Erewash in Bloom

Building works

Positive moves . . . Council Leader Carol Hart, front left, is joined by Lead Member for Regeneration and Planning Michael Powell, middle, and Lead Member for Town Centres Dan Pitt along with EBC officers and J Tomlinson contractors.

Work is well underway to transform Ilkeston’s iconic 1930s crescent-shaped Toll Bar building into new opportunities for small businesses. Toll Bar House was originally built for Nottingham Electric Power Company and sits alongside Ilkeston’s White Lion Square roundabout at the gateway to the town centre. Erewash Borough Council is now working to upgrade, redevelop and revitalise the landmark building as part of a £850,000 project to transform it into an energy and water efficient building to help combat climate change. The refurbishment of the art deco landmark will make accommodation suitable for small and growing companies where office space is constrained in Ilkeston. The project will include creating 22 offices with shared meeting rooms and kitchen and bathroom facilities, the flexibility to combine spaces to create larger letting units and the development of old garages to form workshop space. D2N2 - the Local Enterprise Partnership for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire - has allocated £425,000 from its Local Growth Fund allocation towards the refurbishment.

Covid support continues

More than £5m of grant payments have now been rolled out over the last three months to small and micro businesses across Erewash. The government-funded grants have been approved by Erewash Borough Council and issued to the hundreds of eligible businesses affected by the COVID-19 tier and lockdown restrictions, as well as the Christmas Support Payments.

Councillor Wayne Major, Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Resources, says: “It has undoubtedly been the toughest of times for our business community. “I know there has been some frustration, but we appreciate the understanding of everyone as we continue to offer support at all times.”

Since the start of the pandemic last March, over £27m of grants in total have gone out to help small businesses in the borough.

Register for a My Erewash business account at erewash.gov.uk for full details and online application forms.

On-line Bloom

The annual gardening competition Erewash in Bloom will take on a new format and go online this year due to the fallout from coronavirus.

Unlike previous years where judges visited the gardens of finalists, this time entrants will be asked to submit five photographs per category through an online entry form. The competition will be launched on Tuesday 27 April and entries will close on Friday 2nd July. The ever-popular competition will remain your chance to show off your gardening skills and help make Erewash bloomin’ marvellous this summer.

There will be 11 categories for residents, community groups, businesses and schools and finals judging by a virtual panel will be in August. Moving the competition online is a temporary measure until we get through the pandemic and we thank everyone for their understanding. erewash.gov.uk/erewashinbloom from 27 April for entry forms and details.