SCRIPT

These boulevards are in Nottingham, a city which in medieval times was enclosed by walls and gates. A city, the Anglo-Saxon name of which indicates it has been here for over fourteen-hundred years.

A hundred and twenty three miles north of London, Nottingham can be reached by motorway; by air from Domestic cities or from Europe; by high-speed intercity trains. Nottingham's motto, Virtue Outlives Death. This illuminated charter was granted by Edward VI over four hundred years ago. Seven hundred years before this, the city was occupied by The Danes; it was one of the five Midland boroughs of The Dane Law.

An even older charter is this one, granted by King Henry II about the year 1155. From the quarry which furnished the stone for St Paul's Cathedral in London came that for Nottingham's magnificent Council House. The Mace's, part of the cities Silver Collection, are symbols of office for Lord Mayor and Sheriff. Encrusted with precious stones the Lord Mayor's pendant was presented in commemoration of Queen Victoria's Jubilee.

The Deputy Lord Mayor is followed by Mace Bearers, who in turn precede the Sheriff, Chief Executive, Town Clerk and The Lord Mayor.

Broad pavements, lawns and fountains in Old Market Square are dominated by the Council House. Markets were held here in Norman times until sixty-five years ago.

For twenty years this have been the beat of the tallest man in the Nottinghamshire Constabulary; Tug Wilson. He's an ex Grenadier Guardsman; seven feet two and a half inches from the tip of his toes to the top of his helmet.

Trees shrubs and flower beds decorate shopping areas in this city, known as the principal shopping centre of the East Midlands.

The streets are certainly full of character. Look at Upper Parliament Street, Milton Street, Derby Road Junction, King Street.

The World's largest bicycle producer is here. Here they have been since 1868 when a man called Frank Bowden was told by his doctor to take more exercise; so he opened a small workshop in Raleigh Street where twelve men produced three bicycles a week. Now the name Raleigh is known where ever there are two wheels driven by peddle power. It's on your bike with a vengeance; it's here protagonists of peddle power do their stuff.

A lace curtain hangs in a window in a section of the city known as The Lace Market; Lace and Nottingham are indivisible, but in the last two or three decades the lace industry has lost its hold leaving a legacy of architecturally fascinating buildings. In this fifteenth century timber framed house the products on show still underlines the fact there are still some five thousand people engaged in the manufacture of Nottingham Lace.

The city's main water artery is the River Trent. It rises in Staffordshire, flows a hundred and seventy miles and pours itself into the Humber Estuary.

The distinctive architecture is well worth looking at. Eighteenth century houses are now twentieth century offices. Bottle Lane dates from Norman times. A man called Watson Fothergill was outstanding as a nineteenth century Nottingham architect. He had a 'before its time' Disneyland mind.

Exchange Walk is a one hundred and twenty year old pedestrian walk-way. Newdegate House in Castle Lane built in 1675 at the end of it under the Castle Wall is a statue to Robin Hood; around him immortalised in bronze are some of his so-called "Merrie Men".

Said to be the oldest pub in Britain is The Trip To Jerusalem. The whole city is riddled with caves. Cut into Castle Rock in the most famous of them, Mortimer's Hole.

Wollaton Hall belonged to the same family for three hundred and fifty years. The house and its eight hundred acres was purchased by the city in 1925. Part of the eight hundred acres is now a Golf Course; deer can prove a possible additional hazard.

Another great house in the vicinity is the home of the Duke of Devonshire; Chatsworth.

At mounted police headquarters, horses are named after Sherwood Forrest characters like Robin, Yeoman, Sheriff and Minstrel. For this training establishment officers are recruited from the ranks and trained by experienced colleagues. A sergeant, nine constables and a woman officer in charge.

Under every circumstance the horses are trained to keep their cool. Sherwood Lodge is the HQ of Nottinghamshire Constabulary. The control room is equipped with advanced computers, television, tele-printers and radio all of which can be brought into play to deal with almost every foreseeable emergency. Upward of sixty-thousand hot line calls come in each year.

A fascinating city deserving its name "Queen of the Midlands"

A clock designed by Emmit is the concourse centre-piece of The Victoria Centre, a shopping precinct a quarter of a mile long built on two levels. Air conditioned it houses ninety-two units; facilitates parking for sixteen hundred vehicles and is topped by an eighteen story apartment complex. Buses will take you right to the middle of it. You don't have to go hungry in this town. Let's see what they eat for breakfast.

Another Shoppers Paradise in Broad Marsh Centre. When you have had enough of sophistication there is always Sneinton open-air market. It has been on this site for hundreds of years.

They certainly perpetuate the Robin Hood legend. From what was once known as the Great Way of the King there is a spectacular view Newsted Abbey. For three hundred years the family home of The Byron's. Founded as a priory if was dissolved in 1539 by Henry VIII. Lord Byron made his last visit to Newsted in 1814.

Founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth, was born here 12 Notintone Place. The house is dedicated to his memory and six rooms each depict a period in the army's history. D.H. Lawrence first saw the light of day at 8a Victoria Street in Eastwood , a mining community which was to be the background for many of his books. Another of Nottingham's famous sons was Jesse Boot, born in 1850. His first shop. This is one of over a thousand of them in England today. Their Nottingham factories employ eleven thousand five hundred people. Jesse was generous. He donated thousands of pounds to the University and what a marvellous University it is. Seven faculties cater to a graduate population of seven thousand and on the campus there are thirteen halls of residence.

The towering Trent Polytechnic where the student population is some ten thousand. Continuing our educational look-see, Thurdwood is one of a hundred and sixty-three city schools and colleges. Its Cricket at Nottingham High School, founded 1513 and its Cricket at Trent Bridge, one of the principal test match grounds in England and home of Nottinghamshire County Club.

A well planned city means open spaces. This park is called The Arboretum. It was opened to the public one hundred years ago.

St Peter's, St Nicholas', and St Mary's are three of the principal places of worship, St Peter's dated from the year 1200, St Nicholas' is Medieval and St Mary's almost entirely fifteenth century.

Nothing to do, no where to go? That's not likely in this town.

Two thousand meters is the length of the main course of the National Water Sports Centre; here you can row, canoe, ski, powerboat, surfboard, sail, swim and show off any aquatic ability you posses. Hovercraft buffs, schools and colleges have it all going for them.

Winners and losers have had a race course in Nottingham since the year 1690. Colwick Park traps the greyhounds. Notts County is the oldest league football club in the world; Nottingham Forrest is the third oldest.

The Royal Centre with its conference and concerts halls and multi-amenity hotel will no doubt be complete when we next visit attractive progressive Nottingham City

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The End

(c) Harold Baim Film Productions, London, England