Councillors push ahead Lincolnshire library cuts consultation

An award-winning Lincoln pub owner is trying to garner support for a vital extension to his business in a bid to tackle the impact of coronavirus.

Greg Algar already has permission for a basic structure outside the front of the Dambusters Inn in Scampton to house his guests in the summer.

In the face of the pandemic though, he has now applied to West Lindsey District Council to build a more solid extension with a first floor roof terrace in a bid to create more space over the winter months.

However, he is concerned West Lindsey might reject the plans – despite no objections being received so far – following some delays with planning officers and to-ing and fro-ing between the council and his agent.

The pub can currently seat 60 people, plus standing room, during non-pandemic times, however this has reduced by around half due to the government regulations.

The extension, said Mr Algar, would create space for 24 people — around 16 until the end of coronavirus.

He added that without it, he may have to reduce his team of 22 staff.

Plans showing the extension to the pub.

He and supporters have launched a campaign to get people to send their support to WLDC, including a post on the pub’s Facebook page.

It said: “Even before the pandemic, hundreds of village pubs have been closing weekly and with recent events these numbers are increasing. This is a terrible shame as these pubs are at the heart of the communities that they serve.

“We feel blessed that we are at the centre of a small but thriving community and we want to invest and improve the pub to allow for its longevity in these difficult times.”

Dambusters’ Greg and Steve with the last surviving Dambuster George ‘Johnny’ Johnson.

Speaking to Local Democracy Reporters, Mr Algar said: I have been here 12 years. I have got a long lease on the pub, so it’s where I live, my life’s in the pub, I’m going to die in the pub. It’s what I live and breathe.”

“My father did 25 raids with Bomber Command, my grandfather did 84. So I have a really strong connection with the area.”

Some of the memorabilia on display at the pub. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The pub includes a museum with more than 600 pieces of memorabilia from 617 Squadron and has been visited by the oldest surviving Dambuster Johnny Johnson.

It has been crowned Lincoln Pub of the Year by the Lincoln branch of CAMRA four times since 2016.

A spokesman for the council said it hoped to make a decision by December 15.

A visual art installation in the former William Hill shop in Lincoln is questioning why Google Maps no longer labels the Usher Gallery site, with one artist describing it as a “second-rate attempt to rekindle Soviet-era airbrushing.”

The Showing Space gallery inside the vacant unit on Silver Street includes work by Graham Lewinton and Richard Devereux. A text piece is questioning “Where is the Usher? What is going on?”.

Richard, an artist who lives and works in Lincoln, told The Lincolnite it draws attention to a worrying development in the Usher Gallery saga.

The name label on Google Maps for The Collection museum says ‘The Collection. Modern archaeology museum & art gallery’. However, the Usher Gallery’s own tag appears to have disappeared.

A text piece in the gallery. | Photo: The Lincolnite

It continues by posing the question – “Where is the Usher? What is going on?”. | Photo: The Lincolnite

Richard told The Lincolnite: “Very recently I noticed Google Maps no longer carried The Usher Gallery ID tag.

“Considering the somewhat negative attitude the county council, under (council leader) Martin Hill, has shown towards any real culture in the city/county, this can only be viewed as nothing more than a rather second-rate attempt to rekindle Soviet-era airbrushing. Before very long will the whole building evaporate?”

It appears the Usher Gallery’s ID tag has disappeared. | Photo: Google Maps

William Mason, head of culture at the county council, said: “Since 2005, the Collection Museum and Usher Gallery have been marketed together as one visitor attraction under the banner – The Collection Art and Archaeology in Lincolnshire, to encourage visitors to visit both venues as they are right next door to each other.

“Even on the Google listing highlighted, it says ‘The Collection – purpose built museum and The Usher Gallery with works by Turner and Lowry’.

“As we’ve said previously, we have a bold and exciting vision for the future and very much hope the City of Lincoln’s Usher collection and building will be part of it.”

The ‘Showing Space’ gallery by Graham Lewinton. | Photo: The Lincolnite

The Usher Gallery continues to divide city and county councillors, as both sides refuse to move forward.

City of Lincoln Council said last month the county council refused its offer to house birth, death and marriage services at City Hall in a bid to retain the Usher, which is owned by the city council, as an art gallery.

In November, it was revealed that after unsuccessful negotiations with the county council over the future of the gallery, the city council decided to move all the art and artefacts to Nottingham for safe storage and preservation.

Lincolnshire’s health bosses don’t know and won’t be drawn to guess which tier the county will end up in once the national lockdown ends on December 2 — but they should find out this Thursday.

On Monday night, Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined his winter plans after the current national lockdown, including a revised three-tier system. He indicated more areas would fall into the higher tiers.

Lincolnshire was in the lowest tier and managed to escape moving into level two just days before the national restrictions kicked in. North and North East Lincolnshire were in tier two and were quickly edging up towards tier three.

Professor Derek Ward, Lincolnshire County Council’s director for public health, said on Tuesday it would not “be helpful if I tried to second guess” which tier the county will be in after December 2.

“To be honest, there’s no point in me speculating because I’ve not been told,” he said.

He denied the country was “in limbo” until Thursday though, as people could still strive to bring numbers down and businesses can to prepare for reopening.

“Hope for the best and plan for the worst, and if we do that, then whatever happens — and I genuinely don’t know what [tier] we’ll be put in […] — we’ll be ready for it.”

Lincolnshire County Council’s Director of Public Health Professor Derek Ward. | Photo: Lincolnshire County Council

He added that since the government planned to review tiers every 14 days, there was a chance Lincolnshire could end up in any of the three tiers at one point or another, depending on numbers.

It is also unclear if Lincolnshire would be under one tier as before, or if it would be split into smaller districts to tackle high numbers in places such as East Lindsey or Boston.

Hints as to Lincolnshire’s position might, however, be found in our current standing among the East Midlands neighbours.

Currently, the county has an infection rate of 314.4 per hundred thousand for the most recent seven day government figures up to November 18.

It sits below Leicestershire at 342.1 and Leicester at 454.8, but above Nottinghamshire at 258.5 and Nottingham at 236.1 — all of which were in tier three at the time the country went into lockdown.

Derby, which was in tier two prior to lockdown, had 333.5. Professor Ward, however, said all the rates had fallen in the most recent data to local health bosses.

Mass testing similar to Liverpool would not work if Lincolnshire was to go into tier three, Professor Ward advised.

Under government plans, any area placed into the highest tier would get a six-week boost in testing capacity.

But Professor Ward said he would prefer a more targeted approach — for instance focusing on food factory workers or care home residents and staff.

He added Christmas was also still an unknown to health bosses, with no information on any special dispensations passed down yet.

However, he called on people to stick to the guidance as far as possible when it came to the festive period.

“What everybody will understand is that the more you mix with other households, you are exposing yourself and potentially others to more risks. Connecting with households is part of the challenge.”

The new three tier restrictions