Home   News   Article The Advertiser has opened its archives to see what was making the news this week 25 ABOVE: Pupils at Newark’s Orchard School are helping children in Kosovo Pictured with some of the toiletries and stationery they have helped to collect for schools in Kosovo are Emma Tetley The supplies will be taken out by the Nottinghamshire Police Aid Convoy * The idea of moving Newark market to the new Riverside Park arena looks likely to be dropped Council officers were told to investigate plans for a regular clearance of Market Place stalls after favourable reaction to their clearance for the millennium celebrations The suggestion to move the market emerged in the council’s initial report into options * The manager of Newark’s Famous Old Post Office pub is being sought by police after vanishing with his 15-year-old son About £22,000 - the Easter takings - is also missing opened two weeks ago after a £¾m refurbishment * A Newark mill which employs 18 people is to close were told of the impending closure on Wednesday which produces animal feed and seed is being closed by its owners Associated British Nutrition as a cost-cutting measure * Thousands of carrots covered the A1 at Newark A lorry overturned on the southbound carriageway off the Brownhills roundabout * Employers in the area heard how trading on the internet could transform their business This was the subject of a breakfast meeting on e-commerce at Edwinstowe House is pictured with a tray of donations presented during a Church Missionary Society children’s festival in Southwell In front are guitarists Paul Bryan and Ken Waite Surrounding them are some of the children who made contributions * The opening of Newark’s new pedestrian shopping centre should be delayed until the A46 bypass is open Notts county councillor Mr John Moore told a public inquiry Mr Moore said no thought had been given to the effect the St Mark’s Lane development would have on the rest of the town would cause even greater congestion than at present * After two years of negotiations and manufacture a £17,500 eight-ton coal-dust processing plant started its journey to Calcutta from the Newark engineering works of Wakes and Lamb The plant produces egg-shaped brickettes from dust and pitch and in India it will provide fuel for a steel plant * Governors of the Minster Grammar School and the Edward Cludd Secondary School are urging that the line of the proposed Southwell bypass be fixed to the south of the Cludd school One of the proposed routes runs directly between the playing fields of the both schools and as the schools are set to become one comprehensive it is felt that it would be wrong to put a road through the middle * About 1,000 Scouts and Girl Guides took part in a St George’s Day parade to Barnbygate Methodist Church which organisers claim to be the biggest held in the town of any organisation was led by Newark Town Band and the Salvation Army band It looks like JavaScript is not enabled in your browser A £10,000 race at Southwell on Easter Sunday has been abandoned after failing to attract the minimum three declarations amid criticism from trainers of the prize-money offered by the track Seven horses were entered for the 0-80 three-year-old handicap but only Kate O’Reilly and Return With Gold remained in the race at the cut-off point on Friday morning said: “The race has been abandoned as there were not enough runners if there are not three or more horses declared then a race can be voided so it's still a seven-race card and the times stay the same." Jim Boyle was critical of prize-money being offered by Arena Racing Company (Arc) tracks said trainers and owners "should be voting with their feet" and described Sunday's racing programme as "embarrassing" Posting on X if you can’t put up decent prize-money on any Sunday then you shouldn’t be allowed to stage a meeting Only Plumpton can hold their heads high with more than £200k prize money available on the day." Among the trainers not to declare their horses for Sunday's race was Ralph Beckett who said: "Trainers are all individuals who all have individual businesses to run and will decide to do what's best for their businesses There were only seven entries for the race and the National Trainers Federation is fundamentally against the small-race abandonment initiative." Arc and trainers have previously been at loggerheads over prize-money at the group’s racecourses in an interview with the Racing Post last year said boycotting races was “completely and utterly illegal" and that any proven collective action against his organisation would result in legal proceedings "I think it's very important for people to understand that I and other chief executives of racecourses have a fiduciary duty to our shareholders to protect their businesses and I'll have no hesitation in protecting our business from illegal activity," he said The cancellation of a race at the Arc-owned Southwell comes on the same day the racecourse group hosts one of its flagship meetings and in a week when it has been under scrutiny for allegedly forcing races to deliberately divide Arc robustly denied that horses running for Amphitheatre Racing a process that could potentially earn the group extra media rights payments a spokesman for Arc said: "None of the trainers associated with these horses has instructed as to which specific races they should run them in.” Arc robustly denies accusations of declaring horses owned by subsidiary company in order to divide races  NTF alarmed after clerk's 'inaccurate and condescending' comments on GoingStick readings  Willie Mullins launches a four-strong attack on the Sussex Champion Hurdle - plus final fields for Fairyhouse Grade 1s  Sign up to receive On The Nose Published on 18 April 2025inBritain Copyright © 2025 Spotlight Sports Group Limited or its licensors Newark and Sherwood District Council have issued a Temporary Stop Notice (TSN) on the Cameron Homes development site at The Vineries, Kirklington Road, Southwell This action comes after numerous planning conditions were found to be non-compliant despite repeated efforts to resolve these issues through dialogue between the developer and the District Council Outlined planning permission (20/01190/OUTM) was granted in June 2021 for the construction of 45 dwellings on the site subject to 20 conditions requiring approval before development commenced reserved matters (23/01836/RMAM) were granted in September 2024 which also included several conditions for compliance Both permissions necessitated significant work on the existing highway network including the installation of a new mini roundabout and other alterations it was brought to the District Council’s attention that activities had commenced on-site without the necessary pre-commencement planning conditions being approved Although initially described as S278 works by the developer it was later revealed that the on-site activities also included main development works Despite ongoing discussions and attempts to resolve these issues the required planning conditions remain unfulfilled Issues noted include the creation of an unauthorised temporary access from Kirklington Road Chair of the Planning Committee at Newark and Sherwood District Council said: “Issuing a Temporary Stop Notice is not a decision taken lightly so it’s disappointing that Cameron Homes have left us no choice but to take enforcement action we have a duty to take action if planning conditions have been broken regardless of whether it’s for a single property or a large development “We’re keen to work with Cameron Homes so we can quickly resolve this and would appreciate their co-operation in ensuring they stick to the planning conditions.” Due to the continued progression of the development and unresolved issues the District Council has determined that issuing a TSN is necessary The TSN will halt all development activities for 56 days This period is intended to allow Cameron Homes to submit sufficient information to discharge the planning conditions and ensure full compliance with the granted permissions •  Newark: Three separate assaults including a glassing near town’s Market Place •  Special constable who took chemical spray home barred from policing *All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change Jack Jones’s An Bradan Feasa (second choice) seems sure to go well under a 5lb penalty for his recent Catterick success but Ollie Pears’s RETURN WITH GOLD (nap) hasn’t looked back since sent handicapping and can bag a second success after an excellent Wolverhampton third last time (form franked) Pride Of Nepal and Persian Phoenix can fight it out for minor honours who can take another step forward now he goes over 1m4f and quickly resume winning ways Lingfield scorer Harpsichord also has better days ahead of him and rates a big threat though while newcomer Creating Mischief and C&D winner Foxlight appeal as the pick of the remainder for place purposes Recent course winner Lednikov will no doubt attempt to make all once again but there could be competition for the lead Desiderata could be interesting if the new hood works but FOREST HAZE gets the vote in the hope she can build on an encouraging stable debut The runners with experience set a modest standard but a couple of them may show improvement Acceptance and Lady Cassien look best of the debutantes judged on breeding appeal as the likely optimum requirement for CROWD QUAKE anywhere near as much as today’s mile trip and a major upturn in fortunes is not hard to foresee Old rivals Brinton (next best) and Quick Away have been doing most of their better recent work in classified rather than handicap contests but nevertheless hold claims In an unappealing race a chance is taken on MR SLICKER getting back to winning ways Although without a recent success he has run several sound races when placed over C&D this year and is taken to beat Back From Dubai is the suggestion ahead of fellow main form contenders Mwafaq (second choice) and Dovey Moon Several others are handicap newcomers who may be capable of improvement Another chance is given to SCOTLAND THE BRAVE who was disappointing last time but may still have more to offer in handicaps and has a significant piece of form having shown improvement to beat Dreams Adozen (second choice) at Newcastle in February Hardy Bloke has possibilities in the retained visor while Juan Bermudez is interesting on this belated return to AW PPB Counterparty Services Ltd is licensed and regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority. For customers in the UK, PPB Counterparty Services Ltd is licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission Home   What's On   Article A popular music festival returns this summer to fill a town with music delights — starting with a free launch concert Southwell Music Festival returns from Friday and plans for the musical event are to be announced at the free launch concert The launch concert will take place in Southwell Minster Tickets can be booked via the festival’s Ticket Source page Festival director Marcus Farnsworth will share the plans for the 2025 festival alongside sublime music from the festival’s String Apprentices The concert will also see the introduction of Southwell Music Festival's new patron who will share a few words about her passion for music A children’s home has achieved it’s 14th outstanding Ofsted report — with inspectors praising staff’s “unwavering commitment” has received an outstanding Ofsted report after its most recent inspection — maintaining the top rating despite a recent management change The report said the experiences and progress of children living in the Southwell home are exceptional due to the “unwavering commitment to the children” from the staff working there Caudwell House provides residential care and overnight short breaks to children with physical disabilities and associated learning difficulties and health needs said: “We are incredibly proud to have received this outstanding report It is a testament to the hard work of the team; they’re dedicated to supporting the children and young people “I’d like to say thank you to all of the staff for their commitment in making the home a supportive and fun place to be Everyone at the home strives to make every child's stay enjoyable and enriching Ofsted highlighted that Sharon is ‘inspirational and that her leadership creates a positive child-focused environment that supports staff and enhances the experiences of children in her care The report also stated that children’s confidence and self-esteem grow because of the support they receive from all of the staff The report stated that at Caldwell House children “trust staff and seek interaction and reassurance from them” and staff have a “detailed understanding of each child’s expressions and methods of communication.” parents also spoke highly of the staff team and the exceptional communication and care shown to their children said: “At Nottinghamshire County Council we know how dedicated staff are to giving children and young people a place they can feel loved protected and safe no matter where they are “We are continuing to improve outcomes for children with SEND This report proves once again that we are committed to making a difference to the lives of every child and young person in our care “I would like to congratulate the staff at Caudwell House for this outstanding outcome To have achieved an outstanding Ofsted rating 14 times in a row is a fantastic achievement." Members of the community have been paying tribute to a ‘very gentle of Southwell was found dead last week after being reported missing Tributes have now been paid to the creative music and film lover as he loved going to concerts and has seen artists such as Michael Jackson and David Bowie Fiona Johnson said: “The thing I will always remember the most about him was how he introduced me to really incredible music “He’s 11 years older than me so when I was around five he was bringing like Michael Jackson’s Thriller album into the house and introducing me to all this amazing music.” Ian was said to love sci-fi movies and to read extensive ‘artsy and sci-fi’ books he knew a lot about a lot of subjects and whatever you seemed to talk about he seemed to know it extensively “He had like a very sort of innocent ability to take interest in everybody's story he treated every single person as an equal and with interest “He only really saw the good in people and just took interest in everybody's story.” Fiona thanked everyone for their support and shared how touched the family his will all the love displayed towards her older brother “People’s kindness has really got us through and will do for years to come,” she admitted Southwell resident Sarah Gray has known Ian for several years as they used to volunteer at Southwell’s Sue Ryder charity shop together Sarah has organised a tribute open to the community at Holly Trinity Church as he volunteered at the church’s Trinity Toddlers The tribute was put up on Saturday (March 8) and people have been leaving flowers or notes there She said: “I just wanted to give people somewhere to go and have a moment and also for the family just for them to see how much he was loved and how many people knew him Ian studied International Film in school and worked in sound editing when he was younger before moving back to Southwell in the late 1990s He worked for many years for Sue Ryder in Southwell and Barnardo’s in Newark he volunteered both for charity and the town’s church Ian also enjoyed snooker and had a big interest in tennis which led to him going to Wimbledon several times a remembrance book for Ian at Nelly at the Park who shared their sadness about the news of Ian’s death on social media describing him as a “kind and caring man with a heart of gold” “He will be greatly missed and Southwell will not be the same without him,” they wrote A second book of remembrance is open at the Sue Ryder charity shop on Queen Street People across social media have left a few messages in support of Ian’s family and friends as well as expressing their sadness with the situation Margaret Bagguley wrote: “Ian will be remembered by many people in Southwell for his high fives at Toddlers for his singing to friends and his concern for for people who were unwell “He loved his niece very much and was always so happy and proud to tell me when she had achieved things at school and when they had been on family trips out and about.” Janet Ford wrote: “This news is so sad and condolences to Ian’s family “We have many happy memories of being on the ‘welcome team’ at Holy Trinity with him and he was always so kind and gentle “More recently he has been such a welcome face in the charity shops and he will be so missed in the community “Such a sad time but hoping the family take comfort in knowing how loved and respected he was and how much he contributed to the local community.” Jessica Howells wrote about how Ian was always smiling and would always make time for a ‘friendly’ chat Emilie Skye Frasse Sombet wrote: “Absolutely speechless and very gutted right now “My thoughts go out to all his family one of the kindest dudes we have met gonna miss seeing you and listening to you singing me some of your fave Bowie songs.” Nottinghamshire Police has confirmed that Ian’s death is not being treated as suspicious Plans to turn a golf course into a holiday lodge site have faced objections from councillors A planning application has been submitted to transform the ‘redundant’ The Orchards Golf Course to house 19 ‘luxury’ holiday lodges with on-site lakes The site is within an open countryside location and in in 2016 was granted outline consent for a new club house and up to six holiday lodges Subsequent applications for 20 lodges and 35 lodges have been refused the latest plans would also see the creation of roadways and landscaping including fishing lakes at the site A tourism need statement submitted as part of the application said the proposals “can be considered as a leisure park as well as accommodation” and represented a new offering for the area as other accommodation in the area has “limited facilities and amenity areas” Due to other sites having “very high occupancy rates during the key peak seasons” the application suggested there was need for this kind development One document stated: “The need for further tourist accommodation can only add to the number of visitors adding to the economy of Southwell and surrounding area.” Application documents also stated the “existing wild habitat on the site will be retained” and that the developer will “enter into an agreement with the local authority and or private landowners to clear and uprate Crew Lane in order to provide an easy and accessible route from the site direct into Southwell” The area to be used as the holiday lodge site has been reduced in size since previous applications — and an area of land has also been offered to the adjacent Southwell City Football Club site as overspill carparking The application was objected to by Southwell Town Council’s planning committee on Wednesday Roger Blaney said as the land which would be used to link to Crew Lane was not under the applicants control he did not see it had “merit” — as well as noting the “sweetner” of offering land to the football club wasn’t helpful as the club said they didn’t want it A comment on the planning portal by Southwell City FC said: “SCFC is working on its own proposals to increase car parking within our own site and has been in discussions with NSDC and Southwell Town Council as the freeholders of the land which we occupy under a lease.” It further explained it had not engaged in any negotiations with the applicant or their agents over the use of the land and had not yet been formally consulted on the proposals said: “They seem to be wanting to put a lot on there.” Karen Roberts described the proposed lighting on the site as “over intensified” for the countryside location and said: “Could you imagine if we had this lights on Brinkley Hill all night.” Mr Blaney recommended the application be objected to on the same grounds as it previously had been — due to the open countryside location and it not represnting sustainable rural tourism due to location a restriction should be put in place as to how long one person or group could occupy a lodge in a year due to concern they could become permanent residences Up to 70 Southwell homes will be protected from flooding after plans to build a huge earth mound were approved Nottinghamshire County Council’s planning committee met on Tuesday (28 January) to discuss the plans The plans involve creating a long barrier of a mound of earth on playing fields south of Church Street in the town to protect around 70 homes from flooding damage This was accepted unanimously by the committee Southwell has been hit by flash floods several times in recent years with 14 homes being flooded during Storm Babet in October 2023 The 250m-long earth mound will work by catching the run-off of water from Potwell Dyke on the site The site and nearby land were previously home to the old Minster School buildings before it moved to Nottingham Road in 2007 Works to build the mound may be delayed due to the application site being designated as a ‘Scheduled Ancient Monument’ which holds the remains of a mid-2nd Century Roman villa – one of the largest in the region Roman ancillary buildings were discovered when the former school site was excavated in 2012 will be excavated by archaeologists before construction begins Councillor Philip Owen (Con) said: “Hopefully work [can] start this afternoon because that’s how urgent it should be “I wouldn’t want the possibility of a few Roman remains to stop this work… I hope we’re not going to let some perceived archaeology get in the way.” Cllr Mike Adams (Con) added: “I suppose initially [earth mounds] look quite like a scar on the land when they’re first built because they are mud lumps “[The Roman remains] shouldn’t get in the way of protecting people and whatever mitigation is needed to ensure that’s the case will be taken.” The works would reduce the flooding risk for nearby homes with 36 properties protected from a one-in-75-year flooding event and the other 34 experiencing reduced flood risks Sport England originally objected to the proposals on the grounds that the old sports pitch where the mound would be built could be brought back into use It has since assessed the quality of the other two pitches around the site and removed its objection on the basis that works to the two pitches will “overcome the loss of [the] playing field” The mound’s creation will impact three public footpaths across the site – these would be amended The earth mound project is part of a wider scheme to alleviate flooding impacts in Southwell and reduce the flood risk for a total of 248 homes and 66 commercial properties Some of the works to address flooding issues include improved drainage in Church Street and Halam Road as well as the regrading of a ditch and surface water works in northern Southwell The town suffered more than £9 million in damage after around 300 homes and businesses were flooded in 2013 Some residents could not return to their homes for more than a year Southwell has several areas prone to flooding •  £350,000 new sports changing facilities at Lambley Lane opened •  East Midlands blood pressure self-monitoring scheme helps reduce GP appointments A self-catering accommodation that first opened doors five years ago has won gold in the county tourism awards has been announced as the winner of the Self-Catering Accommodation category at the Nottinghamshire Tourism Awards worked for an airline for 10 years following her passion for travelling and different cultures and decided to open her own business as she knew what other people travelling wanted and needed a doctor from the area used the cottage to organise staffing in hospitals across the East Midlands and self-isolate Rebecca said: “I understand what people want when they’re travelling so we’ve built a self-catering cottage packed full of eco ideas with comfy beds and blackout curtains on a quiet terrace in the centre of a beautiful market town in the countryside “A well-stocked welcome hamper is left for every guest and gifts for children are left on their beds.” located five minutes walk from The Minster and the town centre the business owner brings gold to the town which she believes will have a ‘knock-on’ effect on other businesses in the area as it will welcome more guests into the town She added: “We’re delighted to win such a prestigious Gold Award from Visit Nottingham as we were up against very tough competition and it’s easy to recommend the town’s history “Guests come from all over the world for many different reasons to explore Southwell — it is a hidden gem and deserves to be recognised.” The cottage has also been awarded gold for its Green Tourism practices the Nottinghamshire Tourism Awards were their first regional awards they have entered the national 2025 VisitEngland Award for Excellence which will be held in Brighton on July 4 this year Map Of Stars steps into Group One company for the first time in the Prix Ganay where he faces a classy field led by Andre Fabre's Sosie We have Group One action from Sha Tin and a premier raceday at Southwell Group One action on the channel today with ParisLongchamp and Sha Tin staging quality racing as well as competitive action from Southwell on a record seven occasions and Sosie looks to have strong claims of making it eight he enjoyed a splendid campaign winning the Group One Grand Prix de Paris before finishing fourth when sent off as favourite for the Arc He may need this reappearance but should be in the mix under Maxime Guyon Map Of Stars has suffered defeat just once in his six-race career and Francis-Henri Graffard's four-year-old deserves a crack at the top table He will have race fitness in his favour having scored twice already this spring and could prove hard to beat under Mikael Barzalona Dual Group One-winner Al Riffa warrants respect having finished a close fourth in this last season while Royal Rhyme would have claims on his Champion Stakes third Simon and Ed Crisford saddle last year's Cesarewitch second Manxman in this valuable Bloomfields Horseboxes Handicap at Southwell he has proved a revelation progressing through the grades and arrives here with a rating of 90 and he will be popular having won his sole start at this venue Oisin Murphy is an eye-catching booking on topweight Kyle Of Lochalsh The Hughie Morrison-trained five-year-old performed with credit in several staying handicaps last summer including at Royal Ascot Others to note include AW Championships Marathon third and fourth Never miss a story with all the latest racing news Christophe Ferland has not hidden the regard the holds star filly Aventure in and she makes her eagerly anticipated return in this Prix Allez France Last seen chasing home Bluestocking in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe she is expected to take this Group Three in before tackling the Coronation Cup at Epsom Grand Stars steps up in class having won a Listed contest at Saint-Cloud while Prix Zarkava winner Zuna reopposes several of the beaten horses from that event interviews and features from Sky Sports Racing 7.50 Sha Tin - Ka Ying Rising looking to score for the twelfth time in a row in the Chairman's Sprint Prize 9.00 Sha Tin - Voyage Bubble bids to go two places better than last year in the FWD Champions Mile with Beauty Eternal bidding to retain his crown and Mr Brightside makes the trip over from Australia 9.40 Sha Tin - Goliath represents Graffard and Soumillon in the FWD QEII Cup but faces a quality field with Prognosis and Liberty Island leading the opposition a half-brother to St Mark's Basilica and Magna Grecia who lines up in the Join Southwell Golf Club Novice Stakes at 5.15pm He needs to take a big step forward from his debut effort but a good chunk of improvement can't be ruled out having never had the rub of the green on debut Muhaajim has a similar profile for the Haggas team having been well beaten on debut but given his stellar pedigree by Sea The Stars and out of dual Group One-winner Rizeena there's no doubt that better can be expected A scheme to protect 36 homes in Southwell from flooding has been given the go-ahead which has been approved by Nottinghamshire County Council’s Planning and Rights of Way Committee features a reinforced earth bund and is designed to protect homes from flooding by holding back water during times of exceptionally high flow The 5,200-tonne attenuation bund will be constructed on Harvey’s Field and has been designed to release water from the storage area in a controlled manner using a hydraulic mechanism once flow levels downstream have subsided Alongside the 36 homes that the scheme will directly protect from flooding a further 34 homes will benefit from reduced flood risk once the bund has been constructed This scheme is part of wider flood prevention works in Southwell including increasing surface water capture on Church Street additional attenuation measures in ditches on Kirklington Road and Springfield Road and the construction of a small bund to increase water storage at Starkey’s Pond Changes to some footpaths crossing Harvey’s Field will be needed when constructing the scheme and so steps and a handrail will be built into the bund to ensure that existing routes can be maintained Construction works on the Potwell Dyke scheme are estimated to start in April 2026 following a comprehensive programme of archaeological investigation due to the historical significance of the site Excavation work will take place during the drier months this summer to record any surviving archaeological remains within the site Previous investigations nearby have identified Roman villa remains and an Anglo-Saxon cemetery indicating significant historical activity in the area The excavation will be carried out in stages involving a team of between four and six professional archaeologists starting with the area west of Potwell Dyke which has the most extensive known remains No construction work on the bund will start until this is finalised and archaeological monitoring will continue throughout the construction period under the supervision of an experienced Archaeological Clerk of Works to ensure that any further discovered artefacts are carefully handled and preserved said: “This is undoubtedly very positive news for the people of Southwell particularly because my home flooded in both 2007 and 2013 due to the Potwell Dyke and I would like to thank both Nottinghamshire County Council and Via East Midlands for their determination in bringing this scheme one step closer to reality and of course other communities affected by floods and so the news of planning approval for this scheme is very welcome “We appreciate the sensitivities and complexities of this scheme and are pleased that the design blends in well with the landscape “We look forward to continuing our close work with the county council and other partners as this scheme develops further.” Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Nottinghamshire County Council said: “The approval of this scheme from the Planning and Rights of Way Committee is a significant step in this project which has been discussed for a number of years “It is great news for residents in Southwell – especially those living in properties that will be protected by this new earth bund “The design of this scheme is very sympathetic to the local environment and the earth bund will be seeded with a bespoke wildflower mix “It is with regret that a number of trees will need to be removed as part of the construction works; however we are committed to replacing these species with new trees on the west bank of Potwell Dyke “We would like to thank all partners who have been involved in this scheme and look forward to continuing our close work throughout the next stage of the project the archaeological investigation works can take place and these are particularly important due to other significant finds in the local area in recent years “We will keep local residents updated on the next steps and I look forward to visiting the site once the scheme is complete to hear first-hand about the benefits that it will bring to local residents “I have seen first-hand the devastating impact that flooding can have on communities and we remain committed to supporting and investing in communities across Nottinghamshire both when responding to flooding and working to prevent future events.” A pub landlord is to hand over the keys today (Friday marking the end of an era for an ‘old school’ town centre pub has been under the care of landlord James Kemp and manager Hayley Rice for the past three and a half years who have worked hard to put the venue back on the map as a ‘pub with rooms’ rather than a ‘hotel which serves beer’ on the corner of Westgate and Church Street he aimed to bring it back to life as the popular drinking and music destination he’d enjoyed when he was 18 he was keen to ensure it was a proper locals’ pup with bar staff who could talk about the old times in the town James said: “The first year was tough because the Crown didn’t have many customers The previous landlord focused more on the hotel it was important for me to put it back on the map.” James has reintroduced traditional pub games — pool and long alley skittles — to attract a weeknight crowd transformed the rear carpark into an outdoor seating area and introduced a ‘Loyal to Locals’ rewards scheme The venue has also had live music from many acts including popular SKA and Reggae band The Skarantinos, and it also led fundraisers for Dementia UK, the air ambulance, and to get a mobility scooter for ‘local legend’ Ray Smith “The Ray Smith fundraiser was brilliant,” he added Over the years we’ve become a better place for people to drink “Everyone has a different idea of a local pub there’s the pubs like The Final Whistle and The Coach House for those who like to drink craft ales and we catered to those who prefer a lager “The best nights are when you have a band you’ve found and booked and you see your pub full of people enjoying themselves — it just makes you so proud.” He added that he’d seen many friendships formed at the bar as customers of all different walks of life found common interests while sat with a beer in their hand James has decided to leave his time at the pub behind “on a high” after his day job changed to require him to take on extra travel across the country A new landlady is to take the reins from today — and is said to be planning to bring a new style to the pub and hotel based on her previous experience as a hotelier While James said it was a sad to see the locals’ pub go he wished her the best of luck with her venture Latest round of SMMI grants to foster mission in Midlands and Portsmouth Children from the Sunday School at St Michael’s The diocese will receive £5.3 million towards its ‘rejuvenate’ strategy following an earlier award of £1.2 million for investment on the Isle of Wight The diocese will receive £5.3 million towards its ‘rejuvena.. THE largest grant made by the Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment (SMMI) Board to date — £33.16 million — has been awarded to the diocese of Southwell & Nottingham where primary-school children gather for food Investment in schools work is a theme of the latest tranche of SMMI funding reflecting the national goal to double the number of children and young people in the Church by 2030 A press release from the diocese said that the grant would build on the strategic development funding (SDF) received since 2016 which totalled £10.4 million (towards a total projects cost of £21.6 million) Among these earlier goals was the establishment of 25 resource churches by 2025 each with usual Sunday attendance of 150 (a total of 3750 people) It envisaged that the diocese would have 7000 “new disciples” by 2023 the worshipping community in the diocese fell from 18,700 to 17,300 while usual Sunday attendance fell from 11,900 to 9,700 (18 per cent — lower than the national average of 24 per cent) But the diocese records a rise in overall weekly attendance for all ages by eight per cent between 2022 and 2023 including a 14.6 per cent increase in children and young people Its latest annual report highlights the establishment of five “youth hubs” ten “children and family flagship” churches and a further 25 churches in receipt of funding with the majority appointing children and family and youth workers It records 203 “new youth” and 315 “new children” and an increase in volunteers working with them to 175 The revitalisation of four churches has led to an increase in attendance of 276 while the diocesan internship scheme continues to recruit The SMMI announcement includes further funding for church-plants in the Holy Trinity, Brompton, network. In the diocese of Birmingham £1.6 million has been awarded for a “church revitalisation” A press release said: “The congregation of the Gas Street church in Birmingham will gain a permanent home while St Mary and St Ambrose will welcome younger congregation members.” The funds will pay for renovation works at the church The diocese of Portsmouth will receive £5.3 million towards its “rejuvenate” strategy, following an earlier award of £1.2 million for investment on the Isle of Wight (News, 5 January) Plans include two further plants from Harbour Church Fareham (which has just rescinded its Resolutions) from St John’s The diocese of Lichfield has been awarded £5.9 million for work on “revitalising the Christian presence in Stoke on Trent A press release spoke of the desire to “respond more creatively and effectively than we do now to those in our parishes who experience poverty Nicholas Reed Langen examines the Supreme Court ruling on gender We are a partnership of six diverse and welcoming congregations in the northern districts of Milton Keynes offering a rich tapestry of worshipping traditions – Anglican USPG is looking to appoint 3 Trustees (lay or ordained) committed to global mission within the Anglican Communion The Diocese of Gloucester is looking for a practical team member to join the Department of Mission and Ministry who brings a creative and flexible approach as we seek to develop and implement innovative approaches to collaborative ministry across the Diocese The Bishop of Lincoln seeks an ordained colleague to lead in vocational discernment within the Diocese The Diocese of London is delighted to welcome applications for the position of Area Director of Ministry (Willesden) and Diocesan Clergy Wellbeing Adviser run jointly by Sarum College and The Church Times tickets available This online seminar, run jointly by Modern Church and The Church Times discusses the theology underpinning the drive for growth tickets available Non-subscribers can read four articles for free each month The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) can confirm an additional All-Weather fixture will take place at Southwell on Sunday 29 September and entries will close at 12 noon on Friday ahead of declarations being made at the 24-hour stage on Saturday The BHA is grateful to the Horserace Betting Levy Board for their contribution to the funding of prize money for this additional meeting “We have added a fixture at Southwell following the abandonment of Ffos Las’s meeting in order to ensure that we retain race opportunities at a time the demand within the horse population exists “The addition of this fixture followed the normal process and took into consideration the potential geographical spread of fixtures balancing all factors in order to achieve the best possible outcome for the sport.” Like any new website you might come across things that need fixing, please let us know and we will get these resolved as quickly as possible. In the meantime, we would love to hear your feedback. Email us at [email protected] to tell us what you think Call the BHA: 0207 152 0260 With five handicaps in the Southwell Placepot there is a danger it could get out of hand That starts in the opening 7f handicap (3.15), in which it could be worth banking on King Of Ithaca who has a consistent record at the track and was unlucky in a similar race last time who showed plenty on her three runs for William Haggas as a juvenile Dixieland Blues is susceptible to an improver in the mile novice (5.15) Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links Offers are handpicked and come from operators that our experts have first-hand experience of Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing Published on 26 April 2025inFree tips Southwell's all-weather evening meeting has been cancelled after failing its second inspection due to significant snowfall and cold temperatures A yellow weather warning across parts of Britain was issued by the Met Office up until 11am on Tuesday but the meeting was called off with the snow impacting the track Clerk of the course John Holliday said: "The team did their bit to get it on and we'd got most of the snow off the track but the temperatures did not rise enough to get all of the snow and ice out of the surface "There was still little pockets of ice when we were working it and we couldn't get rid of it all or guarantee that it could be out of the surface in time." Southwell stage another all-weather evening fixture on Thursday Holliday added: "We're positive for then and we'll work through the night if we need to as the cold temperatures will still be about We aren't fit for today but are confident we will be for Thursday." Carlisle's Tuesday meeting has been given the go-ahead after passing an inspection at 8am with officials continuing to monitor conditions during the day Clerk of the course Harry Phipps said: "We've passed the inspection after snow didn't materialise at the track overnight The course coped with the low temperatures very well and we're hoping we can get up to 3C too The jumps meetings at Warwick and Hexham on Wednesday must pass inspections on raceday morning due to the threat of low temperatures but temperatures could drop below freezing at the track overnight and officials will check conditions at 7am Warwick's clerk of the course Nessie Chanter said at 8.15am: "We had 11mm of rainfall yesterday and 8mm more rain overnight We're expecting the dusting to continue until around 11am and then temperatures will hopefully rise in the afternoon before going to -1C overnight "We're cautiously optimistic about racing but we'll need a bit of luck as there's a fair bit of melting of snow required." The going at Hexham is good but temperatures could reach -3C overnight at the Northumberland track and an 8am inspection has been called Hexham's clerk of the course James Armstrong said at 9.40am: "Walking the track now the majority of areas are raceable and because it's been so dry there's not loads of moisture in the ground We'd probably have been fine racing today but it's tonight's forecast that could be an issue "It's going to be a bit colder tonight with prolonged lower temperatures and it could be -2C or -3C with temperatures not getting any higher than 2C tomorrow during the day The forecasts are aligning to say we can expect that outlook A Group 1 sprinter in the making? Runaway Newcastle winner blessed with a 'huge amount of ability' says Karl Burke   Sign up to receive On The Nose Published on 19 November 2024inBritain Copyright © 2025 Spotlight Sports Group Limited or its licensors, all rights reserved He is fit from the sand and has dropped to just 2lb higher than his last victory. He has winning form over this trip and track and has every chance with trainer James Tate in decent nick. He has been running well on the all-weather and goes off his lower turf mark here. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page gambleaware.org.Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who: Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ O’Brien hails superstar colt after racecourse gallop before his date with destiny in California in November Read moreThe possibility of seeing a racing superstar a few weeks before a date with destiny drew hundreds of fans to what is The Fibresand surface that once passed as a fair imitator of the American dirt that City Of Troy will encounter for the first time at Del Mar on 2 November has been replaced by Tapeta but the track staff had harrowed it more deeply than usual to make it more of a test There was an American starting gate for the five-horse “gallop” over a mile as well as a bell to send them on their way and a warm cheer of approval for City Of Troy as he powered nearly 10 lengths clear of his companions at the line who was slightly delayed by traffic problems on his way to Southwell “We’re very grateful to everybody here because he would have felt it,” O’Brien said City Of Troy will be O’Brien’s 16th runner in the Classic on dirt when he goes to post at Del Mar in California In addition to Galileo and Giant’s Causeway the previous 15 have included such star names from the trainer’s back-catalogue of champions as So You Think a dirt-bred winner of the International Stakes at York who was a quarter-length third in 2013 View image in fullscreenSpectators wait to see City Of Troy at Southwell on Friday Photograph: Mike Egerton/PAHenrythenavigator also finished second when the race was staged on a synthetic surface at Santa Anita in 2008 while the most bitter Classic memory of all for Ballydoyle is from Monmouth Park in 2007 suffered a fatal injury on a track that had been all but washed away by days of constant rain For all the earlier heartache and frustration O’Brien’s ambition to become only the second European trainer – after another of the sport’s titans Andre Fabre – to saddle a Classic winner on dirt remains undimmed “We always thought he was our best chance of winning the Classic since Giant’s Causeway and we thought that he had a little bit more class than Giant’s Causeway,” O’Brien said the races were the Derby and the Classic.” Like Giant’s Causeway – and unlike Galileo – City Of Troy is bred for the dirt is the most recent winner of the US Triple Crown and while he does not quite have the classic build of a dirt runner he showed in last month’s International Stakes at York that he has the high cruising speed and ability to quicken again even off a white-hot pace that are the mark of a champion on the surface “His stride doesn’t shorten,” O’Brien said his jockey] said it was only at the furlong marker that he started to open and go for the line it was the best I’ve ever seen him with Ryan When the tempo is strong like it was today The hundreds of racing fans here on Friday had an “I was there” moment and the hope that tens of thousands of racegoers will have a similar experience at Del Mar in November is very much alive who squeezed home by a nose in the Portland Handicap at Doncaster last weekend will be in rarefied company if he can follow up in Saturday’s Ayr Gold Cup as the last horse to complete the double was Lochsong a multiple Group One winner later in her career American Affair could yet prove to be a Group One horse in a handicap but Saturday’s race is another step up and 6-1 is a thin price for a horse whose run style could always create issues and the bottom-weight Tinto (3.35) could be significantly over-priced at odds of up to 66-1 Michael Dods’s gelding can blow hot and cold but did nothing wrong when winning in a useful time at Thirsk in August He was a fine second in the Silver Cup 12 months ago off a 4lb lower mark has a decent draw in stall five and useful apprentice Rhys Elliott takes off a handy 7lb Ayr 1.15 Obelix got off the mark for the season with something to spare at Haydock earlier this month and he looks more than capable of coping with a modest 4lb rise in the weights Newbury 1.30 Albasheer put up a career-best under 9st 12lb to finish a close fourth in the Portland and would have been a live contender for the Ayr Gold Cup so it is interesting that Archie Watson has opted for this Group Three alternative Ayr 1.50 A decent renewal of the Doonside Cup but the most interesting and unexposed contender is Eydon who finished fourth in the 2,000 Guineas in April 2022 on his third career start If Andrew Balding can coax out some of his three-year-old ability ShowHamilton 2.12 Miss Lalita 2.42 Jack Of Clubs 3.12 Bay Dream Believer 3.42 Nariko (nap) 4.12 She’s Got Bottle 4.42 Impressor 5.12 Susiesparkle Plumpton 2.20 Dameofthecotswolds 2.50 Into The Sunset 3.20 Rogue King 3.50 Junkanoo 4.20 Stormin Crossgales (nb) 4.50 Greatness Awaits Thank you for your feedback.Newbury 2.05 After three straight wins Kotari’s hot streak came to an end at Epsom in June but has been given a break since and still has scope for progress over the longest trip he has tackled on the Flat Ayr 2.25 Plenty of pace in the low-numbered stalls for the Silver Cup and the strong-finishing Brooklyn Nine Nine is well placed in 15 to drop in behind the far side group and strike inside the final furlong ShowHamilton Park 1.48 Temper Trap 2.23 Koulikoro 2.58 Music History 3.33 Spectacular Style (nb) 4.08 Stash The Cash 4.43 Gundogan 5.15 Gentle Ellen  Sedgefield 2.30 Dumb Love 3.05 Getaway Jewel 3.40 Lord Accord 4.15 Kopa Kilana 4.50 Cash Again 5.20 Lowlands  Wolverhampton 4.25 Eldeyaar 5.00 Good Banter 5.30 Dandy G Boy 6.00 Pinball Wizard (nap) 6.30 Banana 7.00 Blacklion 7.30 Bigz Belief 8.00 Shaka 8.30 Cariad Thank you for your feedback.Newbury 2.40 Whip Cracker has been gelded since finishing mid-division in the Britannia at Royal Ascot and has a definite chance on earlier form at Newmarket Ayr 3.00 Several potential improvers in the field and William Haggas’s Sky Majesty could well make significant progress from her narrow success on debut in August Newbury 3.15 There was just a head between Shadow Of Light and Symbol Of Strength when they finished second and third respectively in the Gimcrack at York and the disparity in their early odds here – 11-4 favourite and around 7-1 – makes little sense Comments will open on this piece later on Friday The worldwide fame of Southwell’s Bramley Apple keeps on spreading the latest nation to honour Britain’s favourite cooking apple is Northern Ireland a family called Nicholson bought 60 young Bramley Apple trees grown in Southwell by Henry Merryweather to plant in Northern Ireland has been invited to plant a tree at Armagh in Northern Ireland “Those 60 trees were to start the major growth of Bramley Apples in Northern Ireland,” says Colonel Roger Merryweather who is Chairman of Southwell’s annual Bramley Apple Festival when there will be events throughout the town as well as the Festival of Food and Drink at Southwell Minster and activities at the National Trust’s Southwell Workhouse The Library also offers children’s crafts throughout the day culminating in the crowning of The Bramley Apple King New this year at The Workhouse are performances from the pauper’s pop-up choir There will be apple printing and the longest apple peel competition The shop window competition returns to the town centre where there will be apple products and produce on sale as well as apple-themed refreshments in local cafes The original Bramley Apple Tree will be open for viewing between 11am and 3pm and we would like to thank all our sponsors and the many volunteers who make this event such a success each year,” says Roger Merryweather King Of Ithaca (3.15 Southwell) King Of Ithaca has a very solid record at Southwell That fifth on his last start doesn't tell the whole story as he was hampered over a furlong out and didn't enjoy a clear run through but it suggested his career-high mark wasn't beyond him He gets to run off a mark 1lb lower and can make amends for that luckless effort Orchard Keeper (4.15 Southwell) Overture was value for more than the winning margin of a neck when last seen and definitely has more to offer this year who has a 7lb swing in the weights with that rival here and has the advantage of having already had a run She was poorly positioned at the back of the field at Leicester last time and didn't have a lot of room to start her run when the race began to get going in earnest so it was a good effort to be only beaten a length She gets to run off the same mark here and showed she handled Tapeta when third at Wolverhampton last year Rohaan (6.15 Southwell) You have to forgive Rohaan's last two disappointments but returning to Southwell could be the key as he's recorded his three best recent RPRs here (91 including when going down by a length to subsequent winner We Never Stop last month (third has won since too) as he met trouble in running and was doing all his best work when the winner had gone and should be up to taking advantage of a 2lb lower mark Tom Segal fired in a winner on Saturday - find out his best bet for the Group 1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp    Free horse racing tips for Sunday, April 27 at Southwell    Subscribe to Racing Post + Ultimate now Southwell Music Festival returns this August filling the Nottinghamshire town with musical delights for all to enjoy from Friday 22 – Monday 25 August the Festival welcomes professional musicians and performers from across the UK and shines a spotlight on the best of Nottinghamshire’s home-grown talent The Festival team is excited to share a preview of some of the many highlights you can enjoy this year Watch out for the full programme announcement in May Blending jazz with spiritual themes and featuring the sublime Festival Voices and Southwell Music Festival’s very first Big Band act this Friday evening concert brings selections from Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts to the Southwell stage Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience this groundbreaking work from one of the leading jazz pioneers in the atmospheric setting of Southwell Minster Folk music takes centre stage on Saturday night Acclaimed folk artist Kathryn Tickell returns to Southwell Music Festival after a sell-out performance in 2023 this time alongside her band The Darkening performer and the foremost exponent of the Northumbrian pipes Kathryn’s music is deeply rooted in the landscape and people of Northumbria with her twice winning the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Musician of the Year the Festival Voices and Baroque Sinfonia join forces to fill the Minster Nave with glorious sound with a performance of Bach’s majestic B Minor Mass conducted by Artistic Director Marcus Farnsworth allowing for intricate counterpoint and harmony with singers of all abilities invited to participate in the Festival’s annual Come and Sing A morning rehearsal is followed by a performance with singers performing alongside professional soloists accompanied by the Festival Baroque Sinfonia The accompanying Singing Day workshop will be held on Saturday 16 August in Southwell Minster’s State Chamber 2025 sees the return of the ever-popular Saturday afternoon free Musical Picnic Families and friends can come together to enjoy music from across the genres performed by professional and amateur musicians and community groups in the Minster’s Palace Gardens This year’s new addition to the programme will be a Saturday afternoon Relaxed Concert friendly event will offer the opportunity to experience classical music in Southwell Minster without the traditional formality people with sensory and communication impairments or learning disabilities Southwell Music Festival Founder and Artistic Director Marcus Farnsworth said: “We are thrilled to be back for our eleventh year bringing some of the best music out there to Southwell This year’s programme looks fantastic and I’m excited to welcome Southwell Music Festival audiences and new faces to what will be a jam-packed bank holiday weekend of music for all to enjoy.” The full four-day Festival line-up will be revealed at a free Launch Concert on Friday 16 May at Southwell Minster. The concert is open to everyone. Reserve your free tickets online at southwellmusicfestival.com Tickets for Southwell Music Festival go on sale on Monday 9 June. Festival Friends enjoy Priority Booking for all concerts and events. For more information about joining the Festival Friends, visit southwellmusicfestival.com/friends As a registered charity, Southwell Music Festival also welcomes new sponsors, donors, partners and volunteers. If you or your business wants to make a difference to arts in the region by supporting Southwell Music Festival 2025, please email DR@southwellmusicfestival.com Back to the News page This year's event is FREE and open to all - so join us on Zoom on Mon 6 July to hear from @VisitBritain Nottingham Culture Board and @NorthstarMtgs We are so excited to hear this fantastic news from @CreswellCrags A huge thank you to @HeritageFundUK for supporting this valuable and much-loved heritage site. ?Calling all #hospitality and #tourism businesses and organisations! We're thrilled to announce that our FREE Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Virtual Visitor Economy Summit will be held on Monday 6 July Yesterday's government announcement has been welcomed by hotels many of which will be opening their doors on Saturday 4th July ?This summer looks likely to be all about the great British break and for those after some staycation inspiration #Nottinghamshire has plenty of unusual places to stay @Langarhallhotel @YeOldeBell @forestholidays @LaceMarketApmts Pop in and see @MeetInNotts at stand 17 and learn why #Nottingham should be your number one destination for #conferences .@MeetInNotts are 'jubilant' after successfully tapping into the North American ? conferences market at @VisitBritain's innovative #MeetGB Virtual and are now setting their sights on Europe ? Read more ?https://t.co/8OZ9HqAkCF https://t.co/EwnQzSYWxR ???Want to be in with a chance of winning a @delilahfinefood hamper worth over £60 Simply complete our tourism survey by 5pm today and tell us how you'd feel about visiting #Nottingham and #Nottinghamshire post COVID-19 https://t.co/5xZqO6xtsH https://t.co/BhIL7teYO6 We ♥️ this feature in @TheFoxyDeer Metroland magazine "Nottinghamshire’s Sherwood Forest is a landmark thousands of years in the making history and folklore all waiting to be discovered." Read the feature on p.128 ?https://t.co/Cbh70ePNpo https://t.co/rAUJHlsZy7 .@MeetInNotts are excited to be in the virtual booth ready for @VisitBritain's digital #MeetGB event today where the team will be showcasing #Nottingham's fantastic event and conference spaces to an international audience https://t.co/9h1SUEWcqn https://t.co/I6pqyQhIyQ The @ace_national has today announced that £3.26 million has been awarded to 466 individual artists and cultural organisations across the #EastMidlands through its COVID-19 emergency response package Calling all #Nottingham and #Nottinghamshire #tourism businesses - why not check out @VisitEnglandBiz' #BusinessAdviceHub for the latest guidance and support for tourism businesses during COVID-19 https://t.co/tMwnMvL8IY https://t.co/592XpXMkKl Want to be in with a chance of winning a @delilahfinefood hamper worth over £60 Simply complete our tourism survey and tell us how you'd feel about visiting #Nottingham and #Nottinghamshire post COVID-19 https://t.co/5xZqO6xtsH https://t.co/FK7ZNCGJRL #Nottingham #tourism businesses - did you know you can find the latest guidance and support for tourism businesses during COVID-19 on @VisitEnglandBiz’s #BusinessAdviceHub Copyright © 2025 Marketing Nottingham Nothing comes into this in better form than Drifts Away and he is much respected in his bid for the four-timer while Giorgio M deserves to win a race having finished runner-up in his last three starts These conditions bring out the best in King Of Ithaca (second choice) and Jimmy Speaking is another to consider following his encouraging reappearance here this month the vote goes to HOW IMPRESSIVE who has only just missed out here the last twice and remains favourably treated having gained his two C&D successes from 2lb higher Lil Guff won easily at Bath on her return to action last week and she’s respected under her penalty Plenty will be prepared to give another chance to the unexposed Minnie Wildes while her stablemate Tan Rapido also retains potential who has his second run after wind surgery and is back on his preferred surface off a dangerous mark The selection looked a natural back at 5f on his stable debut three weeks ago and he can defy a 6lb rise Several of these proved progressive last season and the market should be revealing as regards their prospects on their 4yo debuts The prolific Overture and handicap debutante Russian Crescendo are perhaps the most interesting of those but fitness may be key on this occasion so the vote goes to ORCHARD KEEPER who made an encouraging return when third at Leicester this month Lunar Eclipse and My Margie may prove the pick of the 4yos but the three 3yo representatives all bring untapped potential Bintjeddah is respected but THE TERMINUS didn’t fare badly in a strong Listed race at Sandown last summer and she can improve for the step up in trip on today’s handicap and stable debut Course winner Duca Di Lucca is shortlisted on his return with the extra furlong likely to suit while Venezuelan (second choice) showed that races should be found when he took second at Lingfield in November The nicely bred Muhaajim could leave his Wood Ditton debut well behind but DIXIELAND BLUES looks the one to beat having finished runner-up in both starts Invitorio and Scatter Penny left the impression they would be sharper with their Pontefract reappearance behind them while Don Pacifico (second choice) and Handcuffed have time on their side who finished off on the front foot on his handicap debut at Kempton three weeks ago This race could set up more favourably for him A Sunday treat for sprint handicap enthusiasts Dutch Kingdom isn’t fully exposed at 6f Bergerac and Rohaan will also have their supporters unlucky here last month but at a time when his yard was in better form The selection’s Kempton wins last season saw him beat City House and Heathcliff and a recent turf run isn’t the race to judge him on Manxman has been supremely reliable and Charging Thunder has been clocking up his own fine sequence but they might be eclipsed today by the two at the bottom of the weights Caballo De Mar may be the more eyecatching of the two as he’s on a five-timer and the last three of his wins were at this track The extra 2f need not be a negative for him either but GIBSIDE chased him home with a promising effort last time and has already shown how well 2m suits him with an impressive win last October The British Horseracing Authority has today confirmed an additional Jump fixture at Southwell on Wednesday 23 October and entries will close at 12 noon on Saturday 19 October ahead of declarations being made at the 48-hour stage at 10am on Monday 21 October 1. For further information please contact the BHA Racing Department on 0207 152 0050 or via [email protected] Like any new website you might come across things that need fixing, please let us know and we will get these resolved as quickly as possible. In the meantime, we would love to hear your feedback. Email us at [email protected] to tell us what you think Cycling fever came to Southwell this afternoon (Friday) as the Tour of Britain made its way through the town Racing began along Stage Four’s 86 mile route at 11am this morning in Derby before passing through rural Derbyshire and entering Nottinghamshire at Eastwood finding familiar surroundings on the roads of Southwell before crossing the River Trent and heading south through Fledborough and Girton Then Collingham marks the start of a sprint section setting up an exciting end to a day of racing with riders powering through Coddington and down to the finish line at Sconce and Devon Park Southwell & District Lions were on had to help with the road closures and safety during the event Secretary Ian Robinson said: “It’s such a lovely event for the town there’s already lots of people here getting involved and volunteering as well Among those who arrived early to make sure they secured a prime spot along the course were fellow cyclists Robert Hurst Tony said he’s a big cycling fan: “I love the excitement and the speed of the race Robert added: “The last time we watched it at the finish in Newark and we wanted to watch it here so we’ve stopped for a coffee.” Taking up prime position to watch the race at the Burgage were a group of five friends from Rolleston including sisters Brenda Pride and Linda Wilson who sported natty Robin Hood-style hats to get into the spirit of the event Brenda said that they’ve watched the race together for the past few years: “It’s lovely event and always a great atmosphere it’s really good for the town and it gets people in A group of Wymeswold Wheelers had also cycled all the way to Southwell to watch the riders come through and were planning to go on to Newark to watch the finish as well Wheelers Jacqui Cersey said: “We’re here first to soak up the atmosphere Among the crowds gathering on the corner of Queen Street in prime position were superfans Kerry Garton and Larry Morrissey Kerry said: “We come every year and we’re big fans and the best thing is you’re surrounded by people who are also sharing that excitement with you so you can share the enthusiasm and excitement and when times are hard like they have been it’s good to see that excitement on people.” One of the crowd’s youngest fans were eight-month-old Rudy Martin who was watching along with his parents Amy and Rhys Next to them with their three-month-old miniature Dachsund Fern were Alec Hampson and Fynnola Campbell He said: “This is the first year we’ve been able to watch it as it comes through the town and it gives everyone the opportunity to see an elite spectacle and the atmosphere it creates “It’s also nice to see some famous athletes.” Out in force to support the Tour of Britain were little ones and their carers from Prebend Preschool who had created their own flags to wave and cheer on the riders Manager Jeannine Evison said: “We like to bring the children every year it’s nice for them to be a part of the community events.” Aspire Hair Studio’s owner Fiona Shaw said that she had rescheduled some of the client’s hair appointments today to ensure everyone could get in and out of Southwell without too many issues — and ensured her client Jeanette Newsome was able to have her colour done in time to watch the riders come past from the comfort of her salon chair She said: “It’s an amazing event for the town.” The elite cyclists cycled through Southwell just before 1pm this afternoon and were scheduled to arrive at the finish line in Newark around 2.30pm Trainer Aidan O'Brien said it had been a privilege to be at Southwell on Friday when hundreds of people had turned out on a non-raceday at the low-key venue just to get the chance to glimpse as good a horse as has likely ever stretched out at the track City Of Troy, a champion two-year-old, Derby winner and the highest-rated turf horse in the world after his tour de force in the Juddmonte International, came to Southwell as part of his preparation for the Breeders' Cup Classic, one of the few frontiers O'Brien has yet to conquer. O'Brien's choice of words for Southwell were polite and sincere, but those chosen for City Of Troy were forensic and detailed as he picked out the portions of the mile workout that left him feeling particularly pleased. Good from the stalls; professional in navigating the sweeping left-hand bend; and satisfying how arrow-straight he was when asked to stretch out in the closing stages it was never going to be overly impressive but we were all happy with what he did," O'Brien said "I felt watching him today was the best I've seen him with Ryan riding Rachel [Richardson] normally rides him in all his work and I thought that Ryan was beautiful on him "He galloped smoothly around the bend and when he said 'go' he really opened up and kept straight I'm sure everyone will have an opinion and it'll be analysed over and over so it'll be interesting to see what people say It had been back in 2000 that O'Brien brought Giant's Causeway to Southwell to gallop on the-then Fibresand surface as part of his preparation for the Breeders' Cup Classic as only the redoubtable Tiznow proved to be too good for the Iron Horse A delayed car journey from the airport meant O'Brien arrived in the paddock at 3.45pm half an hour after City Of Troy entered it and proceeded to provide energetic instructions to his five riders The trainer's delayed appearance allowed for the anticipation to grow Of the 1,400 people who had pre-registered to attend They had their positions by the pre-parade ring and the paddock picked out a good hour before the horses arrived The horses City Of Troy galloped with – Congo River Master Of The Hunt and Edwardian – were rated between 34-40lb inferior but they served their purpose as they allowed their glitzier stablemate to move clear on a Tapeta surface described as standard to slow by clerk of the course John Holliday The crowd applauded vigorously as the workout ended "He's like Giant's Causeway but quicker – and Giant's Causeway was very classy," O'Brien said it lengthens and his pedigree with Justify is all dirt It was always going to be more gruelling than impressive as we wanted the surface prepared more like dirt." Moore and O'Brien stopped for photographs and signed autographs while York's chief executive William Derby was also among the crowd One person even managed to persuade O'Brien to part with his City Of Troy branded gilet 'We're preparing for a race that we've never won before' Moore seemed particularly at ease after the gallop and said: "He's an unusual horse and he showed at York how good he was If he can transfer that level of ability to the dirt then he has to have a good chance "I sat on him last week and he's doing well Today was just to get him out and to get a good blow into him." It would be hard to describe the outing as anything other than positive for City Of Troy O'Brien even saw his delay as a good thing calling it "priceless" that City Of Troy was able to parade with a crowd for an extended period of time to help mirror the raceday experience Whose privilege it really was at Southwell – O'Brien's or the spectators – will be answered at Del Mar on November 2 and the trainer added: "We have tried to do what's best for him We're preparing for a race that we've never won before but when he came along we felt he was a horse who could make it happen We've tried to tick all the boxes we thought we needed to tick that way we can feel like we are giving him the best." US racing guru Ron Wood on City Of Troy's Breeders' Cup prep It's hard to read much into City Of Troy's gallop not least given the Tapeta surface at Southwell is completely different to the dirt he'll be tackling – for the first time – at Del Mar The first point of note is that he lacked the early pace of some vastly inferior workmates – he started on terms but was soon last of five – which is a bit of a concern for the Breeders' Cup Classic Get behind on dirt and you'll have to run through kickback and/or go wide and hope the leaders come back to you without sectional timing for this mock race it's hard to know how fast the early leaders were going City Of Troy didn't look to be travelling great early on but the pacesetters probably overdid it and by halfway he was going the best of the bunch The only real takeaway for me is that when asked for an effort in the straight He'd been inclined to go right in his last three races: the Derby And he wouldn't be getting away with that at Del Mar but nothing about this told us whether he can win the Breeders' Cup Classic Frankie Dettori suffers dislocated shoulder in stalls incident at Aqueduct  The Racing Post is now available to follow on WhatsApp channels Published on 20 September 2024inBritain 2.55 Southwell It’s strictly low-class fare at the two British jumps meetings on Monday, but I’m excited about the chance of Jolyjump in the 2m novice handicap chase (2.55) at Southwell The eye might immediately be drawn to the Dan Skelton-trained Gwennie May Jem who produced a career-best performance on his first run over fences at Leicester last month A drop in trip appeared to suit Gwennie May Jem as he had looked a weak finisher over further at Doncaster on his previous start that he could also be a weak finisher over two miles Many will fancy Harel Du Marais after a last-time-out course-and-distance success but that was his first win in 21 starts and he doesn’t appeal at the likely odds The 100-rated Jolyjump fits nicely into this 0-100 off joint-top weight and is worth backing now the ground is drying out He won over course and distance on good going in November off a 3lb lower mark and is likely to have been inconvenienced by soft conditions since He ran far better than the bare form of his 39-length fourth to Demoiselle Kap at Fontwell last time suggests The winner completed a hat-trick that day and has since made it four straight wins by hacking up at Sedgefield is a five-year-old who is clearly capable of winning a race off his mark and had previously finished second at Huntingdon to Teddy Blue who landed a Kempton 0-130 novice limited handicap chase on Saturday Jolyjump kept tabs on both Demoiselle Kap and Royal King to Fontwell’s third-last on ground which would have been far too testing for him The handicapper has dropped Jolyjump 3lb for that defeat and the Gary and Josh Moore-trained chaser can take full advantage Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more Published on 16 March 2025inFree tips and local tipples are to be served up as a pub hosts its first beer festival Just over a year since new landlords Emma and Kev Bonington breathed life back into Southwell’s The Wheatsheaf Pub they are gearing up to offer a new experience at their venue It’ll also see a new covered ‘secret garden’ seating area unveiled — boasting views of the Minster spires Kev said: “This weekend we’re going to have food stalls It’s the first beer festival we’ve done so we’re kind of experimenting ourselves “We’ve trying to do something a bit different and we’ve got another lined up for the summer too Hopefully if this one takes off we’ll go even bigger then.” The beer line up for the festival — which will take place over the bank holiday weekend of April 18 and 20 — will include drinks from Nottinghamshire’s Castle Rock Brewery will be serving up food from its truck on the Friday and Saturday Live music will be from Evie M on Friday from 7pm The new secret garden will be available for private bookings with table service for the festival — and will continue to be offered as a party venue going forward “We had an old knackered patio area round the back,” Kev added “The front space is great for the summer when it’s good weather and we put up a marquee last winter but we decided to invest in a permanent covered area “It’s got a open side so it opens onto the market place and the town It’s been a successful first year running the pub for the pair — who took it over in February 2024 after it had been sat empty for many months — with Emma even securing a nomination as best newcomer landlord They’ve put emphasis on it being a ‘local’ and a warm and welcoming space dubbed an “old-style boozer with modern flair” on the pub’s Facebook page We’re busier than we’ve ever been before and we’re looking to take on a few more staff members “We’ve just booked the Morris dancers for the folk festival weekend A new chairman has been chosen for a council after their long-serving predecessor stepped down Peter Harris was elected as the new chairman of Southwell Town Council at a full council meeting held on Wednesday who held the position for a number of years but has recently stepped down from his role both as chairman and as a town councillor Mr Harris said: “I’m looking forward to taking forward the budget for next year as well as supporting the Town Environment going ahead and developing ideas for the town forum as well.” He had previously held the role of vice chair under Mr Stott Mr Harris sits on the Governance and Finance is convenor of both the Town Forum and Safer Neighbourhood Group meetings in the town and represents the town on Newark and Sherwood District Council is to be elected at the next full council meeting The 18th Gate To Southwell Festival (aka GTSF) runs from July 3rd to 6th 2025 at Kirklington Lakes which is midway between Mansfield and Newark and just north of the picturesque market town of Southwell Regarded as one of the UK’s best small music festivals over 60  international folk roots and acoustic acts will appear over four days Confirmed acts so far include Richard Thompson (the great British singer-songwriter and former Fairport Convention guitarist) Senegalese star Seckou Keita and his Homeland Band well-known Bellowhead frontman Jon Boden & His Remnant Kings and  Alabama 3 (Acoustic) who sang the theme tune to Sopranos Other names to be released so far include Madrid-based Track Dogs highly-rated folk trio The Rosie Hood Band Italy’s Veronica Sbergia & Max De Bernardi quality blues from Sunjay and Cadillac Kings Liverpool folk rockers The Thomas Bradley Project and more GTSF is said to be one of the most family-friendly events in the UK festival calendar In addition to high-quality folk roots and acoustic music festival-goers can also enjoy children’s entertainment With the Cambridge Folk Festival and WOMAD not taking place this year GTSF 2025 offers a great opportunity to catch some of the world’s leading folk roots and americana artists in beautiful rural Nottinghamshire (Anyone wanting to view the location in your mapping software of choice can find it with the following postcode: NG22 8NX) GTSF is a not-for-profit organisation run by enthusiastic and experienced volunteers. Any surplus income generated is ploughed into future events. For tickets and more information follow this link And for a flavour of what you might find you can see the video below with highlights from the last two years Kassi Valazza returns “From Newman Street” with a new album and live dates Classic Clips: Grace Potter “I Shall Be Released” Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. If you enjoy what you're reading and don't want to support us on a monthly basis you can help us keep this site free from looking like one of those awful REACH sites by making a one off donation towards our running costs Be daring, be yourself, be willing to take risks and stand alone. Vanessa Collier’s music is gritty, raw, and at times, either downright sad or bubbling happy. As with most songwriters worth their salt, her songs […] “All of a sudden, time stood still, and we watched our plans and expectations float away like lost balloons.” For Angela Easterling, life began in South Carolina and, except for college years in Boston, has been […] Past, present and future are inseparable in her songs. There is an openness to Maya de Vitry that is refreshing to come by. Formerly in the Stray Birds, a bluegrass band, the Lancaster, Pennsylvania-born musician is […] As always in these prescriptive articles there must be a drawing of boundaries and Clint’s first article in the series seemed to have dealt with the idea that you should define americana in a narrow sense […] Steve Earle announced his arrival in our lives with his debut album in 1986. Since then, he has racked up almost thirty studio and live albums under his own name or in collaboration with others. I […] I heard from a colleague,  who has contact with associates of Eric Taylor, that he had died on March 9th 2020 following a period of illness. I immediately checked the web for confirmation but there was […] A suspected drink and drug driver has been arrested after colliding with multiple vehicles in a van believed stolen The van collided with multiple parked vehicles in Southwell in the early hours of Monday Police responding to the collision discovered the van in the middle of Halam Road with the keys still in the ignition still embedded in a car it had collided with After arriving at the scene of the collision response and operational support officers also discovered damage to two other cars in Halam and Farnsfield Searches of the nearby area resulted in a police dog handler discovering a man in Lower Kirklington Road who they suspected was the driver of the abandoned van — which was registered to someone else Officers believed the man was under the influence of alcohol or drugs and he subsequently failed a roadside breathalyser test The 27-year-old was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and failing to stop at the scene of a road traffic collision said: “This incident should serve as a warning to anyone thinking of getting behind the wheel while under the influence about just how dangerous this is “A van was found abandoned in the middle of the road by our officers having quite clearly collided with two vehicles there while we suspect it’d also caused damage to two other cars in nearby as well each of these stationary vehicles were empty when this happened “Our officers did a great job in responding to this incident so quickly and locating a suspect nearby who has subsequently been arrested for a range of offences.” Following the publication of the Makin review last week and the terrible abuse it identified along with failures to act in a way that would prevent further abuse I fully respect and understand Archbishop Justin’s decision to resign today taking personal and institutional responsibility for the failures disclosed in the review.  His decision in light of the review should serve to emphasise the responsibility we already have to continue implementing the important changes in the culture and safeguarding leadership that are essential in every part of the Church.  We continue to pray for the victims and survivors of abuse and also for Archbishop Justin and his family at this time Probably the best betting shape of a race during this afternoon and despite the claims of the in-form Soames Forsyte and course and distance winner Cosmos Raj the top weight could well have a massive say here Tim Easterby may only have a 10% strike rate in the past 14 days of which 11 have finished second and several have been so unlucky in the run CANDONOMORE may well have been bang out of form last year the son of Almanzor had been racing in much higher grade dropping in the handicap from a mid-80’s horse to his current mark of 72 something that his esteemed trainer surely would not have envisaged there was a bit more positivity to be gleaned from his last run at Ayr over a mile behind Gracious Leader Stable jockey David Allen now takes over up top from and with the recent gelding operation allied to the drop in class and still being relatively unexposed compared to the majority of his rivals (only his 10th turf start) I expect a huge run on his belated seasonal debut from the four-year-old 4 furlongs and 214 yards to be exact at the Nottinghamshire track) is set to be run at a wholesale gallop Several of these are highly likely to break each other’s necks through the first half of the race with at least eight of the field of 13 either out-and-out front runners or close-up pressers That is going to suit the likes of old boy Alligator Alley (becoming much better handicapped again) and bottom weight Illusionist down at the foot of the handicap top weight and recent Bath winner Tourist is respected Spirit of Applause ran well for a long way before fading late on behind Northern Spirit at Beverley the final climb and lack of condition just catching up to him at the pear-shaped track The assessor has given several of these a real chance at the weights who ran way better than his finishing position of 14th behind Dark Thirty last month at Doncaster The six-year-old travelled like the wrath of god under Paul Mulrennan at the head of affairs off a fierce pace and it was only 125 yards out that he weakened as lack of condition caught up with him he always comes on a lot for his first run back and this is a significant drop in class from the kind of class two events that he took in during the second half of the 2024 season Rohaan has tested me over the past eight months but showed here three outings back that he still has a chance at this level and the seven-year-old’s draw in box number six is perfect The last named also just needs the breaks to come at the right time and he could be a player off a rating of 90 still yet to fulfil his full potential on the sand You can definitely write off his first run back on the turf at Newbury as he was badly hampered at the start and had no chance thereafter he can be slotted away in midfield before being produced under the quarter-mile pole by the brilliant Tom Marquand The big race of the day is probably the most competitive which is hardly a surprise given the prize money on offer I am a huge fan of Manxman and the shenanigans in the Cesarewitch made me wince This lightly raced five-year-old could take another significant step forward this season and should be running in Listed and possibly Group events He is in the right hands to make further progress The same aged DUKE OF OXFORD has slightly more miles on the clock and is turning into a real all-weather specialist with a strike rate of six wins from 15 starts and placed a further five times With wins off marks of 91 twice at Kempton Park late in 2024 he is likely to be ridden out the back here so a solid pace up front would suit the son of Kingman perfectly He made a highly satisfactory start to the new season in the All Weather Championships Marathon Handicap at Newcastle Cruising through the race in the rear under Hector Crouch he looked a massive danger about 300 yards out but a lack of fitness told and he weakened close home still finishing fourth behind Wonder Legend The 7lbs claimer Jon Bradnam means he is now below his last winning mark and with that run behind him I suspect he should be at his peak in what you could argue is a race that sets up nicely for him for his run style while odds in copy are accurate at the time of publishing but subject to change A commemorative tree has been planted to mark 60 years of a community choir Southwell Choral Society chose to mark its 60th anniversary season with the planting of a Bramley family tree on the Burgage and also sang a specially-composed song to mark the occasion Society chairman Jane Gamble said: “On our 50th anniversary we had a bench and with the environment and the Bramley coming from Southwell — as well as the town council being kind enough to find us this spot — we thought a tree would be a nice living memorial to celebrate our 60th anniversary “We are a community choir and we are part of the town so we wanted to put the tree in the town where the people of the town can see it.” The first spade full of soil was placed around the new tree by Helen Wood whose late husband Peter Wood was the first conductor of the Southwell Choral Society having taken on the role in 1964 when the society was formed from the Southwell Arts Society He was also named as honorary vice president of the society in 2023 “The tree is really something that keeps on growing and reminds people why it is here “It was a nice honour to be asked to plant the tree A Bramley family tree was chosen for its ability to self-fertilise and is a combination of the Bramley cooking apple and the Scrumptious and Christmas Pippin eating apples The tree is also marked with a commemorative plaque I grew up in the town and was very fortunate to be trained as a chorister by Peter Wood and also Nick Thorpe who succeeded him as conductor and its a real privilege to take the choral society on to the next season but we are always looking for new tenors and basses.” Anyone interested in joining the society should contact the choir through its website, www.southwellchoralsociety.co.uk Upcoming concerts include Petite Messe Solennelle on November 23 and its 60th anniversary concert of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana on May 10 “We’ve got some very exciting concerts coming up,” Marcus added “Its an exciting time to be a member of Southwell Choral Society.” which last year attracted over 8,000 attendees will see the annual Southwell Ploughing Match and Show take place — with a wide range of countryside stalls run by the Southwell and District Agricultural Society The joint presidents this year are Andrea O’Donnell Exhibits and competitions include ploughing using the original horse power as well as vintage and modern tractors livestock judging and farm management displays horticultural and home produce competitions and home crafts — the horticultural and produce tent will have all the usual egg along with many other horticulture and children’s classes Ploughmen from all over the country will be taking part in this year’s show along with a number of teams of horses ploughing The society is also ‘pleased’ to be hosting a steam ploughing and thrashing demonstration and the Static Vintage area will display a wide variety of entries There is also a jam packed schedule of entertainment in the rings Action in the main ring will kick off at 8.30am with the ridden hunters J C Balls Dancing Diggers at 12pm and 2.15pm Nottinghamshire Young Farmers tough farmer at 1pm the grand parade and presentation of trophies at 3pm The eight other rings will showcase everything equestrian — from Pony Club games to show jumping Entries will be taken for the dog show from 11am and judging at 12pm with a variety of classes suitable for everyone There will also be free tractor and trailer rides around the show ground and ploughing competition fields and a wide range of countryside-themed trade stalls — with the show normally attracting over 150 traders in everything from farming equipment to country clothing The craft area includes a number of Nottinghamshire businesses selling a variety of home crafted items and the Farmer’s Market will be selling locally produced food with lots of delicious snacks to try Tickets for the show can be bought on the gate for £15.00, with children under 14 free of charge, or advance e-tickets can be bought via the show website: www.southwellploughingmatch.co.uk and typically a short walk to the show entrance Southwell Ploughing Match and Show has been run by farmers rural businesses and countryside enthusiasts since 1855 and is now hosted by Southwell-area farmers at at different venues each year Tickets are now on sale for one of the biggest events on the district’s social calendar — the Advertiser Ladies Day at Southwell Racecourse August 17 and promises another successful combination of exciting racing and glamour The 2024 Advertiser Ladies Day brought a record crowd of more than 9.000 people and organisers are hoping this year will be even better As always the fun doesn’t stop with the final race of the day Southwell Racecourse has lined up live 80s music show so race-goers can dance the night away Racecourse executive director Mark Clayton said after three years of DJ sets - including Martin Kemp and Vernon Kay — they had decided to revert back to a live band — one of several changes for 2025 He said: “We have a few changes lined up for 2025 and several new packages dotted both on the back and in front of the grandstand — The Paddock Club Bottomless Brunch and Trackside Picnic Lawn packages to name just three “2024 saw a Racecourse record crowd of just over 9,000 people attend our summer spectacular We were delighted to see such a large number of people here.” it is still short of the official capacity but the racecourse will not sell to that capacity to ensure race-goers have the best experience possible it is vital that you buy your tickets early to make sure you don’t miss out Advertiser editor Sharon Hodkin said: “We are delighted to once again be partnering Southwell Racecourse for this prestigious event “It is a personal highlight for me - seeing thousands of people having such a good time at the event soaking up the atmosphere and dressing to impress “Here’s hoping for another record-breaking year!” there will be a £500 cash prize for the most stylishly dressed race-goer a competition that is always hotly contested Tickets are now on sale for the Advertiser Ladies Day from www.southwellracecourse.co.uk There is a great opportunity to blow off the post New Year party cobwebs with a free day of racing at Southwell Racecourse The Advertiser has teamed up with the racecourse to offer free general admission for our readers to the meet on New Year’s Day This fixture promises to offer something for everyone — with on-course action accompanied by a winter family funday Southwell Racecourse are excited to welcome those looking for things to do in January Whether you are looking to escape the cold or simply enjoy a fun and affordable outing Southwell Racecourse’s relaxed and enjoyable environment offers something for everyone It will feature an exciting seven-race card with £175,000 in prize money up for grabs New Year’s Day races will be held over the jumps For those who are planning to celebrate the night before giving plenty of time to get to the course Gates open at 10am and the final race is at 3.24pm and sample some of the refreshments on offer there will be plenty of fun and attractions for young visitors too The winter family funday features funfair rides There will also be live music throughout the day meaning there is something for everyone to enjoy This reader offer is the latest collaboration between the racecourse and Advertiser which includes the hugely successful Advertiser Ladies Day every August To claim your free tickets for New Year’s Day, go to Southwell Racecourse’s website at www.southwell-racecourse.co.uk and enter the code NEWYEAR25 Tickets must be claimed before midnight on Wednesday Please ensure to check the racecourse website for the latest updates on timings and any important travel notices before you begin your journey.