A Beeston wander to see a bus

It was Susan who suggested yesterday that we go for a walk around Beeston. "Not very far, just far enough to stretch our legs". I happily agreed because I wanted to catch one of the last Trent-Barton 18's, by which I meant take a photograph, so after lunch we set off on our wander.

1. A developer is trying to fit a mini-mansion onto a postage stamp size plot on Bramcote Drive. The present house on the site is being given a makeover; having dormer windows fitted in the roof. The site overlooks the golf course. The front will probably be given over to hard standing. Along the whole length of our wander houses were being extended or having loft extensions.

The announcement at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham of a London Docklands style development corporation for the Toton – East Midlands Airport Corridor must have had housing developers wetting themselves in excitement at the thought of the money to be made over the coming decades. 

I would cancel HS2 in a minute if the decision was mind.

2. I have only included this pic after some thought. This metal gorilla sits in someones garden on Devonshire Avenue, not in full view but its head can be seen from the pavement, so I came to the conclusion that that puts this work of art in the public domain.

3. One of two out of use bus stops on Devonshire Avenue. Who else remembers when Nottingham City Transport's No.14 bus route ran down the road on its way to the city from Chilwell?

4. The war memorial recalls the death of a Beeston soldier who had the misfortune, like so many to die, from sickness. In the 19th century all too many soldiers died before they got to see combat.

5. The reason for our wander. There was another 4 or 5 Trent-Barton route Eighteen buses before the service was withdrawn. It has been taken over by Nottingham Community Transport as their first commercial service. More in a post next week.

5. Broxtowe Borough Council are being very bullish about what is going to happen on the old Beeston Bus Station site. A cinema and shops and flats all 'Opening 2020' if the poster is to be believed. They are going to do all this is just under 15 months? Of course not, but Conservatives do like to make promises they know they can't keep. Let's hope come next May, the Borough Council election sees the Conservatives being replaced by Labour.

6. Inside the old Thornton's chocolate shop which C.P. Walker & Son, the local estate agents, have allow The Beestonian, We Are Beeston and Beeston Civic Society use as a pop-up shop for a couple of weeks. I did four afternoon stints last and will be doing Thursday and Saturday afternoons the coming week. In my book its been a great success and points an exciting way forward for promoting local groups and events. 'Pop-up Beeston' is probably a venture in itself and one that I will actively support.

7. We stopped off for tea and cake at Christine's Delights before walking the last fifteen minutes home. They were full and overflowing onto the pavement outside, which has to be good — and explains why I have used a pic I took within a few days of their opening.

8. And, finally, on Marlborough Road a big 'thank you' to the person responsible for this wonderful Sunflower display!

All in all, a good wander, nothing really happened, but we got some exercise and saw things we had missed fifty times before — like the Sunflowers above!