However, following Boris Johnsons's announcement yesterday that all non-essential businesses close their doors it is only right that we temporarily close the gates at Old Bolsover Yard and stay at home.

This doesn't just affect Damion and myself but all the other small businesses that we support through the Craft Courtyard and Cafe at Old Bolsover Yard.

When we are able to open again please do come and support us all as we try to recover from this and keep our businesses going.

I'll be back again in a couple of weeks with another blog update which will hopefully have details of when we are able to reopen our doors. In the meantime stay safe, stay at home and look after each other.

Best Wishes

Sarah 

We'd always assumed that 2 Castle Street was an amalgamation of numbers 2 and 4. Number 4 appears in the 1939 Census with records of people living at the address but by the 1970s this was no longer there and there was space for the extension to be built onto the side of number 2. So our question now is what happened to Number 4 Castle Street?

The current questions we are trying to find answers for are:
- does anyone have any memories of Number 4 Castle Street being demolished?
- who built the extension in the 1970s?
- are you an ancestor of of the Davis or Knighton family who we know were butchers at 2 Castle Street?
​
Please do get in touch if you have any information or memories to share.

The Teddy Tombola was a big success raising some much needed funds for local units.

It's certainly been a funny few days, as much as we are trying to carry on with 'business as usual' at Old Bolsover Yard we are having to adapt to the changing times as a number of businesses are. We are still open Monday - Saturday 10 - 3 but will obviously keep you updated if this changes.

Both The Ropery and The Tackle Shop will be opening on Saturday so do come and pop in and say hello if you are out and about. The grand opening for The Ropery is being delayed until later in the year.

We have taken the difficult decision to cancel all events planned at Old Bolsover Yard until the end of April but will review the following months in due course. This means that the Makers Market on 5th April has been cancelled with the next event now planned for 5th July. Workshops at The Fabric Den have been postponed until further notice and our 2nd Birthday celebrations for Old Bolsover Yard over Easter Weekend will now be virtual instead.

It's important that we all stay safe in this increasingly difficult times.

Until next week

​Sarah x

Today marks the start of National Butchers Week which seems rather fitting as we are putting together the final plans for our Show and Tell event next Saturday. The banners and flyers are being delivered on Wednesday so will arrive just in time for our event which is looking to hear from those of you who remember when the site which we know and love today as Old Bolsover Yard was a butchers shop. We've already been able to establish that Howard Knighton was the butcher on the site from around 1911 and in the 1950s we are aware of S Davis specialising in home-made sausages, pickled beef, brawn, potted meat and ox tongues. What else are we still to discover?

​Do come and join us at Old Bolsover Yard from 10am on Saturday - bring your photos and share your memories with the team.

We have another new business moving into Old Bolsover Yard in the coming weeks. Rick Wainwright is opening The Tackle Shop which will be stocking some new and second hand fishing tackle from carp fishing to match fishing or just for fun. So whether you are looking for reels, feeder rods, float rods or a seat box Rick is likely to have just what you are looking for in stock. We'll keep you up to date with opening times in the next few weeks. The Tackle Shop is currently looking to open Monday 30th March.

Another aspect of our Heritage Lottery Project is to engage with young people in the area. Bolsover District Guiding are working with us and we can't wait to welcome the girls to the community dig later on in the year. Before that though they will also be joining us on Saturday to tell us all about the great work that they are doing inspiring young girls.

If you would like to find out more about getting your daughter involved in Guiding in the area or are interested in becoming a volunteer come and see Lisa and the other volunteers between 10am and 2pm on Saturday 14th March in our Courtyard.

I'll be back again next week with further updates about 'life in the yard'.

Until next time

​Sarah x

Saturday 14th March - Show and Tell Old Bolsover Yard Lottery Project - What are your memories of Old Bolsover Yard - do you remember the offices, shops, butchers that were here previously. Bring your photos and show and tell us all..... 

I'll be back again next week with more updates.

Until next time......

​Sarah