Hello from Bassetlaw Today
Today's edition covers Police action, a record investment in pothole repair, a financial boost for a wellbeing centre, exciting plans for the Imps, plans for old maltings site and of course - your daily puzzle fix.
Todays thought for the day ... “Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually the confidence will follow.” - Carrie Fisher
Enjoy the read and have a great day wherever you are in Bassetlaw.
Justin Doddy, Editor
P.S. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter here if you haven't already and remember to send us your pictures from around Bassetlaw, we may feature it on our newsletter.
Action taken after two teenagers destroyed farmer’s crops
Police have issued a warning after two teenagers caused damage to crops on private farmland - with one put before the courts.
The duo were found trespassing on private farmland at Ollerton Road, Retford, on 14 December 2025.
After gaining access, they drove round on mopeds and destroyed thousands of pounds worth of crops.
Damning evidence found on the social media site Tik Tok captured one of the teenagers driving a moped across the land.
A thorough investigation followed, with two suspects identified then interviewed.
When questioned, the two offenders admitted their part in the damage, as well as driving the mopeds without a driving licence or insurance.
A 17-year-old boy then appeared in Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on 20 April.
He pleaded guilty to criminal damage to property, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.
He has been ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation, has had six points added to his driving record and has been referred to a youth offender panel.
A referral to a youth offender panel means a young person (10-17) who pleaded guilty to a criminal offence is sentenced to a mandatory contract to take action to make amends.
A 16-year-old boy was handed a community resolution order, which bans him from entering private farmland as well as driving a vehicle.
If he breaches his conditions, he will face severe action.
PC Hollie Marsh, who led the investigation, said:
“This incident has caused stress and inconvenience to a local farmer’s livelihood and it’s important that the offenders involved understand the seriousness of their actions.
"All rural crime traffic offences will be dealt with seriously, particularly those that are being committed by offenders without a driving licence.
"Damaging crops can cost our farmers a significant amount of money, and our rural communities can often feel isolated, so this work demonstrates how we are listening and responding to their concerns.
"As a reminder – if you do not have permission to enter farm land, you are committing an offence. All road worthy vehicles must be insured and taxed.
"If you have any issues or queries, we urge you to get in contact - we will act.”
Lincoln City's winning run continues
www.thebusinessdesk.com have reported that in the same week that the club were crowned League One champions, Lincoln City have been granted a hat-trick of planning approvals.
Sam Metcalf from 'The Business Desk' reported that the Imps have been given the green light for a major fanzone expansion and new event suite, new community cafe called The Huddle and a new major HD stadium screen.
Fytche-Taylor Planning was the consultant on all three planning applications.
The plans include the creation of a new event and hospitality space behind the existing Rilmac Stand. On matchdays, the covered area will feature a large bar aimed at increasing service capacity and reducing queues.
The first floor will be configured for corporate, conference and banqueting use, while existing executive boxes will be replaced with new outdoor seating, increasing overall stadium capacity.
The club’s Fan Village concessions will relocate to the south-east corner of the ground, where a new interactive activity area will also be introduced. Two permanent large screens will be installed in the new Fan Village, alongside an additional big screen inside the stadium. The public address system will be replaced as part of the upgrade.
A new community space will be developed next to the club shop and ticket office in the Greenlinc Renewables Stand. It will operate throughout the week as well as on matchdays.
The new event space will accommodate up to 350 people and is intended to host conferences and other functions, broadening the stadium’s non-matchday offer.
Content courtesy of www.thebusinessdesk.com
Council to inject extra £58.75m into fixing roads as part of record-breaking investment
Work to improve the county’s roads is accelerating at pace with an extra £58.75 million to be invested across Nottinghamshire as part of a record-breaking funding package.
Nottinghamshire County Council has announced details of phase two of its wide-ranging highways capital programme to fix its highways network – taking its investment for the next 12 months to an eye-catching £181.25m.
The latest funding boost comes less than a month after the council revealed it is to channel £122.5m into improving Nottinghamshire's roads, which includes delivering a six-point plan to ensure the longevity of the county’s highways for years to come.
It is the largest investment ever made in Nottinghamshire’s highways in a single year and is believed to be the highest by a local authority in the country.
Council Leader, Councillor Mick Barton, said it would not only help to bring Nottinghamshire’s roads up to the standard residents expect, but also unlock significant economic development opportunities in the county.
He said: “This record-breaking investment is unprecedented and no other council in the country has set aside such levels of funding to improve its roads.
“This is due to the efforts of colleagues and officers here at Nottinghamshire County Council, who have worked tirelessly to put together an investment package using funding from within our own reserves and EMCCA (East Midlands Combined County Authority).
“I said we would bring in the money to ensure we have roads we will be proud to drive on, and that hard work is certainly paying off.
“However, this is only the start. We will carry on knocking on the doors of those in Government to make sure we can secure sustained long-term funding for our highways network, which is set out in our six-point plan.
“There is no doubt that these improvements are long-awaited for the people of Nottinghamshire and having better roads will also go a long way to boosting the local economy and bringing fresh investment and employment opportunities to our county.”
The latest investment will also include work to deliver road safety and active travel programmes as well as upgrade pedestrian crossings and traffic signals across Nottinghamshire.
It also follows an announcement by the council in February to spend £2m on a programme of emergency repairs at urgent hotspots countywide, while phase one of the highways capital programme kicked off last week with the introduction of eight additional teams to carry out first-time permanent repairs.
In the coming weeks, the council will also be using two new JCB Pothole Pro machines as part of the ongoing drive to fix Nottinghamshire’s roads.
Cllr Bert Bingham, Cabinet Member for Transport for and Environment, said: “No other council in the country will be investing the amount of money in highways that we will be this year, which is an exceptional achievement and is testament to the hard work of everyone involved.
“However, our aim is to get to a position where we can maintain our roads continuously, unlike in previous years when there has been under investment leaving the network in a poor condition and with a huge backlog of repairs.
“We know roads are a number one priority for our residents and we believe this record level of investment will make a significant difference. However, I want to emphasise that we will continue to lobby Government Ministers to secure the long-term funding needed to keep our roads in a condition the public needs.
“We’ll be announcing more good news throughout the year as our plan unfolds, so watch this space.”
Our three interesting facts for today ....
Marmite brought out a special edition 'Ma'amite' for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
It's illegal to swim in the river Seine in Paris
In Regina, California, it's illegal to own more than 90 pigeons
A man has been arrested following a serious collision in Worksop.
Emergency services were called to Kilton Hill at 12.38pm on Wednesday (22 April) after reports of a collision involving two motorcycles and a van.
One of the motorcyclists, a teenage boy, suffered serious injuries and remains in hospital.
Two other teenagers were also taken to hospital with less serious injuries.
An investigation was launched and police have arrested a 54-year-old man on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Detective Inspector Jackie Price, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“We are working hard on the investigation to understand exactly what happened in this incident.
“The collision happened in the middle of the day so we believe there may be witnesses, or people with relevant dashcam footage, who have not yet spoken to an officer.
“We’d urge those people to get in touch without delay.”
Inspector Rob Harrison, neighbourhood policing inspector for Bassetlaw, said:
“We understand this incident has caused concern in the town and my officers will be supporting the community as the investigation progresses.
“A teenage boy has suffered serious injuries so it is important anyone who can assist gets in touch and we’d urge people to avoid speculating on what has happened.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting incident 294 of 22 April 2026, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Why not send us your favourite picture of Bassetlaw and we may feature it as our newsletter main image: news@bassetlawtoday.co.uk
An Exciting Step Forward for the Aurora Centre
The Aurora Wellbeing Centre in Worksop is undergoing a major transformation to help support families across the district thanks to a £1,800 Councillor Community Grant.
The centre is creating a dedicated Family Therapy Suite, with a focus on supporting children and young people affected by cancer in their family. The suite will provide a safe and nurturing space designed to feel calm and welcoming, rather than clinical.
The renovation will include soft furnishings, child friendly resources and flexible furniture to accommodate a range of therapeutic approaches, such as family counselling, play based therapy and creative activities. Additional work will see the room being soundproofed and extra resources to make it accessible for everyone.
The Family Suite is expected to be completed by the summer and Louise Gladwin, Fundraising Manager at the Aurora Centre, said: “We are incredibly grateful for this Councillor Grant funding, which will make a valuable contribution towards our wider goal of developing a dedicated family therapy suite.
“This space will form an important part of our children’s therapy service, helping young people who are coping with the impact of cancer within their family to access the emotional support they need.
“On behalf of everyone at Aurora, I would like to thank the councillors for their generous support. Every contribution helps us move closer to making this vital project a reality for local families.”
The councillors who contributed to the grant are: Cllr Maria Charlesworth, Cllr Laura Sanders and Cllr Neil Sanders, Ward Members for Worksop North and Cllr Lynn Dixon, Ward Member for Worksop North-West. Cllr Charlesworth spoke on behalf of the councillors and said: “We are proud to support the Aurora Centre. The creation of a dedicated family therapy suite will provide a vital space for children and young people who are navigating the emotional impact of cancer within their family. It’s a project that will bring real comfort and practical support to those who need it most. We’re grateful to the Aurora team for the incredible work they do in our community, and we’re pleased to play a part in helping this meaningful project come to life.”
The Aurora Charity was founded in 2002, to help provide a welcoming environment for cancer patients who felt vulnerable and uncertain about their future. The charity first launched sites at Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montagu Hospital in Mexborough before expanding to Worksop in 2011, creating an innovative community service within the old Library and Museum Building.
Aurora became an independent charity in 2016 and continues to develop and grow services including emotional support and counselling. To find out more information about Aurora Wellbeing Services, visit: https://aurorawellbeing.org.uk
Each Bassetlaw District Councillor is allocated a small annual budget and has the discretion to award grants to support community activities within their ward. Councillor grants may support projects related to sport, culture and heritage, environmental sustainability, social welfare, and general community benefit.
Plans to convert old maltings building in Notts town
By: Lauren Monaghan
A former maltings building in a Nottinghamshire town could be converted into supported living apartments.
The mid-19th-century two-storey maltings in Gateford Road, Worksop, was historically a malthouse but currently functions as a warehouse.
However, the old building could soon be used for specialist accommodation after Havenkaye Building Services Ltd submitted plans to Bassetlaw District Council to convert the space.
If plans are approved, the maltings building would be changed to create five supported living flats, with a single bungalow built alongside.
Documents say the scheme “seeks to secure the long-term future of a historic building” where the external “fabric” of the building would stay the same.
Each of the apartments would be fully self-contained with its own living, sleeping, kitchen and bathroom facilities, but future residents would have access to on-site support when needed.
Supported living apartments are designed to help people with learning disabilities, autism, ADHD, mental health conditions and physical disabilities to keep and build their independence.
Plans say the site would have 24-hour, on-site care delivered by an “experienced and reputable care provider”.
Documents say: “The development represents a meaningful investment in the local community and responds to a recognised need for high-quality supported accommodation.
“The scheme will bring an underused commercial building back into productive use while delivering new housing that meets the needs of residents requiring stable accommodation and support.”
The maltings was historically associated with the malting and brewing industry which “formed an important part of the town’s economic development” during the 19th century.
According to plans, there is “vacant” land at the centre and north of the site.
Solar energy company Havenkaye Energy Solutions is listed as the current occupier of the building.
The district council will decide on plans at a later stage.
Can you figure out today's puzzle?
First figure out the nine letter solution and then find as many words as you can in today's panagram that contain the letter E.
Our last panagram was RECOGNISE. Read our next newsletter for the solution to today's puzzle.
Thanks so much for reading our local newsletter and for supporting us. We’re committed to providing Bassetlaw with the quality local news service it deserves, but sustaining this work may come with some challenges. Our team is currently discussing how to make Bassetlaw Today financially viable in the long term, and one option we’re considering is introducing a subscription model to help cover our costs.
We want to be open with you about these conversations so you’re aware that a fee may need to be introduced in the future. If that happens, we hope you’ll continue to stand with us and support the publication.
Have a great day and I look forward to seeing you read our next newsletter.
Justin Doddy, Editor
Bassetlaw Today
P.S. Your feedback about this newsletter is important to me. You can email me your feedback to news@bassettlawtoday.co.uk
