‘Hucknall needs a heritage centre’

This plea was voiced by members of the I Love Hucknall town team at a meetingon Wednesday night.

Beardall Street is to be replaced by a 420-place primary school to be built in two phases off Kenbrook Road, which is in the new Papplewick Lane housing development.

After Beardall Street closes, Notts County Council hope to find a suitable new occupier of the building to safeguard its future.

High Street retailer Mark Allison, who took the chair at the I Love Hucknall meeting, said the town could be very proud of its history.

Hucknall has important links with such celebrities as the poet Lord Byron, composer Eric Coates, prizefighting champion Ben Caunt and actor Robin Bailey.

Mr Allison said it would give Hucknall a big boost if the different features of its heritage could be highlighted together in one building.

Members thought Beardall Street would be an ideal choice because the school itself has played a key role in Hucknall’s history.

Dating back about 140 years, it was the first Board school in Nottinghamshire and one of the first in the whole country.

Team member Sandy Singleton said: “People are quite shocked when they find out that Hucknall does not have a heritage centre.”

I Love Hucknall are to contact the Local Education Authority about the idea and are seeking support from Hucknall’s three Labour members of Notts County Council, John Wilmott, John Wilkinson and Alice Grice.