The Nottingham Drop 🏹 Friday, June 20
Date finally set for its long-awaited City Ground expansion, amber alert as intense heat expected, and beer festival returns.
This is the fifth edition of the Nottingham Drop, a twice-weekly newsletter about news and life in the city. We’re still gaining subscribers, but to keep our community growing I need your help. Please share this newsletter with anyone who you think would appreciate some quick and concise news and let me know what you want covered here.
🏹 Good morning. Here’s Friday’s Nottingham Drop. The next edition will be on Tuesday.
The News
⚽ Nottingham Forest have confirmed that a date has finally been set for its long-awaited City Ground expansion plans to move to the next stage, according to Oliver Pridmore for Nottinghamshire Live.
↪ Key to Forest's vision for the City Ground is the demolition of the Peter Taylor Stand and a replacement which would increase its capacity from 5,000 to 10,000 seats. Next to the improved stand would be a residential apartment block with 169 units.
🔪 A 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, left a man in his 30s unable to use his hands after a ferocious machete attack - Nottinghamshire Live.
🔥 The UK Health Security Agency, which is responsible for public health protection in England, has put in place an amber heat-health alert across the East Midlands until 9am on Monday, June 23 - UKHSA and the Met Office.
🚓 Police were contacted seven times about veteran Barry Spooner, 74, before he was killed back in 2023 in Gladstone Street, Forest Fields - BBC Nottingham.
↪ Sarah Hansford, 44, stabbed Mr Spooner before dancing naked in the street in celebration. She then shaved her head and withdrew his money from the bank.
💭 Campaigners have launched a three-step plan to save Lenton’s Marcus Garvey Centre, which was shut over fire risks in February - Nottinghamshire Live.
↪ Owner Nottingham City Council previously said it would cost £1 million to fix broken fire doors and other problems at the community centre.
🏢 A large city office once occupied by major employer Experian could be turned into 118 apartments in a £25 million project - Business Desk.
What’s On
This list is updated throughout the week - get in touch using this form to let me know what is going on near you.
📜 Nottingham Poetry Festival, which has more than 40 events, started on Friday, June 13 and will run to Sunday, June 22 - Nottingham Poetry Festival.
🍺 Nottingham Craft Beer Festival is back on June 20 to 21 at Sneinton Market Avenues - Nottingham Craft Beer Festival.
🍽 The three-day Foodies Festival, dubbed ‘Gastro-Glasto’ for its star chefs, bakers and live music, will take place from June 27 to 29 - Nottinghamshire Live.
📽 Broadway Cinema will be hosting a horror film all-nighter on Saturday, June 21, with 12 movies over three screens - Broadway Cinema.
🤿 Nottingham Beach will return to the city centre on Wednesday, July 16, and will last until Sunday, August 31, reports Nottinghamshire Live’s Lynette Pinchess.
🏴☠️ Little Bop’s Pirate Cove Family Mini Fest returns to Binks Yard in the city centre on Sunday, June 29 for a day packed with pirate-themed fun - Binks Yard on Facebook.
🏅 Ultimate Strongman will take place at the UK's Strongest Man 2025 Live Grand Final at the Motorpoint Arena on June 28-29 - Eventbrite.
📌 Community Noticeboard
This is the place to shout about the new events, charity fundraisers and cultural exhibitions that you think the city should know about. Please get in touch using this form.
📍 Congrats to Marcellus Baz BEM, of charity Switch Up, and everyone at charity Pulp Friction, who have had trams named after them this week.
Thanks for reading…and enjoy the heat (or hide away)
Thank you for reading the fifth edition of the Nottingham Drop. I said it was going to be “pretty hot” this week, and seeing as it could hit 32C in Nottingham this weekend, that’s proved to be a slight understatement.
Enjoy yourself and stay safe - I’ll personally be hiding away in the air-conditioned office as I’m working. There’s some advice from health experts here if you want to get some tips on how to keep cool.
If you found the Nottingham Drop useful and informative and you’re not yet a subscriber, you can join the mailing list for free by putting your email address in the box below.
Now you’ve passed the subscribe button I’m going to treat you to a bit of a ramble about me, Joshua, and why I’ve put this together. I’ve been working as a journalist in the city and its outskirts since 2021.
After finishing my studies at Nottingham Trent University I’ve made a living covering stories ranging from the horrifying to the bizarre in this sometimes (or maybe often) bonkers city. I’m a big fan of both talking (even if no one is still listening) and telling people what other people have told me - so be sure to send me your story tips and events for the community noticeboard.