Derby Telegraph
10 years of helping city to battle addiction
JAZ Rai is marking the 10-year anniversary of his charity helping recovering alcoholics. The Rolls-Royce worker used to drink “a bottle of vodka a day” before setting up the Sikh Recovery Network.
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Woman is accused of murdering and burying her partner
A WOMAN who allegedly murdered, dismembered and buried her partner then “got on with her life as though nothing had happened” for 15 years while the body remained undiscovered, a jury has been told. The opening day of the trial of Anna Podedworna...
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Council hits back at market critics after 51,000 Christmas visitors
DERBY City Council has responded to claims that footfall at the new Market Hall was “dropping off a cliff” by revealing that 51,000 people visited last month. December and the city’s Christmas lights switch-on was hailed a success following its move...
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MP slams ‘unfair’ airport parking
FULL demolition of the Showcase cinema site has been approved – with Burger King, Starbucks and Greggs to take its place. The building has been left half bulldozed in recent years.
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City apology over storm preparation
DERBY City Council leader Nadine Peatfield has apologised for the authority’s failures in dealing with Storm Goretti. Councillor Peatfield said she was told the city’s grit bins had been replenished ahead of the snowstorm – but some were not. But,...
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City council is ‘leading the way’ on AI as it saves £12m
THE use of artificial intelligence (AI) has saved Derby City Council at least £12 million and removed the need to fill 100 vacant roles, officials have said. The authority says it is now exploring further ways in which it can use AI. Chief executive...
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No action on city asylum hotels in breach of regulations
CITY hotels housing asylum seekers are in breach of planning regulations. But the council said enforcement on the Midland and Station hotels, near the station, is “not considered appropriate given the level of harm”.
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FREE£2 SHOP BET WITH William HILL
AN area of the city centre currently used as a car park will create a vital shortcut – and become a “cultural food and drinks hub” after plans were approved. The St James Yard development will establish a pedestrian link between Sadler Gate and St...
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Burglary gang jailed for raids totalling £1m
George Lleshaj Krisjian Dedndreaj Kristian Gropcaj A GANG of burglars has been brought to justice after a series of high-value burglaries across the East Midlands and the UK. Five men stole belongings worth over £1million and pleaded guilty to...
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Traders tell of misery over Christmas ‘ghost town’
TRADERS on what would normally be one of Derby’s busiest streets claim it has become a “ghost town” after seeing a huge fall in trade over Christmas. Many are blaming the closure of a Derbion entrance at one end of Albion Street. The entrance was...
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Hippodrome: Council ‘looking to make it safe, not demolition’
A REPORT into the Derby Hippodrome building commissioned by its owners recommends more demolition because it claims it is “imminently dangerous”. The claims have been denied by the city council, which says its own report has come out very...
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New fears over demolition change for Assembly Rooms
A PLANNING application that would allow the Assembly Rooms to be demolished without a clear plan to replace it has raised concerns. Councillors and heritage experts have expressed fears that an application to vary the details of a condition weakens...
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College plans extension to cope with student boom
DERBY College wants to build an extension to cope with increased demand for its courses. It says it is needed to house courses in brickwork, joinery, plastering and plumbing for pre-16 and post-16 students and apprentices.
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Could 2026 see work finally start on city ‘carbuncle’?
A SITE once referred to as “the carbuncle of the city” could finally be developed in 2026, nearly 30 years after it was vacated. Duckworth Square has improved in the past couple of years, thanks to the development of the Vaillant Live arena and the...
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Tenants facing rent rises to pay for new council homes
THOUSANDS of council homes are set to be built in Derby but rents are set to rise for many tenants to help pay for them. The city’s ruling councillors are set to approve “an ambitious new plan to reverse trends of declining housing stock”. But people...
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key city projects in pipeline for 2026
DERBY City Council will hope to build on the projects it completed this year with more in 2026. Ten key projects could shape the future of the city next year, with the likes of restoring the Guildhall Theatre, as well as work on Darley Abbey...
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While our city centre is facing struggles, Normanton thrives ...what’s the secret?
DERBY city centre has been urged to take inspiration from the thriving streets around Normanton Road. Councillor and former Derbyshire police and crime commissioner Hardyal Dhindsa, who knows the area well, says it is full of independent businesses,...
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Security is called in for council workers removing city flags
SECURITY guards have been appointed in Derby to protect workers removing England and Union Flags after they were subjected to “threatening behaviour”. Derby City Council says it has used third-party security because of “threats towards contractors...
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Free climber felt ill before Spanish bridge fall death
AN experienced ‘rooftopper’ began feeling unwell before falling to his death when climbing Spain’s highest bridge. Lewis Stevenson was scaling the 630ft-high Castilla La Mancha in Talavera de la Reina when the fatal fall happened on Sunday, October...
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Could this radical idea help save our green spaces?
A DEVELOPER has come up with a radical idea to build new homes and help preserve Derby’s green spaces at the same time. Hugh Dennis, managing director of the Little Ships company and who is also behind the housing development at the former Cotton Lane...
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City’s leader reveals she has received death threats
DERBY City Council’s leader has revealed that she has received death threats as she launched a new campaign against hate. Councillor Nadine Peatfield spoke out during the launch of “No Place for Hate in Derby”. She said the threats had left her...
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What now for Elvaston Castle?
AN attempt to sell Elvaston Castle estate has been unsuccessful and the estate is no longer being marketed for sale. Instead, conversations are under way to “restore this valuable heritage asset” for the “enjoyment of all residents”. In March this...
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Reform-run council looks set to spend millions – to save money
DERBYSHIRE County council is to spend £5 million on private companies to investigate how it can save millions of pounds, which could include job cuts. The Reform UK-run authority will hire consultants to assess potential changes which can be made to...
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‘Trouble’ at Mills fear for traders as key crossing is closed off
THE closure of a key footbridge has left dozens of businesses “massively concerned” at being cut off from customers. Derby City Council has closed Walter’s Walkway, the temporary pedestrian crossing over the Derwent which leads to Darley Abbey Mills,...
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City to miss its target on landmark demolition
DERBY City Council’s plans to demolish the long-closed Assembly Rooms have been delayed, casting doubt on the wider Market Place redevelopment. Although council leader Nadine Peatfield hoped demolition would begin by the end of 2025, it is now...
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More towers on way as city project is approved
A DERBY marketing expert is calling on companies to “take the gamble” on bringing more people into the industry by taking advantage of the Government’s decision to fully fund apprenticeships. Claire MacDonald, below, director of teaching and learning...
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Fraudster is jailed after using Covid money for shares
A DERBY businessman who spent Covid support scheme money on online trading platforms has been jailed. Temidola Ojelabi secured £80,000 from two Bounce Back Loan applications. Businesses were only entitled to a single loan.
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Redundancy is not on the cards as city eyes £26m investment
DERBY City Council is optimistic it will be able to protect essential services and invest around £26 million in the next financial year. The authority is hoping to get a better financial deal from the Government, to be announced next week under “fair...
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City road to be resurfaced for third time after errors
A CITY road will be closed and resurfaced for the third time in three years. Work on Chapel Street in Spondon will be done overnight as it has become a “sensitive issue” among residents.
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‘More pub closures inevitable’ as tax bills set to soar
A CITY landlord has warned that more pub closures are “bound to happen” as tax bills shoot up to unaffordable levels. The Brunswick Inn’s Alan Pickersgill sees a bleak future for several pubs across Derby, including his own – one of the city’s most...
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No return home for city evacuees
RESIDENTS faced spending a second night away from their homes yesterday as work continued to make sure the area was safe following a major incident in the city. Police were searching a house in Normanton yesterday afternoon as hundreds of residents...
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Controlled blast in city after 200 homes evacuated and two arrested
POLICE declared a major incident in Derby yesterday and more than 200 homes were evacuated as a precaution after two men were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences. Police put an evacuation zone in place after carrying out a warrant acting on...
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Three more are convicted over violence at sporting event
THREE more men have been found guilty of being involved in a huge fight involving knives and guns in Derby. People were injured when violence broke out between two groups attending a kabbadi tournament in Alvaston in the summer of 2023. Now Boota...
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Councillors smell trouble as city seeks bidders for new food waste site
DERBY City Council is being urged to ensure a new food waste site will not lead bad smells and disruption. The city is seeking a contract with a firm “to provide a tipping location for food waste vehicles” ahead of a switch to weekly collections from...
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Lights out
MORE than 540 people have signed a petition opposing plans to install traffic lights at a busy junction which has been handed over to Derby City Council. It is now hoped a public consultation can take place to determine the future of a proposal to fit...
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Neighbours’ relief over future of ex-school site
NEIGHBOURS say they are relieved after the future of an unused patch of land that could be used for a Travellers site appears to have been resolved. The former Ivy School, off Osmaston Road and Bateman Road in Derby, could soon be used for new homes...
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City election ‘limbo’ as councils shake-up goes on
CONFUSION surrounds how the next local authority elections in Derby will work – with the current situation described as “a complete mess” by opponents. “No definitive answers” can be given on how the next elections in 2027 will be structured and there...
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New row over homes plan as Govt urged to step in ‘urgently’
THE Government has been urged to review a decision to allow more than 250 homes to be built on the edge of Derby. Spondon councillors Jonathan Smale, Chris Poulter and Nicola Roulstone have written to the Housing Secretary Steve Reed and called for...
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Fears of links to grooming gangs leave city on ‘tenterhooks’
A REVIEW looking at whether child sex offence cases or reports in Derbyshire could be linked to the national grooming gangs inquiry has left the city on “tenterhooks”. Derbyshire Constabulary has neither confirmed nor denied any local links to the...
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IT’S NOT FINE
A NEW traffic camera fiited on a busy city road is nothing more than “a cash cow designed to catch out legitimate drivers making honest mistakes”, councillors claim. The Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera sits at the junctions of...
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New design revealed for old job centre
NEW designs have been revealed for a former job centre in Derby that has stood empty for eight years. The developer says it would be called “The Forest” and would incorporate vertical gardens running the height of the building, transforming its...
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Council not calling time on city HQ
DERBY’S Council House will be a frontrunner to be the home of a new council, says the city’s leader. Nadine Peatfield accepted there was “technically” uncertainty over the future of the city council’s HQ on Corporation Street as the authority could...
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City warned of ‘years of traffic chaos’ in protests
CAMPAIGNERS have warned long traffic queues at a city junction are “just a taste of what motorists may face” when major A38 upgrades start. The ‘Stop The A38 Expansion’ held a protest at the Five Lamps junction after a City Council project for road...
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Traveller site and 16 areas for new homes in future blueprint
DERBY City Council’s new draft local plan has identified land off Pride Parkway, Wilmorton, as a possible Gypsy and Traveller site. The site is one of many in the plan that have been identified for housing development over the next 18 years. It is at...
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DERBY REMEMBERS
PAST and present members of the armed forces joined with civic leaders and the people of Derby on Remembrance Sunday to pay tribute to those who gave their lives for our country. The city’s annual parade and the two-minute silence were both...
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Maternity services improve but concerns remain
MATERNITY services hospitals in Derby and Burton have improved but concerns for patient safety remain. In a new but significantly delayed inspection, the Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator of health and social care, rated services as...
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Plan could see at least 400 homes built next to A52
AT least 400 new homes could be built off the A52 in Derby. The development would be situated on land off Stoney Lane in Spondon. The plans are part of Derby City Council’s new draft local plan, which earmarks where new houses can be built in the...
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Extra patrols in city centre ‘are making a difference’
INCREASED public safety patrols in the city centre have left shoppers and businesses feeling safer. The city council said more public protection officers would be on the streets to reassure visitors following high-profile crimes including a fatal...
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‘Lied to, gaslit and brushed off’ over places for Sen kids
A PROTEST to highlight years of failure over special educational support saw more than 100 pairs of children’s shoes form an emotive protest outside Derbyshire County Council headquarters. Letters attached to each of the 115 pairs of shoes at County...
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Vandalised charging points ‘a waste of money’
A CLUSTER of electric vehicle chargers in a Derby suburb have been described as “useless” and a “waste of money” after they were targeted by thieves just months after being installed. Copper cables have been stripped and stolen from the charging...
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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. SCAN THIS QR CODE and complete the survey to #defendyourrighttoknow
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Inquiry demand after bank killing
THE mayor of Derby and a leading councillor have written a joint letter demanding a full independent inquiry into the shocking murder of Derby father-of-three, Gurvinder Singh Johal, in Lloyds Bank earlier this year. The loving 37-year-old family man,...
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New public protection officers on way for city centre
EXTRA public protection patrols will be visible in Derby city centre soon to offer reassurance to visitors and businesses following a series of high-profile crimes. Derby City Council leader Nadine Peatfield said: “We have strengthened our commitment...
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Axeman’s threat: ‘Leave my area or I will chop you’
A MAN who witnessed the murder of soldier Lee Rigby had an axe pulled out on him in Derby. Derby Crown Court heard Roy Langdon told him: “Leave my area or I will chop you.” The victim said: “I witnessed the Lee Rigby murder in London so seeing the...
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Production starts on trains that kept Alstom in Derby
ALSTOM’S historic Lit church Lane works has started work on new trains that saved Derby’s railway heritage. The order for 10 Aventra 345 trains, each with nine carriages, to serve on London’s Elizabeth Line, was placed at the 11th hour, saving jobs...
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Frustration as Remembrance flags removed
A VOLUNTEER has been left frustrated after flags for Remembrance Day were removed by Derby City Council shortly after they had been put up. Michael Walsh, who has been organising Remembrance Day events in Mackworth and New Zealand for the past five...
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Cabbie accuses city council of making him jobless
DERBY City Council has been accused of making a Derby taxi driver jobless and taking his “life away” in a row over the condition of his car. Shameer Madarbakus, 47, has been a taxi driver for 20 years – but claims his job is in jeopardy after the...
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Young footballers’ ‘fight to survive’ reaches Parliament
A CHILDREN’S football team in Derby has seen its fight to survive reach the Houses of Parliament. Stockbrook Colts Football Club has been forced to stop play because of concerns over safety.
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Pub reopens after 7-year closure
A DERBY pub that had been left in a derelict state for years reopens today with a new name. The New Pin in Chellaston – formerly the Corner Pin that closed down in 2018 – has undergone an eight-week renovation.
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City park is parking fine hotspot
MARKEATON Park is Derby’s number one spot for parking fines with more than 2,000 issued this year. Other places high on the list include Osmaston Road near The Spot, London Road, the Morledge, Babington Lane area, and Pride Park park-andride at Derby...
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Abuser who left victims in ‘constant fear’ is jailed
A MAN abused three former partners, which included assaulting them and strangling two of them, has been jailed. Ashley Bradbury was violent and abusive whilst he was in relationships with them, controlling what they did and repeatedly messaging them.
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More help on way to tackle big increase in homeless
AFTER being awarded £3.4 million in Government funding to help prevent and relieve homelessness and rough sleeping in Derby in July, the city council has been given an extra £1 million to tackle the issue. Last year, 2,292 households approached Derby...
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New bid to fix traffic jams around Costco
IT is hoped that plans to extend the car park at a popular Derby wholesaler could ease the area’s well-known traffic problems. A planning application has been sent to Derby City Council for Costco in Pride Park. The new plans propose extending the car...
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More than 200 people face redundancy at university
UNIVERSITY of Derby staff were left in “floods of tears” when plans to make 265 jobs redundant were announced earlier this week. The institution says the proposals are part of its responsibility to ensure its long-term sustainability and focus...
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Road closed two years costing city thousands
A CLOSED city road is costing taxpayers thousands of pounds, and councillors are still unsure when it will reopen. Mickleover’s Uttoxeter Road has been partially shut since a wall collapsed when Storm Babet hit in October 2023.
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City GP surgery to close despite major concerns
A GP surgery in Derby will close despite major concerns that some residents may not be able to access a doctor close by. The Park Medical Practice has confirmed it will permanently close its Oakwood branch in Bishops Drive because of safety...
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‘Dangerous’ old police station is costing £150k to keep safe
THE site of a former Derby police station which has become a hotspot for vandalism and anti-social behaviour is costing a developer around £150,000 to keep safe. DCG Investments has been granted planning permission to build 102 apartments at the site...
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Community effort raises £100k for Marley
A DERBYSHIRE couple have thanked their community after raising nearly £100,000 for daughter Marley, three, who is battling a rare kidney cancer. Friends and neighbours organised events including a golf day, marathons and a ‘nailathon.’
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A year on and historic site is already starting to look FRIAR GREAT!
JUST 12 months after work began to bring one of Derby’s most historic industrial sites back to life and the transformation is already looking amazing. The restoration of the Grade II listed Friar Gate Goods Yard is not expected to be completed until...
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Market Hall butcher stall quits as city pledges more fresh goods
DERBY City Council has committed to bringing in more fresh produce stalls after the Market Hall’s only butchers left less than four months after the £35.1million refurbished venue reopened. Anthony Andrews Butchers, which also has a shop in Duffield,...
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£800k cash boost to help museums break even
DERBY Museums are to receive a lifeline grant of nearly £800,000. Nearly a year after a national letter appealing to the Government for more funding, £799,700 has been portioned from the £20million Museum Renewal Fund. Derby Museums is responsible...
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‘Devious’ mum who faked cancer to con partner ordered to pay £30k
A CITY mum who conned her partner out of thousands of pounds by falsely claiming she had cancer has been ordered to pay him more than £30,000. Court heard that Laura McPherson will mostly raise the money to give to Jon Leonard by selling a designer...
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