Lincoln-based Kirby Cleaner retailer Elite Systems and Fiaz Mughal, one of the two directors of the company, have been fined collectively over £17,000, for unfair trade practices across Lincolnshire.
Complaints were made to Consumer Direct that Elite was seeking business and selling Kirby Cleaners, via free prize draws. The prize was supposedly a free carpet clean, but turned out to be a sales demonstration involving high-pressure selling.
The Trading Standards Service at Lincolnshire County Council investigated the complaints, and in June 2009 officers executed a search warrant at Elite’s premises, seizing a number of items and documents. These included details on customers’ homes, cars, and wealth.
Seven charges were laid, with both defendants entering not guilty pleas. Trading Standards said it had no reason to believe the prize draw, run by a third party Kirby company, did not take place.
Giving evidence in court, one consumer explained how he had been misled by Elite about the nature of their visit to his home. At one point he had asked the salesman to leave but they had refused, and then gave the ‘hard sell’ for a cleaner the consumer did not want.
Another consumer gave evidence about a telephone call from Elite pretending to be from a competitor, gaining access to their home and providing a service through deception. An ex member of staff confirmed that she had been told to mislead customers about where she was calling from.
The magistrates found that Elite and Mughal had contravened the requirements of professional diligence by providing false information and applying undue pressure on customers to buy their product.
“By hiding the true commercial intent this company deceitfully got a foot in the door of the average consumer who would not otherwise have agreed,” said Nick Dawes, Divisional Manager at Trading Standards.
“The prize draw tickets contained personal information gathered by the company allowing them to target potential customers; I don’t believe that the average person would be very happy accepting a free prize draw ticket knowing that information was being written on the stub about them,” Dawes added.
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A 45-year-old man from Spalding has been bailed after police arrested him on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving in a crash which cost a man in his 40s his life.
Kent Police were called to a collision between a Ford Transit van and a pedestrian on Luton Road in Chatham, near the junction with Short Street, at 12.42am on Saturday, November 27.
The van was travelling from Luton, towards Chatham Hill, and after the collision it came to a stop against two properties
A pedestrian – a man in his 40s and from the Medway area – was on the footpath. He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
An unknown number of occupants are known to have fled the scene on foot.
A 45-year-old man from Spalding was arrested at that scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
An additional two men – aged 25 and 35, and from Chatham – were later also arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Kent Police confirmed to The Lincolnite on Wednesday, December 1 that the 25-year-old man from Chatham and the 45-year-old from Spalding were bailed to return to the police station on December 23 and 26 respectively.
The 35-year-old man was released pending further investigation.
Kent Police’s Serious Collision Investigation are investigating the circumstance of the crash, and would like to hear from anyone who has information and is yet to speak with an officer.
Investigators are particularly keen to obtain privately held CCTV and dashcam footage which captured any of the parties involved.
Anyone with information should contact Kent Police by calling 01622 798538 or via email at [email protected] quoting SCIU/134/21.
Unlocked Fest, the UK’s newest music festival, has announced an incredible line-up of artists, bands and DJs for its launch edition in 2022, including Ministry of Sound Classical, Heather Small, The Feeling, Go West, Craig Charles, Inner City, Five, Space, Republica, Phats and Small, Big Brovaz, Dario G, and many more.
The festival – the first of its kind in Nottinghamshire – celebrates some of the best music from the 80s, 90s and 00s, promising three days of fun and cherished moments at Newark Showground.
Unlocked Fest will take place from 17th – 19th June 2022 amidst much anticipation following its unfortunate postponement this year due to Covid restrictions. Festival organisers, Unlocked Events are now delighted to confirm the go-ahead for 2022 with a top-notch line-up crammed full of the UK’s biggest tracks from the late 80s onwards, diverse entertainment, camping, glamping and a host of VIP experiences.
The three-day event will not only provide festival goers with the chance to relive the sounds of summers past but will be bringing a fresh new dimension to your usual festival experience with carefully considered attention to detail and emphasis on making every moment seamless.
Ticket holders can expect the highest standard of food and drink, broad entertainment offerings and a lovingly crafted festival site that has been designed with convenience and ease in mind.
With parking close to pitches, carefully laid out (mud free) campsites, exquisite glamping and a good supply of services and facilities, the organisers are making everything easy so that the music and partying really do take centre stage.
The ultimate feel good weekender, Unlocked Fest will combine a heady mix of well-known headliners, top DJs and tribute acts across its three stages, with artisan food and drink vendors, a traditional funfair, games zone, roaming entertainers, late night silent disco, and many more surprises in store.
Inner City
Unlocked Fest’s founder, Steve Yeardsley has 20 years’ experience working in the events industry delivering technical production to festivals, tours and consumer events. The idea for Unlocked Fest arose after he identified a gap in the market for a boutique event experience.
Steve said “The UK undoubtedly has some amazing festivals and outdoor events. I just felt that we were missing a more sophisticated festival experience that would appeal to a wider crowd who want all the fun but not the annoyances that often come with camping out.
This is why we have gone the extra mile to ensure we limit queues, provide sufficient facilities, offer VIP services, and set the bar high in every detail. We are also banishing the mud – wellies are very much a fashion choice rather than a necessity!
“We also know that getting the line-up right is also key. We’ve all been to festivals where the headliners sing one or two well-known tracks and fill the rest of the set with the new material.
“We really want the music to be familiar, songs that the crowd sing and dance along to all day and night. We’re going to create everyone’s favourite playlist and deliver it live with some incredible summer vibes We are not calling Unlocked Fest the ultimate feel-good weekender without reason!”
Tickets for Unlocked Fest, featuring Ministry of Sound Classical, Heather Small, The Feeling, Go West, Craig Charles, Five, Republica, and more, go on General Sale at 9.00am on Friday 3rd December 2021.
Lincolnshire is renowned for its green spaces, and there are ten parks in the county considered amongst the best in the UK, including Lincoln, Grantham and Scunthorpe.
First introduced in 1996, Green Flag Awards are handed out annually, promoting standards of good management and caring for the green space sector, whether it be publicly accessible parks or open spaces.
Owners of spaces that want Green Flag accreditation pay a fee to be assessed by volunteer judges on an annual basis, who will inspect maintenance, security, heritage and other aspects before awarding or rejecting the application.
There are over 2,000 parks with Green Flag status in the United Kingdom, ten of which are in Lincolnshire, spanning from Lincoln to Grantham to Scunthorpe.
The ten parks are:
Boultham Park – Lincoln
Boultham Park has won the award three years in a row. | Photo: CoLC
Boultham Park in Lincoln is on a roll at the moment, having first achieved Green Flag status in 2019, and it has not looked back since. This is the third year in a row the park has been awarded for its well maintained space.
Hartsholme Country Park – Lincoln
Hartsholme Country Park celebrates another Green Flag Award. | Photo: CoLC
Hartsholme Country Park first won this award in 2008, and has been a stable member of the Green Flag status list each year since. It is one of the three Lincoln parks to be recognised this year.
Lincoln Arboretum
The Arboretum is a regular Green Flag winner. | Photo: CoLC
After becoming the first place in Lincolnshire to win Green Flag status when it was renovated in 2003, Lincoln Arboretum has been a consistent winner of the award, so it will come as no surprise that it has again been recognised for 2021.
Queen Elizabeth Park – Grantham
| Photo: Friends of Queen Elizabeth Park Grantham
Covering around 23 acres in area, Queen Elizabeth Park was named after the Queen Mother and opened in 1980 to mark her 80th birthday. This year was the first time the park was awarded Green Flag status.
Wyndham Park – Grantham
| Photo: David Hallam-Jones
Boasting tennis courts, play areas, a model boat lake and even a sensory garden, Wyndham Park in Grantham covers all the bases you need to be an all-inclusive open space worthy of Green Flag status.
Baysgarth Park – Barton-upon-Humber
Baysgarth Park in Barton-upon-Humber. | Photo: Green Flag
Green Flag describes Baysgarth Park as “a safe environment for families and visitors of all ages” with open green spaces for playing games or settling down for a picnic. There are football goals, walking routes and a wildflower area to soak in.
Central Park Scunthorpe
Central Park in Scunthorpe. | Photo: North Lincolnshire Council
While it may share a name with perhaps the most iconic park on the planet, Scunthorpe’s Central Park has plenty to shout about, and is often awarded Green Flag status each year. The centrepiece of the park is a large water fountain, which attracts plenty of visitors.
Kingsway Gardens – Scunthorpe
Photo: Graham Tilley
Kingsway Gardens in Scunthorpe has been prolific in winning Green Flag Awards, with 2021’s nod meaning it has been recognised fourteen years in a row.
Sheffield Park – Scunthorpe
Sheffield Park in Scunthorpe. | Photo: North Lincolnshire Council
After undergoing an 18-month transformation, Scunthorpe’s Sheffield Park was given Green Flag status in 2021 thanks to its new play equipment, skate park, additional trees and developing wildflower corridors.
Woodlands Memorial Park and Crematorium – Scunthorpe
Woodlands Memorial Park and Crematorium. | Photo: Neil Theasby / Geograph
The Woodlands Memorial Park and Crematorium, found on Brumby Wood Lane in Scunthorpe, is another previous winner of the award that has done a great job maintaining the high standards required for Green Flag status.
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