Show pride for Notts when Tour of Britain comes

Proud Notts folk are being encouraged to get arty in order to show off the beautiful landscape when a major cycling event comes to the county later this year.
Coun Kay Cutts, Nottinghamshire County Council leaderCoun Kay Cutts, Nottinghamshire County Council leader
Coun Kay Cutts, Nottinghamshire County Council leader

The Tour of Britain will arrive in Nottinghamshire on September 6, when millions of viewers across the world will see the county in all its glory.

With this in mind, Nottinghamshire County Council is asking residents, schools, landowners, community groups and businesses to help the county look at its very best by creating eye-catching land art or unusual displays.

Council leader Councillor Kay Cutts said: “There are so many ways people can get involved in this creative challenge to help celebrate the Tour of Britain coming through our county.

“The idea of land art is that people turn fields, hills, market squares and even car parks into unusual art displays that celebrate their local community and tell the story of Nottinghamshire.

“Land art doesn’t have to be anything too complicated or ambitious. It can as simple as using hay bales to spell out ‘Welcome to Notts’ or arrange into a shape or image which would look impressive when viewed from the sky.”

Other ideas for land art include -

• Mowing a giant shape/image into a hill or field

• Painting old, unwanted bikes yellow and putting them out on display

• Creating giant posters or banners on buildings along the route

• Colourful flower displays in the shape of a bicycle in gardens

• Getting inspiration from Tour de France land art

Councillor Cutts continued: “In Nottinghamshire we have lots of icons, which might spark an idea for a more ambitious display– as it doesn’t necessarily have to be cycling themed. It would also be an ideal way to remind the world why this county is so vital when it comes to sport, history and legends.

“For example, there’s cricketer Harold Larwood, the Major Oak, the Bramley Apple, DH Lawrence, former world cycling champion Tommy Simpson, Mayflower Pilgrims, the English Civil War, and of course the most famous legend of them all, Robin Hood, all of which might feature as land art.

The tour will start in Mansfield, the riders will go to Hucknall before heading towards Worksop and riding through Sherwood Forest. They will then pass through Retford and Collingham before finishing in Newark.