Luckless pub forced to close down twice in its big reopening week
A DERBYSHIRE pub has been forced to close twice in its first week open after lockdown.
The Cavendish Arms, in Derby Road, Doveridge, had been looking forward to reopening its outdoor area on Monday, April 12 as the Government loosened Covid restrictions.
Unfortunately, on the first day it was due to open, a gas leak in the cellar forced its owners to shut as it
A DERBYSHIRE care home worker took £12,000 from an elderly resident, knowing she could not pay most of it back.
Joanna Cocking admitted fraud when she appeared over a video link at Derby Crown Court from her home.
The short hearing was told she borrowed the cash in stages and that she intended to pay back the first £2,000. But she carried on accepting the money knowing she was unable to find it in the future to hand it back to the 89-yearold victim.
Nicola Hornby, her barrister, said: “I would ask that the case is adjourned for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. Miss Cocking is a woman of previous good character and a single parent.”
The hearing was told how 31-yearold Cocking, of Hazelhurst Lane, Newbold, accepted the cash between December 7, 2019 and February 22, 2020. At the time she worked at Meadow Grange Care Home, in Holmsfield Road, Dronfield Woodposed a risk to the safety of people inside.
Despite this, the pub was able to reopen for the first time on Wednesday after the issue was fixed. This allowed customers, who had been waiting months to get back to their local, a chance to enjoy a pint in the nice weather.
However, the pub was dealt another body blow on Thursday when a fire broke out in a flat above house, which offers respite and residential services to those 65 and over.
Handing her bail until sentence on May 11, Judge Robert Egbuna said: “The fact I am adjourning for a presentence report is no indication that is won’t be a prison sentence.
“This was her working in a care home, taking money from an elderly person, taking significant sums of money from [the victim]. She should come to court prepared for a custodial sentence.”
In a statement released after Cocking entered her guilty plea this week, Meadow Grange said: “When the allegations came to light, the employee was suspended with immediate effect and resigned before the disciplinary process could take place. We informed the police and made the appropriate safeguarding and DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) referrals.
“This is a matter of enormous regret, completely at odds with the very high standards that we follow in our care and support, but we are thankful that yesterday’s court proceedings provided a satisfactory outcome for the resident who remains in our care.”
Cavendish Arms would like to thank our customers for their support and hopefully we will be back to normal very soon.”
Pubs across the country were able to open outdoor areas from Monday as part of the Government’s road map out of lockdown. They had been closed since November. It is hoped people will be able to sit indoors again from May 17 as part of the third step of the road map out of lockdown.