BID TO TURN SITE OF EMPTY UNITS INTO PUBLIC SQUARE

PEOPLE in Arnold say they will be sad to see the demolition of an abandoned club and a former chippy, despite them being "chatty" and "rundown".

- By JOEL MOORE

Gedling Borough Council is set to spend £220,000 on tearing down the former working men's club and nearby shops in Front Street, including the former Blue Circle fish and chip shop, which closed in March.

Senior councillors met this week to discuss a project to turn the vacant high street stretch into a public square, providing access to a planned new theatre and cinema.

The redevelopment of the area is part of the council's Ambition Arnold plan, a regeneration scheme that aims to create a "thriving town centre that meets residents' needs and attracts investment".

The space created by the demolition of the empty buildings will include new landscaping and seating which the council says will improve the look and feel of the area and encourage more people to spend time in the town centre.