Retford Times

Your chance to explore early plans for STEP fusion powerplant site

UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd (UKIFS) is launching a local public consultation on 14 January to begin the early planning stage of the ground-breaking STEP Fusion prototype powerplant. This consultation is a significant moment for the STEP Fusion...

BEST OF BRITISH

A HOLIDAY park located on the edge of Sundown Adventureland near Retford has been named as the ‘Best in Britain.’ Wild Acre Village is a self-catering accommodation village on the edge of the theme park for the under tens, with each cabin providing a...

THIEVES PLUNDER POKEMON CARDS WORTH £10K

POKÉMON cards worth more than £10,000 have been stolen from a warehouse in Retford. The incident saw the culprits cut through the storage warehouse’s fencing before removing bricks from a wall to gain access to the collectable cards. Officers were...

Fraudster jailed after claiming insurance on bogus house burglaries

A SERIAL fraudster from Misterton falsely reported homes he owned had been burgled to claim thousands of pounds in cash. Nottingham Crown Court heard how, on five occasions, heavily-convicted Matthew Johnson said highvalue goods had been taken...

Tripping the light fantastic

THIS year’s Retford IlluminateWinter Festival of Light event, on Thursday, December 11, was absolutely brilliant – no other way to describe it. The children’s lantern parade was led by the fabulous Spark! drummers, who went on to perform twice to a...

‘Disrespectful and filthy Union flag taken down at supermarket following a letter of complaint

A NOTTINGHAMSHIRE branch of Morrisons has removed the Union flag from outside its store after it was dubbed “filthy” and “disrespectful.” The supermarket chain had been flying the Union flag alongside a Morrisons flag outside its main Retford branch,...

‘Brilliant news’ in Budget for pit workers’ pensions, but ‘next battle’ to come

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE ex-miners have outlined the “next battle” they have on their hands after a major pensions boost affecting nearly 5,000 across the county was confirmed. Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed in the budget on Wednesday (November 26) that an...

Concern finances being placed above patient need at village hospital

A NOTTINGHAM councillor has questioned whether a crisis-hit NHS trust has been placing finances above the needs of patients at a secure hospital that it runs. Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust runs Rampton Hospital, a high-security...

The secret’s out, Retford firm adds a splash of magic to Harry’s Hogwarts Express

A NOTTINGHAMSHIRE company is playing a part in the upcoming Harry Potter series. Paintman Paint Ltd, based in Retford, has supplied the paint used on the brand-new Hogwarts Express, which will feature in the series set for release next year. The...

Bra-vo to kind fundraisers at heart of town!

RETFORD’S very own Charlotte Lister has once again played a leading role in one of Bawtry’s biggest community fundraisers. The Visit Bawtry Wear It Pink campaign has helped the town raise an incredible £10,806.31 (including Gift Aid) for Breast Cancer...

Sundown’s celebration in scooping two awards

A POPULAR theme park for the under 10s in Retford is celebrating its success after scooping two industry awards in the same week. Sundown Adventureland, which has been operating for more than 50 years, was awarded the Bronze prize in the Best Theme...

DEFEND YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW.

Plans for licensed premises in your neighbourhood could be hidden from view if new government proposals for secret alcohol licensing notices get the green light.

Pet shop buoyed with funds for solar panels

BUSINESSES and community groups across Bassetlaw are benefitting from over £200k of funding through Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF). The funding has two main priorities: Healthy, Safe and Inclusive Communities with investment in capacity building...

Blooming brilliant! Village celebrates four awards

ONE of the smallest villages in Bassetlaw is celebrating after scooping four prestigious awards at this year’s East Midlands in Bloom competition, judged in July. Ranby was named Winner of the Small Village Category, the most improved entrant, the...

RETFORD REVAMP

RETFORD Town Centre is being given a traditional make-over with new street furniture adding a touch of class to its high streets. New Georgian style benches have been installed alongside litter bins in prominent areas of the town centre, in addition...

Peak of winter flu season forecast to be lower this year

HEALTH officials says that the UK’s winter 2025 flu peak is projected to be lower than previous years. NHS providers are now starting to roll out their winter plan arrangements for hospitals and services in their areas to prepare for spikes in...

NUCLEAR MAKEOVER

THE recently-demolished Cottam Power Station is set for an £11 billion redevelopment into a nuclear-powered data centre. The coal-fired plant, built in the 1960s and decommissioned in 2019, had been a landmark in North Nottinghamshire. EDF Energy has...

Bassetlaw MP defends poor council attendance after calls for resignation

A NOTTINGHAMSHIRE MP has defended her “poor attendance” at council meetings after Reform UK said she should step down from her second job. Jo White, elected as the Labour MP for Bassetlaw at the July 2024 general election, has continued to serve as a...

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Thousands flock for Sunday fun

THOUSANDS of people joined the annual free Party in the Square in Retford on Sunday. Tribute acts including sound-alikes for Tom Jones, Ed Sheeran and Sabrina Carpenter entertained the crowds while there were plenty of refreshments from local food and...

Big Market day and a 70th anniversary

PUNCH and Judy were among the main attractions on Saturday, August 16, when an audience of all ages turned out for all three of the free shows on the Market Square for the latest Big Market Day. Mr Punch and new colleague ‘King Charles’ also went on a...

FREE BOTTLE OF PEPSI

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CREATIVE BUZZ LANDS IN BANK

A BRAND new space is about to open in Retford’s market place full of objects that are pleasing to the eye. ‘The Hummingbird Collective’ a creative’ marketplace and workshop will open on Saturday, August 2 - in the old NatWest Bank - and there you will...

BLAST OF THE PAST

A DRAMATIC video shows the latest instalment of demolition work at a Nottinghamshire power station. The “textbook” demolition saw the turbine hall and DA (deaerator) bay at West Burton Power Station in Retford be taken down at 11am on Thursday, July...

MARK TEES UP FOR GOLFING TRIUMPH

A GOLFER from Retford has been crowned One-Armed Golf Champion at a contest at Cleveland Golf Course. Mark Marshall is a right-handed golfer without a right hand, after it and much of his forearm was severed in a wood processing machine at work more...

TEAM TRIBUTE ON TRACK FOR KEVIN

THE station team at Retford has raised £5,000 for charity in memory of a colleague who died from cancer. The group completed a 209-mile sponsored walk from Doncaster station to Retford station in memory of Kevin White who was employed to support...

BUTTERWICK SET TO SWEETEN UP TOWN

AWARD-WINNING doughnuts are coming to Retford market square later this month with the opening of Butterwick bakery. Butterwick owners Ryan and Fiona Scarborough, who specialise in providing hand-made doughtnuts won an award last year for the best...

SUMMER SOUNDS

BIG MARKET VISITORS ENJOY MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT

BRAVE PAIR BEATING ODDS TOGETHER

LIFE-SAVING LIFT-OFF FOR A SECOND CHOPPER

A CHARITY will be able to save more lives than ever before thanks to the purchase of a second helicopter. The Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance Charity currently operates with just one helicopter, its yellow AW169. The organisation, which works to save...

HELEN TURNS THE PAGE TO BOOKSHOP’S AWARD WIN

A BRIGHT and sparkling Retford shop has received an award for its ability to engage young people. Wonderland bookshop in Carolgate has won the prize for Children’s Bookseller of the Year at the 35th British Book Awards. The small bookstore, run by...

ALARM IS RAISED AS NILE VIRUS FOUND IN MOSQUITOES

HEALTH officials have stepped up disease surveillance efforts in Nottinghamshire after finding signs of the West Nile virus in mosquitoes in the UK for the first time. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said fragments of the virus – which can...

FOOD COURT SET TO SPREAD INTO BUTTERMARKET

PLANS to update Retford’s Town Hall to create a £1.2 million food hall are one step closer after plans were submitted to the district council. In February 2025, Bassetlaw District Council announced its plans to create an “exciting new culinary...

ELK TO JOIN BEAVERS IN WILD COMEBACK

WILD elk could be reintroduced to Idle Valley nature reserve as rewilding projects to successfully restore keystone species were labelled as “crucial” to bringing nature back to life in the UK, according to conservationists. Nature charity Rewilding...

TIME FOR REFORM!

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE’S new Reform UK councillors have made “cutting the waste” their key promise as they take charge of the county council. The party achieved well over the 34 councillors needed to run Nottinghamshire’s biggest council following last week’s...

A FINE MESS!

A RETFORD woman has been ordered to pay a total of £748 by Mansfield Magistrates Court for failing to ensure her rubbish was properly disposed of, less than a month after pleading guilty to a similar offence. Environmental Health Officers from...

CRACKING EASTER FUN DAY

RETFORD was hopping with Easter fun over the weekend with egg hunting, a giant bunny and colourful shop windows. Specsavers in the market place took first place prizes in the Easter window competition with the Good Health Boutique runner-up in the...

ARREST AFTER MAN IS KILLED IN EXPLOSION

POLICE investigating a fatal explosion at a house in Worksop have arrested a man on suspicion of murder. Emergency services were called to John Street at 7.39pm on Saturday, April 12, after an explosion inside a house and a major incident was...

TRIBUTES TO DAD AND DAUGHTER AFTER CARAVAN BLAZE DEATHS

PUB in Retford has paid tribute to the father and daughter who died in a caravan fire in a holiday park in Ingoldmells on the Lincolnshire coast. The emergency services were called to the Golden Beach Holiday Park in Roman Bank in the early hours of...

KIDS GO FREE

We’ve teamed up with Day Out With The Kids VIP Pass to give your family amazing discounts for the biggest and best attractions across the UK! The offer will help you make great savings over the Easter holidays at a choice of theme parks, zoos and...

LOCAL HEROES PRAISED AT ACHIEVERS AWARDS

THE Bassetlaw Achievers Awards returned for this year, celebrating the outstanding achievements of 28 local residents and five organisations who have gone the extra mile to help their communities. The event took place at Retford Town Hall and was...

COURSE RECORDS SMASHED AT HALF MARATHON

THE Retford Half Marathon took place on Sunday, March 16 and the sun shone brightly on all the runners. Retford Athletic Club Secretary Mark Fielding said: “A massive well done to everyone who took part in the Retford Half Marathon! The event ran very...

RECOGNITION FOR WOMEN’S CAMPAIGNER

RETFORD stood still on Saturday, March 8, to remember a truly electrifying campaigner who once lived here. An unforgettable character in the history of democracy and rights for women, Jessie Craigen (1835-1899) used Retford as her base to travel the...

MURDER INQUIRY AFTER DEATH AT INDUSTRIAL UNIT

A MURDER investigation has been launched after a man was found dead at an industrial unit. Police were called to reports of an aggravated burglary on Lodge Lane in Tuxford, a historic market town in Bassetlaw. Police were called at 10.40pm on Tuesday...

POMERANIAN POOCH ROSA NOMINATED AS CRUFTS HERO DOG

A YOUNG carer from Retford has been given her childhood back by the companionship of her pet dog Rosa. Eight-year-old Rozalyn Merrett’s Pomeranian pooch has been announced as a finalist in the prestigious Kennel Club Hero Dog Award by the world famous...

POLICE SEIZE DRONE OVER SUSPECTED HMP RANBY DRUGS DROP

POLICE say they have seized ‘tights full of drugs’ and a suspected dropoff drone from car near a prison in Nottinghamshire. Two people were detained within a car in connection with a suspected drop off at HMP Ranby. Operational support officers pulled...

FOOD REVOLUTION

A PLAN for a new ‘culinary experience’ at Retford’s Buttermarket is part of a £1.2 million project to breathe new life into the town centre. Bassetlaw District Council has unveiled the proposal for a new food destination in the basement of the town...

FAMILIES FACING A ‘DOUBLE WHAMMY’

THE cost of Nottinghamshire school meals are set to rise again in a “double whammy” move that could come into force in months. School meals in county council-run facilities are currently £2.95 and from April 1, the plan is for this to increase to...

‘I LOST EVERYTHING’

AFTER his wife died after battling a terminal illness, a Retford man not only had to come to terms with her death but also realised being a fulltime carer had left him without income and in financial trouble. Nolan had stopped working fulltime to care...

BURST WATER MAIN FLOODS SHOPS

A RETFORD business owner says she has suffered thousands of pounds worth of damage after a burst water main flooded the high street. Several businesses were forced to close on Thursday, January 16, after flooding the previous evening affecting...

CAMPAIGN NETS 84 DRIVERS OVER LIMIT

MORE than 80 Nottinghamshire drivers, including one who was allegedly found to be four times over the alcohol limit, have been charged with drink or drug-driving offences over the festive period. Nottinghamshire Police said they carried out roadside...

SAVE OUR VOLES

FARMER COMES TO THE RESCUE FOR ENDANGERED WATER VOLES AS NOTTINGHAMSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST IS GIVEN PERMISSION TO BUILD NINE PONDS TO HELP THE MAMMALS’ RECOVERY -

46 CHARGED IN ‘DEADLY MIX’ CRACKDOWN

NEARLY 50 drivers have been charged with drink or drug-driving offences during the first three weeks of a police operation. Nottinghamshire Police’s Deadly Mix campaign uses a mixture of public engagement, education, and enforcement to keep drivers...

RETFORD SHINES

A FREE festival brought Retford residents together to enjoy a parade that lit up the town. The Illuminate Festival of Light took place on Thursday, December 12 and included free entertainment. The parade was led by Retford Town Crier Paul Cookson...

SOGGY SANTAS!

DOZENS of Santas braved the windy and wet weather on a Sunday morning to take part in a festive annual event. On Sunday, December 8, a sea of red could be seen in Retford Market Square for the third Retford Rotary Club Family Santa Fun...

COUNCIL CAN AUCTION OFF EMPTY SHOPS

BASSETLAW District Council is among four authorities in the country being given new power to auction off empty shops and fill them. The government have brought in the new powers to bring high streets “back to life”. The changes, first introduced in a...

NEW WARNING SYSTEM FOR FLOODING

A NEW advance flood warning system has been launched in Retford by the Environment Agency. Residents in Grove Lane and Blackstope Lane, and all along the Retford Beck now have an advanced warning system of potential flooding. Last month the culverts...

LIGHTS GO ON DESPITE WEATHER SETBACK

THE forecast for heavy rain and strong wind brought a scaled down Christmas lights switch-on for Retford on Sunday. The very high winds of Storm Bert meant the market stalls could not be covered and the stage could not be constructed, so the event...

‘UNDERSIZED’ SCHOOL IS SET TO EXPAND

AN “undersized” Nottinghamshire primary school is getting a major extension so that it can fit the number of pupils it is supposed to. Nottinghamshire County Council says the Bracken Lane Primary Academy has an official admissions number of 30 pupils...

LEST WE FORGET

HUNDREDS of people turned out in Retford on Sunday to pay their respects at the annual Remembrance parade and service. The Retford & District Branch of The Royal British Legion, supported by Bassetlaw District Council, hosted the event in Market...

BESIEGED

RESIDENTS say they are fighting to protect their village as they feel the land around them is being swallowed up for various energy projects. Located on the outskirts of Nottinghamshire near Retford is the peaceful village of Rampton, which is home to...

DEMOLITION FOR OLD PUB

A DERELICT pub in Retford will be demolished to create 13 apartments, a shop and a café – two years after a similar plan was rejected by the council. Bassetlaw District Council approved the demolition of the Masons Arms pub in Spital Hill, Retford...

ROGUE ROOFER IS JAILED FOR FOUR YEARS AFTER RIPPING OFF PENSIONERS

A ROGUE roofer fleeced thousands of pounds from elderly and vulnerable victims who lived alone. Nottingham Crown Court heard how Jimmy Dolan would use aliases as part of his ruse and gained the trust of the mainly women in their 80s and 90s, to part...

RYAN DOES IT AGAIN!

A RETFORD gym owner has cemented his place as a bodybuilding icon by winning a Mr Olympia world title for the second time. Ryan Terry top first place in the My Olympia Men’s Physique category on Saturday at the Resorts World Theater in Las Vegas...

‘AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE SAVED MY LIFE’

A RETFORD resident has praised Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance for saving his life. In the recent podcast ‘Side by Side’ James Bannister took the audience on a journey back to the scene of his accident in 1998. He described how his...

DIGGING IN FOR FLOOD RELIEF

HOMES in Retford became safer last week, as long overdue work to alleviate flooding of the Retford Beck finally began. Years of work and campaigning and pleas for funding came to fruition as lorry-loads of silt were cleared from culverts of the...