Newark and Southwell streets and businesses decked in red, white and blue for King Charles coronation
The coronation of King Charles III is giving an opportunity to celebrate – and many streets and businesses are flying the flag for the occasion.
Red, white and blue bunting lines the garden walls and fences of Rufford Avenue in Newark with union flags wrapped around trees.
This isn’t the first time the street’s residents have united to celebrate a national event in recent years, having decorated for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and the 75th anniversary of VE Day.
Eveline Straw has lived on the street for over 50 years. She said: “We all get together on our driveways, eat nibbles and drink wine at four o’clock on a Saturday.
“I think the decorations are beautiful, I’m very much a Royalist but I don’t think the young ones are so much today, so I think it’s great for getting the children involved.
“We were brought up to respect royalty and I can remember going to aunty’s to watch the Queen’s Coronation, we had to walk all the way from Appletongate to Gopher Road and we ate salmon cobs.”
Long-term resident Audrey Wilson, said: “We moved in in 1966, the week England won the World Cup, so we were painting the ceiling and watching the telly at the same time.
“I think they’ve done a fantastic job. This is a part of England isn’t it - royalty - and I love Charles.
“He cares a lot about people and the world. He’s concerned about nature and the environment and I think he’ll be a good king.
“I remember we had big tables right down the street (for the Queen’s Coronation) and organised children’s races and games.”
All neighbours were extremely complimentrary of the effort put into decorating the street, which was organised by school teachers, Mr and Mrs Charlesworth and their children.
The Charlesworths, said: “The Coronation gives an opportunity for the neighbours to celebrate together and to create memories of such a special event.”
Just around the corner on Southend Avenue, enthusiastic residents are also getting into the spirit of the Coronation.
Laura-Jo Webster, said: “We did this all last year for the Queen and wanted to go all out again.
“The whole street is going to be out in force to decorate for a street party on Sunday and those that can’t are helping in other ways, like one person is making pizza.
“Everything has been a bit rubbish recently, so why not make people happy and brighten everything up?
“We have a really really strong community spirit on Southend Avenue. We came together during covid with a group chat offering help or someone to talk to and its still going.
“In this day and age it is a rare, lovely thing and a priveledge to be able to name more than ten of your neighbours and call them your friends. This is an opporunity for us all to get together and celebrate.”
How will your street be celebrating the Coronation? Let us know.