Your Beeston bus and tram pocket companion updated

I have updated the Beeston Transport Map and called it a 'pocket companion' because it can be printed off and carried very easily. I have also marked some twenty-three out of Beeston places of interest, of of which can be reached directly by bus or tram. The railway from Beeston Station offers an almost endless list of places which can be reached in a couple of hours, including London, Leicester, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Norwich and so the list goes on.

Also included is information about buses and trams from Beeston Interchange.

Finally, remember this map has been design to print A4 landscape in with full colour or mono.  Simply click on the map to enlarge.

It has had its own page in the right-hand since I started this blog at there end 0f 2014.

Bramcote Old Church Tower Heritage Open Days

Another one of the great visiting opportunities beong offered by Beeston Civic Society's Heritage Open Days programme in September:

Coming 10–13 September, Beeston Heritage Open Days

I have created this map for Beeston & District Civic Society showing Beeston Heritage Open Days, where and when they are in Beeston.  Click on the map to see enlarged.

You can find more details about Heritage Open Days in and around Beeston on the Civic Society website (see link above map).

Beeston and City by bus or tram? Today's the day we get to choose!

A 36 on Derby Road.

A tram on Chilwell Road.

Back in March I posted one of my most popular blogs to date: 'The coming transport war in Beeston' in which I wrote 'The tram and bus in Beeston will soon be at war because they are in commercial competition with one another. Of course the tram will take passengers and money away from the buses, at first, but there will be new opportunities. For the moment Nottingham City Transport and Your Bus are holding their fire and as for Trent-Barton we will have to see what strategy their parent company, Wellglade, have because they also own a stake in the tram'.

Back then we thought The Tram might start in late-spring. In the event it has taken there months longer and nine months in total. I suspect the delay could have been avoided, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. By any measure the two new tram lines are a great achievement and will be to the benefit of Nottingham, Beeston and Clifton in a number of ways.

I made the point in March that I would continue to use the L10, when able, to travel to and from the city centre, simply because it passes the end of my road, even though I am less than ten minutes walk from the new Beeston Interchange.

The Tram has very few seats relative to its carrying capacity — just 55 sitting and 100 standing — whereas the bus offers everyone a good chance of a seat and gets into the city centre nearly as quick as The Tram. Late yesterday the new Tram timetable was published for the first time, which enabled me to create the table below comparing daytime journey times:

I am sure you do not need me to do the sums for you, but just in case: for every six trams into the city centre during Monday – Saturday daytime hours there are 24–29 buses and if you want to go to the Victoria Centre, the 36 and Y36 do it just as quick because there is no walking involved. In fact the Y36 timetable allows 22 minutes for the journey, five minutes less than the 36, even though they follow the same route. I suspect the 36 is slower because it carries more passengers, so stops more often and this has to be allowed for in the running time.

The only drawback with all this choice is buying a ticket — there are FIVE systems, one for each operator plus the City Council's Kangaroo ticket, which comes with a 50% premium! We need a one, transferrable, ticket system and if the four operators refuse to do this and insist on the Kangaroo being overpriced, then there is a good argument for giving control of all public transport in our conurbation to a 'public transport authority' to control services and fares.

By way of an aside. As the Nottingham Post says on its front page today, the two new tram lines have cost £570m on top of the original £200m. Had this money been invested in improving bus services and frequencies seven days a week across the combination for a fifty year period that would have equalled an investment of at least £20m a year. The money could have been spent creating a ten minute bus network seven days a week across the conurbation which would have rivalled London. I have to accept, unfortunately, the will to invest in buses outside London on such a scale does not exist and what Nottingham has achieved with minimal finance when it comes to buses is fantastic.

The truth no one wants to accept is that the tram is not a good public transport investment by any measure, but the whole exercise has been to reduce car travel in and out of the city centre and in this respect it will, I am sure, be a success. I accept what was said back to me in the 1980s by John Taylor, the then Leader of Nottingham City Council, when I argued for a much larger trolleybus system instead. "Bob, trams are sexy. Buses are not".

The buses might lose out around Inham Nook and Field Lane in Chilwell, but nowhere else. People will only have to stand a few times for over twenty minutes on The Tram and be crushed on the section between The Treatment Centre and the city centre to go back to the buses. Who, in their right mind, will stand at Beeston Interchange and let a bus with a seat go by to run the risk of having to stand on a tram?

The Tram was designed to reduce car traffic in and out of Nottingham city centre and car users parking up at Toton Lane and Clifton will get the seats and will they give them up to the elderly who get on in Chilwell or Beeston? We shall see, but I suspect not, if the Bulwell and Hucknall trams are any guide!

The Tram will be a success and with fewer cars on the Derby Road, the buses will go a little quicker and just two minutes shaved off bus journey times will be enough to persuade more to be like me and stay loyal to the buses.

I am not anti-tram. It will make travelling by bus between Beeston and the city centre a more enjoyable experience.

Allotment heaven on our doorstop

Doing another poster for the Heritage Open Days next month prompted a quick visit to the Wollaton Road Allotments to get a few photographs. Susan and I plan to go along on the Heritage Open Day and will write more about that come the time. Our next door neighbour goes to the Allotments for bacon cobs — which she says are fantastic. Anyway, for now, enjoy a few pics and the poster:

Len on the allotment stall at the gate sold me some apples and plums, then sold the plums again, so I waited whilst his mate Paul went and picked me some more. Just a £1 for each bag and I really can say 'the fruit came straight of the trees'.

This is a pic of Len's allotment. He only took it over a few months ago and it looks fantastic already. He told me it was his 7th plot in thirty years.

What really blew me away though was this view. You could be forgiven for thinking it was in the middle of the English countryside when it is actually within a few hundred yards of Beeston town centre!  What prompted this discovery was the need to have a few pics of Wollaton Road Allotments for my Civic Society poster. The allotments had a great atmosphere. I am looking forward to our proper visit on 12 September. I hope the poster and these three pics tempt you to come along as well and don't forget the bacon cobs (there were cakes today as well and they all looked yummylicious). 

Welcome to Your Pocket Companion to Beeston

Since I first created a Beeston Underground style guide to the town's pubs and cafés map in 2013, it has undergone a number of changes. I have described my latest version as a 'Pocket Companion to Beeston' and will incorporate a reverse side so that it can be published.  It has been created A3 landscape size, but prints perfectly well in A4 landscape, albeit the text and images are smaller, but readable. My maps are always created to print in mono as well as colour.

It now includes all Beeston's blue plaque locations and some additional shops. Feedback is always welcome. My aim is to have some printed copies available for the Beeston Heritage Open days weekend, 10–13 September 2015.

I think I can fairly claim to have been publishing the most up-to-date map of Beeston pubs & cafés there is since 2013 and today I have added Time for Tea Vintage Tearoom to the map. This wonderful tearoom is tucked away in a little end of terrace house on Wilkinson Street, right beside Broxtowe Borough Council offices

It is the creation of Emma Smith (left), who is being helped by her mum, Jane Blake (right). The are making cakes and selling loose leaf teas. Click on the picture to enlarge it and read today's menu!

You can find a link to Time for Tea on Facebook. I wish them well. The smell of baking cake from the back of the tearoom was so so teatime. Go soon. You won't be disappointed. This could become Beeston's answer to Nottingham's Lee Rosie Tearoom (opposite the Broadway Cinema).

A new market comes to Beeston

I enjoy life in the slow lane. Always have. Rush along and you miss things. Even I miss things going slow, as I will explain later. Right now, join me on a Saturday morning amble last weekend into Beeston to get fresh fruit and some Sicilian Treats to take to my daughter on the Sunday to have with our tea after a day spent canal walking in North Warwickshire, where she lives.

I couldn't resist the chance to photograph David selling his runner-beans on the Wollaton Road at the entrance to the allotments and two ladies stopping to buy some of his lovely looking beans. If it were not for the fact that I grow my own runner-beans I would have bought some too. I could write a whole story about how important runner beans have been to me throughout my life. Perhaps I will.

At the bottom of the hill, where Wollaton Road becomes Station Road is The Square or is it Beeston Square. It is called both, even Town Square and across from the side I was on I could see the market. When I first began shopping in Beeston in 1996, the market was tucked away behind (Beeston) High Road. In some ways I liked it more. Nothing fancy or twee about it. Then the middle classes left bread and pies to working-class bakers and butchers. Hallams,  Barnsdale and the Homemade Bakery on the High Road still have this quality, but a good few of the stalls in The Square (which is what I call it) are middle-class 'artisan', who give the impression that no customer is ever quite good enough for them. They have a 'I will serve you if I must' attitude and their bread and pies are fancy and clever. They are playing at trade and that is what I do not like about them. Rant over, but I mean every word.

On the left side of the entrance to the Tesco car park off Station Road is this blue plaque. I wonder how many of us notice it? I added Beeston's blue plaques to my town pubs & cafés map a few months ago, but there were still a couple I had not located and my search for them added another reason to my Saturday amble. 

But I was drawn to Tesco's not just to shop, but because I knew they were hosting a new 'indoor' craft market, charging stall holders a small sum and then putting the income towards local good causes. There were still a few spaces available as you can see, but this was the first one and it is August. Come the autumn and Saturdays begin to get colder, I am sure all the available stall spaces will be taken.

There was Lisa with her 'JaneyDesigns' card stall, who caught the mood perfectly. A lovely looking stall.

Next to her was Capricorn Woodwork run by Chris Hopkinson. The picture below captures some of the detail and I was sorely tempted by the large bowl, but where would I put it? There comes a point where surface space is one's home is limited and we reached it long ago. These objects are tactile, to be held and stroked.

This was the StashApparel stall with its wonderful mannequin. A sign described their clothes as 'Trendy, edgy womans wear'. From the empty hangars I could see that they had attracted a few buyers by the time I arrived, just before mid-day.

The last stall might be described as a temporary Saturday branch of My Fabric Place, who have a shop on (Chilwell) High Road. In charge were Iain and Emma, who had brought along what seemed like a lorry-load of fabrics. The picture below os of the fabrics on the table Iain and Emma are standing behind.

There was also a face painting stall with a couple of youngsters being turned into animals and aliens, and I had passed several out in to town, as I had made my way to Tesco, but we live in an age when photographing children has become a no no, for understandable reasons, and children are being air-brushed from  history. It is something I have written and blogged about in the past. Perhaps it is another topic I need to re-visit.

By the main Tesco entrance from the car park were singers Percy and Rob, who go by the name of 'Adoring Fan' in honour of the one fan they know that have. They were belting out the songs and good with it. They told me that they were involved with a local charity called Mindset, which 'seeks to run a variety of social and activity groups for the benefit of socially excluded people, drawn on the skills, experience and knowledge of socially excluded people themselves. We aim to provide opportunities for people in Nottingham and the surrounding area and to improve their mental health through musical, creative and gardening activities'. 

I left Percy and Rob, very impressed with what Tesco was trying to achieve and full marks to them. Tesco is making a real effort to wins hearts and minds in Beeston and, with me at least, they are succeeding. Their glass, atrium like. walkway beside Station Road, opposite the now closed bus station, makes a great communal space and I wish their Saturday craft fair venture every success. I am sure it is a space which could perform many other functions.

Earlier on I mentioned that I was also going to try and find a couple of Beeston blue plaques I had yet to locate. Thanks to a Beeston Civic Society member involved with the scheme, my missing blue plaque location on Nether Street was located. Nether Street crosses Station Road and had I looked at the street signs this would have been obvious. The openstreetmap website also shows this, so I have no excuse for not finding the missing plaque on my own.

The sign above the first floor windows reads 'General Baptist Chapel, erected 1806, enlarged 1856'. To see the photograph larger, just click on it.

On the wall in front of the old chapel, now a day nursery, you will see this plaque. I think it speaks for itself. To find out more about Beeston's blue plaques visit the Beeston & District Local History Society website.

I walked back via Foster Street so I could visit the library and took in the full glory of the Roman Catholic Church of the Assumption. It is one of the finest buildings in Beeston and I love how it stands there, solid, making a statement. I have yet to go inside, but I will before too long. I have mentioned it before. And around the back of the church is a little oasis of quiet. As I mentioned in a recent blog, I am not religious (I do have a faith and have a piece I am working on about why Socialism is a faith and a way of trying to live).

Next to the church stands another building I am never quite sure what to call. Is it Broxtowe or Beeston Town Hall, or just 'Council offices'? On top of its roof is what I would describe as a bell tower. I have no idea what it houses, but it is a pity that the Council has chosen to surround it with radio masts and other clutter. I would have then down tomorrow if I was in charge. It is little things like this which tell you a great deal about those in charge.

From the town hall/council offices  I crossed the road and into the library before walking down Quart Road, pass the Pearson Centre, over Wollaton Road and onto Albion Street in search of my final 'missing' blue plaque, which I found in plain sight, opposite Sainsbury's petrol station. How could I have missed it for so long? Now I will see it every time!

I walked up Wollaton Road and home, having got what shopping I needed, discovered a new market and found two missing blue plaques. I met a few folk along the way. David was gone, having sold all his runner beans I am sure. At some point I would like to walk around the Wollaton Road Allotments. I see that the Allotments are taking part in the 2015 Heritage Open Days scheme and will be doing guided tours between 9am and 4pm on Saturday 12 September. Susan and I will go. In the morning I am helping the Beeston Civic Society with the stall in the Pearson Centre. Something to look forward to and blog about.

Heritage Open Days Eco Houses Poster

I have created another poster for Beeston & District Civic Society:

This is the one opportunity Susan and I want to take advantage of. We have missed previous open days.

A Beeston day wandering with friends

Friends from Greenwich stayed with us last week and we went on a wander down Wollaton Road, then west to the Mish Mash Gallery before walking back to Mason & Mason, then up Marlborough Road and home. It took five hours.

The parish church was open, so we spent half-an-hour looking at the memorial and simply enjoying the church for what it — a quiet place for reflection. You do not have to have a religious faith to enjoy and appreciate such a building.

Chilwell Memorial Institute on the south side of (Chilwell) High Road, close to Meadow Lane, was erected and paid for by people with a take on remembrance which I share. A building or a space of practical value reminds users every time they visit of why and how the building is there, and I like that.

Back on (Beeston) High Road, the Greenwood Coffee House has added this signage. I rather like their description of themselves as a 'coffee house'. Immediately suggests that it is a place where people gather and talk. In an earlier post I mentioned that someone described the café as being for 'hipsters', who are 'greens in suits'. On the couple of occasions we have been in, I have yet to see anyone wearing a suit. Most of us were oldies or mums with buggies.

The sign and the name is a take on the owner's name — Rory Archer — who is an experienced barrister, having been manager of The Bean on Stoney Street for two years. Rory's coffees will change throughout the year and to go with his coffees he is offering simple snacks. He does not have a website yet, but he does have a Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/greenhoodcoffee

The empty space between the Bus & Tram Interchange and Tesco is a real blot on Beeston's townscape. I applaud the efforts of Beeston Civic Society and young architect students, together with Broxtowe Borough Council, to ensure there is a full and continuing debate about what kind of building/complex we have, but until a developer actually starts talking with local groups and the Council, we can only wait and hope that they propose something more than a 'shed'. All too many buildings are designed and built to a budget and if they make a statement, that is it!

We also went to Highfields Park and Lakeside, where we found an exhibition by Emily Allchurch in the Djanology Gallery. I wasn't sure what to expect, but in the event I was overwhelmed and rate it as the second best thing I have seen at the gallery since it opened (the best by far was the Lowry exhibition a couple of years ago). You have until 31 August to see this fantastic exhibition (11am–5pm Mon–Sat and 12–4pm Sunday), admission free.   For more information visit http://www.lakesidearts.org.uk/exhibitions/event/2895/emily-allchurch.html

I will be going back next week when our sixteen year old grandson comes to stay. Emily Allchurch is a 21st century artist (for that is what she is) taking advantage of the latest technology. And I say this, even though much of what she does is inspired by the works of old masters.

And to close this Beeston amble, a reminder of where you can see original works of art (and buy them) in the centre of Beeston. Sergio at The White Lion took to providing hanging space for local artists some time ago and the works for sale get better by the month. It really is worth dropping in for a coffee or a beer, wine even, and whiling away thirty minutes looking at what is on show.

Right now though, if I had £280, or Mish Mash would let me pay in ten equal payments, there is another work on art I would buy. I won't tell you what, because I am hoping Ernie will come up trumps on 1 September (Ernie let me down on the 1 August boo hiss).

Our Greenwich friends enjoyed their stay in Beeston and we dined well at Table 8. Unfortunately, two of our favourite haunts were closed, but Greenwood and Mason & Mason came to the rescue and O'liva was full, but I did buy some 'Sicilian treats' which we had the next day with coffee. I have blogged about these in the recent past and they will get a mention in the blog following this. They really are yummy!

Two Civic Society posters

Matt of The Beestonian kindly gave me a plug on his Facebook page at the end of last week and I have a post in the pipeline, once I have time to work on the images. In the meantime here are a couple of posters for Beeston & District Civic Society, which I enjoyed doing. If they are any good, I need say no more...