IT shouldn't come as any surprise that the culture of downloading music (and online shopping) has all but seen off the high street sale of CDs.

I could see it coming two years ago, which is why I off-loaded my collection of around 2,000 albums through eBay and car boot sales.

Of course, HMV (and Fopp) may survive if someone buys the chain, but it's only a matter of time before the city centre is a CD-free zone.

Well, nearly.

It is ironic that the few shops still selling music in the city centre have survived because they're vinyl specialists.

You know, vinyl, the memorial for which was written in the 90s as the CD began to dominate how we bought music.

Only DJs and music purists – aka middle-aged men who didn't want to let go of the past – kept the format alive, as everyone else sold off their collections at the car boot or local charity shop.

But with the HMV chain – which owns Fopp – going into administration, it may well mean that the last two major CD retailers in the city centre will disappear.

As the CD took over from vinyl, now downloads are seeing off the CD.

Will there be the same nostalgia for the compact disc as we have seen for vinyl? Probably.

And that's good news for those independent shops that started out selling vinyl but can now also become a Mecca for CD lovers.

NOTTINGHAM could be left without a major music shop after HMV went into administration.

The chain – which has one store in the Victoria Centre and which also owns Fopp, in Queen Street – was put into administration on Monday evening.

Twenty-five people work at HMV in Nottingham and around ten are employed at Fopp.

But the chain is asking customers for their support in a quest to find a new buyer.

HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said Nottingham music-lovers needed to get behind the brand to help secure its future.

"Our stores are open and are continuing to trade," he said.

"We've had a lot of message of goodwill and support so far but we need people to talk with their money and come into the shops. This support will help us attract a new buyer."

Jake Cherry, 26, a shop worker from Eastwood, was shopping in the sale in HMV in the Victoria Centre yesterday.

He said: "I shop here a lot and I'd be very upset if the store were to close. I get my DVDs and games from here and there is a good sale on at the moment. It would be a real shame if HMV were to close."

Jo Crooks, 23, of Blidworth, was also browsing during the sale.

"I only really use HMV at Christmas, but I don't want it to go," she said. "There would be nowhere else in Nottingham like it really, which wouldn't be good for customers."

Beryl Morey, 65, of Newthorpe, was shopping in the city centre yesterday.

"I won't be affected by this because I don't shop at HMV," she said. "That is not to say I don't listen to music. We have the radio and we have been bought lots of CDs over the year as presents.

"I suppose it is a sign of the times, though. The recession and the growth of the internet means shops like HMV will struggle."

The move means CD and vinyl buyers in the city could be left largely with a mix of old, second-hand or local artist-only CDs at independents such as Big Apple Records and Music Inn, in the West End Arcade; Crucial Music, in High Pavement; Pendulum, on the Victoria Market; The Music Exchange, in Stoney Street; and Rob's Record Mart, in Hurts Yard. That's Entertainment, in the Victoria Centre, also sells CDs, as do some supermarkets. WH Smith in the Victoria Centre says it sells "a handful" of CDs.

HMV released a statement announcing it was ceasing trading in ordinary shares immediately – and appointing accountancy giant Deloitte to take control.

The company, which employs more than 4,000 people around the country, said in a statement that the he administrators would continue to trade while they seek a buyer for the business.

PEOPLE are being warned to take care in wintry conditions with temperatures set to plummet to minus six degrees Celsius today.

The warning comes after a dozen people went to the accident and emergency department at the QMC with fractures yesterday, following the arrival of snow and ice.

The Met Office says temperatures are not likely to venture above zero this week and light snow is expected on Friday evening and throughout the day on Saturday.

A spokesman for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the QMC and City Hospital, said: "We have seen a number of people coming in to accident and emergency with fractures.

"We do advise people to take care during the icy weather."

Drivers were also being warned to be aware of foggy conditions on the roads.

A motorist was taken to hospital after a crash on the A46 in Notts yesterday morning.

Notts Police were called after two vehicles collided on the road northbound near Syerston at around 7.10am.

Passers-by reported that a silver car was on its roof on a grass bank beside the road following the crash.

Police say the driver of one of the vehicles involved was taken to hospital. No further details about the driver or their condition have been released.

The road was blocked for a short time while debris was cleared.

This winter's snow fell earlier than last winter, when Notts had to wait until early February to see the first flakes.

Ten centimetres settled on that occasion, with the cold snap lasting for about ten days and temperatures falling as low as -7.

It led to travel chaos with Nottingham City Transport cancelling its buses after 8.30pm on Saturday, February 4.

Traffic also came to a standstill on many roads, with vehicles stuck or abandoned at the roadside. Trains on the Robin Hood line between Nottingham and Worksop were cancelled and East Midland Airport closed at 4.30pm.

CHRISTINE Betts, 52, of Salcombe Close, Newthorpe, will be sentenced on Monday after being caught drink-driving on Christmas Day. She drove a Peugeot 206 in Church Road, Greasley, limit with 112 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of her breath. The legal limit is 35. She entered a guilty plea to drink-driving and having no insurance. Magistrates gave her an interim driving disqualification and granted unconditional bail.

JAKE Brown, 19, of Graylands Road, Bilborough, was fined £50 for assaulting a policeman in Harwill Crescent, Aspley, on Boxing Day. Magistrates in Nottingham handed him the fine after he entered a guilty plea. Brown was also ordered to pay assault victim, PC David Holmes, £75 compensation and costs of £35.

KELLY Cooper, 35, of Broomhill Road, Hucknall, denied assaulting a woman when she appeared at Nottingham Magistrates' Court. She was granted bail until her trial on March 1 at 2pm. The offence allegedly happened in Hucknall on Christmas Eve.

LEMAR Taylor, 20, of Egerton Walk, St Ann's, is due to attend Nottingham Magistrates' Court accused of possessing cannabis. The offence allegedly happened in Carlton Road, St Ann's, on October 18 last year. He is on unconditional bail until January 14, when he is required to attend court at 2pm.

MARIUS Chidun, 25, of Goose Gate, Nottingham, has appeared in court after being caught urinating in Derby Road, in the city. He admitted committing an act of indecency by urinating in public on December 23. Magistrates in Nottingham conditionally discharged him for 12 months and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £15.

MELVIN Munn, 68, of Grange Road, Newark, denies failing to provide a breath test in Newark on July 27 last year. His trial is due to take place at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on March 18. He has also denied that he was in charge of a Ford Escort in Grange Road, Newark, when he was unfit to drive through drink on July 27. He remains on unconditional bail.

THE case against Robert Palmer, 35, of Foxhall Road, Carlton, was dismissed at Nottingham Magistrates' Court, after he was accused of failing to provide police with information about the identity of the driver of a Saab, who had allegedly committed a traffic offence. Palmer was found not guilty.

COLIN Wood, 61, of Logan Street, Bulwell, pleaded guilty to assaulting a woman in the Victoria Centre flats, Nottingham, on New Year's Eve. He was granted bail until his next court hearing at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on January 24.

KEITH Dobson, 55, of Seamer Road, Kimberley, is facing three charges of assaulting the same woman in Nottingham, on various dates last year. After denying the charges at Nottingham Magistrates' Court, his case was listed for a trial on March 11. He is on conditional bail.

NO evidence was offered against Ivor Henry, 48, of Broomhill Road, Bulwell, when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates' Court. He had denied two assaults on women and the case was dismissed.

BARRY Starbuck, 39, of Victoria Street, Hucknall, has been found guilty of using a Ford Fiesta without insurance. The case was proved in his absence, and was adjourned until February 1 for magistrates to consider a driving ban.

PAUL Ashton, 57, of Gabrielle Close, Highbury Vale, pleaded guilty to having a loaded air rifle in Lauriston Avenue, Highbury Vale, on May 14. Magistrates in Nottingham deferred sentencing until April 9. He was bailed on condition he does not commit any more offences, has to continue to work with Nottingham's John Storer Clinic, which helps people with drug problems, and does not drink alcohol or take drugs.

JANET Lambley, 51, of Morden Road, Giltbrook, denied a benefit offence at Nottingham Magistrates' Court. It is alleged she did not inform the Department for Work and Pensions that her capabilities had improved. This would have affected her entitlement to Disability Living Allowance. The offence is said to have happened between December 23, 2009, and November 22, 2011. She is on unconditional bail to return to court for her trial on March 15.

IAN Crowther, 30, of Bells Lane, Aspley, pleaded not guilty to assaulting a man in Sneinton on August 24 last year. He was granted conditional bail until his trial at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on March 14.

KEVIN Warsop, 43, of Morrell Bank, Top Valley, denied assaulting a woman in Sherwood on Christmas Day. Magistrates in Nottingham adjourned his case for a trial on March 7. He is on conditional bail until the trial date.

THOMAS Dexter, 21, of Park Street, Lenton, is accused of possessing crack cocaine with intent to supply in Nottingham and possessing heroin in the city on January 19 last year. It is further alleged that he had a folding lock knife on him in public on the same date. Magistrates sent his case to be heard at Nottingham Crown Court on May 3. He is on unconditional bail.

AFTER more than 40 years playing the organ, John Keys has appeared at many of the country's best venues.

Now, he is readying himself for his latest big concert.

The 56-year-old will perform a recital on the illustrious Grand Organ at St Paul's Cathedral, in London, this weekend.

Mr Keys, director of music at St Mary's Church in the Lace Market, said: "It's not everyday you are invited to play an organ such as the one in St Paul's Cathedral.

"It is a tremendous instrument and it's a great honour to have the opportunity to perform there.

"I played at St Paul's many years ago when I did a recital in the late 1980s. It's a spectacular venue and the Grand Organ is a spectacular instrument. I'm very much looking forward to it."

Mr Keys, of West Bridgford, first started playing the organ at the age of 12. He has been director of music at St Mary's Church since 1984.

"The London concert scene is incredibly difficult to break into if you are not based in London," he added. "I've been told about 500 people might attend."

Mr Keys has also played at Westminster Abbey and St Peter's Basilica, in Rome, in the past.

The organ recital at St Paul's Cathedral will take place on Sunday from 4.45pm.

For his recital he will perform music by Wagner, to mark the 200th anniversary of the composer's birth.

Mr Keys' set list will also include music by Parisian organist and composer Jehan Ariste Alain and the UK premiere of a new piece written by his former tutor, organist Lionel Rogg.

He studied music at Oxford, where he was organ scholar at New College.

St Mary's choir was invited to sing services on two occasions in St Paul's last year and was one of only a very few non-professional choirs allowed to sing the music at a Sunday morning Eucharist service at the cathedral.

St Paul's Cathedral organist Simon Johnson said: "Many organists from across the UK and around the world apply to St Paul's to perform a recital, as our Grand Organ is one of the finest instruments of its type, situated in one of the world's most magnificent churches.

"John was selected as he is a professional organist with a reputation as a very good performer."

CASH-STRAPPED residents could see hundreds of pounds slashed off their fuel bills thanks to a pioneering project.

A new comparison website being set up for Nottingham will tell people how to get the best deal on their fuel bills.

Unlike other websites, it will allow those with energy debts of up to £500 to swap suppliers, along with residents who have pre-paid meters.

The site – called the Nottingham Energy Tariff – is being launched by Nottingham City Council and Nottingham City Homes at a time when fuel bills have been rising well-ahead of inflation.

Figures show that 21,000 people in Nottingham are now classed as being in "fuel poverty" – which means they have to spend more than 10 per cent of their income on heating and lighting.

Yet 60 per cent of city residents have never switched energy providers, leaving some paying higher bills than they need to.

Councillor Alan Clark, the council's portfolio holder for energy, said: "If you switch, you tend to save around £200 a year.

"Nottingham has a fairly high level of not switching. Some of the problems include being in arrears with fuel bills or being on a card meter – and we'll tackle that head-on."

The new website will be launched next month. Residents will enter the amount they spend on energy or the number of kilowatts they use and the site will then point them in the direction of the best deal.

It will allow residents to secure discounts if they sign up in groups and people living outside the city boundary in Notts will also be eligible to use it.

The website will look at deals with the "big six" companies – E.on, British Gas, nPower, Scottish Power, SSE and EDF.

The council is investing £15,000 in the scheme with a further £52,000 coming from the Government.

Council staff at libraries, contact centres and housing offices will be trained to give advice on the service to residents who do not have internet access. The website details will be released next month.

A BREWERY and pub company hopes to reopen a popular city pub by the end of the week.

Meanwhile, a Scalextric model car racing room that had proved popular at the Sir John Borlase Warren is moving to another pub.

The Borlase, in Canning Circus, shut at the weekend.

But Everards, the Leicestershire company that owns it, told the Post it hoped it would reopen with a temporary manager as soon as possible.

"We're going to try and find somebody to try and open it," said head of marketing Erika Hardy said.

"By the back end of this week, we're looking to have somebody in."

In the longer term, the firm will look to find a full-time manager. There are no plans to sell it or change its function.

"We're committed to the pub," Ms Hardy said.

"We are looking to recruit somebody to take over the pub and move it forward. It is going to continue to be what it is."

She said the pub – known for real ale, good food and a beer garden once mentioned in a national newspaper as among the city's best – required an experienced manager with both food and ale skills.

The company will take its time looking for that manager.

"We're literally just at the start of the process," she said.

But, in the shorter term, the company dislikes having to shut pubs for any length of time – hence the swift search for somebody who can keep the doors open while a permanent replacement is found.

"Our preference is we'd find somebody soon and keep the business moving forward," Ms Hardy said.

It will not, however, move forward with the Racing Room. The Scalextric model car racing room that Tom Hall opened at the Borlase is now relocating to the Dragon pub, in Long Row West, where it will expand.

"There it was 80 feet of track, here's it's going to be 170," Dragon manager Aunit Sandhu said.

Previously, cars raced around a continental mountain model village – now, they'll race more locally.

"It's going to have the Old Market Square and the lions, and it's going to have a long straight replicating the M1, including the power station."

The new Racing Room opens on February 1.

FAWAZ Al Hasawi today promised Nottingham Forest will be a success – if everyone stands together.

The club's Kuwaiti owner revealed he has been abused by some fans over his decision to sack Sean O'Driscoll on Boxing Day.

But he appealed for everyone to throw their weight behind new boss Alex McLeish – and insisted the Scot can steer the club into the play-offs.

Al Hasawi pledged he would back McLeish financially, during the January transfer window, and has asked fans to follow suit by offering their support during a critical period of the season.

"If they hear that people are not behind the manager, it will be no good for our team," said the Reds chairman in a rare media interview.

"I am sure everyone wants Forest to win, but we need their support, we need the people behind us. I will tell you, if we are all together, united, we will win, we will be a success.

"When we made the decision, people were asking why we had sacked the manager, because we had just won against Leeds. But the decision had been made before that game. I would like us to provide an answer for people on the field.

"I respect what people say, but there were bad things said about me, about my family. I respect people, but I am the one spending the money and I believe I am doing the right things."

Al Hasawi believes he has made the right decisions for the club – and asks fans to reserve judgement until the end of the season.

"I respect people's opinions," he said. "But let's wait until the end of the season and see.

"Last season, Forest did not do well. They finished towards the bottom of the table.

"This season, we are up there, we are near to the play-offs. We have made things better.

"I wish for people to be behind us and the team. If, by the end, it turns out I have done things wrong or badly, people can say what they want.

"But let's wait, because there are 19 games to go and, as I said, if we can win 12 of those, we will have a good chance."

And Al Hasawi believes Forest have the right man at the helm, in McLeish.

"To be honest, I want to look for the best," he said. "Sean O'Driscoll did very good work for us, in the first half of the season.

"I respect his work and I respect what he did for us. He chose the right players for us. But we want to move forward.

"Maybe lots of the supporters, lots of the people in Nottingham, did not like what happened in the end. But I would like them to give the new manager a chance, the chance to work hard with us and achieve something."

Fawaz steps out of Twitter spotlight - Page 50

NEW owners are being sought for three popular bars in the city centre.

Administrators are seeking buyers for the Castle pub, in Castle Road; Dogma, in Byard Lane;and Bad Papa's Tiki Shack, in Broad Street.

A buyer for Dogma in Lincoln is also being sought.

The four are owned by Ever So Sensible Bars Ltd, part of the Nottingham-based Ever So Sensible Group.

The pub and bars will remain open while administrators from accountancy firm KPMG seek buyers.

The Ever So Sensible Group did not return calls from the Post for comment.

The company also owns a number of Nottingham restaurants including Le Mistral in Sherwood and the city centre, and Fothergills, next to the Castle pub.

They will be unaffected as they are operated by Ever So Sensible Restaurants Ltd.

The company also owns pubs, bars and restaurants in Leicester, Lincoln and the Peak District.

Once the four bars are shed, Ever So Sensible will be left with no bars in the city centre.

But some believe that a more honed, specific, local strategy can lead to success.

"Local pub companies as a rule have done well because they know the locality and they know what the customer wants to drink," said Steve Westby, chairman of the Nottingham branch of the Campaign for Real Ale.

"Great Northern Inns is a local pub company and they do phenomenally well."

Mr Westby also mentioned Notts-based Bartsch Inns, which owns a handful of places including Basford's Horse and Groom and Radcliffe's Horse and Chestnut, as an example of a small local company that knows its market.

"Small pub companies do tend to do better than the larger ones," he added.

City centre pub The Gatehouse has announced this week that it is set to close. The pub, on Tollhouse Hill, at the corner of Upper Parliament Street, has boards on the outside saying it is closing down.

Its owners declined to comment to the Post.

FOR most first-time buyers, just getting on to the property ladder is hard enough, let alone the thought of one day owning a property where the value is in excess of £1million.

However, this became reality for 47,024 home owners last year as the number of property millionaires hit 300,000 (300,142 to be precise) in 2012. It's the highest since Zoopla.co.uk started recording these figures.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, 64 per cent (182,583 ) of these homes are found in London where the top end of the property market operates seemingly in isolation to the rest of the market. Wealthier buyers are relatively impervious to the economic problems affecting the rest of the market, most notably when it comes to getting a mortgage – an area where first-time buyers, due to strict lending criteria, are constantly struggling.

The Zoopla.co.uk research shows that this elite group has grown 19 per cent from this time last year, with the increase in property prices at the top end of the market notably sharper than the rest of the property market where house prices grew by just 1 per cent overall.

House price growth in London and the South East, fuelled by demand from equity-rich buyers and limited supply, helped push the value of these properties over £1 million during 2012.

Kensington, W8, in London wears the crown for the most property millionaires in Britain, with an average property value currently of £2,186,471 and where a staggering 64 per cent of all homes are currently worth over £1 million.

The luxury pads of Kensington are home to Roman Abramovich, along with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and where the value of the equivalent floor space to an Amazon Kindle is an eye-watering £389.

The most expensive street in the Britain is Kensington Palace Gardens. Dubbed Billionaires Row, the average home on the street is worth over £25 million.

This exclusive address is home to Russian-American businessman Leonard Blavatnik, the UK's sixth-richest man, and to Lakshmi Mittal, the wealthiest man in the UK with a personal fortune of around £9.8 billion.

Where are the most expensive streets in Nottinghamshire?

According to Zoopla, the highest-value streets in Nottingham are: -

1. Beeston Fields Drive, Nottingham, NG9, £1,020,864

2. Church Lane, Nottingham, NG12, £951,556

3. Croft Road, Nottingham, NG12, £886,328

4. Church Hill, Nottingham, NG12, £868,646

5. Main Road, Nottingham NG13, £846,753

6. Blidworth Waye, Nottingham, NG15, £828,566

7. Adams Hill, Derby Road, Nottingham, NG7, £818,340

8. Back Lane, Nottingham, NG12, £792,728

9. Newstead Abbey Park, Nottingham NG15 £775,779

10. Haggnook Wood, Nottingham, NG15, £749,403

Nottingham highest value areas

1 NG12 (Nottingham) £242,276

2 NG14 (Nottingham) £233,780

3 NG13 (Nottingham) £229,183

4 NG2 (Nottingham) £196,540

5 NG9 (Nottingham) £156,885

6 NG11 (Nottingham) £152,239

7 NG15 (Nottingham) £146,349

8 NG3 (Nottingham) £140,078

9 NG8 (Nottingham) £136,439

10 NG16 (Nottingham) £135,069

For more details, visit www.zoopla.co.uk/richlist

NOTTS Fire and Rescue Service is looking for men and women in Bingham and Southwell to train as retained firefighters.

Open days are being held at both stations to explain more and offer an insight into the role from those who already do the job.

Visitors can try on fire kit, wear breathing apparatus, see the equipment and watch demonstrations. There will also be activities to keep children entertained.

The open day at Bingham fire station is on Saturday, January 26, from 10am to 3pm.

The one at Southwell station is on Saturday, February 2, from 10am to 3pm.

Working as a retained firefighter means being on call and ready to respond to emergencies within five minutes, whether that's from home or work.

A pager system alerts firefighters to emergencies, which could range from fires or road accidents to trapped people or animals, flooding and other water rescue incidents.

Mark Carrington, who has been a retained firefighter at Bingham for three years, said: "It's very challenging but hugely rewarding, and it allows me to give something back to the community.

"Some days I might come home from a job feeling down but it's a great feeling to know that you've put a fire out or rescued someone from a road traffic collision."

THESE days, having hand-made or second-hand furniture and fittings in your home is far from naff – it's positively designer and, with some imagination and creativity, you can add unique features in your home for very little money.

Visit auctions. Obviously, I'm a great fan of buying property at auction but if this is too daunting, you can have great fun (and pick up some real bargains) by going to auctions selling furniture and homewares.

If you have designer taste but not the budget, try buying from artists and designers directly. Local art and craft fairs are good for this as well as websites such as www.made.com, www.notonthehighstreet.com, www.folksy.com and www.etsy.com.

Up-cycle furniture. Scout second-hand furniture shops, auctions and car boot sales for furniture and homewares at knockdown prices. Search online for tons of up-cycling ideas. Here's a few:

Use old magazines/newspapers/sheets of music or even old family photos to decoupage (using varnish and layers of paper) wooden items. You don't have to cover the whole thing – just a small area can look good. Start with simple, flat shapes such as toilet seats or kitchen chairs.

Bung some old woolly jumpers into the washing machine to create your own felt and use it to create cushion covers, place mats, doorstops, etc. Ask retailers for their old fabric sample books and sew together pieces in patchwork to cover sofa cushions and foot stools.

Pick up old broken tiles from shops and create a mosaic.

Even larger items such as bathroom suites and entire kitchens can be found advertised online. Consider items a bit further a field, since the savings you make could easily cover the costs of hiring a van. Apart from the obvious, www.ebay.co.uk, check out www.preloved.co.uk and www. gumtree.com. You could even advertise that you want a particular thing on www.freecycle.com. Check out www. theusedkitchencompany.com and www.kitchensynch.co.uk, which specialise in high-quality, second-hand and ex-display kitchens at discounts.

Get spraying. You can buy cans of spray paint in a wide variety of colours and even textures these days. Consider spraying drawers in the same unit different colours. Go for bold shades if the background wood is neutral. You can use stencils to create fun patterns or hire a paint-sprayer (www.hss.com or www. brandontoolhire.co.uk) to transform larger pieces.

You can often find perfectly decent curtains in charity shops. Shortening curtains is easy and you can make them bigger by sewing on a contrasting border. Check out www.thecurtainexchange. co.uk. for high-quality curtains (usually in designer fabrics). Some have just been used in show homes or interior designer displays. If the curtains are for display only, consider varnishing tree branches instead of curtain poles and cable tie the curtain in place.

Ditch the shag pile – these days there are so many options for flooring materials that are cheap, hard wearing, environmentally friendly and "healthy", so you don't need to go for carpeting. Some cheaper alternatives are cork, wood laminate and Linoleum.

Visit salvage yards, particularly if you are renovating older, period property. Salvage yards are great places to find architectural pieces that can give your property extra character. Try www.salvoweb.com/ directory

Interior designers use mirrors to make a property appear bigger and lighter but you can also use them for wall art. Customise frames with drift wood, bottle tops, beads and shells. Visit www.thefunkymirrorco.co.uk

Retro lighting is very "in" at the moment. Ask relatives if they've got old lights hidden away they no longer use and update them with a statement lamp shade. www.funkylampshades.co.uk or www.glow. co.uk

IT'S one of the key decisions you'll make when you move into a new home – what type of flooring to choose. For many years from around the mid-1990s, laminate and wooden flooring became almost the default setting for trendy interiors. But today, other options are becoming much more popular.

Vinyl and tiles offer a practical but versatile alternative to the bare appearance of floorboards, with the chance to experiment with colour and pattern, while carpet is also making a massive comeback.

Now, Nottingham-based Hillarys, the UK's largest supplier of made-to-measure blinds, shutters and curtains, is expanding its product range with the introduction of carpets and vinyls.

Initially available only for customers in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire, the service will be based around home visits.

"These are exciting times for Hillarys," says Sarah Quilliam, head of product design.

"Introducing floor coverings to our wide range of products is a natural step for us. It makes complete sense to bring our 40 years' experience of in-home design to carpets."

Sarah says she thinks that, as with window dressings, choosing carpets in the comfort of their own home will appeal to customers.

"People generally want to see how a fabric or carpet will look against other furnishings and in both natural and artificial light," she says. "With our service, there's no need to visit a carpet showroom, we'll bring our 'store' to the customer's home. We'll measure up and then return to fit. We'll even remove any furniture, take away your old floor covering and vacuum your new one for a flawless finish."

Sarah thinks carpets, in particular, are about to make a huge comeback this year.

"It's soft and comforting underfoot, it's also a fabulous way to bring in texture, colour and even pattern," she says.

"A carpet can help keep heat in, reduce noise and provide the perfect update to any room. Even better, a carpet feels especially cosy on colder nights.

"Across all generations, family is more important than ever, and people are placing more emphasis on making their homes a safe and cocooning retreat and base for entertaining."

Gone are the days of stark minimalism, magnolia walls and "keeping up with the Joneses", she says. Today's home is all about comfortable, relaxing, snug and personal rooms.

"There are no hard and fast rules to follow in order to achieve this. While we may never entirely tire of neutrals, interior styles have become much more individual, mismatched and quirky. Hard times call for high hopes and we want colour, pattern and texture around us. Carpets add a cosy comfort that can help provide that."

Here are Sarah's tips on carpet trends and styles:

Listen to the God of Trends and you may hear that bold colour and geometric patterns are the big emerging carpet trends. That's fine for those mega homes we see in "aspirational" magazines but a little hard to live with for the vast majority of us. If you do want to shake things up a bit but flinch at the idea of wall-to-wall orange, then try introducing something other than neutral in smaller portions.

Hallways and stairways are perfect areas for strong pattern and colour, as they can add character to an otherwise unremarkable space. Because you don't spend any length of time there, the bold statement is easier to live with. Stripes look especially attractive.

Whereas it used to be routine to opt for the same carpet throughout, more people are choosing to mix styles, albeit in a complementary colour palette.

Carpets come in an array of styles and textures that can add an extra dimension to your colour or pattern choice. There are essentially two types – cut pile and loop pile. Loop pile is where the fibre is threaded through the backing and back through the front again, forming a series of loops. Cut pile carpet has had the tops of the loops cut so that the fibre stands upright.

The type of carpets offered by Hillarys include:

Twist –made from yarn that has been tightly twisted and set to form a pile with a textured surface. Twists are available in a rich palette of plain colours and heather options. Heathers are made using a blend of complementary coloured fibres to create a subtle, tonal effect.

Best rooms: These are an excellent choice for busy areas, from living and dining rooms to hall, stairs and landings. The dense pile bounces back from being walked on and furniture marks, so you can enjoy a luxurious carpet with looks that will last.

Saxony – luxurious and beautifully soft, these carpets add an air of understated elegance to any room. They can be rich, dense and velvet-like or, where the twisted yarn is longer, they can have a luxurious, tumble-down appearance that looks and feels gorgeous. If you're going to go barefoot, this is the carpet to have underfoot.

Best rooms: bedrooms

Berber – carpets with a tufted appearance that bring texture and a rustic appearance to any room. It's a classic look that will never date, which is just as well as Berber carpets are renowned for their durability.

Best rooms: any.

Loop – a loop pile carpet has a rich and varied texture that's hard-wearing and will hide footprints and marks.

Best rooms: busy areas of your home.

Guide to materials:

Wool is a common carpet fibre. It has a soft feel and doesn't flatten easily.

Nylon is strong and doesn't flatten easily.

Polyester is easy to clean and wears well.

Polypropylene is stain-resistant but can flatten easily.

80:20 is a mixture of 80% wool and 20% synthetic fibre such as nylon or polyester. Fibres are blended together to produce yarns with stronger characteristics than if they were on their own.

Prices for carpets range from £11.98 to £40.34 per square metre, including fitting. For more information, contact Hillarys on 0800 587 6427 or visit hillarys.co.uk.

NOTTS jobs are at risk after the Blockbuster chain – which rents out DVDs and video games – called in administrators from Deloitte.

The chain, which employs 4,000 people at 528 stores, is the latest high-profile retailer to hit trouble.

It has nine stores in Notts, at Arnold, Eastwood, Long Eaton, Carlton Hill, Sherwood, West Bridgford, Lenton Boulevard, Mansfield and Newark.

The stores are continuing to trade as the administrators try to find a buyer.

The news follows administrators being called in to HMV earlier this week, and the collapse of the Jessops photo chain. Blockbuster has been hit by trends towards downloading and streaming of DVDs and games, but Deloitte says the core business is profitable.

Richard Phipps, 46, who used to run film club Nottingham Moviemakers until 2011, said: "Everything has become more digital now. People are just not as likely to go out and rent a film, they can download it instead."

Lee Manning, joint administrator and Deloitte partner, said: "In recent years, Blockbuster has faced increased competition from internet-based providers along with the shift to digital streaming of movies and games.

"We are working closely with suppliers and employees to ensure the business has the best possible platform to secure a sale, preserve jobs and generate as much value as possible for all creditors.

"The core of the business is still profitable and we will continue to trade as normal in both retail and rental whilst we seek a buyer for all or parts of the business as a going concern. During this time, gift cards and credit acquired through Blockbuster's trade-in scheme will be honoured towards the purchase of goods."

BACK in 2008, Pete Barnes was just starting his job as a pilot with the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance.

He had already reached the top of his profession, having flown air ambulances in other areas and been a stunt pilot on Bond movies.

But he was still keen to help those in difficulties.

He said at the time: "I've flown celebrities, such as Lewis Hamilton, and been in films Casino Royale, Die Another Day and Tomb Raider 2.

"But flying the air ambulance means I can put my skills to use saving lives."

Mr Barnes, 50, who grew up in Woodthorpe but had moved to Berkshire, died yesterday when his helicopter crashed in central London.

In a wide-ranging career spanning 18 years, he had amassed about 9,000 hours of flying time. He is thought to have still had family in Nottingham.

MP for Nottingham East Chris Leslie said: "It's certainly a tragedy.

"It's a real loss for such an experienced pilot to be involved in such a high-profile accident.

"I hope we can get to the bottom of the causes of this. Given the skill and capability of Mr Barnes, there might be more to this than simply a pilot error. My thoughts at this difficult time are with his family in Nottingham."

Mr Barnes was working as a freelance pilot for RotorMotion, a company that counts among its clients the Prince of Wales, Prime Minister David Cameron, former PM Tony Blair and the Dalai Lama.

It is understood the Augusta Westland 109 Power eight-seater aircraft was owned by Cornwall-based Castle Air but was leased to RotorMotion, which is based at Redhill Aerodrome.

Staff at the aerodrome confirmed it left the site at 7.35am in low cloud cover and poor visibility, while the owner of London Heliport said Mr Barnes requested to land at one of its sites via Heathrow air traffic control. But the heliport never established contact with the pilot before the crash into a crane on top of The Tower in St George Wharf.

Witnesses described hearing a loud explosion as debris scattered across the sky and the helicopter plummeted to the ground.

London Ambulance Service confirmed two people died and 12 were injured.

Operations manager Pauline Cranmer said: "The second fatality was not in the building. It was in close proximity to the helicopter.

"There were a number of injuries that would potentially be consistent with being hit by debris."

Julian Firth, an investigator with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, said the wreckage would be taken to its site at Farnborough, Hampshire.

A PILOT who died when his helicopter crashed in central London was born in Nottingham and had flown the air ambulance in Notts.

Captain Pete Barnes, who grew up in Woodthorpe, was also a stunt pilot and had worked on James Bond films Casino Royale and Die Another Day.

One of his former neighbours in Albemarle Road, Woodthorpe, said: "We have known him for years. My sons were very fond of him. All my children used to play with him when they were young."

Mr Barnes was the only person in the helicopter when it hit a crane on top of The Tower, St George Wharf, by the River Thames just before 8am yesterday.

It fell 700ft to the ground, killing one other person and injuring 12 more.

Commander Neil Basu, of the Metropolitan Police, said it was "something of a miracle" that the outcome was not "many, many times worse".

Mr Barnes had flown for both the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance, and the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance.

Air Ambulance chief executive Andy Williamson said: "We are deeply saddened to hear the news that Pete Barnes was killed in the helicopter accident in London. Pete had worked with us for many years and will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family."

The 50-year-old pilot had played squash for Notts and had been a member of Nottingham Squash Racket Club, playing at Tattershall Drive, in The Park.

Club chairman Tim Garratt said: "Pete was a member of the club for a short time in 2003. We're really sorry to hear of his death, especially in such tragic circumstances."

A Nottingham University Hospital NHS trust spokesman said: "Pete Barnes was a well-respected pilot who made a huge contribution to saving lives in Nottingham."

And Martin Wynne-Jones, president of Nottinghamians RFC, where Mr Barnes used to play rugby, said: "He was a very nice chap. He was a very nice, bubbly character and was liked across all the players.

"It's a tragic loss and there will be a number of people within the rugby club who know him and his family."

Mr Barnes is believed to have lived in Goddard's Green near Mortimer, Berkshire. He had been flying from Redhill, Surrey, to Elstree, Hertfordshire.

A WOMAN has been jailed after she lied for eight years that she had been violently raped at the hands of a Nottingham taxi driver.

Gaynor Cooke told police she had been raped to hide a one-night stand from her partner in 2003.

No one was arrested because there was no match to DNA taken from her.

But in 2011, a man was arrested for an alleged minor incident and a check on his DNA threw up a match.

The man was a taxi driver. He ended up being charged with rape and faced trial at Nottingham Crown Court.

The case was abandoned when detectives spoke to a couple from St Ann's who revealed Cooke had lied about the "rape" to cover up her infidelity.

And when police went back to speak to Cooke about what the couple told them, she said "you have got me".

The taxi driver was "completely exonerated" the court heard – and instead 41-year-old Cooke was put in the dock.

She was charged with perverting the course of justice between October 25, 2003, and January 20, 2012, after making up a false complaint of rape.

She wiped away tears as Recorder Shaun Smith QC sent her to prison for two years after she admitted the offence.

He read to her extracts from statements she had given about her "ordeal". In these she had claimed: "Since I was raped in 2003, I feel my life has been changed for ever. I'm depressed after what happened to me and often feel suicidal."

The judge told her: "It's a complete pack of lies. It may only have been for a short period of time, but you destroyed an innocent life."

As part of the original investigation, Cooke had provided an 18-page statement about her "ordeal" in the front seat of a taxi.

DNA from the man she had had sex with did not match any profiles on the Police National Database, leaving officers with no suspect.

But in January 2011, a taxi driver was arrested after a minor incident and his DNA was taken.

Prosecutor Grace Hale told the court: "The police contacted this defendant, who said she was pleased a suspect was identified and wanted to do justice with a prosecution."

Cooke originally kept up her lie when visited by a police woman, saying she intended to proceed with her complaint and had nothing to add to her original statements.

The taxi driver told police he was a single man in 2003 and had consensual sex with women in his home, but had not raped anyone.

The driver was charged with rape and his trial was to take place at Nottingham Crown Court in February 2012.

Finally Cooke, formerly of Nottingham but now of Pen Green Lane, Corby, Northamptonshire, admitted she had consensual sex with a taxi driver in 2003. She said she was having problems with her partner at the time and he had been angry when she returned home.

Miss Hale said: "She told the lie and maintained the lie. She gave no explanation, when asked, why she continued to maintain her lies."

The court heard the taxi driver had been suspended from work as a result of the charge. The stress of the court proceedings had taken a toll on his health and he had been unable to return to work.

"It was a humiliating experience for him," said Miss Hale.

Fiona Tannock, in mitigation, said her client had been troubled more and more as time went on, as she was aware that someone was awaiting trial.

"The defendant could hardly bear to hear the victim impact statement which was read out in the lower court," she said.

THE redevelopment of Nottingham's ring road is expected to move a step closer next week when the city council commits £3.2 million to the project.

The Government has already given the £16.1 million scheme the go-ahead but the council is waiting for the final sign-off from the Department for Transport, which is contributing £12.8 million.

On Tuesday, the council's executive board is expected to back funding for the scheme. The final package then needs approval from the Government. Work could start as early as April and finish in the summer of 2015.

In 2009, the Government had approved plans for a £44 million scheme but this has been watered down after the coalition said costs must be cut.

Some of the main improvements planned include:

Widening the southbound carriageway of Middleton Boulevard from Crown Island, Wollaton, to the QMC.

Western Boulevard widened from two to three lanes in the clockwise direction in three sections: between Crown Island and Beechdale Road, between Beechdale Road and Aspley Lane, and between Aspley Lane to Nuthall Road

Conversion of Aspley Lane roundabout into a traffic light junction with pedestrian crossings.

Widening the roundabout at the Hucknall Road junction to provide extra lanes.

Road resurfacing in both directions of Western Boulevard between Wilkinson Street and Western Boulevard Spur.

There will also be numerous upgrades to pedestrian and cyclist crossings.

One of the main changes that will not now happen is the widening of Basford bridge.

The ring road is used by up to 48,000 vehicles a day and it is hoped the improvements will cut congestion at bottlenecks.

Councillor Graham Chapman, deputy leader of the council, said: "We've been waiting for this for years.

"It's one of a number of schemes, along with the A453, that will make an enormous difference to the flow of Nottingham. It's also investment – the building industry is on its knees at the moment."

Last October, Nottingham was named the third most congested city in the UK after research carried out by satnav company TomTom.

It claimed travelling in rush hour took 24 per cent longer on average than off-peak.

This was challenged by the council, which said the research did not include public transport. The council said no houses would be repossessed or demolished during the road works. However, some land needs to be acquired and the council is in talks with landlords.

A council spokesman said: "The contractor will take all reasonable precautions to minimise any disturbance to properties adjacent to any works.

"Pedestrian access to occupied premises fronting the ring road will be maintained at all times."

Tell us your thoughts on the plans. E-mail newsdesk@nottinghampostgroup.co.uk

NOTTINGHAM will be at the forefront of a new cabinet, which has been set up to put pressure on the Government to drive growth outside London.

City council leader Councillor Jon Collins will be vice-chairman of the new group, which includes all council leaders from the eight core cities of the UK.

Today, Mr Collins and other members of the cabinet will meet Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin to discuss the High Speed Two rail plans and other transport projects. And tomorrow, they will have their first meeting to develop policies.

Nottingham, which is receiving £60 million from the Government through the City Deal to boost employment, has recently launched its own growth plan for the city and now Mr Collins will lead on the growth portfolio for the new cabinet.

He said: "The core cities already collectively contribute more to the national economy than London and, with more freedoms and powers, could do even more.

"The City Deals have been a welcome start but we are urging the Government to go further and help us to secure jobs and a thriving economy through an ambitious programme for growth.

"In Nottingham, we've had significant success in attracting investment, delivering ambitious projects and bringing partners together under a growth plan which is having a positive impact and is set to shape a prosperous future for the city.

"I am looking forward to working with the other core cities to pull together a prospectus for growth we will put to Government. It is about emphasising the importance of balanced growth to ensure the south and south-east don't become overheated while the regions remain in recession."

Along with the other members of the new core cities cabinet, Mr Collins has signed a letter to Prime Minister David Cameron, urging him to participate in "an ambitious programme for jobs and growth" to maximise the economic potential of the UK's big cities.

The other core cities are Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Bristol and Sheffield.

However, Conservative MP for Broxtowe Anna Soubry argued the Government has already shown its commitment to growth in cities like Nottingham.

She said: "Nottingham's had investment in infrastructure on a scale I don't think we've seen before. We've got the long-awaited dualling of the A453 which begins this year, we've got the electrification and improvement of the Midland Main Line – something again which has held us back. And, although the route is controversial, the investment in the tram is again investment in our infrastructure.

"The very first enterprise zone was announced at Boots and it's a huge opportunity.

"I'm not quite sure what more we could have done given that our main priority at the moment is to sort out the country's economy."