Council Tax Exempt properties in Beeston and Broxtowe — a street-by-street list as at November 2017

The list of council tax exemptions on a street-by-street basis has been obtained by me making a Freedom of Information request to Broxtowe Borough Council at the end of 2016. The process was interrupted by me having open heart surgery at the end of February 2017 followed by four months recovery, then in November my being ill for three weeks and my wife Susan being diagnosed with breast cancer. All these  things have contributed to the delay, but I think it's been worth waiting for. Below are the totals for Broxtowe Borough Council area as at November 2017 summarised by location (my work):

BROXTOWE BOROUGH COUNCIL

TAX EXEMPTIONS AT NOVEMBER 2017

There is one important caveat. My 2015 summary of Council Tax exempt student properties in the Borough of Broxtowe (which can be found in the column to the right) was provided by the Council in February 2015 and the person who compiled the data for me has since left and the program used has changed. The changes between February 2015 and November 2017 are not what I was expecting:

I had confidently expected the total for 2017 to be higher than 2015. It is lower! The compiler in 2015, who no longer works for the Council, almost certainly used a different methodology to the compiler in 2017. The officer I have worked with suspects that the 2015 totals included adults who qualified for a 'student (council tax) discount' of 25% where two people live in the same property. This would help explain the higher 2015 totals.

Looking ahead to 2018 and future years, logic says I go with the person compiling the 2017 data. We have met twice and exchanged numerous e-mails and logic says that November 2017 has to be taken as Year 1 and that from now on data is collected and made public for November using the same methodology as 2017.

The list below is of Beeston Council Tax exempt student properties. I have created separate location lists for all the locations in the the above summary. The data from the Council is one long list with the first column showing the location of the street. I have compiled the above table of Broxtowe locations and verified it against the overall total on the Broxtowe Borough Council spreadsheet.

I leave it to you, the reader, to make what you will of the data. If you would like a PDF version of the full street-by-street list for Broxtowe please contact me.

There some quirks/anomalies in the Beeston list below, as I suspect there are in other location lists (eg. A Gladstone Street/Gladstone Street; Beacon Flats/Beacon Flatts; the use of Rd/Road results in separate entries and Ewe Lamb Lane has 9 location entries as Beeston, 8 as Stapleford and 100 as Bramcote. It is part of the Bramcote/Stapleford boundary, but it highlights how what you get out depends on what you put in!). 

Also, to place the data below I had to cut and paste and I have done it in haste — hence the difference widths. The entries are as they appear in the Council spreadsheet. I have added the column headings:

PROPS is for no. of properties in each street which could pay council tax.

EXEMPTIONS is the no. of council tax exempt properties in the named street.

STUDENT is the no. of properties exempt in the named street because all the occupants are in full-time education.

HIMO is the no. of properties in the named street registered as a House in Multiple Occupation. HIMOs can be occupied by groups other than students and may be paying council tax because the occupants are not exempt from paying council tax.

I have asked for a category breakdown of Broxtowe Borough Council 1,137 exemptions total. The Council has a discount and exemption webpage. Click here to see it. 

BEESTON COUNCIL TAX EXEMPTIONS AT NOVEMBER 2017  

Hucknall's Heritage Bus Tours offer a model for Broxtowe

As I have pointed out on many occasions Broxtowe is a nonsense borough. Geographically it doesn't make sense. It is clearly divided into north and south with no public transport links between the two halves and the one road inside the borough which links the two halves is little more than a back lane.

This fact makes it difficult for folk to explore Broxtowe. What does Beeston know of Eastwood or Brinsley and they of Beeston and Attenborough? Little I suspect, which is why the work of the voluntary Hucknall Tourism & Regeneration Group offers an example of how Broxtowe might address its north–south divide when it comes to heritage.

Hucknall Tourism & Regeneration Group mini-bus at Newstead Abbey.

For the past ten years Sheila and Ken Robinson have been organising and managing an annual programme of mini-bus tours for the Hucknall Tourism & Regeneration Group (HT&RG), which was founded in 2002. For 2017 they have arranged no less than seven different tours on twenty dates.

Laura Simpson, Nottinghamshire County Council’s Senior Practitioner in Heritage Tourism had the brilliant idea of asking Sheila and Ken to run a training day, ‘How to run a heritage bus tour on a budget’, which took place on 16 June 2017. A group of some twelve interested individuals, including two who found their way to the day from Derby, such was the interest. None of us left disappointed.

The morning was spent in the Dynamo House at Bestwood Country Park, where Laura did a presentation on Heritage Tourism in Nottinghamshire, which included information about the national scene as well. The county focus is on a collection of ‘themes’, including ‘Blood, Sweat and Tears’ (industrial history), ‘Rebellion and Freedom’ (dissent and liberty), ‘With Brush and Pen’ (literary and artistic heritage) and ‘Our Sporting Life’ (sporting heritage). 

The recession has resulted in the way we take breaks and holidays changing. More of us now stay with friends and family than in hotels or self-catering, and from the nodding heads I guessed it was a fact most of those present could relate to. Another one of the many interesting points made by Laura which caught my attention was a reference to ‘visitors’ (not ‘tourists’) who ‘come in pursuit of the real’. These are people who want to visit local pubs, sporting events, maybe ride on a bus. 

There was much in Laura’s presentation to hold the attention of local historians with an interest in reaching a wider audience, and as Sheila and Ken demonstrated with their presentation, you don’t have to have a museum or historic building. Organising walks is an obvious activity, but with the help of a mini-bus you can do much more. Sheila took us  through all the things you have to think about and plan for: funding (including sponsorship); costs (including insurance); routes (including duration); advertising ; Booking methods and the day of the tour itself — of which we had a perfect example after a sandwich lunch, when Sheila and Ken took us a Byron inspired tour from Bestwood to Annesley, Newstead Abbey, Hucknall, before returning to Bestwood, where we ended the day with a general discussion and muffins!

I went home mightily impressed by the enterprise of Sheila and Ken and thinking about the opportunities that exist for local historians everywhere to follow their example. I should point out that HT&RG does not duplicate existing bus routes or compete with them in any way. They fill up their 14 seat mini-buses quickly and they offered many tips on how to raise money from local businesses, especially people selling bathrooms and kitchens!

Among the pieces of paper we left with was a County Council Risk Assessment Record prepared for the training day. A useful document some might too easily dismiss as unnecessary. I found it quite the reverse. Laura’s enthusiasm also helped the day go well, as she made her way around the group talking to participants about their interests and reasons for attending.

I can see this training being organised again and when it is, book a place. You won’t be disappointed.
Just to be sure you don't miss out, why not contact Laura Simpson direct and tell you are interested. Contact details as follows: Tel.0115 9932595, email: Laura.Simpson@nottscc.gov.uk.

Perhaps next year a similar venture could be considered for Broxtowe, with monthly weekend mini-bus trips from the south of the borough to the north and vice-versa? From Chilwell and Beeston via Stapleford to Eastwood and Brinsley for example, with with printed guides at least for passengers. Even better, a couple of tour guides to accompany folk.

Right now this is no more than a thought, but the work of Sheila and Ken and their Hucknall  Tourism & Regeneration Group shows that such a venture is clearly possible and, most importantly, viable.

Sheila Robinson talking to training day participants whilst at All Saints Annesley.

A view into what remains of Annesley (All Saints) Old Church.

Annesley Hall stable block, laundry and servants' accommodation.

Chilwell poet a seasonal must have

This morning I went with my friend John White to collect his first ever published collection of poems, Attenborough Churchyard, Canary Girls and other poems from The Russell Press in Old Basford.

With a couple of exceptions, all sixty-six poems were published in newspapers between 2008 and 2016. It is a wonderful and varied collection. Here is little taster:

Lust

I was tempted by what she proffered

In thrall with what was offered

Refusal would leave me inconsolable

My desire was uncontrollable

Finally I thought I would risk it

And accept just one more chocolate biscuit

Derby Telegraph

16 January 2014.

One thing is certain. John's poetry ranges far and wide when it comes to subject matter. Love, passion, history, death, reminiscence, all have a place in John’s work.

The first edition is limited to just 150 copies and all the profit after the printing cost (Russell Press charged £248 for this 80 page plus cover book) will go to Attenborough Parish Church.

I used my local history publishing skills to assist John with layout, pricing and how the poems are organised (chronologically from 11 December 2008 – 6 October 2016, with the exception of the last poem. If you buy the collection you will understand why). We used Russell Press because they are simply the best. End of story. We also decided to set the poems in Helvetica 13 point, a nice clear typeface well suited to verse.

John's modesty prevents him from believing that interest in his poems will extend any further than family and friends. I have tried my best to convince John otherwise, so he was somewhat stunned when he sold his first copy within minutes of Jo putting them on display in The Local Not Global Deli on Chilwell Road, opposite Imperial Road. What is more, the buyer, Margaret Richardson, a Beeston U3A member, asked John to sign the book.

Below is the cover. I did persuade John to increase the price by 50p. At £4.50 the collection is excellent value.  To enlarge, just click on the image.

We decided to have just one place in Beeston selling Attenborough Churchyard, Canary Girls and other poems and that's The Local Not Global Deli on Chilwell Road, simply because we met more often than not in the Deli, both loving Jo's food (tonight Susan and I will be sharing a generous slice of Jo's Salmon Quiche with a simple salad) and it's the only place I know in Nottingham where I can buy Henderson's Relish (the veggie Worcester Sauce from Sheffield), but I digress...

... for me it has been a real joy to work with John and I have loved every minute of the experience. We worked our way through eight drafts and watched the number of pages and poems increase with every draft until we reached no.9 and I wanted to have it published before I go into hospital for open heart surgery. Publishing now also means a good few folk may be tempted to buy it as a Christmas present for themselves or a loved one.

I hope on Friday to find a city centre seller too, so watch this space. Attenborough Churchyard, Canary Girls and other poems costs just £4.50 and offers great value for money.

I will end with the first verse of one of my favourite poems in the collection.

War

Give a fool an inch

He will strive to take a mile

Gift a man an army

See the bodies start to pile

The collection is full of such reflections and passion is never far away. John the lover shines bright and in them I find a reflection of myself, but I will leave it to you to discover more of yourself in John's poems.

How projects like The Tram and HS2 turn politicians into chameleons and vultures

The following quote is from a news item in Anna Soubry's e-newsletter dated 5 November 2016:

Beeston’s Central College set to close

Central College has announced that their Beeston site will close after 2020. I met the Chief Executive John van de Laarschot yesterday; he said the plan is to cut costs by reducing the number of campuses and instead build a new £50 million College in Nottingham. 

I am far from convinced this is a good idea. 500 students use Beeston College and whilst I accept the buildings at the rear are in poor condition, the front is modern and attractive - and it has its own tram stop. The closure will be yet another blow for Chilwell High Road. I am very concerned that yet again, the City is taking precedence over areas like Broxtowe.

Now  a quote and link to a page on Anna Soubry's website headed 'HS2 in Broxtowe':

Anna Soubry has welcomed plans to place the HS2 East Midlands hub at Toton Sidings. But the planned line will cause disruption to a small number of houses in Broxtowe, some of which will have to be demolished. There is also real concern about the affect on the environment at  Strelley Village, Nuthall and Trowell. Anna Soubry is committed to getting the best deal for those affected by HS2.

The impact of the tram on parts of Beeston and Chilwell is pretty much as Anna Soubry sees it, especially when she writes 'I am very concerned yet again (that) the City is taking precedence over areas like Broxtowe'.

Personally, I would prefer existing railway lines electrified and modernised so that there can be more, faster, trains to cities like London, Birmingham and Manchester instead of wasting billions on HS2. Another argument used by opponents of HS2 is that the this new high-speed line is all about sucking more business and jobs into London. Those who support HS2 are of the view that if HS2 is good for London, then, by default, it is good for the rest of England too, especially the Midlands.

Downscale these arguments and replace 'HS2' with the Nottingham–Chilwell 'Tram extension' and you have much the same scenario and arguments. The Tram has not gentrified or improved things for Bulwell or Hyson Green in twelve years and, as yet, it has done nothing of note for Beeston or Chilwell — a fact which Anna Soubry recognises. In her own words 'The City is taking precedence'. She could be talking about London and HS2. In fact she probably, albeit unknowingly, is!

I will be long gone come 2036 when the occasional HS2 train stops at the Derby-Nottingham (or Nottingham-Derby) HS Station at Toton, but I have learnt enough in my 72 years to know that Anna Soubry's successor in Parliament (if she is not Mother of the House by then) will also be complaining that 'The City is taking precedence'.

Central College is doing what is expected of it in a society where education has been commercialised and serves the interests of business before the students it is meant to be helping to educate. It is as simple as that. The financial and logistical problem the college is trying to address is one created by Parliament and all three main political parties in England.

I can imagine local Conservative, Labour and Liberal councillors on Broxtowe Borough Council saying much the same thing as Anna Soubry. Political elites in 2016 are like chameleons, they morph colour to please whoever it is they want to please on any particular day. They share policies like vultures share a corpse.

An educated population with access to decent public services and housing should be the No.1 priority.

FOOTNOTE. The new runway at Heathrow Airport also comes to mind. The vision offered  bears little resemblance to the awful reality it will bring about, if you consider the negative impact it will have on the environment, public services and public expenditure.

Mish Mash brings a touch of Alice to Chilwell – and maybe Mary Poppins too!

Yesterday I visited the new look Mish Mash Gallery at the junction of Cator Lane and Chilwell High Road.

Through the entrance and I was immediately taken Alice-like into a long corridor full of ceramics, paintings, prints, photographs, hand-made crafts and jewellery artfully displayed to draw you into the gallery.

To the right are a number of small workshops, all bar one already occupied by Cyrilyn Silver, Prisma Clothing, Gary Thomas photography and crafts, and Pretty Splitty, who specialise in 'camper van commissions'. The workshops are rented out by Mish Mash and there is a good chance visitors will be lucky enough to see the occupants hard at work.  

Mish Mash is best described as a contemporary gallery and this has to be its great strength. 

Some may look at the work of local artist Dan Cullen and catch a whiff of nostalgia, Edward Hopper's 'Nighthawks' from 1942 for example, whereas I would describe his work as ethereal, rooted in a reality easy to see once you know where it is. There are number of Beeston related limited edition prints by Dan for sale in Mish Mash.

Below is a cropped image from Dan Cullen's print 'Acacia Walk', offering viewers a different take on Beeston High Road. The edition is limited to 40 copies, costing £70 unframed, £120 framed.

I could have lingered far longer in Mish Mash, but the smell of coffee was pulling me towards the far end of the display corridor and then I saw it, the Froth coffee shop and eatery. Tuesday afternoon and a few tables occupied by mums with buggies and young children, otherwise quieter than usual.

Froth (which I have called 'Frothy' on some of my Beeston maps by mistake) opened in January 2016 and followed in the footsteps of Fusion. It is the creation of James Thomas (left) and James Kellett (right), who began doing drinks, cake and toasties, but now do a wide range of snacks for the hungry visitor, including ice-cream. I have been visiting (not nearly enough) since they opened and like the quiet ambience of Froth, even more attractive as a Beeston coffee destination now that Mish Mash is up and running again.

On the wall in Froth is the guitar pictured below. It reminded me of Fusion and the guitar classes it ran for a while. James (the Kellett one) told me he got it from AJ, who used to run Fusion, and is trying to play the guitar. I suspect he is being modest, for I found out during our chat that he is a singer-songwriter and that the other James plays guitar.

Some reading this post may have visited Froth recently when it was a Beeston Oxjam venue. Perhaps next year James and James will do their own thing in Froth as part of Beeston Oxjam 2017? I hope so. 

Another item on a Froth wall is this rather ancient bicycle. Shades of Mary Poppins. I see a story here for all the kids who come to Froth. I would tell them it is her actual bike. She came on a flying visit and left pushing a buggy, and those in the know say Mary Poppins still calls in from time to time, looks up at her old bicycle and, for a moment, wonders about flying away, but she always leaves with a buggy instead because she likes Beeston and Chilwell that much!

And, and if children look very carefully as they walk along Chilwell High Road, Chilwell Road and Beeston High Road, they may just see Mary Poppins pushing her buggy. I know this story is true, because I have seen her and, if you look hard enough, you will see her too!

Finally, keep an eye open for more changes in the pipeline, which you should be able to see from Chilwell High Road as you pass by. Even better, call in and have a look around. Mish Mash and Froth welcome visitors. There is limited car parking (entrance off Cator Lane).

The Tram stops three minutes walk away (I've timed it) at 'High Road-Central College' (off the tram you walk away from Beeston). Even better Nottingham City Transport bus route 36 stops stops outside (towards Chilwell) on Cator Lane, together with Trent-Barton bus route 18. Trent-Barton's Indigo bus route on stops outside on Chilwell High Road, as does Your Bus route Y5. 

Beeston travel times comparing buses with the tram — a new map

Sitting in Mason & Mason's Tearoom at the eastern end of Beeston High Road or Jo's Local not global deli on Chilwell Road, as I do several late-mornings a month, I am well placed to observe the buses which pass by and in the case of Chilwell Road, the tram as well.

The buses are not as busy as they used to be, nor are the trams as full as I expected them to be. I am not sure where the passengers have gone? Now it may be that the arrival of the tram has changed how and when people travel. I am sure it has.

What I do know is that the bus is still the best way to go into Nottingham city centre. I am assured a seat, more legroom and it will take me closer to most city centre locations. The tram wins out when it comes to the east side; Hockley, the Lace Market and the Market Square. Otherwise, bus is best and, importantly, quicker! — as my map below clearly shows.

The other disadvantage of the tram is that it serves a narrow corridor and it is relatively slow, despite the phasing of traffic lights in its favour. We hear a lot about how many people are within 800 metres of a tram stop. I am in the 'tram corridor' at the top of Wollaton Road, but this is a practical nonsense. It takes me 10 minutes to walk to Beeston Interchange and then I may have to wait another 10 minutes for a tram if I have just missed one, add on 23 minutes to the Royal Centre and a 5 minute walk to the Victoria Centre and I have a personal journey time of 48 minutes. I may also have to stand all the way on the tram and the chances of Susan and me being able to sit together are very slim.

Compare this with the minute it takes me to get to the L10 bus stop on Wollaton Road close to my home and, even allowing for it being a few minutes late (which it frequently is, but that's another story for another day), it will usually take c35 minutes at most to reach the Victoria Centre, as it is able to make up for lost time along most of its route. In other words it usually takes me 40 minutes at most by bus to do a journey which by tram would take me 48 minutes!

And so it is for countless others living in Beeston and Chilwell, but somehow there is a myth about that travelling by bus is second best, when you can be seen on a tram. Ignore the fact that your journey will take longer and, in terms of seating, be less enjoyable. There is just one tram route to the city centre from Beeston Interchange, whereas there are six bus routes, albeit two of them, my little L10 and Trent-Barton's 18 go around the houses. This still leaves four direct bus routes totalling 23 buses and hour between them (Monday–Saturday daytime), all doing the journey as quick as the tram, quicker if you take walking distances into account.

The only drawback when it comes to the buses is that there are four operators, all with their own ticketing and travel discount cards. The 'universal' Kangaroo ticket and its companion Robin Hood travelcard come at a premium price and does not (as at today) include YourBus.

The bus companies are missing a trick by failing to co-operate, but then Trent-Barton's parent company, Wellglade, has a stake in the tram, so they are hardly in competition with the tram.

For all the hype, public transport in and around Beeston and Chilwell is complicated. This is topic I have been writing about for years and I make no apologies for doing so. Public transport is a utility, like communications, energy, health, housing and water. All should be under public control. It is very easy to forget that all these things were once owned and managed by local government in many parts of England Wales and Scotland.

An excellent report, Building a world-class bus system for Britain, published last week argues for the municipalisation of public transport, saying that in its absence what we need is London style 'contracting' arrangement to remove wasteful and expensive competition. In one of several mentions of Nottinghgam, the report points out that bus companies like Trent-Barton make huge profits at our expense. I will come back to the report in a future blog. Right now I would like you to look at my map and see for yourself why the bus, despite all the tram hype, remains Beeston's most important and valuable form of public transport. Simply click on the map to enlarge.

After reading Building a world-class bus system for Britain, I revisited a report in my possession from 2011 (which you can still find on the web) arguing the 'full business case' for the tram extensions to Beeston and Clifton. It makes interesting reading and in a good few respects the vision offered is very different to the reality delivered.

Media reports all tell us that the new Chilwell and Clifton tram lines (known as 'Phase 2') cost £570 million to complete (then there are the interest payments over the next thirty years). A high-frequency bus network across the whole county could have been in place by now for a fraction of £570 million. The quality of road surfaces and reserved roadways could all have helped to improve the quality of our 'bus-ride' (a commonly cited reason for preferring the tram over the bus — the smoothness of the ride).

Again, as I have said on many occasions before, I did not oppose the tram. I bought into the arguments about park and ride, getting motorists out of their cars, reducing road congestion, that men see the tram as 'more sexy' than the bus and all too many will not abandon their cars for the latter. I can't see it myself. Such men have obviously never experienced the delights of the back bench seat on a bus, especially a late-night double-decker!

And on with that thought in my head and I will go and do Sunday lunch...

Council Tax exempt (student) properties in Beeston and Broxtowe by street

In the right-hand column under Pages you can see a complete list of council tax exempt properties by street. I received the information from Broxtowe Borough Council on 23 February 2015 following a request I made to them. I would like to thank the Council and the staff involved for compiling the data.

The map below shows the Beeston streets with the highest percentages of council tax exempt properties (click on the map to enlarge):

At some point I will have more to say about the information I have received. For now it is suffice to say that the streets with a high percentage of council tax exempt properties are presently clustered, for the most part, around Beeston town centre.

At a recent meeting of the Beeston North Community Action Team, a Council officer, Steffan Saunders said that it was a matter Planning had not looked at in any depth and that they would be looking at six unrelated occupants and the property becoming an issue before doing anything, but accepted that three unrelated occupants could be enough to trigger registration as an  HMO if that was Council policy (Steffan, understandaby, qualified his response to my question by making the point that actual registration is not a Planning decision - it rests with Environmental Health).

As far as I am aware this is the first time this information has been published in this format. In the meantime you can find some initial analysis in the right-hand column headed Broxtowe properties claiming council tax exemption by street.

I have also submitted a Scrutiny Suggestion Form to the Council, in which I ask the committee to look at 'the impact of student lets and Houses in Multiple Occupation on the Borough of Broxtowe and, specifically, Beeston'. The form asks 'What outcomes do you expect?', to which I have answered 'That in the absence of continual monitoring and assessment, the balance of local communities cannot be satisfactorily measured or maintained'.

Beeston's 'Flying Dutchman Bus' and embracing the Creative Corner

Before I begin the journey I made on Friday, a footnote of sorts to last week's post. My new driving licence arrived on Thursday, so I went into Broxtowe Borough Council offices during my travels to prove that I am me. Hopefully, I will get a letter soon confirming that I now am a registered voter.

I have asked the Borough's Electoral Office for information about registered voters in the four Beeston wards by streets and the number of households, together with the same data for 2011. This will enable me to compare voter nos. by Beeston streets. I will tell you my findings in a few weeks, assuming I am given the data I have requested.

Now back to Friday, when I took myself off on a bus journey around Beeston, Toton, Stapleford and Sandiacre before reaching Long Eaton. The bus in question was a no.17 and not a single person I have asked knows about it and I have asked a good few over the past few weeks, so what am I talking about?

Well, it's this old fella…

This is the 17 arriving at my bus stop on Wollaton Road on Friday morning just after 10.20am — right on time, having started its journey in Beeston Fields (Dennis Avenue).

It was empty as my photograph shows apart from me and the driver and this is how it stayed all the way to Chilwell Retail Park, where to two other oldies joined me. The bus stopped just twelve times whilst seven other passengers got on and off between Toton and Sandiacre. For the run into Long Eaton I again had the bus to myself. I picked up a timetable on the bus:

This map is inside it (to enlarge, just click on the map):

At my bus-stop on Wollaton Road towards Beeston there was a timetable, but the route no.17 does not appear on the bus-stop itself, and this is the case for most of the route. At a good few stops no timetable is displayed. Taken together all these explain why this little red bus has been winging its way around Beeston empty most of the time like a Flying Dutchman Bus, although I have seen a few passengers on board coming up the hill out of Beeston towards Dennis Avenue, 

The 17 is a commercial bus route operated since 2 December 2014 by Nottingham Coaches, but their website contains no easy to access information about the service — which operates from 9.20am–2.20pm Monday–Friday hourly (start times from Dennis Avenue and Long Eaton Asda). The timetable leaflet says that 'When the new tram routes start running in 2015, our buses will pull into the new tra stop park & ride site to provide (passengers) with fast access to Nottingham City Centre'.

Premiere Buses, who folded a year or so ago, operated a no.17 bus route along part of the same route, so I suspect that the fact that Nottingham Coach chose to number their route '17' is no coincidence.

Given how little publicity there has been and the restricted service I just hope the 17 is still running come mid-summer when The Tram is due to start. The bus was old, noisy and rattled. Given the high quality buses of the local rival bus companies, they will have to up their game if their 17 bus route is to survive. I wish them well. I also suspect that Trent-Barton will be introducing their own Tram feeder bus routes when The Tram finally starts running.

Having said all this, it was an interesting journey 'around the houses' so to speak. Most of the other passengers knew one another and it had all the makings of a route like Nottingham City Council's Linkbus service L10, which I have become a regular user of after years of travelling of the 36, Y36 and Indigo.

The L10 really is a friendly bus and also goes 'around the houses' and I love the little section from Beeston along Derby Road, when it is heading to towards the Victoria Centre in the direction of Derby! I grew up in Wembley using bus routes like this (namely the 16, 46 and 55) and wrote about the 28 in Birmingham back in the early-1970s (the 28 used to head south out of Birmingham City Centre before turning east, then heading north to Kingstanding on the northern edge of the city).

I photographed this L10 in Beeston Bus Station at the beginning of its journey to the Victoria Centre. The bus has seen better days and will, I believe, be replaced by new electric buses before too long, when Nottingham City Council start operating the service instead of Nottingham City Transport (hence the signs about EasyRider tickets no longer being valid on Linkbus routes from 1 March 2015).

My fascination with buses began as a child and as a local historian of sorts I have long been interested in the role buses (and trams) have played in the development of our towns and cities over the last one hundred years and more.

As often is the case, I digress, so it's back to my Friday day out. When I got off the 17 at Long Eaton I caught a Indigo back towards Chilwell with a view to visiting the Mish Mash Gallery. I had a vague idea of where it was, having passed it many times over recent years, but on my many walks around Beeston I never got further than Park Road to visit friends.

Seeing the time, an account of my eventful visit will have to wait until Wednesday, so please come back and learn more about Chilwell's 'Creative Corner'. I have done one thing already: updated my Beeston Pubs & Cafes Map to include its location. See the Pages section in the column to the right of this post.

Much more than it looks… a Tardis of the Arts.

To learn more return Thursday…