Profile and presence

If you are seeking a destination which offers plenty of colour and variety in shopping and attractions, Newark is worth a closer look, writes Glynis Fox.
Its vibrant mix of ‘big name’ and independent stores, along with its cheerful markets, restaurants, pubs and coffee houses, means there is always something fresh to discover.

There are also plenty of places of interest worth visiting in the town and within the wider Newark and Sherwood District. Along with major attractions, people will enjoy following many of the town’s trails, which bring to life more about Newark’s interesting history and rich heritage.

Many of today’s market towns are struggling to maintain an interesting blend of shopping and services businesses and often traditional family businesses have disappeared. Thankfully, people will find plenty of long-standing independents in the town, trading alongside national names such as Marks & Spencer, Boots, Bonmarché and many more.

Look out for fashion houses such as Jane Young, Shirt Sleeves and Stray’s – famed for its coffee, books and jazz sessions – to name just a few.

The town also has a wide variety of eating houses to suit all tastes, from independent restaurants to national fast food outlets.

Newark has always been known for its markets, which are well worth a browse and which typically attract visitors from miles around. March saw another added to the existing line-up – this time for people who are passionate about unique artisan products for themselves or to give as gifts.

Newark Town Clerk, Alan Mellor said: “I think Newark is doing as well as many other towns. It is certainly holding its own.

“Our independent offering is strong throughout and those businesses provide something different for both regular and new shoppers.”

Since taking over the Market from the Newark and Sherwood District Council, the Town Council has invested in this popular way of shopping and it is determined to continue supporting its markets.

“Since we took it over from Newark and Sherwood in April 2015, we have invested in new stalls to make the markets more efficient,” said Mr Mellor.

“It is challenging, as for every other market and every other High Street, but we are promoting it to more potential traders and customers. We are also offering market stalls without any heavy commitment and there is good availability for anyone who wants to give it a go.”

Markets manager Ian Harrison said: “We hold our regular general markets on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and our Antique and Collectors Markets on Mondays, Thursdays and the last Saturday of each month.”

In addition, shoppers will find the Farmers’ Market Zone on the first Wednesday of the month and the newest offering, the Artisan and Craft Markets on the last Sunday of the month (from March), so there will be even more for shoppers to enjoy.

“We are looking for first-class traders with a passion for their products, to sell quality items and charging an introductory stall fee of £10 per stall per day for the first two months, including parking,” said Mr Harrison.

Sunday is an important shopping day for the town and Mr Harrison said he had received significant interest in the new Artisan and Craft Markets.

The Town Council said it is keen to promote the town and it is working closely with the District Council to increase Newark’s profile and presence, as a wonderful place to visit for many different reasons.

Newark and Sherwood District Council is undertaking a number of feasibility studies to look at regeneration opportunities across the district. One project, which is being explored in collaboration with the Town Council, involves the town’s Buttermarket, and this is making some progress.

This presents some exciting opportunities and the District has welcomed news that this project is being considered for potential further funding, should the feasibility study reveal that viable improvements can be made to this iconic shopping area.

Newark and Sherwood District Council Business Manager – Economic Growth, Julie Reader-Sullivan said: “There are a number of exciting projects within the District and this is just one example of the forward-thinking approach of the council and the Local Enterprise Partnership in terms of looking at the future of our town centres.”

TOP ATTRACTIONS AT COUNTY SHOW
Experience a fabulous family day out this spring at the Nottinghamshire County Show. On show will be the best cattle, sheep, goats and pigs alongside superb equine displays, including majestic ‘heavies’ and first-class showjumping. New for this year, a dedicated Heavies Ring where visitors can get closer than ever to watch these magnificent horses prepare for their classes. Meet your favourite farmyard animals, gun dogs and birds of prey. Children will particularly enjoy the antics of the animals in the Countryside Area and the return of the popular Giant Tortoises and, of course, the hilarious Sheep Show. Featuring as the main attraction is the famous Atkinson Action Horses who have recently appeared in the TV series Poldark, Victoria and Peaky Blinders. In addition, new for this year is the quirky duo Froojamaflop, an 8ft animatronic made from ‘vegetables’ and his human companion, Fred the Gardener.

There will be music, lots of fun, a tasty Food Experience area, and ample opportunity to shop for crafts, gifts and clothing. Many items on sale will not be available in high street stores. Hot food and delicious treats are available at various food and drink outlets around the show.

See www.nottinghamshirecountyshow.com for further details and membership information.

TOWN DEVELOPMENTS ON AWARDS SHORT LIST
Two flagship projects in Newark have been shortlisted in a prestigious regional competition.

Castle House, Newark and Sherwood District Council’s new headquarters in Great North Road and Gladstone House, a new housing development for older people with care needs, off Bowbridge Road, are being considered for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Awards for the East Midlands.

The Council has also been named, separately, as one of eight finalists by Inside Housing in the Strategic Local Authority of the Year Award category at the UK Housing Awards.

Winners of the RICS Awards will be announced at a ceremony in Nottingham on 3rd May and category winners go on to compete against other regional winners at the national RICS Awards Grand Final in November – for the chance to be crowned the overall UK winner in their respective categories.

(As we went to press the Council was also among six shortlisted finalists chasing the title Local Government Chronicle Council of the Year – with the winner due to be announced on 21st March).

The Council’s headquarters Castle House, which is home to several public sector and voluntary organisations, opened in September last year. It has been shortlisted in the RICS Awards’ Commercial category.

Gladstone House, an innovative sixty-unit extra care scheme – funded by a partnership which includes the District Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Homes England and Communities Agency and Newark and Sherwood Homes, is due to open to residents this spring. It has been shortlisted in the Community Benefit Category.

District Council Leader, Councillor Roger Blaney said: “We are delighted that Castle House and Gladstone House have both been shortlisted in these important industry awards.

“Castle House has modern, fit-for-purpose office accommodation which has an inviting and welcoming feel for both customers and employees. Importantly, it will make savings to the council in the region of £500,000 a year.

“Gladstone House is a state-of-the-art development that addresses the needs of our aging population. It will allow people to live independently and safely, as their needs change over time.”

KEEPING INDEPENDENCE IN YOUR HOME
Adapting your home as your lifestyle changes is one of the practical ways to maintain your independence.

You may find that your mobility is restricted, perhaps reaching and standing for long periods has become difficult.

Leading bathroom specialists AHM Installations, who operate from their head office in Newark and showroom in Lincoln, have over twenty years’ experience of helping clients to design a new bathroom which will match your individual requirements.

As a family run business, owners Simon and Julie Symcox, along with their team of skilled staff, are on hand to create perfects spaces for those with mobility issues. Their son Charlie joined the company in 2014 and runs the Somerset branch.

Clients can be visited in their home so that a real understanding of a householder’s needs is gained. AHM are on hand to guide you through the process and explain design choices available. Using quality products their skilled fitters will install your bathroom or kitchen to the highest specification with the minimum disruption.

The Lincoln showroom is open: Mon to Fri 10am–4pm and Sat 11am–1pm. For more information contact the team on 01522 500288.

HYGIENE SPECIALIST CHEMEX GROWS TEAM
Chemex, the cleaning chemicals specialists, are passionate about helping customers achieve the highest possible standards of hygiene.

The company supplies cleaning and hygiene products combined with an excellence service, which includes staff training, hygiene audits, hygiene control programs, help and advice.

Chemex has spent a successful year building partnerships with local businesses and has recently added Oliver Taylor to its Lincolnshire team.

Mr Taylor has been a five-star chef for almost two decades, ten of those spent as a Chemex customer. He will draw on his extensive knowledge of catering combined with his industry insight, to offer Chemex customers unrivalled help and support.

Peter Cussans, who owns the Lincoln and Boston franchises of Chemex Internationsal, said: “The Chemex service gives you the full package – whether it’s making sure your healthcare business is Regulation 12 compliant, your food business gets five stars, or simple things like making sure your people are trained to use products safely and efficiently.”

LOCAL LAW FIRM WELCOMES NEW TEAM MEMBERS AS EXPANSION CONTINUES
In recent months the local office of a regional law firm has gone from strength to strength as their expansion continues. Chattertons Solicitors & Wealth Management, based on Farndon Road in Newark, have welcomed five new team members in various departments. The new recruits have joined the existing team to expand the local service offering.

Chattertons have welcomed Nicola Parr, an Associate Solicitor who specialises in Contentious Probate, including disputes about Wills, claims relating to inheritance and much more. Sara Ansley and Fiona Moore, have both joined the team as Solicitors in the property department. Sara handles all aspects of residential conveyancing and has particular experience in dealing with those in the Armed Forces; Fiona deals with commercial property transactions and supports the team on more complex residential conveyancing matters. Joanne McGuiness and Emily Taylor have also joined the team in the Specialist New Build Estates department, assisting with estate development and commercial plot sales.

The team at Chattertons Newark are friendly, welcoming and experienced. They can help with wills, trusts and probate, dispute resolution, personal injury, family matters including divorce, employment law, all property transactions, wealth managements, immigration and much more. If you need assistance and support, Chattertons are there to help guide you through the legalities whilst ensuring you feel reassured throughout the process.

The Newark office of Chattertons can be found next to Farndon Road roundabout and has free parking and excellent accessibility for all visitors.

Find out more about their services via www.chattertons.com or call the office on 01636 673731.

Chattertons Solicitors & Wealth Management has nine offices across Newark and Lincolnshire and also offer home visits where necessary. They provide legal and wealth management services with a focus on professionalism, efficiency and building great relationships with their clients.

PLACES OF INTEREST
There are many places of interest to visit in Newark and the surrounding area, including:

Newark Castle, which was originally founded in the mid-12th century by Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln, was dismantled in the 17th century after the English Civil War and restored in the 19th century by Anthony Salvin and later by Newark Corporation, who bought the site in 1889.

Visitors can enjoy relaxing in the Castle Gardens and exploring the Castle ruins and book informative tours of the bottle dungeon, barrel vault and debtors’ dungeons, as well as the towers and undercroft.

Newark Civil War Museum, in Appletongate, is the place to learn more about how the people of Newark managed to survive three sieges. They dodged cannon fire, had to hammer the family silver flat to make coins and then experienced plague ravaging the town.

The museum has regular exhibitions – 29th March sees the opening of Shaking the Foundations: The Quest for Democracy, which encompasses The Levellers, The Chartists and the Suffragettes.

The Grade I listed Newark Town Hall is not only the home of the Town Council, it also houses a museum and an art gallery, so it is well worth a closer look.

The Town Hall is also an impressive and elegant venue in which to get married or celebrate a special occasion, with the chance to use the splendid Georgian Ballroom, Council Chamber or The Pickin Room.

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