An investigation by Trading Standards revealed local people buying a drink in a Milton Keynes pub or bar this Christmas could be missing out on measures they were promised.
Following a national Trading Standards investigation which revealed short measured drinks in UK pubs and bars cost the average consumer around £115 per year, Milton Keynes Trading Standards ran a local exercise – the first of its kind – to check if city pub servings are measuring up.
Trading Standards investigators found that 70% of the drinks checked (around ten 175ml glasses of wine and ten pints of beer) were short measured, some by more than 10%. On average, wine was short by 6% and beer by 5%.
This means if consumers each bought two short measured drinks in a Milton Keynes pub or bar over the Christmas period, the cost of the ‘lost servings’ could add up to £39,690.
The research is based on 2023 research by Statistica that 50% of adults will visit a pub or bar at least once per fortnight, equating to 73,500 adults in Milton Keynes. Two drinks per person will be short measured by an average value of 54p based on a pint of beer costing £4.79 and a 175ml glass of wine at £4.83.
The Weights and Measures (Intoxicating Liquor) Order 1988 sets out the legal obligations for selling alcohol. Although each business visited was advised of the investigation findings and given guidance, Tranding Standards officers want city consumers to be aware of their rights when they’re out for a festive drink.
Many glasses in pubs, bars and restaurants show a measuring line which consumers can judge the serving by. If beer or wine looks more than 5% short, it’s fine to ask for a top up.
A head of beer is legally part of the measure and may reasonably form up to 5% of a serving. However, if the head is too large – more than 5%, as it was in half of the short measured pints checked by Milton Keynes Trading Standards – you are well within your rights to ask bar staff for an immediate top up.
If you continue to be short measured, get in touch with Milton Keynes Trading Standards.
Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, Cllr Mick Legg, said, “It’s absolutely right and fair to ask immediately and politely for a drink to be topped up if you think it falls short. It’s only the same as pointing out that you’ve been overcharged, which it effectively is. Our Trading Standards team have been giving advice to bar staff so fewer drinks get poured short, which brings more value for money for consumers this Christmas and beyond.”
Police is appealing for witnesses following a robbery at a taxi rank outside Milton Keynes Central railway station.
The incident happened around midnight on Saturday (21/12). During the incident, a man was stood at the taxi rank outside the train station when he was approached by a number of males.
The offenders grabbed the victim and tried to take his designer coat and beanie. Initially, the victim resisted and one of the offenders pointed to his waist band as though he was carrying a knife.
The victim handed over his coat, the beanie, as well as his Apple Airpods. The offenders then made off towards Costa Coffee.
Thames Valley Police confirmed the victim was not injured during the incident.
The offenders are described by the victim as being between 16 and 18-years-old, around 5ft 6ins to 5ft 9ins in height and were black.
One offender was described as wearing all black and a black camo print snood covering his face.
The second male was wearing a grey coat believed to be Canada Goose.
The third and final offender had a full-face, small afro style hair, square glasses and was wearing all black clothing.
Detective Constable Grace Boland, said, “We are appealing for witnesses following this robbery.
“We are asking anyone who witnessed this incident to come forward. Additionally we believe there were taxi drivers in the vicinity of the taxi rank who may have dash-cam footage of this incident.
“As such we would ask them to please check their footage and get in touch if they think it could assist our enquiries.
“Anyone with information should call 101 quoting reference 43240617040 or you can contact via our online form.
“Or if you do not wish to speak to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and they will take your report 100% anonymously.”
Luton Town have been granted planning permission to proceed with plans to build a new stadium called Power Court.
Permission was granted by Luton Borough Council to build a 25,000 stadium on brownfield land near to Luton train station on the site of the former Luton Power Station.
A meeting was held last week (17/12) that ruled in favour of the plans to build the stadium as a replacement for Luton’s Kenilworth Road, which has housed the club since 1905 and was renovated last year in preparation for Luton’s promotion to the Premier League.
Luton Town first identified the Power Court site as a suitable location for a new stadium in 2015 and were granted outline planning permission to use the site for a ground in 2019.
Luton Borough Council’s Councillor James Taylor, Portfolio Holder responsible for Regeneration and Inclusive Growth at Luton Council, said in a statement, “Tonight’s approval of the detailed Power Court planning application is great news for Luton and our Town Centre. This multi million pound development will invest onto a long derelict site and help to spark a revitalisation of our town centre. With our own regeneration project, the Stage, we are excited about the positive impacts these developments will have on our economy and visitor offer.
“Our ambitious town centre masterplan is delivering the positive outcomes that we want to see and hope to keep delivering in the future. There are a few standard additional post committee items that still need to be resolved but we are closer now than ever in seeing the Hatters finally have a new home.
When our team does well, our town does well and this positive development can have every hatters fan looking to the future with optimism”.
In remarks published on the club’s website and in the match programme ahead of Luton’s final home match of 2024 last weekend, Luton Town’s CEO Gary Sweet hailed the decision.
He said, “Without doubt, our biggest victory of the year was played out on a Monday night fixture at the Town Hall, in front of a crowd of dignitaries, resulting in a massive home win for the Town but without a ball being kicked.
“All of us present in the Council’s chambers, along with the many Hatters watching the live stream, were thrilled that our detailed planning application for a long-awaited new home at Power Court was given the final green light by Luton Borough Council marking the end of formalities on our new stadium journey as we celebrate the fact that no further permissions are required.
“It’s another defining milestone in the delivery of our long-held plans for a new stadium against our seemingly disappointing season in the Premier League. In an ironic and bittersweet way, it was last season’s short visit to the top table which provided the resources for the redesigned bigger, more ambitious stadium which will provide the foundations for a longer Premier League visit next time.
“First and foremost, we would like to thank everyone at the Council – councillors, planning officers, executive officers and the leader – who have all been amazingly supportive during the challenging but enjoyable process – to all of those who supported the applications.
“I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your patience and support in enduring this long, extended process. Personally, I consider myself to be a patient person, but as we battled through the numerous challenges since the conception of our original plan, I’ve had to learn to put my eagerness and frustrations to one side. Patience truly is a virtue when you know you’re on the right track (on and off the pitch!).”
Sweet said attention will now turn to hiring a master contractor and getting cash flow in place to get the project off the ground, with intent to begin construction by June and to have a stadium ready by the summer of 2028 at the latest, with the summer of 2027 a possible target.
He said, “Alas, whilst many may expect piling and brick-building to start immediately, there are still a few agenda items we need to tick off which we can only do when our decision notice is awarded.
“Of course, in terms of physical constraints, we do have the small matters of relocating a sub-station and the diversion of the river before we can begin the physical work, which will just take a few months. The latter is more within our control but whilst we are forced to pay for the new sub-station, we are beholden to UKPN for its installation, switch-over and removal of the old one.
“Meanwhile, as this work continues, we have an intensive period of appointing a master contractor – where I can inform you that the selection process has excitedly begun with the initial response being very positive.
“Our core focus is structuring the necessary cashflow funding to help pay for the construction of the stadium itself until such a time that the residential development has been completed a few years later and, in particular, we are in dialogue with public bodies for some financial support for the site-wide infrastructure which is key to the town’s wider regeneration.
“Working with the appointed contractor, we will also need to deal with the many conditions in the planning consent, section 106 agreements and, of course, to meet the numerous compliances set out by the various authorities.
“At the same time, we will also be resubmitting new plans for the wider Power Court site – for the residential development – so we can establish a phased construction plan, starting of course with the stadium itself. The work for this masterplan has already been done and these will be made public in the not-too-distant future.
“Anyway, enough of this detail, I hear you cry. The plan is to have ‘spades in the ground’ within about six months. From then we’re looking at approximately a two-year build, as long as we don’t experience any further unforeseen obstacles. Now, whilst this may suggest a potential 2027/28 season start, even after fitout and the necessary test events – which is indeed our ideal target – history would suggest that we may be prudent to hope for this but expect the season after.”
Northampton Town have announced Kevin Nolan will be the club’s new first team manager.
Nolan has signed a two-and-a-half year deal with the club up to the end of the 2026/27 season and has been confirmed as the permanent replacement for Jon Brady, who resigned as Cobblers manager earlier this month.
The deal will see Nolan return to the managerial hotseat for the first time since leaving Notts County in 2018. In the time since leaving Meadow Lane, he had a stint of just over four years as part of David Moyes’ coaching staff with West Ham United in the Premier League.
In his playing days, Nolan had been a Premier League and Championship regular, winning promotion from the second to the first tier of English football with Bolton, Newcastle and West Ham, and being team captain at all 3 clubs.
In management, Nolan had a brief stint as player-manager with Leyton Orient in 2016 before taking the Notts County job in 2017, where he took the Magpies to the play-offs before leaving a few weeks into the following season.
Nolan will take charge of the Cobblers for the first time on Boxing Day when they travel to play Reading in Berkshire.
The new Cobblers boss told the official Northampton Town website of his delight to join the club and would be looking to get a team competitive straight away in the busy ffestive period.
He said, “I am delighted to be appointed the new manager of Northampton Town and I cannot wait to get going. We have a busy schedule over the Christmas and New Year period so the challenge is to hit the ground running as best we can.
“The club has a fine reputation in the game as being a well run club and it is clear it has moved forward on and off the pitch over the last few seasons. I am proud and honoured to be given the chance to try and continue and develop that work.
“I believe the squad can make progress up the table and I am determined to repay the faith that the board of directors have shown in me.
“We don’t have any time to lose, it might be Christmas but we have a lot of work to do in a short space of time and I hope the supporters will come with us as we start our journey. We will need their backing and I can promise them we will be doing all we can to turn the results around.”
Kelvin Thomas, Northampton’s chairman, said he was impressed by Nolan in interviews and that he saw potential in the former midfielder to excel as a manager.
He said, “He has done well in difficult circumstances in both of his previous managerial jobs and he impressed us with his knowledge, his energy, his experience and his passion. He showed a real desire and enthusiasm for the role, he couldn’t wait to get started and he has already taken charge of training for the first time.
“He has been a leader throughout his career. Whether that be as a player where he was a Premier League captain of some distinction, to his managerial career where he enjoyed success at both of his previous clubs in difficult circumstances, to being a successful coach back in the Premier League, he has a hugely impressive CV.
“He is also very well connected and respected throughout the game. He has a fine record of working with players at all levels and of all ages and we are excited to welcome Kevin to the club.
“Kevin has been held in high esteem by both players and supporters of his previous clubs and we are delighted to have been able to secure his services for Northampton Town.
“Our immediate target is to try and move up the table and while we understand we have challenges to overcome, we believe Kevin is well placed to lead us forward on that.”
Stalls have re-opened at Milton Keynes Market following a fire that closed part of the site earlier this month.
Fire broke out on the night of December 10th at the market, which runs parallel to the centre:mk shopping centre in Milton Keynes City Centre.
Following the incident, stalls have now begun to re-open, having gradually re-opened in the days following the blaze.
Both the market and Milton Keynes City Council have provided updates confirming that the market has now re-opened for most stalls, but some have re-opened in different locations to usual due to some areas remaining inaccessible and that they will remain open through to Christmas Eve.
MK Market wrote on social media, “All traders at Milton Keynes Market except for Krishna Asian Food Market are reopen. Some areas of the Market remain fenced off. Please do not try to enter these areas.
“We encourage you to come and support our traders before Christmas. Milton Keynes Market is open every day until Christmas, closing at 4pm on Christmas Eve. Thank you so much for your support.”
Milton Keynes City Council have added that temporary bus stops are now in place in the city centre with the usual bus stops adjacent to the Point and the Theatre District remaining closed due to the fire.
Temporary bus stops are located on Avebury Boulevard.
The City Council said, “Following a fire at Milton Keynes Market on 10 December, all stalls except one are now open and trading again.
“Some stalls are in temporary positions while the damage caused by the fire is assessed. This involves specialist inspectors and third parties and will continue into next week.
“For everyone’s safety, sections of surrounding roads remain temporarily closed. Some bus stops have moved – click here for a map of temporary bus stops (directions are also in place in the city centre). Taxis that usually use the Midsummer Boulevard rank, which is not currently accessible, should be able to return there from 2 January. In the meantime, they may legally pick up passengers in other safe places.
“Milton Keynes Market is open until Christmas Eve, will be open on 28 and 29 December, and opens for the new year on 2 January. Please show your support by shopping at the Market, as this will help stallholders at this very important time of the year.”
