LeftLion September 2023 Issue 163

Credits

Editori-Al

Alan Gilby (alan.gilby@leftlion.co.uk)

Editor-in-Chief Jared Wilson (jared.wilson@leftlion.co.uk)

Editor Sophie Gargett (sophie.gargett@leftlion.co.uk)

These people #SupportLeftLion

Assistant Editor Gemma Cockrell (gemma.cockrell@leftlion. co.uk)

Head Designer Natalie Owen (natalie.owen@leftlion.co.uk)

Head of Video and Photography Curtis Powell (curtis.powell@leftlion.co.uk)

Partnerships Manager Adam Pickering (adam.pickering@leftlion.co.uk)

Web Developer Tom Errington (tom.errington@leftlion.co.uk)

Fashion Editor Addie Kenogbon (addie.kenogbon@leftlion.co.uk)

Stage Co-Editor Ian C. Douglas (ian@leftlion.co.uk)

Stage Co-Editor Dom Henry (dom.henry@leftlion.co.uk)

Screen Co-Editor George White (george.white@leftlion.co.uk)

Al Draper, Alison Gove-Humphries, Alison Harrison, Alison Hedley, Anamenti, Andrene Alejandro, Anne Jennings, Ant Haywood, Audrey & Lizzy & Margot, Barbara Morgan, Ben Lester, Caroline Le Sueur, Catriona, Cerys Gibson, Chloe Langley, Chris Jarvis, Chris Mead, Chris Underwood, Claire Foss, Claire Henson, Claire Warren, Clare Foyle, Colin, Cyra Golijani-Moghaddam, D Lawson, Dan Lyons, Dan Hemmings, Darren Harvey, David Knight, Dick Watson, Donna RoweMerriman, Eden PR, Ellen O’Hara, Emma Lipinski, Erika Diaz Petersen, Felicity Whittle, Fred Glenister, Freddy Angell, Graye Wilde, Harry Sutcliffe, Hayley Howard, Heather Hodkinson, Heather Oliver, Helena Tyce, Holly's Merry Moggies, Ian Phillips, Ian Storey, Ian Yanson, In memory of Anna Novak (Bradford and Scoraig), In memory of Jenny Smith, James Place, James Wright, Janine Lees, Jayne Paul William & Pirate Jack, Jem Woolley, Joanna Furniss, John Haslam, John Hess, John Holmes, John Scruton, Jon Blyth, Jonathan Fenn, Jos Potts, Joshua Heathcote, Judy Gray, Julian Bower, Justyn Roberts, Kathryn Hewitt, Kathleen Dunham, Kay Gilby, Kiki Dee the Cat, Koprowskit, Lawrence Poole, Les Hayes, Lilian Greenwood, Livi & Jacob Nieri, Liz Knott, Lizzy Colyer, Louise Duffield, Mark Barratt, Mark Gasson, Matt Cliffe, Matt Turpin, Matthew Riches, Michael Mc, Mighty Lightweights, MinorOak Coworking, Miri Debah, Moira Scothern, Monica White, Nick Donovan, Nick Waine, Nigel Cooke, Nigel Hudson, Nigel King, Nina Faresin, NottingJam Orchestra, Paul Boast, Paul Wentworth, Paul Woodall, Pearl Quick, Pete Barker, Peter Coghill, Peter Hamilton Family, Philip Miller, Rach, Rachel Ayrton, Rachel Hancorn, Rachel Morton, Raphael Achache, Rebecca Freeman, Redbrick Communications, Rich Fisher, Richard Barclay, Richard Goodwin, Rob Arthur, Roger Hughes, Ron Mure, Ross Balzaretti, Roy Manterfield, Russell Brown, Sam Hudson, Sam Nahirny, Sam Rose, Samantha Culshaw-Robinson, Sarah Manton, Sarah Moore, Sarah Scriver, Simon Evans, Siobhan, Spicer, Steve Benton, Steve Lyon, Steve Riordan, Steve Stickley Storyteller, Steve Wallace, Stewart Berry, Stuart Wilson, Sue Barsby, Sue Reader, Tom Justice, Tom Patterson, Tracey Newton, Will Horton

Screen Co-Editor Oliver Parker (oliver.parker@leftlion.co.uk)

Music Editor Amrit Virdi (amrit.virdi@leftlion.co.uk)

Food Editor Julia Head (julia.head@leftlion.co.uk)

Fancy seeing your name (or the name of your band, small business, loved one, pet etc) in this mag every month? It only costs a fiver and the money supports this magazine. Plus you get all kinds of other treats too.

Photography Co-Editor Fabrice Gagos (fabrice.gagos@leftlion.co.uk)

Photography Co-Editor Nathan Langman (nathan.langman@leftlion.co.uk)

Art Editor George Dunbar (george.dunbar@leftlion.co.uk)

Cover Raphael Achache

Graphic Designer

Sophie Gargett

Editorial Interns

Akhila Thomas

Beth Green

Krishita Kandoi

Lottie Murray

Writers

James Hickford

Nadia Whittome

Rich Higton

Rose Mason

leftlion.co.uk/issue163

Distribution Dom Martinovs

Photographers Ade Andrews

Alan Lodge

Aušra Froggatt

Dani Bacon

Iguazu

John Walker

Nottingham Ghost Walk

Rich Bell

Rick Hall

Studio Anicca: Charlotte Jopling

So Hakreevoss

Zoe Scott-Smith

Illustrators

Ciaran Burrows

Iulia Matei

Environment Editor Eleanor Flowerday (eleanor.flowerday@leftlion.co.uk)

Not many of the current team can say they were there right from the beginning of LeftLion, but our Dom can. Way back in the dark days of issue one he photographed director Chris Cooke. By the time issue eleven came around in 2006 Dom was on the case as Photo Editor. As well as managing the LeftLion photo talent, he was also packing in the portraits for us, photographing the likes of Sir Paul Smith, Alan Sillitoe, Ray Gosling, Chuck Palahniuk, Basil Brush and The Dalai Lama. Not to mention Notts legends like Ezekial Bone, Fish Man and Sat Bains. Alongside serving with distinction as photo editor until 2014, Dom has also been covering theatre for us. Co-editing our theatre lineup since 2005. To this day if a review happens at the Royal Centre then he’s sorted it. On the Notts photo front Dom can still be found downtown

Literature Editor Andrew Tucker (literature@leftlion.co.uk)

behind a camera for the Arena and National Ice Centre, when he’s not busy running his parts company and being a proud dad. He’s a busy lad.

Keeping it Wild

What came first, the reserve or David Attenborough? Erin McDaid of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust answers all our questions

Tour guide Ezekial Bones has spent thirty years developing his craft, bringing legend (and truth) to the modern city

The Films of LeftLion

Over the last decade, as well as producing lots of written journalism, LeftLion have also made a few films

17 21 24

The Workshop Worksheet

We look back on forty stars of The TV Workshop in the past forty years of its existence

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House of Wonder Tokenhouse is fifty! This hidden gem, sells everything from toys, mugs, books, and greeting cards

Sparking Creativity

Nottingham-based charity Ignite! has been supporting young people to achieve their potential for twenty years

Twenty LeftLion Interviews Worth A Re-read

Over the last two decades we’ve interviewed a lot of people. It’s not easy to pick out favourites, but we’ve given it a go

Not Giving Up The Ghost

We joined the brains behind the Nottingham Ghost Walk for a pint in the ‘Sal to celebrate their thirtieth anniversary

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A Fair Deal

Neil, owner of local indie fairtrade chain Iguazu, shares the story that led him and partner Karen on this venture

Turtley Amazing

We met up with Antonio Vendone at Suede Bar to chat about all things pizza and Nottingham

Frock and Roll

One BC has clothed some of the world’s legendary stars, from The Rolling Stones to Pamela Anderson

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Eats, Reads and Leaves

Five Leaves Bookshop has become a vital fixture in Nottingham’s literary scene over the past decade

Dean and Heard

We catch up with Dean Jackson, one of the most important figures in Nottingham when it comes to the music industry

Ay up, I’m Al Gilby, one of the three original founders of LeftLion. Myself, Jared (Wilson) and Tim (Bates) set this nonsense up from a flat above Naughty But Nice sandwich shop in Carrington in 2003. I’ve done pretty much everything over the years for Leftlion, but I haven’t ever written an editorial, what better time than our 20th anniversary issue.

LeftLion was inspired by the terrible national rep Nottingham had at the time, ‘Shottingham’ as a nickname didn’t seem to reflect our experiences of the city. So, after a cliched chat in the pub (The Grosvenor) we set about building a website that celebrated all the brilliant culture the city had to offer. Realising that a website (back then) made no money and had limited reach we launched a printed magazine a year later. A good friend of ours (thanks Stav) who

had recently finished a marketing degree suggested adding mystery by distributing the magazines in brown paper bags sealed with a sticker, which we did by hand. It took absolutely ages, and we didn’t repeat it.

We ran events at The Malt Cross, The Orange Tree, The Rescue Rooms and Brownes over the first 10-15 years. It was all a lot of fun and we didn’t take it particularly seriously. It did however take over more and more time and it became apparent that we really needed to make it work a bit financially so we could leave our day jobs and focus on it fully.

Tim left Jared and I to try and make it all work fairly early on, which we’ve stubbornly done for much longer than I ever thought possible. Working with Jared for twenty years should come with a medal and we were both honoured to receive the

‘Nottingham Award’ at last year's Goose Fair Dinner, something we will both forever be proud of. We’ve been so fortunate to work with so many talented people, we’ve dangerously attempted to list them all on the back cover so if we’ve missed you off we’re very sorry. A special thank you to all the past editors who taught us so much. I’m genuinely not sure what the next twenty years will hold, but if I meet anything like the number of amazing people I have over the first twenty, that’ll do.

Al Gilby Co-Founder

Tom Quigley A trip to Stirling Castle

LeftLion Ltd is a carbon neutral company, having reduced our direct emissions by 99% since 2018. We offset the rest via direct air capture from Climeworks. LeftLion Magazine is fully recyclable and compostable, made from recycled or FSC® certified (C015932) sources, and printed using renewable energy. The emissions of this paper are offset via the World Land Trust.

Rebel To The Bone

“I could be a paramedic… but I hate feet.”

“You don’t always see feet as a paramedic”

“Hm... But you might.”

“Stop spitting on me”

Woman: “What you doing working here?" (referring to a shop)

Man: “I got sacked from my last job for smoking a joint at work!"

"Meesa Jar Jar Binks... Is that like a footballer or something?"

“I can't help it, I've got a leaky mouth”

“I'm full. Well, once I've finished this”

“I can't buy wine, wine makes me cry”

"Isaiah! Stop eating rocks!"

“We’re about to go on a nice date, do you have to keep going on about fascists?”

“I swear I caught dyslexia off my exgirlfriend”

Woman on train to herself: "I am all of God. All of God."

Pick Six

Nottingham’s most opinionated grocers on...

For our 20th birthday issue we asked Nottingham’s most opinionated greengrocers about events from back in 2003…

Roman Abramovich buys Chelsea FC

We remember Ken Bates who sold it to him. He bought it for £1 and sold it for £140 million. He was an independent steel merchant and was always good at making money. He sold his steel works for more than that, too. You’d have to say the Abramovich era was very successful for them, but it didn’t end well, did it? Does Peter Osgood still play for Chelsea?

Brookside ends on Channel 4 after 21 years

Thank goodness for that. Brookside was the soap in Liverpool where they buried people under the patio, wasn’t it? We don’t really know anything about TV soaps. We can’t abide them, they are so boring!

Sales of DVDs overtake VHS for the first time

We don’t know what any of those things are. We can just about remember Betamax tapes which we had in school, but it’s all just fancy technology to us. Are DVDs the discs? We’ve got Where Eagles Dare on disc somewhere at home but we’ve never understood how we play it. I don’t think we’ve got the right cable.

Cilla Black quits Blind Date live on air

It was a good gig for her that, if we remember rightly she was the highest paid person on television for quite some time. We never watched it ourselves as it’s not the kind of show we like. But in the sixties she was an absolute superstar. We saw her at the Royal Concert Hall. She was a millionaire by the time she was twenty or 21. Her music career was much better than her TV career.

Notts Spot

Woodthorpe Park in Sherwood - or ‘Woody’ as we know it. The house I grew up in was round the corner and I spent a lot of time here as a kid. It also became a refuge during Covid for impromptu LeftLion meetings and the odd park beer. I moved away from Sherwood a year or so back and it’s the place I miss the most.

Book

Watchmen by Alan Moore. I bought a copy of this from Fantastic Store (the predecessor of Page 45 located in the old Virgin Megastore) in the early nineties and it changed my life and the way I looked at things. I interviewed Alan Moore in 2012 for LeftLion and was more than a bit in awe of him.

Song

Showboat, a 2013 song by Sleaford Mods from the Austerity Dogs album. It’s been whispered to me that the ‘trendy fanzine’ referenced in that song is LeftLion and if it’s true that’s a badge of honour. It’s totally amazing to see what Jason and Andrew have gone on to do over the last decade or so and they deserve every success as they are good people too.

Holiday Destination

Before I had kids I travelled a lot and I've been to six of the seven continents, so it’s hard to pick one country or place. But if you force my hand I’m going to say Brazil. I had a lot of good times in Rio and spent five weeks there staying with friends for the 2014 World Cup, which was an amazing experience. It won’t be for a few more years, but one day I will go back there.

Film

Dead Man's Shoes by Shane Meadows. It came out at the same time we started LeftLion and I interviewed Shane in Issue 1 of the magazine. He’s done some great work since, but this is still the pinnacle for me. It’s hard to think of a better lead actor than Paddy Considine in that role. Toby Kebbel, who I knew a bit when we were younger, was great in it too and has also done some amazing things since.

Meal

Oscar and Rosie's pizza. I was gutted to hear that they closed down earlier this year. It was about five years ago they moved into our old offices and to be honest they made the building a lot nicer than we ever did. We always had our Christmas do’s there and they even had a little shrine to us in the room upstairs. Every time I cook macaroni cheese with butternut squash I will remember you.

Since this is our 20th anniversary, we thought we’d ask LeftLion co-founder and Editor-in-chief Jared Wilson to pick out six things he loves…

words: Dani Bacon

Spotted Ilkeston

Anyone in Cotmanhay missing a Budgie? Yellow and green?

Currently in a tree behind the Trumpet Pub

Spotted: Long Eaton

Person 1: Anyone recommend a mobile mechanic to fit a suspension coil around the long Eaton area

Person 2: Needs to be a big coil if it’s going around the whole of Long Eaton

Sherwood Sounds

Person 1: Have the people who run this group been nominated for an award?

Person 2: Yes but they keep quiet about it

Lenton Community Group

Person 1: Unfortunately this large cat is making my cats life a misery

Person 2: Convince your cat to use up one of its nine lives and see how it goes

Hucknall Community Group

Is anyone putting food out for the birds. I cant keep up with how much they are eating.

Spotted: Long Eaton

Person 1: . Looking for recommendations for someone to sweep our chimney

Person 2: I'll send one of my kids round about time they did something

Spotted:Radcliffe

Person 1: I stayed in Radcliffe at my son and daughter-in-law's for Xmas I liked Radcliffe very much I wouldn't mind living there

Person 2: How much did you get paid to post this?

Sneinton

Person 1: Utilita are going around the area trying to get you to switch energy supplier.

Person 2: Tell them to octopus off!

Arnold Community Group

Person 1: Where can i get pictures printed off my phone

Person 2: Tampons where shoes are done does them x

Person 2: Should be timsons

Person 3: Hi margaret, i've been all round arnold asking for tampons but im only getting funny looks

Spotted: Long Eaton

Person 1: Bed manufacturers in Leicestershire are seeking skilled upholsterers to join our busy headboard division. If interested please comment

Person 2: I’ll sleep on it

Highfields Park

This park, which is currently an integral part of the University of Nottingham campus, would have been witness to a very different life had it remained as a private estate owned by one of the most powerful families of the city.

Before Highfields Park was home to the University of Nottingham, its numerous buildings and recreation facilities of a golf course, theatre, cafes and museums, it was a grand reminder of the wealth amassed by Joseph Lowe, who purchased the land in the 1790s to make a home for himself.

The credit for Highfields Lake and fish pond within the park also goes to this family, who maintained it for years. The Grade II listed Highfield House (now the University’s Centre for Advanced Studies) which was constructed by Lowe along with the surrounding land, remained as private property of the family until it was sold to Boots’ founder Sir Jesse Boot in 1919. Boot, who later earned the title Lord Trent, also had plans to build a large factory on the land along with accommodation for his employees. He gifted the land to the city authorities, after which

the university began taking shape here. In time, Highfields House came to be used as a staff annexe by the University.

The public only began accessing the Park in 1926, with the croquet club using the lawns and an outdoor lido, which was the largest inland open swimming pool in the UK when it was opened. There was also a time when Highfields Park used to witness winters harsh enough that the lake would freeze over and the ice would be thick enough for the park department to allow skating here.

The presence of the Ningbo Lions and the Serenity garden serve as new layers of ongoing history that are being written onto a landscape that has been witness to numerous stories and legacies that have given way to newer ones to make the city what it is today.

Almost everyone will go around the sun more than they will go around the Earth

words: Akhila Thomas photo: Sophie Gargett

Nadia on...

Generational Inequality

Happy birthday to LeftLion, and all my fellow Virgos!

What were you up to at twenty (or where do you see yourself, in case you’ve not yet hit that age)? I was working at the Lark Hill retirement village in Clifton, hanging out with friends in Sneinton Market and then dancing the night away at the Bodega.

Little did I know that just three years later, I’d be representing my city as the UK’s youngest MP.

As of July, I’m no longer the youngest. The unofficial title of the “Baby of the House” now belongs to Labour’s Keir Mather who has won the Selby and Ainsty by-election at the age of 25. He immediately faced some of the same accusations previously levelled at me and other young MPs such as the SNP’s Mhairi Black: of lacking life experience.

My response is always the same: that our generation has plenty of experiences that most MPs never had to face. We grew up under austerity, are bearing the brunt of the housing crisis, many of us paid nine grand a year in tuition fees and entered the job market in an era of stagnating wages and increased insecurity. We have plenty of MPs who were born into huge generational wealth and never had to pay rent, worry about student debt or try to make ends meet on a zero-hours contract - and yet we rarely hear anyone ask whether this makes them less relatable to their constituents. Young people are underrepresented in politics - just three percent of those elected to Parliament in 2019 were under thirty. Unfortunately, they’re also significantly less likely to vote than their parents and grandparents. This turns into a vicious circle: politicians become less motivated to appeal to young people, who in turn conclude that no one speaks for them, and stay at home on polling day.

Meanwhile, younger generations continue to face challenges that the government is failing - or not even trying - to address. Millennials are the first generation since the nineteenth century to be worse off than the generation before them, and currently things aren’t looking rosy for Gen Z either.

Housing is one of every person’s most basic needs - but for young people, having a place to call home is becoming more and more difficult. Over the past fifty years, house prices have increased 65 times, far outpacing wages and leaving many of my peers with little hope of ever owning their own place. Rents are spiralling out of control as well, with millions of people now transferring half of their monthly paycheck straight to their landlord’s account. What’s more, there are still no laws protecting tenants from a sudden massive rent hike, or a no-fault eviction. Many young people are spending years or decades in precarious flatshares, or living with their parents for much longer than they would like to. As a result, some delay starting their own families, or are forced to move out of their cities and leave their communities behind in search of cheaper housing elsewhere.

Education is another area where my generation rightly feels betrayed. The UK has the highest tuition fees in Europe - thanks to MPs who went to university for free, but then legislated to burden younger generations with decades’ worth of debt just for wanting to learn. Meanwhile, schools and further adult education are suffering from years of underfunding, depriving people of opportunities they deserve. Last but certainly not least, my generation is more aware than any before us about the existential threat of the climate crisis. Climate chaos is already here, causing deadly disasters around the world and pushing up food prices in our supermarkets. For decades, climate activists talked about preserving the planet for future generations, and we were one of the generations they meant. Today’s teens and twenty-somethings will be middle-aged in 2050, and the climate emergency will impact nearly every aspect of our lives - no wonder six in ten people aged eighteen to 25 are very worried about it. Meanwhile, the government is ignoring the crisis and announcing new oil and gas licences like there’s no tomorrow.

None of this is to say that older people are immune to the devastating impacts of austerity or unaffected by global warming, far from it. To advocate for young people is not to disregard the problems affecting everyone else. Quite the opposite: when we stand up for those at the sharp end - not just young people, but also women, disabled people or people of colour, for example - we improve the lot of other groups as well. “Boomers” are not the enemy - rampant economic inequality and reckless government policies are.

There is another reason why it’s so important for me to voice the concerns of young people in Parliament. Nottingham is among the UK’s youngest cities, and more than half of my constituents in Nottingham East are under thirty. Gen Z and millennials are behind many of the fantastic businesses and projects celebrated in this magazine, bringing their energy, enthusiasm and fresh ideas to our buzzing city. They deserve every opportunity to realise their dreams - and politicians who will stand up for them.

nadiawhittome.org

For decades, climate activists talked about preserving the planet for future generations, and we were one of the generations they meant

words: Nadia Whittome photo: Fabrice Gagos

Keeping it Wild

interview: Eleanor Flowerday photo: John Walker

On a soggy summer morning, we trundled down to the Attenborough Nature Reserve and caught up with Erin McDaid of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. Sat in their cafe, in the middle of a flooded gravel pit, we chatted about what came first (the reserve or David Attenborough), beavers, and their sixtieth birthday…

Keeping it WildHappy birthday! Can you give us a bit of a whistle stop tour of your history?

The Wildlife Trust’s movement is over a century old. In the late ‘50s, early ‘60s there was a real coming together of people across the country who were fed up with seeing really important habitats being lost. The Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust was formed in that busy period. The people in the county that were keen to see nature conserved all coalesced around the campaign to save what is now the Attenborough Nature Reserve.

This site had been a sand and gravel extraction site since the 1920s, and people liked the wetlands that had started to evolve from flooding these former pits, and didn’t want to see them being filled in. That local campaign led to the formation of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, then in 1966, the reserve was opened by Sir David Attenborough, who wasn’t as well known at the time. A lot of people think the reserve is named after him, but it’s actually named after the village where he also takes his name from.

You’ve got several nature reserves under your care. How many are there, and what sort of work are you doing at them?

We’ve got over forty nature reserves across the county, ranging from small sites in the city like Woodthorpe Meadow, and small areas of traditional wildflower meadows, but then we’ve also got some larger areas of ancient woodland, particularly in the north of the county, like Rainworth Heath. Then we’ve got sites like Attenborough and Idle Valley where we’ve helped to shape new habitats - former industrial sites that are now real havens for nature and people who visit.

Could you tell us more about your Nextdoor Nature programme?

Many Wildlife Trusts are rural in their focus but Nottinghamshire has an urban focus. We have always believed that we should be protecting nature close to where people live. I’ve been at the Trust for thirty years now, and I was originally brought in exclusively to work in the city. We wanted to ensure that local people were aware of green spaces on their doorsteps and had the opportunity to visit and enjoy them.

So, with Nextdoor Nature, which is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we’re putting community at the heart of that work. Local communities know their patch better than

anybody else, so what we’re trying to do is co-create and work with them to see what they want to do on their patch. We want to give a platform to people who haven’t had a voice about their local green spaces before. With the state of nature as it is today, everyone needs to be able to have a role in protecting their green spaces.

Over the last few weeks we’ve had reports of the otter that’s been seen at Attenborough. Otters were extinct in the county by the 1970s, but their return is an example that we can get things right.

Another one that illustrates the importance of nature reserves is the dormouse. They were reintroduced into the county in 2007 - we worked very closely with the Nottinghamshire Dormouse group, who do the monitoring and habitat management. Over the last few years, it’s been really exciting to see how they’ve expanded beyond the woodlands where they were originally reintroduced.

Your Keeping it Wild programme provides a great opportunity for thirteen to 25 year olds to be a part of conservation efforts in the city. How can they get involved?

We’ve always had programmes for young people. In the past they were very much about education, but over the last decade or so we’ve been shifting our focus to programmes that enable young people to take an active part in our work. Through the Keeping it Wild programme, young people have the opportunity to manage a couple of our nature reserves, and have more of a role in decision-making and planning for the future of those sites.

We’re now into our second cycle of having youth trustees, so we’re able to listen to the needs of young people and benefit from their experience, and make sure that they feel they have a voice. We’ve got about 120 young people getting involved, including our Young Rangers programme, which is more on the traditional volunteering side. So, it’s very much focused on inspiration, skill development, and ensuring that young people feel empowered to influence their local environment.

You’d expect that over the past sixty years there has been a large decline in the environment of the county - but we’d love to hear some good news! What can we be hopeful about? One thing we can’t say is that over sixty years the threats to nature have declined. But hope is really important, and demonstrating the positive impact we can have on nature.

Beavers are another species we’ve reintroduced to the county a couple of years ago. There’s a lot of misunderstanding about their habits and roles in the ecosystem - they’ve been missing from our landscape for about 300 years. But people understand now that they are a native creature and they do have a role. At our Idle Valley Reserve, we’re harnessing their habit of chewing willow, meaning they’re managing the landscape for us, opening up the areas for the birds and creating a much more diverse habitat for dragonflies and wading birds. They’re turning what was a homogeneous habitat into a more diverse one.

How do you hope to inspire people in Nottinghamshire to get involved with nature in the future?

This is a focus for our anniversary year - we want to highlight that the people who helped set up the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust were essentially local people who wanted to make a change. So, we want to focus on the people who made things happen, to show that you can make a difference, too. Sometimes people seem to think that there isn’t any hope or it’s not worth it, or that they can’t make a difference on their own, but we see people who are making a tangible difference. We want to highlight the young people that we’re working with, the people who sign petitions, the people that lobby their MPs. There is a much greater awareness now, compared to when the trust was formed, of the value of nature to our lives. It’s not a niche, specialist interest anymore - we’re much more aware of how vital nature is. So, part of our role now is plugging into that awareness and turning that into increased action.

@nottswildlife

It’s not a niche, specialist interest anymore, we’re much more aware of how vital nature is

NOTTS SHOTS O

Want to have your work featured? Send your high-res photos from around the city, including your full name and best web link, to photography@leftlion.co.uk

Lilac reflection Zoe Scott-Smith

Raleigh the heron Adam Pickering @greenhustlefest

The River Ay Nathan Langman @_meadowman2

Horsing around Dani Bacon @danijuliette_

Love is Love So Hakreevoss @sonnar11

Quiet life of the morning sun Rich Bell @richierich

Gedling Skies Aušra Froggatt @nature_by_ausra

The Workshop Worksheet

words: George White

In crazy news, Nottingham institution The Television Workshop turned forty this year. A leading light in the screen industry, the award-winning drama group has produced everyone from The Last of Us’ Ellie Williams to Line of Duty’s Kate Fleming over the past four decades.

But that’s just scratching the surface. So, to go very on-the-nose, we thought we’d create a handy little sheet of, you guessed it, forty big and small screen releases that have been improved by our very own Workshop talents. Track them down, tick them off, and enjoy them all…

Happy Valley: It’s pure happy viewing, trust us… Okay, it’s a pretty heavy - but quality - watch, with Oliver Huntingdon taking centre stage in series three.

A Discovery of Witches: Which witch watch is the best around? This fantasy-romance with Aisling Loftus, obviously.

Doctor Who: Doctor Who? We don’t know the answer to that one. But we do know the answer to ‘Which Clifton legend is mates with a Time Lord?’ It’s Karl Collins.

Billy the Kid: I know what you’re thinkingNottingham’s Tom Blyth ain’t no kid! True, but he still portrays the famous outlaw incredibly well.

Breaking Point: Breakdancing and Nottingham go handin-hand - as do 2023’s Breaking Point and the Workshop’s Karam Singh.

Catastrophe: Tell ya what isn't catastrophicBAFTA winner Lauren Socha's hilarious turn in this raw, unflinching comedy from Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney.

Blue Jean: A BAFTA nominee with a vital message - and one Lydia Page - at its heart.

Silverpoint: A family-friendly sci-fi whose unique premise gets a gold from us - as does its Katy Byrne, actually.

In America: This powerful drama bagged Samantha Morton just one of her two Oscar nominations. Pretty talented, that Samantha.

Solo: A Star Wars Story: It’s better than you remember. Yes, really. And Erin Kellyman is great in it.

Grantchester: This crime drama is a British staple, and Lauren Carse became a Grantchester staple across several episodes.

Fanny Lye Deliver'd: No, we definitely did not pick this historical thriller for its name. We picked it because of Notts heavyweight Perry Fitzpatrick. Duh.

Doctors: Ya mam’s favourite soap also featured one of our favourite stars, Rebecca Grant, for years.

Bridgerton: Everyone’s favourite period drama features everyone’s favourite member of the Bridgerton familyFlorence Hunt’s Hyacinth.

Our Ladies: A touching comedy-drama boasting one of our ladies - Eve Austin. SAS Rogue Heroes: Sure, this flashy exploration of the formation of the SAS is a bit dumb, but Jack O’Connell is a lot of fun.

Halo: Sure, his character name might sound like the noise a cat makes midfurball (Reth, really?), but Johann Myers plays a role in one of the coolest franchises of all time. Who's laughing now?

Here We Go: No, it’s not a Fabrizio Romano biopic. It’s a chaotic comedy that boasts the Workshop’s Mica Ricketts.

Tell Me Everything: We don't have the word count to tell you everything about Tell Me Everything, but we will tell you Spike Fearn is in fine form in this coming-of-age drama.

The Wheel of Time: A massivebudget adaptation of one of the most massive book series of all time. And Marcus Rutherford’s vulnerable yet spirited performance feels, well, massive.

Game of Thrones: Ever heard of it? Well, it’s always worth a rewatch (yes, despite that ending), especially to see Joe Dempsie in top form.

Safe: A gripping, mysterious flick with Notts' Louis Greatorex at its centre.

The Worst Witch: Bella Ramsey might be the big name in this sweet family series, but don’t forget about the fun influence of West End regular Shauna Shim.

Mood: Stylish and sleek BBC Three drama for the cooler among us, elevated by a charming Jorden Myrie performance. It’s no wonder he’s one of Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow.

Line of Duty: If you’ve had a TV licence at any point in the past decade, you’ll likely have watched this unpredictable crime thriller. But you know what? Watch it again - and soak up the stunning performance of our Vicky McClure.

Aftersun: A gorgeous, moving masterpiece, and one stacked with Workshoppers - including Ruby Thompson, who secures one of the sweetest moments of the whole thing with rising star Frankie Corio.

The Gallows

House of the Dragon: The Workshop's Westeros connection continues through rising talent Ewan Mitchell, who consistently steals scenes as the shifty Aemond Targaryen.

The Last of Us: This global sensation has launched Bella Ramseywho had already made waves in Westeros and shone in short films like 3 Minutes of Silenceinto the stratosphere (figuratively). Expect the talented Emmy nominee to go from strengthto-strength from here (and probably take home said Emmy next year, actually).

The Last Kingdom: Historical accuracy isn’t first on its list of priorities - but the show stars our Harry Gilby, so put watching it at the top of yours.

Without Sin: This series is stacked with Workshoppers, but without Frances Poletti - the writer behind it all - we'd still be without Without Sin.

The Lazarus Project: A timebending tale that sees Anjli Mohindra thrown into a universe that the actor describes as “James Bond meets Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.”

The School for Good and Evil: One Ali Khan shows what he can do in this fun Paul Feig Netflix flickbased on the novels of YA author Soman Chainani.

Trollied: Long-running comedy that never lost its mojo - and starred BAFTA winner Chanel Cresswell throughout.

Humans: US Humans might be the worst, but eerie dystopian sci-fi Humans - and its star Lucy Carlessdefinitely isn’t. His Dark Materials: Forget James McAvoy, our own Daniel Frogson is the real star of this fantasy series.

The Witch: Ye olde horror from Robert Eggers features a young Harvey Scrimshaw scaring the shite out of pretty much everyone.

This Is England ‘90: Friend of LeftLion and Kes himself Kieran Hardcastle makes a memorable return to the world of This Is England here.

Pole: Workshop legend Michael Socha shows the true extent of his talent in Shane Meadows' boundarybreaking new show.

Last Train to Christmas: The festive season done Notts-style, thanks to the mind of director Julian Kemp.

The Origin: This intense horror is, as the kids say (slash said like ten years ago), ‘spoopy’, and bagged Safia Oakley-Green the Breakthrough Performance prize at the 2022 British Independent Film Awards.

REBEL TO THE BONE

interview: Sophie Gargett

photo: Ade Andrews

In a city steeped in legend and lore, where history and myth intertwine seamlessly, the story of our rebel outlaw Robin Hood remains strong after hundreds of years. Tour guide Ezekial Bone, a.k.a. Ade Andrews, has spent thirty years developing his craft, bringing legend (and truth) to the modern city. We had a chat to discover his thoughts on what the myth means today and what’s next in Nottingham’s story…

Wandering around Nottingham city centre on a Saturday afternoon, you wouldn’t be hallucinating to see a rugged looking chap with a bow and arrow leading gangs of tourists and locals around through the streets. Guide, raconteur and custodian of legends Ade Andrews has become a familiar face in the city, offering a variety of historical tours and acting as an ambassador for Nottingham throughout the world. You do have to wonder how a person finds themself in such a unique profession, which was my first question to Ade when we sat down to discuss his career over the last three decades. The answer, it turns out, is through a love of history and a varied patchwork of strange adventures, from performing axethrowing stunts at Glastonbury festival, to moonlighting as a banquet host at the (now defunct) Sheriff's Lodge and Tales of Robin Hood.

“Essentially, I'm a historian. I was into sword fighting as a kid, I got into Highlander when it came out, started doing Viking reenactments, and then went down to London to study history, specialising in the Civil War,” he explains. Feeling directionless after university, he decided Nottingham was the place for him. “I came across lots of history about the city and thought, what a fantastic place, there's so much interesting information about this concrete jungle - I need to do something with this.”

Fast-forward thirty years and his award-winning Robin Hood Town Tour is one of the highlights for any visitor to the city, providing an immersive two-hour stroll through Nottingham’s rich and rebellious history (before tempting his cohort to the Trip to Jerusalem for a post-tour pint, of course).

With two other well-crafted local tours under his belt, Ade’s role goes further than merely a pantomime-esque man in tights. As both an actor and historian, he fully embodies each character he adopts, and credits his alter ego of ‘Ezekial Bone’ as a springboard with the scope to explore different eras and stories: “The name came to me in a dream. He is a shape shifting ‘spirit of place’ who takes on different forms through the different tours he does. He steps into different periods of history to bring history to life.”

The first guided walk Ade developed almost twenty years ago, The Guts & Gore tour, is still going strong. “It takes place in the Lace Market and started as me trying to prove that truth is stranger than fiction. It’s about murders, executions, body snatching - all based on historical fact.” For another (not quite so dark) lesson in Nottingham history, his Limelight Tour

takes visitors behind the scenes at the Theatre Royal, telling tales of footlights and thespians who have trod the boards there over the past 150 years.

Bringing long gone history to a modern city isn’t necessarily the simplest of tasks, but helping people develop an interest in Nottingham and sense of place is something that is clearly important to Ade - and he believes the Robin Hood legend is still highly relevant, both politically and environmentally. “We need Robin Hood more now than ever,” he says. “Whether he existed or not isn't the important thing - he was born of the people. He's the first superhero dreaming of a better world. And let's face it, we all need a better world right now. Especially with the failure of these world leaders and politicians and jokers. The common people pay the price for their self interest, incompetence and their greed.”

But as someone so immersed in Nottingham’s history, culture and tourism, he is often disappointed by the city’s touristic offering and, in true outlaw style, is vocal about what he sees as the council’s neglect to celebrate the internationally admired rebel. “ When the castle relaunched, I thought,

Nottingham won’t get this opportunity again. We've got a global brand, and a tourism product that is worth billions, so how could you not be successful with a world famous character?”

As much as Robin Hood is known for stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, the legend is also tied up in the landscape and ecological awareness. Consequently, Ade has been involved in numerous projects aiming to reconnect people with the land, whether it be working as a Heritage Ranger at the Sherwood Forest Trust or resurrecting old customs like May Day celebrations or St George's events. “Folklore is our collective cultural heritage, but in the modern day that relationship is lost, so part of my work as Robin has always been using him as the tool to draw people in,” he explains. And what of the city in years to come? When asked what his thoughts are on the plans for the wetlands and parks that will be integrated into the Broadmarsh area, he hopes we could be seeing a new, green chapter in the city’s story - if it keeps its ambitious rebel spirit. “Nottingham needs this sort of a bold, audacious plan for the future,” he says. “If they could get that right it could be a leading light of eco urban design for the 21st century, and that would put Nottingham on the European stage. It'd be amazing to bring all the diverse habitats and biodiversity, sort of the green lungs of the city - what a beautiful idea.”

@ezekialbone

18 leftlion.co.uk/issue163

We need Robin Hood more now than ever. He's the first superhero dreaming of a better world

interview: Lottie Murray

photo: Curtis Powell

HOUSE OF WONDER

Situated on St Peter’s Gate, The Tokenhouse is one of Nottingham’s hidden gems, selling everything from toys, jelly cats, pottery, mugs, jewellery, books, and greeting cards. Since becoming an established retail outlet in 1973, Geoff, Dizz, and their daughter Holly are celebrating The Tokenhouse’s fifty year anniversary

Congratulations on reaching fifty years this yearthat’s a brilliant achievement for an independent retail business. Can you tell us a little bit about the early days?

Holly: We initially opened in 1973 over at Tokenhouse yard, just round the corner from here off Bridlesmith Gate, and in those days we sold handmade products and bits of old furniture which I used to restore because at that time it was my job. It just moved on from there really, when we discovered we could buy from wholesalers.

Geoff: The whole thing wasn’t planned. In the early days it was much easier and there was less pressure. The overheads were minimal. Our firs t shop cost £10 a week and I had a job part time earning £40 a week restoring furniture so we could muddle along. I think if you tried to start the same kind of operation now, in a city centre or even in a Nottingham backstreet as we were, it would be much more difficult. I admire anyone setting out now to start a business like ours. I think we were lucky to start in the heyday of retail when it was fun and inventive in the seventies. You made it up as you went along. It's surprising because quite a few people even now come in and say, ‘oh, I didn’t know you were here’ after five years. In 2018 you made a move from your original location on Bridlesmith Gate to just around the corner at St Peter’s Gate. How has that worked out for you?

Geoff: The economy had changed significantly. Broadmarsh closing meant that Bridlesmith Gate, in that stage, was suffering, in terms of footfall. Unfortunately, when we came to the end of our lease, our landlord was quite intransigent about the renewal and the rental. So, given the opportunity, we moved, not willingly, but in the end

we were quite pleased because this unit is a lot easier to manage. It is more accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs and much more open plan. While the old shop was much more quirky with steps and little rooms, as a shop this one is more workable.

original shop.

Holly: More recently, we have had Jason Donovan who bought a Mother’s Day card which was sweet. We have probably had others but we kind of just leave them alone!

What do you love most about your job?

Geoff: Probably the flexibility. It's really just one huge problem solving exercise so if I wasn’t doing this I would be doing crossword puzzles at ho me instead. Everyday is different, even though there is obviously a cycle running throughout the year, generally it’s fun and you make it up as you go along. But over the years we have become experienced at repeating what needs doing and when.

Holly: I love the shopping aspect of my job - I get to buy all the nice things and I get to see people enjoy the nice things that I have chosen as well. It' s a lovely experience.

Can you tell us about some other significant moments in the long history of the shop?

Geoff: Over the years we have been through various turmoils such as floods, power cuts through the strikes and the three day week, but we ke pt open with candlelights and just any old lanterns we could find. Have you ever had any famous customers? What did they buy?

Holly: I suppose when you first opened, Dad, Paul Smith must have bought something from you?

Geoff: He certainly did! He bought some of the vintage stuff we sold, because we were on one alleyway and he had opened a couple years before us on Bridlesmith Gate. In fact, strangely enough when we moved into our bigger shop on Bridlesmith Gate, we actually took his

What are the bes t things about being based in Nottingham City Centre?

Geoff: It’s an ideal size. I came from Bristol, which is much bigger and you couldn’t wal k across it easier, whereas Nottingham seems to have it all in a contained unit, it's just perfect.

Holly: I went away to Birmingham for university and I came back because I just love everything about Nottingham. I love the independence of it, all the quirky things it has to offer, and it's just a great place to live.

@thetokenhouse

It was fun and inventive in the ‘70s, you made it up as you went along

Sparking Creativity

Everyone has a creative spark that simply needs unleashing, and that’s where Ignite! come in. Along with organising the Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity, this Nottingham-based charity has been supporting young people to achieve their potential for twenty years. We spoke to the founder of it all, Rick Hall, for a ‘potted history’ of Ignite!, the lowdown on their unique Nottingham festival, and his outlook on creativity in our city…

With an abundance of programmes to get involved in, from the Urban Nature Project, to the Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity, Ignite! has been engaging with the city’s young communities for twenty years. So, where did it all begin?

I was working then at Nesta, the National Endowment for Science Technology in the Arts. Nesta was set up to bridge the gap in the National Lottery funding programs around awards to individuals, innovation and talent. I was helping to support awarding extraordinary grown-ups. I proposed, why don't we try a junior version? Why don't we see if we can identify exceptionally creative young people and then find ways to develop their talent and support them on their journey through the early stages of their careers. Luckily, they bought into that idea.

So in April 2003, we set off. We called it Ignite!, based on a quote from a Harvard Education Professor called Howard Gardner, which says, “Every young person has a spark of creativity in them. And it's the responsibility of the adults around that child to ignite that spark.” If we'd listened to the PR company that Nesta employed, we might have ended up being called Sprouts. I'm pleased to say we resisted.

How did you start building this programme?

We began identifying and supporting ‘exceptionally creative’ young people between the ages of ten and 21. What exceptional creativity was, we weren't sure. And what was the best way to support emerging talent, we weren't sure. It was very much a pilot programme. Over the first three years of Ignite!, we worked with over 5,000 young people on creativity workshops and we directly supported 120 young people.

We supported them with money (from £1,000 up to £12,000) giving them an opportunity to work on a particular project, or to buy a bit of equipment or run some activities. We gave them mentoring support, invited them on creativity residentials, ran various activities with leading researchers into education and creativity, and mixtures of scientists, artists and other creative practitioners.

In 2006, Nesta changed direction. So we were ushered into independence, as I describe it. We then developed programs all around creativity, art and science. We ran an invention competition in association with Harvard University and

Disney called the ArtScience Prize. We also ran projects for the regional development agency, and that's where we started programs like LAB_13, which is a space in schools that kids manage for their own investigations. We ran summer programs for teachers, and then in 2013, we started the Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity, which is still going every February.

account of that. We've done quite a lot of work in some of those areas.

But then over recent years we have also picked up programs with particular groups, we've done work with a youth and community centre in Sneinton that has a particular focus on Roma population. We did a programme at the Ridge Youth Centre in Bestwood, where the young people were particularly challenging, but also reacting to challenging circumstances themselves. In the work that we've done with the festival, we've often targeted areas like Bulwell, working with schools in those sorts of areas as well. And that underpins all that we do. If you explore things that matter to them, like my space, my city, my world, you've got a much stronger form of engagement.

What was the origin of the Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity?

We're more interested in creativity than art, and we're more interested in curiosity than science. Those are the principles that underpin all of our learning, that combination of creativity and curiosity. Then we added the third element of community. So in that centre of the Venn diagram of curiosity, creativity and community, we thought, let's start a festival that celebrates that.

Sometimes science can seem a little bit remote, or it can seem a little bit like the preserve of research scientists in universities and research labs - mostly kind of beardy men with white coats. We wanted to say, actually, science is part of our everyday lives, and the root to that is curiosity. What are the questions that they have about the world for themselves? So, the festival started in 2015. In February 2024, it’ll be the eighth festival, and it's developing a really nice pattern of working together to bring the expertise of science off the campus, into community settings.

How have you harnessed creativity in young people from more deprived backgrounds?

Right back in the early days, we were very clear that we wanted to engage with young people in their own locations. Creativity and creative-thinking can emerge anywhere. It was very important to us that we weren't just picking up privately educated, tutored kids. Nottingham is not the most affluent city in the UK. Some wards in the city are on the lowest levels of the indices of deprivation, of multiple deprivation. We took

What is it about creativity that is so special?

First of all, it's innate. People say, ‘Oh, I don't think I'm creative’. That's partly a consequence of too close an association between creativity and the arts. Seeing and making connections is part of creativity. And if you can do that, then all kinds of other solutions to problems become possible. Creativity is also about having ways of thinking that help you out when you're stuck. Okay, I'll take a break. I'll take a walk. I wonder if there's an idea. Knowing what to do, when you don't know what to do.

Another element of creativity is recognising when you make those connections. That feeling you get when you get it, a kind of boost of surprise and delight. That is not only a chemical reaction in the brain that gives you a buzz, but it also is optimistic. It's a form of enjoyment and happiness. The other aspect of creativity is not worrying about not getting it right. That you'll set off without necessarily knowing where you're going, or where your destination is. That willingness to let yourself just go somewhere mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically, is an act of creativity. Now, if all of that is then motivated by curiosity; if creativity is the landscape that you're exploring, but curiosity is the driving force… I wonder why we're setting fire to the planet. I wonder why the tomatoes aren't ripening this year, I wonder why things are the way they are… that becomes the fuel of your creative engine.

@ignitefutures

We're more interested in creativity than art, and we're more interested in curiosity than science

interview: Rose Mason

photo: Rick Hall

Films of

words: Jared Wilson

Over the last decade, as well as producing lots of written journalism, LeftLion have also made a few films. To celebrate our 20th Birthday, we’ve decided to release some of the best things knocking around in our video archives for free on our website and Youtube channel so you - and the whole world - can all view them at your leisure. Here’s a few favourites we’d like to point you to…

The Lord of Milan (2018)

Released in 2018, this documentary film about the life of Nottingham - born AC Milan founder Herbert Kilpin is the most ambitious film project we’ve ever completed. Filmed in both Milan and Nottingham in 2017, the journey started when we met local author Robert Nieri and Milan-based football historian Luigi La Rocca. From there, over the next twelve months, we filmed with football legends like Daniele Massaro, Franco Baresi (who didn’t even make the final edit), Luther Blissett, Mark Hateley and more. In its opening year it was screened in cinemas in the UK, Italy, the USA and China and we’ve since sold downloads and DVDs in dozens of countries. It won two awards at the Olympic-accredited FICTS Film Festival. We’ve now decided to make this free to view online.

Directed by Jared Wilson and Georgianna Scurfield

Voices From A Rebel City: The Kanneh Masons (2022)

Around the same time they were filming a BBC One Christmas special A Musical Family Christmas, Nottingham’s prodigiously talented KannehMason family also made a documentary film with us, originally exhibited at Nottingham Castle. We took Sheku and Braimah back to their formative days with a tour of The Trinity Catholic School and filmed with them and their mother Kadiatu at the Royal Concert Hall.

Directed by Curtis Powell

Voices From A Rebel City: Richard Whitehead (2022)

A film about the life of a national treasure who has overcome disability to win dozens of paralympic medals. We took Richard back to his old school Colonel Frank Seely School and he gave us a tour of his regular haunts and running routes. Originally exhibited at Nottingham Castle in their Rebellion Gallery, Richard continues to promote sport through his considerable charity work.

Directed by Georgianna Scurfield

Our Nottingham Things (2018)

To celebrate National Poetry Day in 2018, Bridie Squires and Georgina Wilding ran a series of workshops across Nottingham with people from across the county. Their mission was to create a new poem for Nottingham. There’s two videos to watch here, one is the poem itself (two minutes) and the other is the ‘making of’ (nine minutes) which explains how it all came together.

Created by Georgianna Scurfield, Bridie Squires, Georgina Wilding (and half of Nottingham)

Two Hearts One Soul (2017)

Filmed on a single day in January 2017, Notts County were playing Mansfield Town in what ended up as a miserable 0-0 draw. However, what was particularly special about that day was that a group known as the ‘Italian Magpies’ made their annual pilgrimage from Turin to Nottingham to see the team that gave Juventus their famous black and white kit. A film about how friendships can be made and how they can transcend football.

Directed by Georgianna Scurfield

The Man Who Knows The Ropes (2017)

W Coates and Sons was a ropemaking business, operating out of a shop in Dunkirk, that was originally founded in 1840. Struggling to find its feet in an ever-changing world, Georgianna Scurfield caught up with 83-yearold Stewart Coates, a fourthgeneration rope maker at a time when he had decided to finally close up the business. It was recently selected by Short Stack at Broadway as one of their best short films of the last decade.

Directed by Georgianna Scurfield

Sleaford Mods Trilogy (2016)

Around the time they released their Key Markets album, we created a trilogy of films with Jason Williamson and Andrew Fearn from Sleaford Mods, each one explaining some of the meanings and inspirations behind their lyrics. The three songs covered are Tarantula Deadly Cargo, Tied Up In Nottz and Tweet Tweet Tweet The questions were asked by Bridie Squires and you might be surprised by some of the answers they gave.

Created by Bridie Squires, Raphael Achache and Natalie Owen

What Notts (2016)

A short series fronted by our Assistant Editor at the time Lucy Manning, who had a background in acting thanks to training at The Television Workshop. We sent Lucy out to events in Nottingham; specifically Em-Con and the 2016 European Archery Championships. Her interview style was dry yet dizzy, reminiscent of Daisy Donovan and is still hilarious to watch back.

Created by Lucy Manning, Raphael Achache and Natalie Owen

Ross Noble Nottingham Dialect Quiz (2016)

For some reason, back in 2016, we thought it would be funny to quiz Geordie comedian Ross Noble about the Nottingham dialect on camera. It was. This video was filmed with our friends at Just The Tonic and watching him trying to get his head around what ‘Nesh’, ‘Chelpeh’ and ‘Duckeh’ mean has aged well.

Created by Jared Wilson, Raphael Achache and Georgianna Scurfield

20 great LeftLion interviews

Worth A Re-read

words: Jared Wilson

Over the last two decades we’ve interviewed a lot of people within our pages. It’s not easy to pick out favourites, but we love you so much we’ve given it a go. Here are twenty of our best interviews, listed in chronological order, that we think you should take a second look at…

Xylophone Man (2003)

“I'm a quiet man really. I keep myself to myself.”

The interview that started it all. Our website had been online for a few months and only a few of our friends were really paying any attention. Then I went out on a lunch break from my office job in town and interviewed Frank Robinson, aka the Xylophone Man. The interview quickly went viral and LeftLion.co.uk suddenly became something people knew. It was never actually published in print, but it made it to the BBC and Frank has made several appearances in our magazine since.

"There was so much happening to me at such a young age that I couldn't cope with it all.”

If I hadn’t fact-checked on several occasions, I wouldn’t believe the story of Donovan Whycliffe Bromwell. It’s the late eighties and people start to notice a talented young Nottingham gospel singer. He’s signed to MCA Records (home to chart-toppers like Bobby Brown, Glenn Medeiros and Belinda Carlisle). He tours the world, supports James Brown and is romantically linked with Dannii Minogue. However, after a few years it doesn’t work out and the industry spits him out the other side. That’s when the drugs, the street begging and the mental health issues kick in.

Rob’s Record Mart (2006 - Issue #11)

“We’re over-stocked, really. But if someone brings stuff in, you’ve got to buy it. They don’t usually want to split them up.”

Back in 2006, before the dawn of Spotify and Youtube, record shops were everything for those who wanted to discover new music. Nottingham was blessed with some of the best and in this issue we interviewed both Rob Smith of Rob’s Record Mart and Jim Clark of Selectadisc. Many years on we still mourn the loss of Selectadisc in our office, but we’re also very happy to see Rob’s shop entering his 43rd year, beautifully chaotic as ever.

Sir Paul Smith (2007 - Issue #15)

“I’ve got 400 staff here, so I’m still very connected with Nottingham.” There can’t be many bigger success stories from the city than Sir Paul Smith. He built an international fashion empire with outlets in 60 countries, all from one 3x3 metre shop on Byard Lane. At the time of this interview he’d come back to Notts to christen a new room at Broadway named in his honour and with fancy stripey seats. He told us stories about Raleigh, those early days and his friendship with Vivian MacKerrell (aka Withnail).

Chris Needham (2008 - Issue #23)

"It's about growing up; we were all teenagers who were a pain in the arse."

If the internet had existed in 1992 then Chris Needham could have made millions from Youtube. A bored 17-year-old thrash metal freak with a mullet, a bumfluff moustache and the most awkward girlfriend of all time; instead he was the subject of a cult BBC Two documentary. He was interviewed by his namesake Al Needham (no relation), who believed it to be the greatest TV show ever. We edited it down for the mag, but the version on our website is a whopping 10,000 words. Strap in and get comfy.

Alan Sillitoe (2008 - Issue #24)

“I’ve always strongly believed in a meritocracy, where people make their mark through their talent alone.”

To many Alan Sillitoe was the greatest writer of the twentieth century. One of the pivots of the 1950s ‘Angry Young Men’ literature movement, he’s bestknown for books like Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner. James Walker interviewed him in 2008 and we decided to build an issue around it, with Sillitoe writing an open letter that was featured on the cover. When Sillitoe died in 2010, we realised it was the last interview he ever gave and gave permission to The Independent to republish it.

Shane Meadows (2012 - Issue #50)

“I didn’t really need actors; I needed human beings. It wasn’t like I was some kind of magician, I just believed that everyone could act.”

We’ve interviewed film director Shane Meadows a few times over the years, including famously as the cover star of Issue 1. But it’s this interview I'd pick out as the most revealing. He went into serious detail about his early career filming with friends on the streets of Sneinton and the foundations that led to films like This Is England and Dead Man's Shoes. It was later reprinted in an academic textbook Shane Meadows: Critical Essays, published by Edinburgh University Press in 2013.

Ray Gosling (2013 - Issue #54)

“This sour Midlands county that I’ve become very close to. People are very hard in Nottingham. It’s a wonderful attitude.”

Over 1,000 radio documentaries and 100 for the telly. A pioneer of gay rights, community activist, anarchist and university drop-out, published by Faber in his early twenties. Ray Gosling was one of Nottingham’s best journalists and spent his entire life fighting the system and standing up for ordinary people. Then it all went horribly wrong after he confessed to a mercy killing of his lover live on BBC.

Su Pollard (2013 - Issue #54)

“This posh voice came out of me mouth. I’d never spoken like that in me life. The next thing you know you’re being invited on chat shows, openings, and all sorts.”

When we first started LeftLion there weren’t many famous faces from the city, but Su Pollard (star of eighties sitcoms like Hi-de-Hi! and You Rang, M’Lord?) was top of the list. Our editor Al Needham was in love with her and then the news broke she was to star in the panto at the Theatre Royal alongside David Hasslehoff. This finally gave him the opportunity to interview her about her TV career and rubbing shoulders with Freddie Mercury, Paul McCartney and Elton John.

Torvill and Dean (2014 - Issue #58)

“Our dabble? That was just a teenage thing. You get comfortable with each other and that was it. We were 15 or 16 and it was kids stuff; it soon went away.”

In 1984 Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean came out of nowhere to take the gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. Their Bolero dance enchanted millions and was one of the mostwatched moments in the history of British television. They are the reason the open space in front of Nottingham Arena is known as Bolero Square, and the reason our city has the National Ice Arena. When we caught up with them they were surprisingly frank about those early intimate dances.

Whycliffe (2004 - Issue #2)

Owl Man (2014 - Issue #63)

“Since I got Kim, I’ve brought her out every day with me. I couldn’t see much point in keeping her in an aviary.”

A decade or so back we kept seeing this old fella walking around the city centre with a living breathing barn owl perched on his shoulder. If this had happened once we would have forgotten it, but after we saw him for the umpteenth time we chased him up and arranged to interview him over a coffee. He was a lovely sweet man from Carlton called Frank Shelton and his feathered friend was called Kim. Interviewer Bridie Squires was an apprentice at the time, but three years later she would become our fourth editor.

Daniel Hanson (2015 - Issue #68)

"It doesn't matter what you do in life, the most important thing is to make sure you're bloody good at it."

Daniel Hanson was never as wellknown as Sir Paul Smith, but in fashion circles it’s fair to say he was held in the same regard. From his (converted house) base on Nuthall Road he set up a company that became the go-to dressing gown makers for Harrods, Jermyn Street, Saville Row and luxury institutions worldwide. He designed costumes for Keanu Reeves, Ozzy Osborne, and Elton John wore his gown in the 2018 John Lewis commercial. Daniel passed away a few years after this interview with Ali Emm, but his wife Julie and sons Nicholas and Julian continue his work to this day.

“Revisiting my childhood trauma has been difficult. I got to know myself better; joining up the dots, while getting upset and writing about injustice.”

Dubbed “the voice of a generation” by i-D Magazine, and the first openly trans woman to feature in Vogue. Paris Lees is a journalist, presenter and transgender rights activist. Born in Hucknall, we caught up with her as she was putting the finishing touches to her book What It Feels Like For A Girl. The interview was conducted by LGBTQ+ author and journalist CJ DeBarra.

“What is around the corner? I have no idea, but right now I am feeling happy, creating and looking forwards.”

As a founder member of the DiY collective, one of Britain's first house sound-systems, Pete Woosh had been a leading figure in the UK counter-culture for almost thirty years. At the time of this interview with Scott Oliver, Pete had been diagnosed with head and neck cancer, which would take his life a year later. He discussed those free-party years, his cancer treatment and his 52 Card Trick legacy project.

“I went into the project thinking I was pretty liberal but there was a lot in the journey that was unfamiliar to me.”

Jeanie Finlay is another person we’ve interviewed on quite a few occasions (including in our last issue), but it’s this interview from June 2019 we picked out. She’d recently completed work on Seahorse: The Dad Who Gave Birth, which as the name suggests was about one trans man’s quest to start his own family. It was a learning curve for all involved, including the director. The film is currently available to watch on BBC iPlayer and we’d highly encourage you to watch it.

“Kids that weren’t old enough to cross the road on their own were suddenly on the boat to the other side of the world, told their mothers and fathers were dead."

In 1987, Margaret Humphreys CBE, founder of the Child Migrants Trust, was a Notts social worker who uncovered a scandal, which involved forcibly relocating up to 150,000 poor British infants all over the globe. Her biography Empty Cradles was made into the feature film Oranges and Sunshine

This sensitive interview by Benedict Cooper is an exploration of her work and well worth ten minutes of your time.

“I felt like I owed it to my kids to start giving them a sense of my background, because they’re growing up in a very different way to my own childhood in a council house in Ilkeston.”

For anyone who grew up in either the 1980s or 2000s, Robert Lindsay is an iconic TV sitcom face thanks to his roles as Wolfie in BBC’s Citizen Smith (1977-1980) and as the dad in My Family (20002011). He’s someone we’d always wanted to interview and in 2019 fellow Derby native Ashley Carter finally got the chance thanks to Lindsay being cast in Prism at the Theatre Royal.

“Lots of people find it easy to understand I’m a singer, but I’m really just a guy who sits in studios - my voice is just a part of that.”

Best-known for his work with Tindersticks (who we’ve also interviewed in the past) for over twenty years, Nottingham-born musician Stuart Staples has worked with French director Claire Denis, creating a wide range of provocative and romantic film scores to arthouse. Oliver Parker caught up with him to discuss their collaborative process and the influence of film on his creative output.

“I was constantly having to prove myself, but I think that extra ‘I'm going to prove you wrong’ mentality was the reason I was so successful.”

Emily Campbell made sporting history in the Tokyo Olympics when she won the first ever British Olympic medal for female weightlifting. The Bulwell native spoke to Gemma Cockrell about her journey to silverware, the messages she uses her platform to promote, and her expectations for Paris 2024.

me, it’s all about being authentic, because I want people to know me as a person - not just some fabricated version of myself.”

Cool. Calm. Composed. Lizzy O'Riordan and George White were none of these things when this Nottingham-born star of Game of Thrones and The Last of Us swung by our office for a chat. Yet all three of these words perfectly describe the nineteen-year-old, who chatted openly about fame versus celebrity, taking on beloved characters, and choosing the right projects. Hit up Google or Spotify and you can find a podcast of this interview, too.

Paris Lees (April 2018 - Issue #100)

Pete Woosh (2019 - Issue #111)

Jeanie Finlay (2019 - Issue #114)

Margaret Humphreys (2019Issue #115)

Robert Lindsay (2019 - Issue #118)

Stuart Staples (2022 - Issue #154)

Emily Campbell (2023 - Issue #157)

Bella Ramsey (2023 - Issue #158) “For

NOT GIVING UP THE GHOST

Simon, Bryan, Tony, Lauren, and Jess joined us for a ‘quick’ pint in Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem to chat about the thirtieth anniversary of their popular and quite frankly terrifying Nottingham Ghost Walk

My last week interning at Leftlion was unlike any last week of work I’ve ever had. I spent my Tuesday afternoon in the oldest pub in the world reminiscing and discussing collectable thermometers with five ghost fanatics. It is definitely one for the books, that’s for sure… Perched upon a chair in the Trip’s ‘Haunted Snug’, the crew of raconteurs began delving deep into the early days of the tour and how they have grown in popularity among both tourists and locals.

Despite being a popular attraction in most cities today, back in 1993 ghost walks were relatively rare in the country, with just two established in York and Edinburgh. Spotting that Nottingham’s rich mediaeval history, ancient pubs and plethora of caves would provide excellent content for another, Jenny Bright, a well-known local psychic, and her husband, Dr David Cross, got to work on researching the city’s supernatural happenings, recruiting their friend Simon in the process. “They asked me if I wanted to give it a go in Nottingham and I thought it sounded like a great and crazy idea, so of course I agreed,” says Simon.

Once Jenny and David retired, Simon and Bryan took over the walk and now own the business: “Tony has been with us since around the same time that they had retired and it’s definitely grown, so now we have Lauren and Jess as well. My daughter Rowan is also part of the team of guides and does the children’s walks.”

Whilst the walk is supposed to be enjoyable and there is a dramatised element to it, it is also based on good solid history and the guides “don’t monkey about with the history, because we know people rely on that kind of thing to be solidly factual information and

we like to educate a bit.” But don’t get it twisted, this certainly isn’t your average history lesson. After all, it is walking around the most ghostly parts of Nottingham with strangers, and a guide dressed head to toe in steampunk drip. What more could one ask for on a Saturday night?

There’s no need for mock Tudor facades and made up spooks in Nottingham

A lot of the history on the ghost walk dates back to mediaeval times and Bryan explains that many details from that period are quite limited in terms of what they have on the curriculum. Consequently, the ghost walk is an excellent opportunity to learn about Nottingham’s rich historical significance without any of the more “gruesome” details spared.

While each walk takes the same route, beginning at The Olde Trip to Jerusalem, meandering around the Castle Quarter and finishing in the caves under The Olde Salutation Inn, no walk is entirely the same. Each guide brings their own touch, and there are no scripts involved. This makes it a much more authentic experience, especially for regulars.

The crew shared some fabulous memories about their time on the ghost walk. Lauren, who has only been on the team for a year, spoke about something

peculiar she found on her first solo tour. “The tour went really well, but the next day I woke up and found these massive scratches on my leg despite not feeling anything at the time. I’ve got really short nails and I don’t really scratch easily. So whether that was one of the ghosts, I don’t know…”

Finishing up our chat, the crew took me into the caves under the ‘Sal to have a look. It is fair to say, like most of Nottingham’s caves, a lot has happened here. With records confirming the building in use as an inn from the seventeenth century, the caves beneath date back much further, possibly to the ninth century, and they have been used for tanning leather, brewing beer, hiding Jews facing persecution and even as a shelter for a leper colony.

(Ironically my biggest fear is in fact, you guessed it, ghostly matter - so, I’m sure you can imagine my delight when I found myself underground with rumoured ghosts. This was the most perfect interview for me, really!)

There’s no need for mock Tudor facades and made up spooks in Nottingham - we have historical haunts and creepy caves, ancient inns and ghastly tales galore. In all seriousness, these guys tell a heck of a good story, so if you’re looking for a unique way to explore the more eerie side of Nottingham history, then look no further.

@nottsghostwalk

words: Lottie Murray

photo: Nottingham Ghost Walk

A Fair Deal

words: Beth Green

photos: Iguazu

Fellow vicenary club member, the eco-conscious and fair-trade Iguazu, has also reached the milestone of twenty years in 2023. We catch up with owner Neil as he shares the story that led him and partner Karen on this venture...

Back in the early 2000s, Neil and Karen Walton were living in the poorest neighbourhood of a big city in Paraguay, a country infamous for its higher crime rates. Neil recounted the sheer intensity of the experience and their need for some escapism... Bring forth the wonder of nature that is Iguazu Falls, found on the border of Brazil and Argentina, and just ten minutes from Paraguay. This blend of three cultures exposed the pair to an abundance of handmade products, which ignited their own ideas. Neil’s love for the Falls still shines to this day: “It was a delightful surprise, as it’s not very famous, but totally wonderful. We are always seen by new customers as a wonderful surprise, so it just fits!”

After twenty years, Neil is proud to share the strong relationships that he has formed with the main players in the UK fair trade industry. The longevity has been a positive learning curve for him, ena bling him to progress into trading directly. He stresses how all traders overseas are in village locations rather than factories, which allows for a smoother monitoring process of their staff and pay conditions, alongside visiting all traders at least once a year.

Until eight years ago, Iguazu solely bought from fair trade importers in the UK. As good as this was, with the business expanding, and Neil wanting a more fulfilling role, he confesses: “I finally bit the bullet.” This has been

the biggest change Iguazu have made since the start, and it has been one that has been hugely beneficial for their relations. Neil personally works with families across Thailand, giving him the opportunity to see the importance of fair trade up close. He speaks fondly of the traders he now considers friends.

Despite their strong ethos, Neil has never wanted customers to view Iguazu as a charity. Their principles don’t detract from the high quality products on offer; “I need people to love what we sell, whether that’s the perfect gift or to make a customer's home even nicer.”

Not only do Iguazu’s suppliers need to share their fair trade principles, they equally don’t skimp on the details, producing beautifully handmade, unique and quirky items. It’s a win-win for Iguazu - unique items equal more sales and bigger orders: “Fair trade only works if people actually buy things they love.”

“Hold on for a bumpy ride” is the advice that Neil would give himself if he could go back in time twenty years, summing up the chaos that retail has been in the last two decades. Throw in the rise of online sales and decline in footfall, a pandemic, a recession and now the potential of another, he definitely isn’t wrong. But he does emphasise that he has no regrets and positively remarks, “we feel secure enough to go for another twenty!”

Iguazu is going strong today with stores in Beeston, West Bridgford and Newark, but is there anything else on the horizon for them? Well, their flagship Beeston store is about to undergo a renovation and upon its completion, Iguazu is hoping to celebrate with a good old-fashioned birthday party. Afterwards, the duo are hoping to take a much-needed rest, but coffee lovers will be happy to hear of Neil’s dream to open a cafe attached to the Beeston store.

Equally, he is looking at future potential; “Stamford is very high on the list, and I also like the look of Sneinton Market nowadays, so who knows.” Who knows, indeed - but here at LeftLion HQ, our votes are for Sneinton (completely unbiased of course!).

@iguazufairtrade

I need people to love what we sell, whether that’s the perfect gift or to make a customer's home even nicer

FOOD AND DRINK

tuR tley AmA zINg

With the pizzeria’s tenth birthday celebrations approaching, we met up with Antonio Vendone at Suede Bar to take a trip down memory lane and chat about all things pizza and Nottingham, with a touch of nostalgia…

It’s no secret that the city centre’s pizza scene is growing so fast that most of us are struggling to keep up with where our next slice is coming from. But Suede Bar is the ‘OG’ indie pizzeria in Nottingham, and they have been slinging handstretched sourdough pizzas since the 2010s. Those who are regulars to the upbeat haunt on Heathcoat Street will be familiar with the nostalgic, retro, 1980s-inspired décor - graffiti, cassette tapes (Gen Z, we will let you Google that one), and Ninja Turtles included. With Y2K trends making a comeback (oh, the horror that this is now considered ‘retro’) and eighties styles looking set for another encore, the spot is certainly popular, and they’ve managed to hit both markets with old and young alike.

Sunday evening ‘Movie Quiz Nights’ (and many a night partying in Heathcote Street, with the likes of Crazy P known to rock the venue until the early hours of the morning) are still going strong, with a following of hardcore devotees attending to enter the free competition and stand a chance at winning weekly pizza and beer prizes. Suede also host the ‘Not Nineties Forever’ events, which boast nineties and noughties pop music, indie anthems for the over thirties (hallelujah!), with drinks and pizza included. Somewhat of an institution, they are renowned for hosting some pretty decent gigs, and throwing the odd afterparty too – anyone recall house legend Alistair Whitehead, or any of the live Petebox shows over the years?

Having lived in Nottingham since he was two years old, Suede Bar owner Antonio was born to a Sardinian father who worked as a pizza chef for most of his life. Antonio tells us he has always grown up around food with a penchant for cooking, and is a natural in the kitchen. With no formal food training, this DJ-turned-bar owner took a leap in opening his own pizzeria, but says the jump felt like a natural progression after years working in promoting events at venues around the city.

With Heathcoat Street forming part of the network of roads around Broadway in much-loved Hockley, we are told he always wanted Suede to be a creative space: “In the first year there wasn’t much focus on food, we were just trying to get our name out there and the space known. I’ve always wanted to establish us as an artistic space that did more than food, like club and music events, we wanted to be different,” he recalls. “When we first started, the only place to get pizza in the Hockley area was Pizza Express. There was no real space where there was a bar with a DJ where you could also get pizza, so we had to get creative.”

As the longest standing independent pizzeria in the city, Suede is still going strong with their Roman style pizzas, and two Italian chefs in the kitchenone with 25 years of experience in Italy under his belt (or should we say apron?).

It’s evident that the recipe for their pizza dough has remained consistent over the years - a Vendone family secret that has been going strong for four decades, we are told. Bold flavours and innovative toppings are a testament that pizzerias don’t have to be traditional Neapolitan to be good.

“Neapolitan pizzas look great but don’t always taste great. A lot of people think pizza is easy, but to do it well - regardless of style - takes skill. Our pizzas are Roman style, so they’re thin and crispy but the dough is still prepared in a traditional way,” Antonio says. “All our artisan dough is handstretched, and our chef has tons of experience with having owned his own restaurant in Italy.

We have some contemporary toppings like hoisin duck, and people seem to go crazy for the combination of interesting flavours.”

The pizza joint has stood the test of time, surviving the dreaded lockdown days despite being slightly hidden away in Hockley compared to other businesses. Antonio touches on how the wider vibe around Nottingham has changed over the years too, with Covid restrictions establishing a culture of going out earlier and coming home earlier. With a licence to trade until 2am, this is predominately only used when Suede has private bookings, otherwise business quietens down at about 10pm - a stark contrast to those late-night parties held back in the day. But this seems to suit them just fine as they reap the repeat bookings for private events. Speaking about his love for the city, Antonio tells us: “We’ve got a great independent scene. Outside of London, I don’t really know anywhere better. We have an incredible and vibrant nightlife like in Hockley with a strong indie scene, and I like the supportive nature of the businesses around each other. At Suede we have a great team and [they] are familiar faces when people walk through the doors, giving it a homely and relaxed feel.”

Don’t take our word for it, though, go try it for yourself. Suede runs a mid-week pizza and drink deal where you can get two pizzas and two drinks starting at £20!

@suedebar

interview: Julia Head photo: Fabrice Gagos

There was no real space where there was a bar with a DJ where you could also get pizza, so we had to get creative

monkey business

interview: Akhila Thomas

With a striking name that will not leave your mind even after downing a couple of their well-crafted beers, the Blue Monkey Brewery is not only celebrating their fifteenth birthday this year, but also bagging the title of World’s Best Stout & Porter at the World Beer Awards 2023. We spoke to Laura Beavon-Lee, sales manager at the brewery, about the brand’s legacy, future aspirations and some of their most memorable moments over the years…

Congratulations on fifteen years! Could you take us through the story of how Blue Monkey Brewery came to be?

We are a Nottinghamshire brewery and we have been brewing our popular beers since August 2008. We started out in Ilkeston and due to high demand, we soon had to move to larger premises in Giltbrook back in 2010 to allow for us to increase our brewing capacity. To add a new dimension to the brewery, we have introduced a selection of exceptional craft cans to our evergrowing range of products.

How did you come up with the name ‘Blue Monkey’ for the brewery?

Blue Monkey Brewery is a family-owned business, and our name originates from a childhood memory of seeing the blue flames from the chimneys of Stanton Ironworks that was fondly nicknamed ‘the blue monkeys’, which later on became our name.

The Blue Monkey pubs are each called The Organ Grinder. It’s a curious name - is there a story behind that?

Our well-known name was given to each of our pubs in relation to the phrase ‘Speak to the grinder, not the monkey.’

With fifteen years of successful business, what would you consider to be your biggest achievement?

Our biggest achievement would be owning

four of our own pubs located in Nottingham, Loughborough, Newark, and Arnold, showcasing all our products. We are proud of the multiple awards that we have won over the years for both our ales and spirit range, and we have also formed a strong relationship with Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) over the years and have been one of the main sponsors for the annual Nottingham Beer Festival where we usually host our own brewery bar. So, look out for us this year!

Our name originates from a childhood memory of seeing the blue flames from the chimneys of Stanton Ironworks that was fondly nicknamed ‘the blue monkeys’

What has been the best-selling drink on the menu in the last fifteen years?

Our best selling and most-loved drink is our multiaward winning BGsips which is a four percent pale ale and intensely hoppy beer. The Brewers Gold hops that we use in our recipe impart enticing, tropical fruit aromas and a lovely thirst-quenching bitterness to the brew.

Can you recollect any particularly memorable moments you cherish from over the years?

Several of our most memorable moments over the years are from attending beer festivals where we enjoy meeting our existing supporters as well as making new Blue Monkey followers. We have also joined hands with fellow breweries over the years to create some exciting collaboration brews, which we plan on doing more of in the future.

Have you got anything special planned to celebrate your birthday?

We will be getting together to have a celebratory drink as a team and reflect on the memories from over the years!

Finally, what is your vision for the next fifteen years? Are there any plans for further expansion, such as introducing new drinks to the menu or opening pubs in new venues?

Due to the increase in production, we purchased an additional unit in Ilkeston last year to use as storage. This allowed us to make way for our inhouse canning line that we are constantly using to produce new cans. So, keep an eye on this space for more specials appearing soon! As for new pubs, we are looking at taking on a new one in the near future. Our goal for the next ten to fifteen years is to keep making irresistible craft beers and spirits!

@bluemonkeybrew

To Visit Cobden Chambers Tucked away off Pelham Street, enjoy a coffee and cake in the courtyard of this haven for independent businesses, and visit the thrift stores while you’re there. @cobden_chambers

To Nosh Vegan Tapas - No Twelve Try a range of delectable vegan delicacies, from kimchi wontons to artichoke fritters, in this hidden gem for herbivores. @no12nottingham

To Sup Quercus Cabernet Merlot - Another? Nottingham’s first self-service wine bar. The Quercus Cabernet Merlot is one of their best reds - you’ll want another one soon enough. @anotherwinebar

missions and milestones

With a sleek, black facade that sets it apart from the predominantly red brick cityscape of the locality, New Art Exchange , (NAE) which stands as a local (and national) landmark at the heart of Hyson Green, is celebrating their fifteenth birthday . Saad Eddine Said, artistic director and CEO at the NAE speaks about how the institution has emerged as a centre that celebrates the diversity of artistic expression and creativity rooted in South-Asian, African and Caribbean traditions.

“It has been a special 15 years during which we have grown immensely as an organisation committed to the mission of promoting diversity and inclusivity in art which bridges cultures and stimulates important conversations, especially at a time when our society is so divided,” Saad says. His message on the occasion of NAE’s 15th anniversary is one of gratitude and celebration. He goes on to say that their success would not have been possible without the support of artists, patrons and the community around them. “As an organisation, we are reliant on the generosity of taxpayers across the country and the public. This makes every year an anniversary for us and we are very grateful to be around,” he adds.

Marking their anniversary is an exciting line-up of events and exhibitions that have been planned across this year. “We will have key exhibitions, workshops, talks and collaborations, celebrating under-represented voices as part of the sparkling mosaic of events and programs planned for the next season extending from October through December’” Saad says.

He explains that this year is also special because it marks the 75th anniversary of Windrush and how it becomes important to look back at the history and input that came from this underrepresented community.

Looking back at some of NAE’s milestones, Saad mentions that their biggest achievement would be fostering dynamic cross-cultural collaboration and artistic expression which has led to several thought-provoking projects over the years.

“It is a privilege to be able to stand up and be an advocate for fairness and equal opportunities. We have been committed to this mission based on the upliftment of communities. This is important to our art and it is vital to our DNA. By staying true to that mission, we can see the impact we have in engaging both the local and global artistic community in meaningful dialogues,” says Saad. “There has also been an incredible increase in the support we have received from Arts Council England, which has positioned NAE as the most

funded gallery in the Midlands and the fifth most funded gallery in the UK. I believe that that is a real testimony to the work that we have been doing,” he adds.

the ethnic diversity within the local community as well as Nottingham as a whole brings in a myriad of perspectives and experiences

“Highlighting marginalised art cultures remains at the forefront of NAE’s mission with the centre becoming a platform for artists from diverse backgrounds to showcase their works, access resources, educational initiatives and art training which contribute to growing young talent which might otherwise go unnoticed,” Saad explains.

The organisation’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is evident in every aspect of their functioning, right from the location and the artists featured, to the choice of background music and the staff. Some of the current pieces on display further highlight this. A painting titled ‘Ahimsa’ by Sarith Ratnayake juxtaposes pre-colonial Sri Lanka’s liberated queer history with the criminalisation of homosexuality under colonial rule which remains so to date. Another sculpture made of steel plates unpacks the narrative of untouchability encountered by the Dalit community in India, and the rebellious act of creating art with materials they were traditionally not allowed to touch.

“I think the ethnic diversity within the local community as well as Nottingham as a whole brings in a myriad of perspectives and experiences which makes it a true reflection of the community itself. For us, NAE is within Hyson Green and we can see Hyson Green within NAE,” says Saad.

He also believes that the organisation helps in keeping the cultures of the diaspora in the local community alive. “By being a stage for their voices, I am hoping that we play the role of a good ally and facilitator for them. Beyond the exhibitions and these walls, we are grateful that we have been able to build trust and a relationship rooted in the values that we clearly share with the community,” he adds.

Saad has also co-founded ‘Citizens in Power’, an initiative that aims to empower marginalised people in society to take power and become part of making important decisions. He says that a lot of beliefs that went into shaping this initiative aligns with the values and vision of NAE. “Looking at NAE as a service provider that highlights unheard voices and facilitates representations brings out how its mission is similar to that of Citizens in Power and what it seeks to do to advocate social change,” he adds. Looking forward to the next 15 years, Saad speaks about NAE’s vision when it comes to harnessing the potential of art as a powerful tool to give back to society by reflecting, challenging and reshaping narratives.

“NAE has risen to the rank of a national treasure in many ways and we are looking forward to expanding its reach globally while still remaining deeply rooted within our local community. We hope to find that balance between relevance and excellence, between locality and globality and emerge as a trailblazer in exploring innovative forms of artistic expression, new technologies, nurturing emerging talent and continuing to be a driving force for positive change,” he says. NAE continues to rem ain as a vibrant hub of creativity and inclusivity and on the occasion of their 15th birthday, Saad says that they will continue to be an advocate for the communities they serve and magnify their cause as they go forward.

interview: Akhila Thomas

photo: Anicca Charlotte Jopling

Frock n' Roll

Making a name for itself with its creative designs, rock ‘n’ roll attitude and memorable fashion shows, Sneinton’s bespoke clothing company, One BC, has clothed some of the world’s legendary stars, from The Rolling Stones to Pamela Anderson.

Ahead of the brand’s 25th anniversary, which takes place next month, we caught up with head designer and co-owner Tony Brack, his wife, co-owner and creative director Reeta Brack, and their two dogs Skull and Bindi, to hear more about the wild, and beautifully chaotic rollercoaster ride that has been the One BC journey so far…

One BC launched in its current guise in 1998 in the city’s creative Sneinton Market area. But its journey started long before that, back in 1979, where it started life as Olto, before becoming Brack Clothing and then eventually One BC.

Throughout these many years and guises they have rubbed shoulders with the stars who lapped up their unique designs. “The very first band we ended up doing stuff for was The Police but we also did stuff for The Rolling Stones,” Tony says. “Ronnie Wood was going to be doing this solo tour then, and The Rolling Stones’ office got in touch and said he wanted to meet me. So, I went down to London on the train and of course there were no mobile phones then, so I called from a phone box and it was him who answered the phone, and invited me to his house. He answered the door himself in carpet slippers, a cigarette in one hand and a Guinness in the other. Then we ended up in the pub.”

Tony adds, “Or, there was the time one of the Stones wanted to wear a shirt I was wearing, so I took it off, pressed it, sprayed it with a bit of aftershave and put it in a pizza box and gave it to him. We also did loads of stuff for Kid Rock, and then all of a sudden he became famous and he's got Versace throwing things at him.”

One BC’s stars and stripes shirts can be seen worn by Kid Rock in his Cowboy music video released in 1998. Other One BC

highlights include being involved with Carlton Television’s first digital British television channel, where the One BC team took part in a lifestyle programme called Let’s Get Beautiful “It was just mad,” Reeta says. “We were only meant to do one section on the show on fashion, but the next thing we know, we’re being asked to do screen tests and to present the fashion slot. I think we did 26 programmes altogether. They filmed all the studio ones in one week, with five shows back-to-back a day, and it was so intense.”

Reeta adds, “It’s hard to think of the highlights without also thinking of our clothes shows we used to do too. Since Covid, we haven't actually done any which is a shame, but they were great. Each of our shows were always really exciting, with a whole range of people involved - a whole posse of people we call The Fugitives. This includes animators, rappers, photographers, lots of people who all got involved with the live music during the show, or hair, make-up, jewellery - the whole lot. And, they all embodied the One BC slogan which is ‘fugitives from the law of averages’. In short, it was all just about that frock and roll ethos.”

The progressive attitude of One BC has always run deep in their shows. “The funniest one we ever did was wh en the city was doing Nottingham Fashion Week and they’d pretty much excluded all the independents,” Tony adds. “We'd been

involved in several prior to that one, but it was all the likes of River Island, Topshop etc. So we actually did a protest fashion show and we got other independent brands involved. We all met down here at the studio and we did a parade through town in front of the big screens at Market Square which were showing the fashion shows, with the big high street brands. Our motley crew paraded through the city, through Trinity Square, and then back through the Victoria Centre.”

Today, the eye-catching One BC studio can be found in Sneinton Market with its one-of-akind designs clearly visible through the fully glass-fronted store. It focuses on top-quality bespoke garments, using fabrics sourced in the UK. Clients are able to commission them to make anything from custom-made wedding dresses, tailored suits, band attire, dog

It’s all about actually making their ideal, real. It's making their desires come to life. Whether that's the whole silhouette, the cloth, the style

words: Addie Kenogbon photos: Dani Bacon

clothes, superhero costumes, and more.

“I think in terms of highlights, because it's personal to the client, each thing we make has got its highlights,” Tony says. “We've done stuff for seriously famous people, but doing it for somebody who's just down the road or for a local band is just as exciting.”

Working directly with clients is something both Reeta and Tony see as a bonus of their job. “It's always just really positive because everything we do is all about them,” says Reeta. “It’s all about actually making their ideal, real. It's making their desires come to life. Whether that's the whole silhouette, the cloth, the style - we do all that side of it. All the fabric and cloth that we use, it's always been really important to us that it's top quality British heritage too.”

The bespoke process involves the client creating visuals with a Pinterest board or something similar, which is then used to help get a better idea of what design the client has in mind before measurements are taken and discussions about cloth and colour choice are held. A toile of the garment is then created in calico so the client can see what the fit will be like before the full garment is created.

Reeta describes the whole experience as pure fun, for both them and the client. “Clients come in, and they can see the fit straight away and they’re so happy. They're always like, ‘Wow, I didn't realise I could look this good in a dress’, for instance,” she explains. “We cater for all sizes and shapes too, and rather than trying to fit into a garment, the garment fits them, so it’s a completely different experience to the high street experience for all our customers.”

For those looking for a more ready-made piece, people are also able to shop from a small collection of one-off pieces from the studio showroom.

Reeta adds: “We don't actually have a whole full collection. It's a load of creative, one-off pieces in the showroom as you walk into the studio which people can buy, but it’s essentially a showcase of some of our cloth and design details. Everything you see in there is to fit mannequins, so it's one size, but if anyone wants one, we then take their measurements. Or, if they see something in

there such as another detail, it could be that we create a mashup piece for them, and then it's a fully unique outfit for them.”

With the birth of ‘slow fashion’ and discussions about fast fashion’s impact on the world now a hot topic that is widely discussed, it’s interesting to hear how a more considered ethos has been ingrained into the fabric of One BC, long before such conversations became in vogue.

The brand has an ongoing sustainability project called The Rejeaneration Project which encourages people to donate their preloved denim to be upcycled. According to Oxfam, research has revealed that the emissions produced from the manufacture of jeans in the UK is the equivalent of flying a plane around the world 2,372 times, or driving 21 billion miles in a petrol car.

To help offset this, One BC turns old denim pieces into guitars, sculptures, dresses, suits, hats and more, with people able to also bring in old vintage pieces from loved ones, and the One BC team will breathe new life into them.

“We had one customer bring in her late husband’s jeans which we made into a jacket for her,” says Reeta. “She said when she wears it she just feels as if she’s wearing a hug from him. And it’s those markings and memories too, we kept all the worn bits - it’s all storytelling.”

In terms of making use of fabric, nothing goes to waste. “It’s always been about trying to find new ways of utilising things,” says Tony. “For me, I started years ago by using recycled saris for shirts, but we’re always very frugal

with stuff as well. One of our jackets in the showroom for example, is made out of all the edges of the bits of the fabric that I've saved over the years.”

“What we do isn't fashion,” he adds. “It's not about a fashion show, or a fashion store. We don't consciously follow trends. It's obviously an instinctive thing that goes on if you’re involved in clothing, but what's the point in us doing what everybody else is doing? That’s why the high street has killed a lot of great brands, and now the high street's killing itself too.”

In terms of what the next 25 years hold for One BC, it’s clear Reeta and Tony aren’t done yet. “I'd like to have a mini capsule collection of one-off pieces online, but I've just been trying to find manufacturers to do this,” says Reeta. “It’s been a challenge since all the manufacturing went abroad way back when, which meant the whole skillset was lost, but it's slowly coming back, which is great.”

“To be honest, our showroom is full of bits that we would like to do, and fortunately, or unfortunately, we've got so much commission work in, that we don't get enough time to get that as stocked as we would like,” Tony adds.

“We've got more boxes of good intentions that are getting ever bigger, but I’d like to set some time aside to build on that. I think it's just about finding more fun and keeping it interesting for us and challenging.

“I still learn something new pretty much every week. It is living on the edge, but that's kind of healthy. In theory I should be retired sitting in the garden or out fishing or something like that, but there's always something more to do, which is why I'm still doing it.”

You can find One BC at 9 Gedling Street, Nottingham, NG1 1DS @onebcclothing

We had one customer bring in her late husband’s jeans which we made into a jacket for her. She said when she wears it she just feels as if she’s wearing a hug from him

hardy perennials

words: Adam Pickering photo: Alan Lodge

Nottingham Green Festival are celebrating their thirtieth outing this year (they started in 1991, but it’s a big birthday of sorts). Patrick Smith AKA VeggiesPat and Moby Farrands have been involved respectively since before, and near to its beginnings. We find out the roots of this pioneering event.

How did you first get involved in Nottingham Green Festival (NGF)?

Pat: Veggies Catering Campaign was formed in 1984 and immediately got involved with the Peace Festival, which predated and later became the NGF. In 2015 the original organisers retired and there was no event that year. I went down anyway, and did a free food stall on the Arboretum, then somebody else from our community centre, Linda Masters, organised a community meeting about how to save this iconic event.

Moby: I got involved with trying to start a community based alternative to banking when post offices were closing in Radford, and banks were closing all over the place. I was in a small group setting up a Radford Credit Union - a type of community bank that does affordable loans and ethical savings, and we started doing stalls on the NGF site from about 1994. I used to bring my kids along, and now my grandchildren come along to it. So I was very, very distressed when it didn't happen in 2014. I'm a friend of Lindas, and I persuaded the Partnership Council - the charity I was working for at the time - to allow me to take a few meetings to help get it started. What was wonderful was how quickly a new group came together after one year with it missing.

definition of green - we're all in it together. It’s one planet, one world, and we’ve all gotta stick together. How has NGF developed over the years?

Moby: I think that John and Jeremy were working very, very hard in the last few years of their tenure. As happens sometimes with groups, the number of activists involved reduced down and the whole sense of being a cooperative had got lost, and they were incredibly stressed and overburdened by it all. So one of the things we did was introduce a constitution and say this needs to be a cooperative. We’re not a registered one, but work on that basis. And people really did sign up for that, and that was really good. People challenge us if we don't work as cooperators when we're doing this old thing, and I think that matters enormously.

Pat: Because of all the pressure of it being organised by just the two people, it was basically a lineup on the bandstand and a row of stores along the footpath when we took it on. That was all that could be managed. When the new organising collective took on board, we opened up the whole northern grass bank to have family activities and a whole new range of stores. There’s now a speakers forum, what we call the Knowledge Garden, which was lacking before. I get to go around a lot of lovely events, and I’m very proud to say I’m involved in organising what’s now the UK's biggest one day, free, urban green festival. Lots of qualifications there, but it is, it is what it is.

You’ve recently had a bit of a logo revamp, what’s the thinking behind it?

Who were the original founders of the festival? What was their vision?

Pat: Well the Peace Festival goes back to the 1970s. This was before my time in Nottingham, but my understanding is that it was the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) at the heart of it. Doreen Gower was one of the people I’d see, then Jeremy Jago and John Truscott were very much heading things up in the later stages. As well as being involved with the CND and Greenpeace, John was interested in Central American solidarity, and his particular stall sold friendship bracelets to raise funds for street kids in Guatemala. So there is that breadth of vision of what peace and green meant, and that’s something we’ve stayed true to.

Moby: I would say it links rather to the word shalom - peace and wholeness, which takes for granted that these things are integral to how the environment is.

Yes, you do have a wide range of groups at the festival, and some overtly political - you could argue not all of them necessarily come under the green umbrella…

Pat: Why do we have people like CND and the (Nottinghamshire) Refugee Forum? Because there's no environment on a dead planet, there's no nature on the planet if we don't tackle the spread of nuclear weapons and war. Many people in other countries and other communities are gonna be suffering the effects of climate change faster than we will. So we have groups like Global Justice who are pointing out that it's our responsibility in the West, to make some amends for our causing a lot of these concerns in the first place. We have that sense of global responsibility, it’s that broad

Moby: The original design was based on the one that had been there since 1991, Tash [AKA photographer Alan Lodge] revamped it, but he kept the basic design. Right from the beginning people were making comments that it looked like a dead tree... This year we've actually got a lot more younger people involved. So they transformed the logo, there was lots of voting on it, and I think we're all very happy with this little seedling. So we’re starting again at 30, we've got a little seedling with beautiful roots. The very thing we did promise to Jeremy and John was that we were going to make sure it was going to last for longer, and keep on with the younger generation coming in. I'm getting on a bit, but others in our group are in their twenties and thirties. With your 30th festival around the corner, what do you think is behind the event’s longevity?

Moby: Well we realised really early on that the important thing is that we have a music festival, we have a food festival, we have fun. We have a policy that activities and educational stuff that's there for the children has to be free, and we also have a free coffee stall. The idea is that, if they bring their own sandwiches, families can have a really fun, free day. We’ve put in extra rules about not evangelising or following up with people too. It’s about positivism, because there’s a real risk that with all the issues around climate change, people get fatalistic and say “there's no point, we're all doomed”. So we've got no objection if people come to enjoy the music and some good food, and then pick up a bit about learning to ride a bike, these little things. And we couldn't manage it without all our volunteers. They’re fantastic.

Nottingham Green Festival takes places at the Arboretum park on Sunday 10th September @nottmgreenfest

We have that sense of global responsibility, it’s that broad definition of green - we're all in it together.

Between the lines

Birthdays are fraught with emotion. I remember when I turned twenty myselfovernight I was struck by premature back pain. An old lady, seeing my anguish, offered me her seat on the tram. When I got home from uni, my flatmate at the time announced that he had cooked me a lamb tandoori as a present and, after remembering my stern commitment to vegetarianism, he proceeded to eat both portions in front of me. I went to my room and read The Old Man and the Sea But literary birthdays are no less charged. The Wiener Zeitung published its fi nal edition on its 320th birthday this year, having been able to boast that it was the world's longest continually running newspaper. Its reportage had prospered through foul weather and fair, through several Republiks and Reichs, a fact which I would have been more tempted to brush under the rug, but it had finally run out of Zeit

The UK’s longest running magazine is The Spectator , having first rolled off the press in 1828. If you want to marvel at how people thought about the world in 1828, and how backwards it all seems, I urge you to pick up the latest issue.

Yes, as publications age they gain the heft of authority, and so it’s a great pleasure to start writing for LeftLion as we celebrate its twentieth. This is the time to shake off the heady teenage ways, the stolen kisses in Rob’s Records, the evenings on careering mopeds throwing empty cans of Monster energy at local dignitaries. Let’s buck our ideas up now and get serious. Or maybe next year.

@andrewtucker.creative

EAT s, REAds And LEAvE s

interview: Andrew Tucker

photo: Fabrice Gagos

Tucked away in Swann’s Yard behind Primark, Five Leaves Bookshop has become a vital fixture in Nottingham’s literary scene, winning the British Book Awards’ Independent Bookshop of the Year in 2018. As it celebrates its tenth birthday, we had a chat with Five Leaves’ Scottish founder and manager, Ross Bradshaw.

Some fictional booksellers, like Graham Linehan's Bernard Black, are written as devoted misanthropes. Do you find that running an indie bookshop challenges your faith in people - or does it restore it?

Ah, save for a few minutes, I've never watched Bernard Black. I might be grumpy the odd time - who isn't? - but if you were misanthropic, why would anyone come to your shop? Normally I am, of course, all sweetness and light. I do have faith in our customers and am fascinated to see what they read, what they order, and what they do with their lives. Have you had any favourite encounters with those customers? Bookshops seem to attract characterful people.

Actually, the best encounter was the day after a disaster. We have many customers whose origins are not originally from round here, and customers who are from round here but see themselves as active citizens of the world. Our staff were very clear about our attitude to Brexit, and we held an event asking our customers to read something in any European language they liked, including English. People came and read in German, Spanish, Italian, Irish, English and other languages under the banner "We're Not Leaving". But we lost that vote. The day after, staff put the kettle on, bought biscuits and re-arranged the shop putting chairs out - people poured in to share in the misery, to console themselves. Only now do we see how important that Brexit decision was. The shop remains committed to Europe, and to welcoming the stranger. We think most of our customers share that attitude. Most booksellers do as well.

I always come away with the impression that having that social mission is central to Five Leaves' existence: you have sections for environment, Black writers, LGBTQ+ and many more. How did the course of your life make you want to run a radical bookshop?

What kind of dinosaur writes romance novels?

- A Brontësaurus.

Our trade association, the Booksellers Association (BA), has a grant scheme for bookshops making environmental improvements and a few years ago, during Earth Strike Day, we closed, with our staff attending the Extinction Rebellion demonstration on full pay! During the summer in the wake of the murder of George Floyd - though bookshops were shuttered due to Covid - many indies put up Black Lives Matters window displays. Similarly, many indies had Pride window displays during Pride month - and some, in Abergavenny and Abingdon (for example)

had quite a bit of pushback, but had the full support of the BA. In short, we are running with the tide of independent bookselling. We just maybe go a little bit further than some.

As to what led me to do it... I worked in bookselling before, in Mushroom Bookshop from 1979 to 1995 (it closed in 2000) and always wanted to have another go. Five Leaves Bookshop is, I suppose, a Mushroom Bookshop for modern times. As to bookselling... I trained as a librarian and a community worker. Maybe bookselling involves a bit of both. We've started using the phrase "changing the world, one book at a time" a little. Perhaps that's a mission statement.

We are running with the tide of independent bookselling. We just maybe go a little bit further than some

Let's say I'm a ruffian who could do with being changed one book at a time. What life-changing books have you been pressing into p eople's hands recently?

Of course, a ruffian has to want to be changed. But at the very least, this pile of books [pictured] will entertain, educate, open up the world... there's everything from images of women in art, to Nottingham gay life in the bad old days to speculative literature... and my favourite (I'm Scottish) - short stories from the Scottish diaspora in Canada. Read these 21 books and you will be a ruffian no longer. Or a better ruffian, possibly.

Thanks for your time Ross, it's been lovely to chat - congratulations for a remarkable ten years. What have you got in mind for the years to come?

Years to come? Well, it's hard to see beyond this autumn, where we have the usual wide range of events.... a Reading Proud day again, a Quaker and other faiths' seminar on racial justice are standouts. On the publishing side - which has been going since 1995 - we're bringing out a set of short stories set in Derby . Will anybody in Nottingham ever speak to us again?

fiveleavesbookshop.co.uk

20 Biggest Bands and Artists To

Have Played Rescue Rooms

It may be tucked away out of sight in the shadow of Rock City, but few would disagree that Rescue Rooms is one of the best spots for catching live music in Nottingham. To celebrate its twentieth birthday, we look back at some of the most unbelievable bands and artists who have graced the stage over the past two decades…

The Libertines (2003)

One of the very first bands to play Rescue Rooms was The Libertines, in February of 2003. The venue erupted into an immediate mosh pit when the band opened their set with Horror Show, demonstrating high levels of energy that was maintained throughout the show right until the end, when the band encouraged the crowd to rush the stage.

Ellie Goulding (2010)

Back in April 2010, Ellie Goulding graced the stage of Rescue Rooms. With her debut studio album Lights topping the UK Albums Chart and selling over 850,000 copies shortly before, it’s no wonder that the crowds were eager to see her perform. Her powerful vocals and magnetic stage presence created an electrifying atmosphere in the room as she serenaded the crowd with hit after hit.

Ella Eyre (2014)

Ella McMahon, aka Ella Eyre, gained recognition for her work with Rudimental on the hit UK number one single Waiting All Night. But at the time it was hitting the charts, her debut album wasn’t due to be released for several months. Despite this, the demand for her first solo tour was so high that dates had to be rescheduled to larger venues, relocating from The Bodega to Rescue Rooms.

Dua Lipa (2015)

Would you believe us if we told you that not only did Dua Lipa perform at Rescue Rooms, but she did it for FREE entry? She made an appearance during the venue’s Pressure club night, back in November 2015. Since then, she has become one of the world’s biggest pop icons, with enough fans to sell out the biggest stage in the county over at Motorpoint Arena last year.

Amy Winehouse (2004)

A very special show took place at Rescue Rooms in April 2004: The one and only Amy Winehouse. With her smoky voice and powerful stage presence, she quickly became known as one of the most talented and distinctive singers of her generation. Although her life was cut short at just 27 years old, she left behind a legacy of music that will endure for generations to come.

Bastille (2011)

After closing for the summer due to renovations, in October of 2011, Rescue Rooms welcomed Bastille to take over the stage at Stealth vs Rescued, delivering an unforgettable DJ set. The band emerged onto the music scene the year prior with singles Flaws and Icarus, which would later appear on their debut album, Bad Blood, which is now certified triple platinum in the UK.

Jess Glynne (2014)

Back in 2014, Jess Glynne’s debut single Right Here entered the UK charts at number six. She embarked on her first UK tour that autumn, starting in Sheffield at The Foundry and ending at London’s Electric Brixton, with a date at Rescue Rooms in between. When her debut album I Cry When I Laugh was released a year later, it debuted at number one in the UK charts and saw international success.

Anne Marie (2016)

Anne-Marie rose to fame with chart-topping hits like Rockabye, Alarm, and Ciao Adios, with her debut album Speak Your Mind reaching number three on the UK Albums Chart.

More recently, she has released her third album UNHEALTHY, and you may recognise her as a coach from ITV’s The Voice UK alongside Olly Murs, will.i.am and Tom Jones.

Calvin Harris (2007)

In May of 2007, Rescue Rooms welcomed Scottish musician and producer Calvin Harris, just prior to the release of his debut studio album, I Created Disco, a month later. The album was a huge success, producing two top ten hits in the UK, and his second studio album, Ready for the Weekend, only built on this success when it was released in 2009, debuting at number one in the charts.

Jake Bugg (2012)

In November of 2012, there was a special hometown performance by the one and only Jake Bugg, who at this time was capturing the hearts of audiences across the UK with his distinctive voice and clever songwriting. His debut self-titled album was released just a month prior, reaching number one in the UK charts, selling over 600,000 copies, and ranking as the 57th best-selling album of the decade.

Years & Years (2015)

In February 2015, Years & Years were moved over from The Bodega to Rescue Rooms due to high demand - and this was before their debut album Communion had even been released. The album went on to top the charts, with the hit single King charting globally. They performed this song as part of their encore at Rescue Rooms, to an electric reaction from the crowd.

Tom Grennan (2017)

A feature on Chase & Status' All Goes Wrong in 2016 put Tom Grennan in the spotlight, and he went on the perform at Rescue Rooms the following year, prior to the release of his debut album Lightning Matches. If you were lucky, you might have seen him headline Motorpoint Arena earlier this year, in the build up to the release of his third album, What Ifs and Maybes.

The Courteeners (2008) 2008 started with a bang at Rescue Rooms, with The Courteeners being the first show of the year. Their debut album St. Jude was released mere months later, and would cement them as one of the best indie bands of the mid-noughties. They have since released several critically acclaimed albums and performed in some of the most prestigious venues and music festivals around the world.

Disclosure (2013)

The electronic music duo sold out Rescue Rooms in March 2013, only months prior to the release of their first studio album, Settle. It quickly caught the attention of the mainstream and was nominated for the Best Dance/Electronica Album at the 2014 Grammy Awards. Now, they have achieved three such nominations, marking them as one of the biggest electronic groups in the world.

Charli XCX (2015)

Starting her career by posting songs on Myspace in 2008, it was her 2012 collaboration with Icona Pop I Love It that put Charli XCX on the map. Ahead of her show at Rescue Rooms, she released Boom Clap, which appeared on the The Fault in Our Stars soundtrack. The track skyrocketed, and it was sitting in the Billboard Hot 100 at number sixteen around the time she performed.

Lewis Capaldi (2018)

Another artist who headlined the Arena earlier this year is Lewis Capaldi. But back in 2018, he captivated a smaller audience at Rescue Rooms, with an evening that combined a full-band show and a stripped-back acoustic performance. A few months ago, he was seen enjoying dinner at Notts independent restaurant Little Brickhouse, so not only does he have a brilliant voice, he clearly has good taste, too.

Sia (2008)

Following the release of her fourth studio album, Some People Have Real Problems, Sia took to the Rescue Rooms stage. A few years later, she would become a worldwide sensation thanks to hit collaborations such as Titanium (with David Guetta) and Wild Ones (with Flo Rida) and their massive commercial successes cemented Sia’s place as one of the most talented musicians of her time.

Bring Me The Horizon (2013)

Back in 2013, Bring Me The Horizon were in the midst of a shift from metalcore band to genre-bending sensation, as a result of keyboardist Jordan Fish joining the band. With the release of their groundbreaking fourth album Sempiternal, they transcended boundaries to become one of the most exciting and innovative bands in the music industry.

Stormzy (2015)

Croydon-based rapper Stormzy quickly rose to fame on YouTube with his electrifying performances. With his unique style and captivating charisma, he has solidified his place as a leader in the grime music scene, leaving a lasting impact on fans and fellow artists alike. Back in 2015, he hadn’t even released his debut album, but his meteoric rise saw him take to the stage at Motorpoint Arena in 2022.

Becky Hill (2019)

Following an appearance on ITV’s The Voice UK, which would see her reach the semi-finals on Jessie J’s team, Becky Hill went on to become the show’s first contestant to reach the top spot of the UK Singles Chart. Fast forward to 2023, she has won the Brit Award for Best Dance Act two years in a row, and has teased her highly-anticipated second album, which will be released next year.

words: Gemma Cockrell

illustration: Iulia Matei

dean and heard

interview: Gemma Cockrell

Whether you’ve heard his voice on BBC radio, or seen his friendly face announcing who’s coming on stage next at a festival, Dean Jackson is one of the most important figures in Nottingham when it comes to the music industry. He tells us all about the origins of his career, the artists he’s been loving recently, and what the future holds for the local music scene…

Hi Dean, can you tell us a little about how your career in radio began?

It goes way back all the way back to the 1980s. I was working in a record shop in Nottingham. Then, I started doing a bit of club DJing and fell in love with music, particularly Chicago house. There was nothing on the local radio reflecting the real scene at that time. At the beginning of the nineties, there was a real burgeoning scene of house music and live music starting to happen. I contacted the BBC on several occasions saying that there really should be something on local radio to reflect it. But they just said that's not what we do. So with a group of mates, I started a pirate radio station out of Bestwood Country Park. It started to get raided because it's not the best thing to do, really. By that time, I'd also got a teaching job, so we reluctantly closed the station down.

Within days, the BBC contacted me and told me to come and do the programme on their station. And that's how The Beat was born in October 1990. It was a mix of local and national music. I did the only radio interview Nirvana ever did in Britain (so I’m told!). Then Radiohead came in, and we did a lot of early stuff with The Killers. We got a reputation as a tastemaking programme, the kind that all the record labels wanted to get their acts on. They would be sending band after band up to Nottingham to appear on the show. Anybody who's been successful in the last thirty years, they'll have been on the show.

By the turn of the millennium, The Beat had been going for ten years. But the one thing that was not so good for us was that we were playing local music, but there was no national success apart from the odd exception. So in the early noughties, with a group of other like-minded programmes, we proposed a platform that would mean that we could put forward local artists, that would be seriously considered by Radio 1 and 6Music to give local artists air time. That was the birth of BBC Introducing, in 2007.

Since then, you’ve put a lot of local artists on the national stage. What’s the secret to spotting and identifying those talents?

That's a really tough question to answer because it's purely gut instinct. You can't quantify it. There's no science to it either. For example, Jake Bugg was probably the biggest success story to come through Introducing - there were other Nottingham entities

People are talking about Nottingham in a way that it's never been spoken about before

involved in the success as well, so I'm not trying to take all the credit! But the first time he came into our studio, he was fifteen years old, and he was deeply unfashionable, you know - kind of bluesy, Don McClane kind of thing. On paper, there's no market for that. But being in his presence, and hearing him sing, I said he'd have a number one album and he did just that. It doesn't need to fit a template, there's no tick list of things that have to be satisfied. It's just the overall package. Have you had that feeling with any artists you've heard recently?

Not quite as powerful as Jake, but London Grammar came along not long after and I had the same feeling with them. More recently, Ricky Jamaraz has definitely got something about him - he’s got that charisma about him. He under sells himself really, but he's great. And then I was completely in awe of Catmilk - they take me to places. More recently, Cam Mannix as well. Those would be my biggest three at the moment. There was a time when I wanted to be first with everything but the important thing is giving them the exposure when they are ready for it. Because otherwise, you end up putting them in the limelight before they are at their best. We could have put ALT BLK ERA on the Introducing Stage at Reading and Leeds last year but they weren’t ready for it, but they will be this year. It's about what's best for the artist, nurturing their career - we don't want them to be big in 2023 but gone by 2025. We want them to build and get the recognition they deserve. What do you think the future holds for the Nottingham music scene?

I think it’s incredibly rosy, and Confetti shouldn't be underestimated. While we do need to focus on people who are inherently from Nottingham and have been born here and grown up here, I think the fact that there's so many students coming to Nottingham to study music, and bringing their enthusiasm, creativity and skills with them, puts

the city in a very strong place. People are talking about Nottingham in a way that it's never been spoken about before.

DHP put lots of great artists on, and festivals like Splendour and Hockley Hustle as well. When I talk to artists that are coming into town, they're always so impressed with the way they're welcomed into the music scene. I think it's a really nurturing environment that we've got here. Anybody can turn up and find a lane to fit into and be really supported by other musicians from Nottingham in a way that isn't that common in other cities.

BBC Introducing celebrated its fifteenth birthday last year. During that time, what are you proudest of?

Back at the start, it was all about London, London, London. And the fact that, these days, you’ve got A&R scouts getting out of their offices and travelling to Nottingham and to other cities up and down the country, I think that's the biggest success, because we were overlooked. I think it's relatively easy to get gigs in your own city, but breaking out of that city, I think that’s the toughest thing that bands and solo artists face. Introducing is able to put them on stages at Glastonbury, Leeds, Reading, Latitude and all of that. I think that's the single biggest thing that Introducing has achieved.

You’re a familiar voice on the radio, but you're also a familiar face when it comes to festivals like Splendour and Beat the Streets, to name a couple. Do you find it more daunting getting up on the stage than presenting a radio show?

I think it's an important thing to do, but I'm much happier sitting in a studio where people can't see. I'm mindful of the fact that people are not there to see me. My role is to warm the crowd up a little bit for the artists, so they're not walking onto a cold stage, but also to do a bit of background, because people might not know who they are. So, it gives a bit of context to the crowd about what they are about to see. I’m not there to do a standup routine or anything!

@deanjacksondj

Photo by Nir Arieli

sky's the limit

Home of Nottingham’s jazz scene, Peggy’s Skylight is celebrating its fifth birthday! We caught up with one of its founders Rachel Foster to hear about its first five years and exciting future…

Peggy’s Skylight is celebrating its 5th birthday this weekend, so could you tell us about Peggy’s and how the venue came about?

Paul Deats (fellow founder) and I have been playing music together for 25 years, both musicians, both really into jazz, touring nationally and internationally. We’d settled in Nottingham as it’s a great, buzzing place and as it's right in the middle of the country, it was ideal for us. We realised that while Nottingham had great musicians and a really good scene, there wasn’t really a good space for jazz as it tends to get pushed in the corner. We felt it would be great to have its own space, so we talked about it to some friendswho said ‘you’re mad!’

So it started as a bit of a dream. Then, after a lot of planning we made it happen! It’s obviously been quite a journey; the pandemic, cost of living crisis, and then the council wanting to auction the building - which for us could be really difficult. If it does go to auction we’d then have no control over who the landlord would be. It’s still in negotiation with the council at the moment and we hope to buy it. But we’ll have to raise a lot of money in order to do so.

I’m mainly pleased to say that we’re still here after five years! That in itself is a little miracle, but we’ll need another little miracle in order to buy it.

A lot of people were shocked to see the story of the council potentially auctioning the building. But it was also heart-warming to see over 14,000 signing an online petition against the plans. How did it feel to get that local support?

It was amazing! As Paul put it, it was a real shot in the arm. A real acknowledgment that so many people love it (the venue). You can feel defeated with so much going on - post pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. So when that response came back, we really felt we were doing the right thing. So many beautiful things were said about the place - that they love it and how much the musicians value it. That’s what it's all about. It’s making sure that this genre of music - jazz, with soul and blues mixed into that umbrella - is nurtured and has a space to thrive.

I’m sure the past 5 years have been eventful! Any favourite highlights, memories from your time here so far?

There've been so many dream bands that we’ve had to play here - Tank and the Bangas who we originally saw on Tiny Desk, The Last Poets, who I'd been listening to as a teenager, and who many people call the godfathers of hip-hop, which was amazing. They also did a Q&A session the following day.

We’ve had The Headhunters play here (American jazz band originally formed by Herbie Hancock). My best anecdote from that, apart from it being an astounding gig, was that the drummer, on tour from America, was worried about his washing! We’ve got a washer and dryer here, so he was like, Oh my god, can you do my tour t-shirts! We put them in the wash, and I think he was worried about a rogue red sock or something in the wash that was going to knacker his t-shirts! He kept looking at me during the gig and I kept saying, don’t worry, the washing is fine! They’d finished the gig and I went up to the stage to thank them and ask if we want an encore? And the crowd were going ballistic. Meanwhile the band had gone up to the greenroom and the crowd were getting impatient downstairs, shouting things like ‘come on Headhunters, we want an encore!’ So I stood up on the stage and said, ‘Don’t worry he’s going nowhere. I’ve got his undercrackers in the washer!’

The UK jazz scene’s creativity and evolution into different scenes in the last 5-10 years has been amazing. It feels like a new golden age for jazz in this country.

Yes, it’s lots of different pockets (of the scene). You’ve got the afrobeat scene which was only emerging just before we set up Peggy’s. Nubya Garcia played here just as she was rising to fame, which was amazing.

On a local level, we’ve got Harleighblu who is doing great stuff in America now. Natalie Duncan, who is incredibly talented and I really want to see her fly.

We’ve just had Juggernaut play, he’s a local hero and I really want to watch him ascend.

They’re just supremely talented people and deserve as many venues as we can get across the country. Hopefully people will see what a buzz

the (jazz) scene has created and set up a few more places up north and down south. We work with young people, with the jazz jam for emerging, upcoming musicians, providing opportunities to play alongside professional musicians and bands. It’s really important that people are nurtured through their development. I feel really lucky that I’ve been given the opportunities that I have, and that’s because there’s been places and people to help me on. If we’re talking about Peggy’s, then we must talk about the food as well!

Yes! I’m really glad you asked about that! I was a chef. I call myself a singing chef! I’ve always had a deep love of food and I was brought up in the Middle East, in Iran before the revolution. With Middle Eastern food, it’s a really broad palette. It's naturally vegan and vegetarian, with good quality and kindly reared meat dishes.

I’m really interested in nourishment, so the emphasis is really on a great selection of flavours. It’s fresh and local wherever possible, with a local flour supplier who grows wheat in Lincolnshire and a short distance to [Green’s] Windmill in Nottinghamshire. We used that for our own flat breads in the pizza oven.

What are your plans and hopes for the next five years?

Buy the building. Be open 7 days a week. Pay our staff (even) more money! Just to try and ensure that we can stay and keep delivering what we’re doing. We’ve got a cellar which is a smaller, more intimate space which could be used for rehearsals, private parties. So we’d love to convert that space in the future.

Leftlion is also celebrating a big birthday this year, twenty years young! Any birthday message for Leftlion, for what it means to you.

Leftlion - it’s a cultural institution! It's brilliant, local and funny. I love the emphasis on the language, the Thompson Twins and Overheard in Notts. Keep doing what you’re doing, just great stories about kooky people living in Notts doing ridiculous things like opening up jazz clubs! The city wouldn’t be the same without it.

@peggysskylight

interview: James Hickford

photo: Curtis Powell

It’s making sure that this genre of music - jazz, with soul and blues mixed into that umbrella - is nurtured and has a space to thrive

MUSIC RevIewS

MUSIC

Seas of Mirth Kriller (Album)

With much time passed and the world changed since the Seas’ 2019 album Sub Marine Dreams, the merry band of deep sea troubadours are back with a new sound. Stepping slightly aside from the psychedelic party shanties, Kriller brings a darker, groovier farrago of tunes to keep you up all night, while retaining the same chaotic energy and strange lyrical tales as previous albums. Opening with the funky and euphoric Dig Out The Moves (bound to get the most wooden of toes tapping), Tiki Tak (a tale of four divers unable to communicate, set to Latin house) gives Mighty Boosh vibes, while fellow East Midlander Yay Maria brings a hypnotic, chilled twist to Lil’ Underworld. Kriller is out on 22 September, and you’d be silly to miss Seas of Mirth when they return to play live in Notts this year. Sophie Gargett

Melonyx Soul Glow (Album)

Nottingham’s own Melonyx have released their debut album Soul Glow, a thirteen-track sumptuous soul record, which has plenty of heart, soul and most importantly: tunes. The duo, consisting of Georgia Copeland and Nadia Latoya, working with fellow Nottingham producer Joe Budha, have produced an instant soul classic. The record touches issues such as self-acceptance and the experience of being a black woman in the 21st century. The lyrics are uniformly well written and poetic, going hand in hand with immaculately produced beats and melodies. Standout tracks Made to Suffer and At the Door should be getting heavy rotation on your playlist. Rich Higton

Dan Ottewell Moon Project (Single)

At only sixteen years of age, Dan Ottewell is an artist who is mature beyond his years - and he has achieved more than most people his age too, as the youngest person to sell out Nottingham’s Rough Trade. On the back of performing three official sets at Glastonbury this summer, his new single Moon Project demonstrates exactly why he has risen to this level of success already. His folk-rock sound is an instant crowd pleaser, and with the likes of Frank Turner, The Levellers, Billy Bragg, and Ferocious Dog calling themselves fans of his, why not add yourself to that list of legends? Gemma Cockrell

Office Goth

All Good Things (Album)

“Social media, popular culture, Love Island - things that remind you what your life isn’t. Go out, get barlowed and pretend you’ll be fine the next day.” So goes the satisfyingly cynical rant about drinking culture on Merry-Go-Round, from Office Goth’s new ten-track album All Good Things. This sweet fix of lo-fi guitar pop is filled with hedonistic irony and witty lyrics, with influences ranging from Kenickie (Lauren Laverne’s band from the ‘90s), fairground carousels and a dash of dark music hall. Between Claire’s melodic elegance and Jimi’s caustic humour, this is the kind of band you’d like to sit with over a few drinks and put the world to rights.

Sophie Gargett

Fat Digester

Never Too Late (Album)

One of the many great albums that have been recorded at Nottingham’s J.T. Soar studios, Never Too Late by Fat Digester is as funky as the name of the label that it has been released on (Funky Llama Music) suggests. Formed in 1996 at the height of Britpop and The Spice Girls, these guys are legends of the local circuit at this point, so it’s no surprise that they’re releasing music that is this good. The cover may show a procession of band members going back through history, but Never Too Late proves that the band belongs firmly in the present. Gemma Cockrell

BEST OF THE MONTH

Beeston Heritage Open Days

When: 8 - 17 September

Where: Meet at Beeston Square

How much: Free

As part of this year’s Heritage Open Day, Beeston Civic Society is organising a guided walk led by Professor John Beckett on 10 September and a Heritage Exhibition marketplace featuring traditional crafts like lacemaking and woodworks on 14 September. With the theme for 2023 being ‘Creativity Unwrapped’, the latest edition of this celebration of history, culture and community at Beeston is going to be a memorable one.

Nottingham Jazz Festival

When: Sun 10 September

Where: Binks Yard

How much: £25

The line-up for this event is quite impressive with performances by Antonio Forcione, the multi-award winning, Italian jazz guitarist and composer, Snake Davis, whose career as a saxophonist spans over three decades, The Edgar Macias Quarter along with sets from Jazz 2 Go DJs and Urban Intro. This is the sign for all the jazz enthusiasts to mark their calendars!

Nottingham Green Festival

When: Sun 10 September

Where: Arboretum

How much: Free

This event is organised by grass roots community volunteers and is set to feature over 100 local and small businesses such as craft companies and food producers. For those who are committed to environmentally friendly and sustainable lifestyles, head over to the venue for a day of relaxation, new experiences, live music, talks and panel discussions by guest speakers. Plus, it’s their thirtieth birthday, so it’s bound to be a special one.

Festival of Food & Drink

When: 16 - 17 September

Where: Thoresby Park

How much: From £10

The East Midlands’ biggest food and drink festival is back this year with over 170 stalls featuring local and global flavours, artisan producers and activities such as wine-tasting sessions, cocktail masterclasses and a children’s cookery school for kids to try their hand at cooking. If you are looking for a fun weekend with friends or family, this event might be just what you need!

Inspire Poetry Festival

When: 16 - 24 September

Where: Various locations

How much: Free

This year the festival has multiple events organised across various venues. Some of the highlights are ‘Beyond the Spectrum’ which is a poetry workshop for neurodivergent people, Kate Fox’s poetry performance titled ‘Bigger on the Inside’, a screening of the film ‘Patterson’, ‘The Red Balloon' and much more. It promises to be a busy and fun week for literature and poetry lovers.

Everybody’s Talking about Jamie

When: 25 - 30 September

Where: Theatre Royal

How much: From £18.50

The winner of the ‘Best New Musical’ in the WhatsOnStage Awards is returning to Nottingham after popular demand. This criticallyacclaimed show follows the life and experiences of sixteen year old Jamie New in a funny and touching performance. The star-studded cast features Ivano Truco as Jamie, John Partridge from ‘EastEnders’ as Hugo/Loco Chanelle and several more celebrated actors and performers.

Do Nothing

When: Sat 30 September, 6:30pm

Where: Rock City

How much: £15

The Nottingham-based band made up of vocalist Chris Bailey, guitarist Kasper Sandstrom, bassist Charles Howarth and drummer Andrew Harrison have grown immensely since they first started with their debut single Waitress which was released in 2018. With quirky lines and music influenced by postpunk, this performance will be something for followers of off-beat and independent music to look out for.

J orja Smith

When: Sat 30 September, 6pm

Where: The Level

How much: £22

From opening performances for Bruno Mars to becoming the first independent female musician to win the BRIT Critics’ Choice Award, Jorja Smith has made her mark in the industry. As part of launching her new album Falling or Flying, she is set to perform at The Level. You can join the waiting list for tickets now, and if you’re lucky you might be able to get one!

Out Of t ime

r r

THE AQUA HOROLOGICAL TINTINNABULATOR

Between the Market Square lions, Anish Kapoor’s Sky Mirror at Nottingham Playhouse and Les Johnson’s Brian Clough Victoria Centre’s

The FeatherstoneKite Openwork Basketweave Mark Two

What exactly inspired the kinetic, water-powered timepiece in Victoria Centre is not documented, but Emett is "It is a well known fact that all inventors get their first ideas on the back of an envelope. I take slight exception to this, I use the front so that I can incorporate the stamp and then The farout title, however, refers to its various of course meaning water, relating to the measurement referring to the ringing or tinkling sound created by

Gigue en Rondeau II

Pièces de when striking the hour and half-hour, the water surrounding the clock has become a popular ‘wishing

HIS CANON OF WORK IS A PLEASING HODGEPODGE OF MEDIUMS AND RESULTS

well’, with the coins that are accumulated being collected for local charities. Featuring a giant golden sunflower and an elaborate metal water wheel decorated with flowers, leaves and butterflies, a mere description of the sculpture simply does not do it justice. With its incongruous placement in a commercial setting, as if mysteriously sprung from the pages of a curious steampunk themed Suess-esque story, the clock has managed to pique the imagination of its audience over the

After being located in the lower mall for almost forty years, in 2014 the clock was taken away for restoration by local engineer Pete Dexter and The Rowland Emett Society, before starring in an exhibition of Rowland Emett's cartoons and machines at Millennium Point in Birmingham. Upon its return, gleaming and in pristine condition, the clock now sits in the upper mall of Victoria Centre, preserving an element of joy and whimsy

Sophie Gargett Ciaran Burrows

THANKS

Thanks for your contributions

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Over the last twenty years we believe over a thousand people have contributed time to making LeftLion what it is. This includes writers, photographers, illustrators, editors, sub-editors and more. Even if we could create a full list we wouldn’t be able to fit them all on this page. However, in particular we’d like to thank all of the following people for the very significant contributions we feel they have made that have helped us on our journey.

Adam Pickering, Adam Poole, Addie Kenogbon, Adrian Bhagat, Adrian Reynolds, Agnes Papp, Al Gilby, Al Greer, Al Needham,, Alasdair Couch,

Fisher,