What Notts: News and Stories

illustration: Rikki Marr

BL-EDL-LY HELL
Last month, Nottingham City Centre was brought to a standstill when the EDL exercised their right to freedom of speech by marching through our streets with their less than desirable messages. But, the far-right movement’s demo came at a price to Nottingham taxpayers, who fronted the £200k bill for bringing in extra police from around twenty forces across the country. Red carpet next time, shall we?

BAAA-BYE PANDA FACE
A local celebrity met an untimely demise over at White Post Farm. The Notts TV mascot – a little lamb, named Panda Face by none other than yours truly – was savagely killed by a dog last month. Staff at the farm found the little nipper in his paddock, after having sustained substantial injuries. The other lambs in the paddock have now been moved to a safer field, away from roads and the nearby residential area.

ROBIN’S BEARD!
Ever wanted your chin warmer to smell like a twelfth century bloke? You know, one famous for nicking gold from the rich and living in a big tree in a forest? Well, thanks to Mansfield man, David Sharpe, now it can. He’s been making beard oils of all your favourite Notts-inspired smells, including Down By The River, Rusky Love and er, Robin’s Wood. We have no idea how he knows what that smelt like...

GET JAMES TO BESTIVAL
26-year-old James Ellis was born with Cerebral Palsy and bars for days. His dream of performing at Bestival in his wheelchair is close, as festival founder, Rob Da Bank has offered him a DJ slot. But James needs to raise £855.20 to cover travel costs that will include a wheelchair accessible vehicle and accommodation. He’s set up a Localgiving page, so dig deep and help him fulfill his dream.

YER FAT, DUCKEH
Oh Notts.Looks like we need to get oursens back to the gym, and lay off the post-bender burgers, cos we’ve been ranked in the top three of the most unhealthy cities in the UK. Beaten only by Liverpool and Blackpool, with 26.7% of four- to five-year-olds being clinically obese, and 927.5 people for every 100,000 being admitted to hospital for alcohol-related issues. Pull your socks up over your chubby ankles and go for a brisk walk. And no, we don’t mean to the pub.

LUXURY HIJAB
A Nottingham woman with a mind for high fashion has taken it upon herself to create the UK’s first luxury hijab brand. Roda Abdi was proper fed up of the lack of choice available to her as a hijab wearing woman, that she decided to take matters into her own hands and create her Amirab fashion line. With buyers in both London and the Middle East, Ms Abdi’s business is going from strength to strength.

PATTY ON THE BACK
We’ve known for time that as far as burgers go, Annie is the Queen. With her Shack moving from The Old Angel to The Navigation to a home of its very own on Broadway, her fayre has been a staple of our diet for some years (which may go a way to explaining the earlier story, eh?). The rest of the country is getting clued up too – her goodness filled buns have recently won the Midlands regional heat of Britain’s Best Burger. Get in (our bellies).

FORUM A QUEUE BY THE EXIT
For the final time, one of Nottingham’s most popular student haunts has closed its doors to the general public. After eight years worth of healthy contribution to binge drinking culture, the club has decided to call it a day and nurse a mammoth hangover. Some will be sad, some will rejoice, and some will simply not give a flying… Either way, it’s happened. So we are writing about it. Forum, thank you and goodnight.

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