Homelessness, Relatives Falling Through Floors, Empty Commercial Units & More

Good morning readers and a happy Thursday to you all. Why not grab a brew and a chocolate hobnob, sit back for five minutes peace and enjoy today's newsletter.

I hope you're enjoying your daily newsletters and if you haven't subscribed yet .... why not?

Today's Quote of the Day -“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

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 please forward our newsletter to anyone that you think would like a good read.

Arrest made after shop robbed by man brandishing broken bottle

Detectives investigating a robbery where a broken bottle was brandished have made an arrest.

That's after a corner shop in Wesley Road, Retford, was targeted by a man wearing a baseball cap and face covering.

Armed with a broken glass bottle in his hand, the man charged inside the store, before hurdling the counter and demanding cash.

Having forced a staff member to open the till, the robber emptied it – snatching more than £700 in cash before fleeing from the shop.

Nobody sustained any injuries during the robbery, which happened around 9.25pm on 5 August.

Detectives have been investigating the offence since it was reported and, following extensive inquiries within the community, have now identified a suspect.

A 45-year-old man was duly arrested on suspicion of robbery on Monday (17 August).

Despite the arrest, officers are continuing to investigate the incident in its entirety, so can now release these two pictures of a man they're trying to identify.

Detective Constable Rebecca Brailsford, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

"This would've been an incredibly distressing experience for the victim, who was just doing their job when they were put in this position.

"While they thankfully didn't come to any harm, they were still forced to hand over hundreds of pounds in cash by someone carrying broken glass.

"Having conducted extensive inquiries in the community, we have this week managed to arrest a suspect, which is pleasing, although we're keen to stress that our inquiries are still very much ongoing.

"On that note, we can now release these images of someone we're looking to trace, so would ask that anyone who thinks they might know who this is please shares this information immediately."

The police can be contacted directly on 101, quoting incident 740 of 5 August 2026, while information can be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Content courtesy of Nottinghamshire Police

Council tenants describe rot, rats and relatives falling through floors

By: Joe Locker, LDRS

Pictured: The rotten floorboards in Kimberley Wilson's home (submission), Cllr Mike Introna on Hirst Road (LDRS)

Tenants say they have been living in council homes plagued with damp, mould and rat infestations – but improvements since have impressed a regulator.

Residents living in Hirst Road, Retford, have faced significant damp and mould problems in their homes, so much so one woman’s flooring collapsed while her relative was visiting.

Their concerns come after the Regulator for Social Housing (RSH) inspected Bassetlaw District Council’s housing stock, and awarded the authority the second-best rating possible.

The Labour-led council says that while in the majority of cases its repairs service inspects and resolves are at the required standards, “in a small number of instances, and in some more complex cases, our actions can fall short of our policy.”

Mum-of-four Kimberley Wilson, who has lived in her council home for 14 years, said the flooring in her living room has collapsed twice due to damp and rot.

The problems became so bad last year her family had to be moved out into temporary accommodation while repairs took place.

“When my brother-in-law came to see us he fell through the floor,” she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

“I’ve had rats in the kitchen. They burrowed in and I had to put everything in plastic tubs. I still have fears about them now whenever I hear sounds in my house.

“I just broke down one day. I had only just redecorated. It has been continuous. I was so depressed.”

The council told the LDRS that following a thorough investigation, it was found the issue with her flooring had been caused by a blocked soak-away, which required the replacement of the flooring and joists on the ground floor, among other work.

Once she was able to return to her home, she was given compensation and decorating vouchers.

Ms Wilson was not the only resident on the street to have seen rats in their homes and gardens, and many said they were surprised at the council’s rating awarded by the regulator.

The rodent issues were being caused by an overgrown section of land attached to a privately rented property that backs onto her garden. As this affected other properties in the area, this was dealt with and resolved by the environmental health team, the authority added.

Another resident, who has lived on the street for 16 years, was forced to take the council to court over a long-running disrepair claim, where it was found in her favour.

“My home was covered in rising damp, and I’m asthmatic,” she said.

“Since I have taken them to court they have been sorting things straight away.”

The council told the LDRS the resident was paid a modest compensation sum, in addition to considerable legal costs, and said the damp and mould issues have now been fully addressed.

The LDRS spoke to a number of other residents, many of whom raised similar concerns over how the council deals with complaints and repairs.

However, one resident, Kelly Gotts, said she has had a generally positive experience in her 20 years of living in her home.

“They have just put solar panels up. I had to have damp-proofing done a few years ago and my kitchen shelving was all warped,” she said.

“They would not put a new kitchen in, so I’ve got a bit of a make-shift kitchen, I would have liked them to have done something but that is the only issue I have had.

“Overall they have been positive.”

Mike Introna, Conservative county councillor for Retford East, said he wrote to the leaders at the authority in March to demonstrate his concerns and call for a meeting.

“I’ve been getting involved now for five years on and off for housing related issues,” he said.

“Over the last two years it is becoming more and more frequent.

“I demanded a meeting, which I got, fair play to them, and we sat down and had a discussion during which they showed me some of the things they were looking to do to improve things.

“But I still keep getting issues. It is the number one issue in my inbox… largely because they are not getting responses or they are finding their responses are such they are not being taken seriously.

“I think there is certainly evidence, albeit inconsistent, they can do a good job but there are just too many occasions where people are waiting far too long for help and support.”

The housing regulator has been inspecting all social housing landlords, including councils, and dozens have been given poor ratings due to serious failings.

However, the regulator had concluded Bassetlaw District Council has been delivering an effective, efficient and timely repairs service.

During 2025/26, the council says it carried out a total of 22,786 repairs and completed over 98 per cent of within the timescales.

A dedicated damp and mould team has also been established, which last year carried out works and repairs in 975 cases.

In an interview with the LDRS concerning the regulator’s report, Cllr Lynne Schuller, cabinet member for housing and estates, said: “There are areas of improvement we need to address, but we had kind of already looked at these things previously and we had already got an improvement plan moving forward.

“We’ve remained committed to auditing our stock condition and what is expected is the stock condition is done on a five yearly basis – but once we’ve achieved 100 per cent – and we are on target to achieve that by December 31 this year – we will move from a five year survey to a three yearly inspection which is actually better than is expected of us.

“We really see the benefits of doing the stock surveys and ensuring we are picking things up as quickly as we can.

“We will continue to work with the regulator. There is a schedule of meetings that are in place. We will establish a partnership with a newly created board to oversee progress in all areas. The focus will be using the inspection feedback to create clear way forward.”

What an incredible effort from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service this summer

Since 1 July, NFRS crews have tackled 910 outdoor fires and 27 wildfires across Nottinghamshire, an increase of around 80% compared to the same period last year.

These figures highlight not only the challenges posed by the hot, dry weather, but also the dedication, professionalism and resilience of the firefighters, control room staff and support teams who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service have issued a huge thank you to everyone involved in this outstanding response during a particularly demanding summer. Your hard work does not go unnoticed.

And while we're all enjoying the sunshine, it sounds like a little rain might be welcome right about now!

📸Credit: Original content, image and statistics to Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS).

List of retail vacancy rates in Nottinghamshire

By: Lauren Monaghan, LDRS

With the British high street scene being squeezed over recent years, some Nottinghamshire towns have a high number of vacant units – but is the picture improving?

More and more people are shopping online, businesses are struggling with market conditions, and retail units are being left to gather dust.

The retail options on high streets nationwide are also shifting, where Britain has lost almost 1,800 pubs and bars since 2016, whilst the number of tobacco and vape shops jumped from 245 to nearly 2,200 in the same timeframe, according to the government.

Statistics from the Local Data Company in 2023 found one in seven shops sit empty nationwide, with North East high streets particularly constricted, sitting at one in five.

Since January 2015, 6,871 bank and building society branches have closed, according to Which?, leaving noticeable empty shells within our town centres.

The government has been introducing some measures in recent years, allowing local authorities to try claw back the once bustling shopping strips in their areas.

Since 2024, it has been pushing forward with High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs), new permissive powers for councils that requires landlords to rent out continually vacant units to local businesses or community groups. Some Nottinghamshire authorities are implementing it.

This August, the government announced it would also be giving councils more control over the number of vape and betting shops on high streets, along with pubs, social clubs and venues getting a 20 per cent cut to their business rates, starting next year.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked each Nottinghamshire borough and district council to provide its retail unit vacancy rates in its largest two towns – and towns in the north of the county appear to be the most empty.

Town and areas with the most retail units empty

Worksop, Bassetlaw’s largest town, currently has a high number of retail units lying empty, with a vacancy rate of 17.12 per cent at March 2026 – this has improved since 19.86 per cent in March 2025.
Mansfield town is close behind, with 17 per cent of shops vacant.
While Calverton, in Gedling, is classified as a village, its growing size in recent years has earned the local jibe of ‘Calver-town’, with 16 per cent of retail units sitting empty, according to the council.
Stapleford has 14 per cent of its retail units’ overall floor space unoccupied, according to Broxtowe Borough Council, who choose to calculate vacancy rates this way.
In Sutton town centre, in the Ashfield district, there is a vacancy rate of 13.2 per cent.
Newark town’s empty shop unit rate sits at 12.02 per cent.
Mansfield Woodhouse currently has 12 per cent of retail units sitting empty.
Arnold, which has the largest town centre in Gedling Borough, has a retail vacancy rate of 10.6 per cent.

Towns and areas where the retail scene is performing better

Beeston’s vacancy rate, calculated based on the percentage of overall retail floor space that is empty, is four per cent, meaning it has a 96 per cent occupancy rate and is the highest in the borough.
Bingham, in Rushcliffe, has a five per cent vacancy rate.
Retford, in Bassetlaw, has a vacancy rate in its retail spaces of 5.44 per cent as of March 2026, down from 8.16 per cent in March 2025.
West Bridgford, Rushcliffe’s largest town, has a six per cent vacancy rate.
Mapperley Plains, while a suburb on the Gedling and Nottingham border, has a vacancy rate of 8.6 per cent, according to Gedling Borough Council.
Ollerton, the second largest settlement in the Newark and Sherwood District has a vacancy rate of 9.57 per cent.

What are the councils doing to boost the retail scene and footfall in their towns?

Ashfield

Ashfield District Council adopted HSRAs as a new power last September, which it says has meant some landlords are “actively searching” for new tenants, with some selling their empty units.

The authority has brought in a shop front grant for Sutton town centre and Stanton Hill to improve internal and external aesthetics.

Bassetlaw

In Bassetlaw, the success in bringing down its vacancy rates has been partly due to it being an early adopter of the HSRA initative, its ‘Discover’ campaigns for Worksop and Retford to increase footfall, free business support and small growth grants.

There has also been more money towards shop fit-out grants of up to £15,000 to attract new businesses as part of the government’s Pride in Place funding, which enabled seven empty units to be brought back into use in Retford, Worksop and Harworth and Bircotes.

Broxtowe

Beeston has had recent investment in its night-time economy, particularly for the council-owned Square.

Stapleford has benefitted from investment from the £21 million Towns Fund, which is still yet to finish. The new Pencil Works project is expected to further increase footfall.

The council was also an early adopter of the HSRA programme, where three empty units in Stapleford have been brough back into use and the vacant Old Rock property was the first premises in England to be taken to auction.

Gedling

Gedling Borough Council has developed the Ambition Arnold Visionary Masterplan to increase footfall in the town.

An outline business case and design work for a new leisure centre, theatre and library has also been put forward, which will be delivered subject to whether grant funding is available.

Mansfield

Mansfield is undergoing various regeneration projects, with improvements to its market place, its streets, the Mansfield Connect project on the site of the former Beales building and food hall plans for the former BHS site.

There are also new homes being created on White Hart Street – a site which accounts for a lot of empty business space – which Councillor Charles Hammersley, portfolio holder for planning and growth at Mansfield District Council, said will bring “new energy into Mansfield”.

He said: “We recognise that the sight of empty shops can generate some negativity, and we are actively engaging with property owners to find out how we can work together to make better use of these spaces. We will be sharing some more details about this project soon.”Newark and SherwoodCllr Claire Penny, portfolio holder for sustainable economic development at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said the authority is “bringing back to life” the empty M&S store, “transforming the visitor offer” at Newark Castle, has “saved” the Buttermarket and has “revamped” Newark’s parks and playgrounds.She says the authority has transformed 14 Market Place, has delivered free-to-attend events and, in partnership with Newark College, has a new construction college and the Air and Space Institute.In Ollerton, the council is improving links between Forest Road and Rufford Avenue and bringing a “cinema offer” into the town.

East Midlands to receive funding to help tackle homelessness and rough sleeping

People facing homelessness and rough sleeping across the East Midlands are set to benefit from a share of new Government funding aimed at preventing homelessness, helping people off the streets and providing long-term support to rebuild their lives.

The Government has today announced a £442 million package to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping across England.

As part of this investment, local authorities across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire will receive a collective funding pot of £3.6 million to support local services, while the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) will receive more than £10 million in 2027/28 and 2028/29 to help drive regional action and partnership working.

The announcement also includes funding for voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations through the Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund.

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, welcomed the funding and the opportunities it will create to strengthen support for people across the region.

"Everyone deserves a safe place to call home, and this funding will help us support people facing homelessness across the East Midlands and strengthen local efforts to end rough sleeping.

"Homelessness is a complex challenge that no one organisation can solve alone. That's why we'll be working closely with our councils, charities, housing providers and other partners to make sure this funding reaches the people who need it most.

"By working together, we can help prevent people from becoming homeless, provide support to those in crisis, and give more people the stability they need to rebuild their lives and look ahead with hope."

The funding forms part of a national effort to end rough sleeping and reduce homelessness, with investment focused on providing immediate support for people at risk this winter while also delivering longer-term accommodation and support services.

EMCCA will work alongside councils, housing providers, charities and community partners across the East Midlands to help coordinate local action, support those most at risk and ensure the funding delivers the greatest possible benefit for communities across the region.

Source/Credit: East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA)

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