goes down, your mental health goes down and your belief in yourself suffers.
“Work is the answer – or training or more education. Purposeful activity is the answer. Work is good for you. It’s bad to be sitting at home isolated. I see this not only as an economic thing but as a response to greater instances of mental health problems for young people.”
Kai says the job is going well – and thinks that the guarantee scheme will “help the future of the UK”.
“I wish finding a job wasn’t as difficult because there’s a lot of people out there who were like I was, struggling to find one. I want the UK to be a better place in the future and with this employment crisis it’s not going to be easy.
“But this scheme is really going to help the future of the UK. I think it can go far.”
The government is set to spend £2.5 billion on the Jobs Guarantee over the next three years.
They are funding up to 25 hours of work per week at the National Minimum Wage, as well as pension contributions, for the first six months of a role.
Companies such as Boots have opted in to help provide the jobs, with financial incentives for doing so.
The scheme has been rolled out in six areas of the UK so far, including the East Midlands, with a focus on places with the highest levels of youth unemployment.
It will be expanded to the rest of the country later this year.
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Have a great day and I look forward to seeing you read our next newsletter.
Justin Doddy, Editor
Bassetlaw Today
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