Review Of The Year (part four) -- news that made the Chad headlines in 2022

Vivid images that made 2022 a memorable year, and not all for the right reasons.

It was another turbulent, tumultuous year. We smiled, cried, raged or despaired as 2021 brought us the rail and nurses’ strikes, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend, the Qatar World Cup, Matt Hancock in the jungle, Just Stop Oil protests, soaring energy bills, the return of ‘Top Gun’, the triumphant England Lionesses, the climax of ‘Peaky Blinders’, Wagatha Christie, Elon Musk’s Twitter, three Prime Ministers in seven weeks, ‘The White Lotus’, booming inflation, England winning cricket’s T20 World Cup, Volodymyr Zelensky, ‘Derry Girls’, ‘Big Boys’, David Beckham queueing, Holly and Phil not queueing, Boris Johnson telling Parliament: ‘Hasta la vista, baby’, Harry and Meghan on Netflix, the crowning of Lionel Messi and the demise of Cristiano Ronaldo.

What’s more, although we tried so hard to get rid of them, Covid-19, Brexit and Donald Trump all lingered for longer than we anticipated.

But what of 2022 in Mansfield and Ashfield? What kind of year was it for us? In this four-part Review Of The Year, we take a look back at the most-read news and sport stories that made the Chad headlines, concluding with October to December.

OCTOBER

‘STRANGER THINGS’ DISPLAY – a photographer from Kirkby goes all out for Halloween with a striking ‘Stranger Things’ display for the Cancer Research UK charity. Victoria Bradley transforms her house with decorations from the hit TV drama series, plus pumpkins to add that Halloween feel. She says: “It has been such fun putting this all together.”

RESTAURANT HONOUR – a family-run Italian restaurant in Walesby celebrates after receiving a top award from a popular review site. The Carpenters Arms Italian Kitchen, on Boughton Road, bags an accolade from Tripadvisor that is reserved for the top ten per cent of restaurants in the world. Owners John and Louise Boddice, from Mansfield, are in partnership with family friend Christian Colarieti, from Rome.

NO-GO ALLEYWAYS – alleyways in Ashfield, which attract anti-social behaviour, look set to be closed or have access to them restricted by district councillors working closely with the police. The move, which is part of the council’s Safer Streets agenda, could see the public banned from the so-called ‘Mucky Alley’, a notorious service road behind Outram Street in Sutton.

CLUB OF THE YEAR – Sutton Swimming Club is named the Swim England club of the year award for the East Midlands, which takes them forward into the national accolade. Head coach Simon Hill says: “The hard work of everyone at the club has been acknowledged. Sutton SC is made great by its many volunteers, who strive to give our swimmers the best opportunities.”

NOVEMBER

SHOP SHUTS AFTER 228 YEARS – Mansfield’s oldest independent jeweller’s shop announces it is to close, complete with a 50 per cent off closing-down sale. Martin Wilkinson, of Queen Street, is owned by Andrew Campin and dates back to 1794. Andrew, who has worked in the jewellery industry for 60 years, says: “The store has survived some difficult times, including two World Wars, but the time is right for me to retire.”

BUSKER BAN ANGER – angry Mansfield residents back a popular busker after he was issued with a 24-hour ban from the town centre. Wes Dolan, a 42-year-old musician who has been busking in the town for more than 20 years, was given his marching orders by Mansfield District Council after complaints of a noise disturbance.

ASYLUM-SEEKERS IN HOTEL – residents have mixed views after news that a hotel in Mansfield town centre is being used to house asylum-seekers. While some are supportive, praising the importance of providing a place for some of the most vulnerable people in society, others are against and MP Ben Bradley urges the government to investigate.

GOLFER IS WAN TO WATCH— the sporting headlines are stolen by Mansfield golfer Amelia Wan, 15, who is in superb form to finish third in the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship in Portugal. Wan, from the Sherwood Forest club, was up against some of the finest young golfers across Great Britain and Northern Ireland. She shot a remarkable score of 65 in the opening round.

DECEMBER

SPOONS GIVEN GREEN LIGHT – revised plans to create a large, new beer garden on the site of the former QI nightclub in Mansfield are given the green light. The original scheme was to demolish the club for a 200-seat garden between The Widow Frost and the Stag & Pheasant boozers, both owned by Wetherspoons. But it has been altered after Wetherspoons announced it is to sell The Widow Frost.

SPLASH STUNTS STOPPED – Rufford Mill Ford, which had become an internet sensation with videos of motorists driving through the water, is closed to motorists by Nottinghamshire County Council after “an increase in incidents”. The ford had turned itself into an unlikely tourist attraction as drivers’ splash antics attracted large crowds, but the council considers the stunts dangerous.

WORLD CUP PUB – The Green Dragon, a popular pub in Mansfield town centre, is back with a bang after a stunning refit costing more than £200,000. The boozer, which has been pulling pints for 60 years, is revamped with sports enthusiasts in mind, complete with booths to enjoy watching the World Cup action on TVs.

SPORTSPERSON OF YEAR – world para canoe champion Charlotte Henshaw is named sportsperson of the year at the Mansfield Sports Recognition Awards 2022. The 35-year-old former Paralympics swimming star, who swapped sports, is now training hard for the 2023 season and, ultimately, the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.