Newark Advertiser story archive 25 years on: Midnight was party time with the dawning of a new millennium across Newark and Sherwood

s.hodkin@newarkadvertiser.co.uk

Published: 05:00, 01 January 2025

Twenty-five years ago this week, parties and events were held across the district to mark the dawn of the new millennium.

Revellers set aside fears of the Millennium Bug to celebrate the Year 2000.

There was a party atmosphere in Newark Market Place as hundreds of revellers left their homes and public houses to see in the new millennium in the heart of the town.

Newark St John Ambulance cadets Jade Chapman, 15, left, and Rebecca Jarman, 16, with a millennium candle.

The stalls had been cleared the day before leaving plenty of room for the impromptu party.

Police were there in case of trouble and some shops had boarded up their windows as a precaution. But the atmosphere was one of goodwill and friendship rather than aggression.

Head of Newark Police, Inspector Steve Ward, paid tribute to the town’s licensees who he said helped the celebrations go without a serious hitch.

“They acted very responsibly through. out and deserve a lot of credit,” he said.

“The mood of the public was tremendous and apart from a few minor public order problems everything went just fine.”

ABOVE: Millennium fireworks over Newark town centre.

More than 100 emergency calls were received by Nottinghamshire Police in the first hour of the New Year, however.

And by 3am they had received 369 calls — more than twice the level of a normal Friday night and 50% up on the same period last year. By 6.45am almost 600 calls had been made.

At one stage so much information was being put into the command control computer it overloaded and operators had to revert to pen and paper.

Most of the calls were about domestic disturbances and noise complaints.

Regulars at the Great Northern Inn, Carlton-on-Trent, performed their version of The Village People's YMCA at the pub's millennium celebration.

Many of those in Newark Market Place were families who had brought along young children.

Others were in fancy dress.

Newark Parish Church was in darkness with five minutes to go and anxious revellers waiting for the clock to chime.

But enterprising police officers turned their torches on the clock face in time for the countdown to 2000.

As the clock struck midnight there were loud cheers from the crowds.

A 600-strong combined choir filled Southwell Minster with sound to welcome in the new millennium.The massed choirs' performance of Handel's Messiah with the Orchestra of St John's Smith Square was heard by about 800 people — believed to be the largest ever audience for a concert in the minsterThe Provost of Southwell, the Very Rev David Leaning, and the orchestra's artistic director, Mr John Lubbock, invited all the choirs and choral societies in Nottinghamshire to take part in the performance.They included Southwell Choral Society, Newark Choral Society, Bingham Choral Society, Burton Joyce Choral Society, Collingham Church Choir and the Dukeries Singers.A congregation of about 500 people filled the minster nave to attend a mass especially composed for the millennium performed for the first time.Written by composer Paul Patterson, it was performed by he minster choir and the Orchestra of St John's Smith Square, London.The Bishop of Southwell, the Rt Rev George Cassidy, gave a blessing on New Year’s Eve and prayers were said. The cathedral's bells were then chimed to welcome in the new millennium.

There was no official display but the sky was lit up as fireworks were let off all over town.

Organisers of the millennium party at Newark’s Royal Air Force Association Club surprised partygoers with a celebrations cake in the shape of 2,000.

After everyone had a slice the unused two numerals were presented to residents of Enright Close, Newark, and Millbank Red Cross residential home.

There was a service in the parish church the following morning when the church bells rang in the new millennium.

A gold-plated clock fit for the Queen is being made by members of the Upton-based British Horological Institute to celebrate the new millennium. The clock was designed by horologist Mr Leslie Bryan using computer-aided design.He has devised a dynamic sculpture clock that will show off the workings and the craftsmanship of horologists.An identical clock is being made for the institute and will remain at Upton. There will be only two.A team of 30 craftsmen, some professional, others keen amateurs, from across the county are involved in the project and each has volunteered to help make components for the clocks.The names of everyone involved has been engraved on a plate on the base.The Queen has said she will accept the clock.RIGHT: Clockmaker Mr Alan Timmins works on the millennium clock.

Hundreds packed Newark Parish Church on New Year's Eve for a lively Jubilee Service to mark the start of the new millennium.

Organisers of the ecumenical service had hoped for a full church and they were not disappointed. People started arriving an hour before the service, and by 5pm, when the service was due to start, they were still coming through the doors.

Extra chairs were found for some but there was still standing room only for many more.

Rector of Newark, Canon Roger Hill, welcomed everybody to the service and said that while he did not know how the last millennium was celebrated in Newark he was glad they had built the parish church since then to give them somewhere to meet to celebrate this one.

Around 250 people met for the lighting of a gas-powered beacon next to the new Winthorpe Community Centre.It was set alight at 8pm by Mr Chris Perkins and a team of helpers.The beacon was at the the centre of the celebrations in Winthorpe, Landford and Holme, and could be seen for several miles across the Trent valley.The beacon will remain in the village for future use. Following the lighting ceremony about 150 people attended a party at the community centre — the first event to be held there. It went on into the morning, and midnight was greeted with pipe music.

Reading

During the service children were urged three times to blow whistles and kazoos to celebrate the start of the new millennium.

The reading was given by the Mayor of Newark, Miss Jean Moore. Four candles were lit around a large millennium candle which was lit last.

At the end of the service millennium candles which had been given to everybody were lit from the main candle.

Churches across the area welcomed in the new millennium with a chorus of bells at midnight and at noon on New Year's Day.

In Farnsfield every household had been given-a millennium candle by the parish church and Methodist church, which they were asked to light during the approach to midnight.

A millennium service was held in St Swithin’s Church, Kirklington, and about 2,000 balloons were released from the green on New Year's Day with a prize to the villager whose balloon travelled farthest.

An ornately carved wooden village sign was unveiled in Fulbeck on New Year's Day to celebrate the millennium.The double-sided sign depicts village landmarks such as the church, pump and representations of its history.Local woodcarver Mr Peter Tree was approached and he assembled, carved and painted the sign. He was assisted by many villagers who donated time, money and materials to the project. A time capsule was buried at the same time.Mr Richard Ashton, left, drops a time capsule under the new sign. Holding the sign are Peter Tree and Michael Mettham.

In Caunton a service of reflection was held in St Andrew's Church, followed by a village party in Manor Road Community Centre attended by about 70 people.

There was also a fireworks display at midnight.

A children's party was held in a barn at School Farm, Averham, attended by 68 people in the evening.

A party was held in Kneesall Village Hall attended by 70 people in the evening.

At 9.30pm a beacon was lit in the village hall carpark and there was a fireworks display.

A two-year project to produce an embroidered map of Halam ended with its unveiling on New Year's Day.Celebrations began with the ringing of the church bells, before a new flag and flagpole were raised at the village hall.Each child under 16 in the village was presented with a millennium mug.Millennium committee treasurer Mrs Elaine Gathercole said 150 properties had been embroidered. She said: “It will stand as a record of the village at the turn of the millennium and the sharp eyed can already start to spot changes as houses are added, extended or modified in other ways.”Kirsty Read, 7, is pictured pointing out her house to organiser Mrs Karin Davis.

At midnight piper Mr Mark Fletcher led a procession from the hall to St Bartholomew’s Church for a service attended by about 110 people.

In Ollerton, a beacon on the old colliery site was lit at midnight by Mr John Gretton on behalf of the town council, and the bells of St Giles’ Church rang out.

Bottesford residents celebrated the arrival of the millennium by lighting a beacon on a site that has been used for the purpose since the 16th Century, on aptly named, Beacon Hill.

Flintham residents had a bonfire on land off Spring Lane, having marched to the site, provided by Mr Myles Hildyard of Flintham Hall. behind a lit beacon that was then used to ignite the fire.

East Bridgford residents turned out in force on New Year’s Eve to take part in a candlelit procession from three points in the village, joining at the war memorial.

LEFT: Newark’s Charles Street Methodist Church commissioned a sculpture. Sculptor David Watkinson his pictured with his mum, Mrs Lyn Watkinson, a church member.The ceramic work incorporates the three symbols which form part of the church logo — the cross, two clasped hands and a dove.

Do these stories bring back any memories? What was the Millennium like for you?

Bingham Human Interest Newark Ollerton Southwell Sharon Hodkin