Latest news with #SouthNorfolk
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Rent rise puts future of Thetford SEN play group in doubt
Parents are worried about the future of free play sessions for children with special educational needs (SEN), being run for families in a Traquinas Hub which runs sessions has been renting space from The Charles Burrell Centre (CBC) in Thetford, South CBC, which is itself a charity, is increasing the rent from £750 to £1, for all tenants were essential to help it balance its books, the business and community support hub said. The sessions have had a big impact on families with SEN said her son Elijah's complex medical needs meant most groups were not suitable for them. "We need this for the kids that don't access other places easily," she said. "It can be very lonely, but having a place like this, there are others in the same situation that you can talk with."Beth brings her little boy Fernee, who is two years old. "This the first place I've been for SEN children and they have just been beyond helpful."Before we came to this group he wouldn't socialise. He wouldn't play or interact - just be glued to me. "Now as soon as we walk in he is happy to just run in and he's not shy anymore." Carla Ferreira runs Traquinas Childcare, which has two nurseries in Thetford, as well as a base at the CBC where they deliver free SEN sessions and paid-for holiday clubs. She started the SEN group three years ago after her own experience with her daughter, who has a rare genetic condition. "I know the struggle of these parents, they have to fight for everything,". Mrs Ferreira said."I just wanted to do something that they don't have to fight for. "Why can't a non-profit community building [The CBC] embrace what we are doing here?" Last October they were told by the CBC that their new rent would be increased by more than 50% to £1,140 per Ferreira said they could not afford to pay the increased rent and would struggle to find suitable alternative premises, leaving the future of the SEN sessions in doubt. 'Remain sustainable' Nicola Welham is the manager of the Charles Burrell Centre. She said like all organisations, core costs like gas and electric had "risen sharply"."It does mean we have to increase our rents just to enable the centre to remain sustainable," she added. "If we fail to respond to those rising costs, then we risk the future of the centre as a whole and that would put all of our 60 tenants at risk."Traquinas are an excellent childcare provider in our local community. "We want to support businesses like them, but we also have to be fair to all of our tenants so we charge them all a reasonable rent that reflects the costs incurred." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Dogs in danger as grass seed season approaches
As grass seed season approaches, vets are warning dog owners to be aware of the pointy seeds. Over the next three months, pooches are at risk of getting the dangerous seeds wedged in their fur. The seeds are commonly found in ears, paws, armpits, chest and sometimes eyes. Dogs with longer or curlier coats should be trimmed (Image: Denise Bradley) Last year, a dog in Norwich was rushed into surgery after inhaling a grass seed that punctured her lung. Dr Rosemary Smith, who runs a mobile veterinary service named Paws Indoors across Norwich and South Norfolk, has advised dog owners of what to be aware of. "The ends are very sharp and can pierce the skin," she said. "The long strong hairs that are rough and ratcheted force the seed forward." Symptoms include head shaking, licking at a paw, swollen paws or lameness. READ MORE: "The shaking is usually troublesome to the dog as the seed is quickly shaken to the bottom of the ear, out of sight, where it irritates the delicate eardrum," she added. To help prevent the seeds from causing serious issues, dogs with longer or curlier coats should be trimmed and owners need to inspect their furry friend after each walk. Although seeds can be removed at home if they are loose and easily picked out, Dr Smith advises seeking veterinary attention if "your dog suddenly and persistently shakes its head, or is persistently licking its paws". In the more severe cases, where a seed may have broken off, exploratory surgery may be required.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Plans for new Domino's takeaway on city outskirts approved
Plans for a new pizza takeaway on the city outskirts have been approved. South Norfolk Council's planning department has given the green light for Domino's to open a new branch in Cringleford. The pizza chain intends to redevelop the former Dragonfly Lettings building in Dragonfly Lane, which is currently empty. The building will be extended to increase the floorspace, with the existing rooms turned into a customer waiting area, kitchen, storage space and office. Domino's pizza hopes to open a new branch in Costessey (Image: Google Maps)READ MORE: Church hall in city suburbs could be demolished due to 'deterioration' The application was submitted to South Norfolk Council by DPSK Limited, the company that operates the Domino's pizza chain. The company recently opened a new outlet in Bowthorpe and there are currently three branches in Norwich. The new Cringleford takeaway would open between 11am and 11pm daily and the string of shops already has 26 off-street parking spaces, which could be used by customers. The application was approved earlier this month and work on the development must get under way within three years.
The Sun
11-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Town centre gift and interiors store announces shock closure leaving shoppers gutted
A TOWN centre gift and interior design shop has announced it will be closing its doors after 10 years of trading. Hilary & Alice, based in Diss, South Norfolk, will close its doors, citing declining footfall and rising costs. 1 The gift shop, which also provides interior design services, has been a beloved fixture on Mere Street for over a decade. However, in a heartfelt post on Facebook, the owners revealed that retaining the physical shop is no longer sustainable. The post said: "After nearly 10 incredible years trading in Diss, we've got some big news to share. "As of later this summer, our beloved physical shop will be closing its doors. "Running a shop is tough at the best of times, but the past few years have thrown challenge after challenge at small businesses like ours. "We've proudly weathered nearly a decade of trading through a global health crisis, a cost-of-living crisis, and the slow decline of the Diss high street. "Sadly, as more stores have closed, footfall has dropped, and rising costs have made it harder than ever to sustain a physical retail space." The closure doesn't mark the end of the business, as the owners have confirmed that the brand will continue to provide in-home consultations for furniture painting, upholstery, and comprehensive interior design services. However, shoppers have expressed their sadness on social media over the closure of the beloved physical store. One person said on Facebook: "Such a shame! So many lovely individual and unique things that have been great personal presents bought in here… Why are so many pubs and bars closing? "A big loss for the high street." Another said: "I only came to Diss just to visit your store." A third shopper added: "Actually gutted! "Although I've only brought a couple items from you before this is by far the best shop window in diss, and I'm sad to see it's no longer going to be there! Good luck!" Why are retailers closing shops? EMPTY shops have become an eyesore on many British high streets and are often symbolic of a town centre's decline. The Sun's business editor Ashley Armstrong explains why so many retailers are shutting their doors. In many cases, retailers are shutting stores because they are no longer the money-makers they once were because of the rise of online shopping. Falling store sales and rising staff costs have made it even more expensive for shops to stay open. The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs from April 2025, will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40. In some cases, retailers are shutting a store and reopening a new shop at the other end of a high street to reflect how a town has changed. The problem is that when a big shop closes, footfall falls across the local high street, which puts more shops at risk of closing. Retail parks are increasingly popular with shoppers, who want to be able to get easy, free parking at a time when local councils have hiked parking charges in towns. Many retailers including Next and Marks & Spencer have been shutting stores on the high street and taking bigger stores in better-performing retail parks instead. In some cases, stores have been shut when a retailer goes bust, as in the case of Carpetright, Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, Paperchase, Ted Baker, The Body Shop, Topshop and Wilko to name a few. What's increasingly common is when a chain goes bust a rival retailer or private equity firm snaps up the intellectual property rights so they can own the brand and sell it online. They may go on to open a handful of stores if there is customer demand, but there are rarely ever as many stores or in the same places. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. Other shops leaving the high street Beales, one of Britain's oldest department stores, has launched a closing down sale before it shuts its last remaining shop after more than 140 years. The company will shut its branch in Poole's Dolphin Centre on May 31. The sale includes fashion, furniture, gifts and cosmetics, being sold for up to 70% off. Beales chief executive Tony Brown blamed the "devastating impact" of the rise in national insurance contributions and the higher minimum wage for the store closure. Meanwhile, high street fashion chain New Look has begun to close stores as it scales back its UK footprint. It is understood to be shutting nearly 100 stores - equivalent to around a quarter of its 364 shops. Stores in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, St Austell, Cornwall and Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf have launched closing down sales. Reports suggest that the company has been forced to accelerate the pace of store closures due to tax changes in the Autumn Budget. Meanwhile, Huttons in London will shut its store in the Putney Exchange due to excessive energy costs. The gift shop became a local icon after it opened in the 1990s.
