20th September 2021

Ben Burgess pulls plans for controversial headquarters move

• Farm machinery company Ben Burgess has withdrawn its controversial application to move its current headquarters in Trowse & build a new one in the village of Swainsthorpe, just south of Norwich  

• Plans were lodged with South Norfolk Council in 2018 & they were due to be discussed by the authority's planning committee today, but council officers recommended refusal of the plans for reasons including that the new buildings would have a "significant adverse impact to the landscape” 

• More than 570 members of the public had objected to the plans, along with a number of parish councils, the Campaign to Protect Rural England & Historic England 

Bid for 'international standard' skatepark after airport estate sale

• A vision to create an international standard skatepark at the Norwich Airport Industrial Estate has been put forward, to inspire the next generation of Team GB athletes 

• The Labour leader at Norfolk County Council, has tabled a motion at the next full council meeting to discuss the bid, which he believes will help shape future generations of Olympic & Paralympic talent 

• The idea was inspired by the £1m skatepark at Oxhey near Watford but it’s not expected that a facility in Norwich would cost anywhere near that sum 

Impact of T-Rex trail revealed as sculptures leave city

• The T-Rex sculptures which have graced the streets of Norwich over the last 9 weeks, have stomped off - for now anyway 

• The GoGoDiscover project raised thousands of pounds for children's charity Break, which provides lifelong support to children & young people in care 

• The project team estimates that around 300,000 visitors took part in the dinosaur trail in the summer & 21 businesses from across the region sponsored the sculptures 

• If you did miss them, then don’t worry, they’ll be back for October half-term as part of a special 'Farewell for Now' event being held at Norwich Cathedral to coincide with Dippy the Dinosaur’s last week there 

New sculpture trail launched for park near Norwich

• As one sculpture trail has closed another one has opened in a Norwich suburban park 

• 10 wooden sculptures including a hare, the Green Man & a large frog have been installed for a new trail in Catton Park 

• Arnie Barton, a roadside wood carver, was commissioned by Old Catton Parish Council to carry out the work which will also see a figure of?Humphry Repton?installed on the site – he was the landscape designer who designed Catton Park & Sheringham Park as well 

• The Parish Council is currently working on a map of the trail which will be on their website shortly 

Famous Norwich firm locked in legal battle with Red Bull

• Red Bull energy drink & Bullards Gin – I’ll say it again…Red Bull and Bullards 

• Are you thoroughly confused? Do you think that the names are too similar or that they’re even the same brand? 

• Well that’s what international drinks giant Red Bull thinks and they’ve told Norwich based Bullards Gin to change their name despite Bullards being 150 years older & properly registered

• John Bullard, a family shareholder in the company which was founded in 1837 said that Bullards does “not want a fight with Red Bull. It's them trying drastically limit their brand. He said they even have the nerve to try & charge Bullards for products which are already registered 

• Russell Evans, the boss of Bullards, said the legal hassle had already cost his business "thousands" of pounds, but was prepared to fight Red Bull in court, adding that 'if someone bullies you, stand up to them' 

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