December 30, 2013 9.54 am
This story is over 95 months old
Rewind 2013: Lincoln’s year in business
Lincoln means business: We take a look back over Lincoln’s biggest business stories of 2013 to give you a taste of the city’s progress and achievements.
As 2013 draws to a close, we take a look at the year’s biggest business developments and present a concise breakdown of new openings, planning, investment and achievements.
From January to December, here are The Lincolnite’s best business picks of 2013:
Waterside Shopping Centre brings H&M
In April, the owners of Waterside Shopping Centre in Lincoln submitted a planning application for a £9 million redevelopment project. The plans included the addition of fashion retailers H&M and Next to the city centre. You can see the initial plans, provided by NK2 Architects in the story here.
Work officially began on the multi-million development in July. The reconstruction plans were officially launched when City of Lincoln Council Chief Executive Andrew Taylor took a sledgehammer to a wall.
The first section of Waterside’s ‘new look’ was revealed when the fashion chain New Look re-opened its doors in December. You can see our gallery of that revamp here.
Siemens complete move to Teal Park
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
April saw Siemens officially open its new gas turbine service workshop at Teal Park in Lincoln. The centre includes a new workshop with a high-speed balancer, new modern offices and dedicated customer facility. The Lincolnite went on a tour of the centre. See the gallery here.
The Lincoln UTC designs by John Roberts Architects
Proposed designs for the first Lincoln University Technical College (UTC) behind the Greestones Centre on Lindum Road were unveiled in April.
The £7.5 million investment will see the construction of a bespoke building at the rear of the Grade II listed Greestone Centre, and the Watkins Building on site will be reconditioned as well.
The Lincoln UTC is set to open in September 2014. Read the full story here.
Still no progress at The Lawn
At the start of 2013, the City of Lincoln Council invited tenders for a lease to operate The Lawn in Lincoln, after one bid was rejected from a local businessman.
By the time the summer season came around, The Lawn was planned to go back up for sale after the bid for a lease was proved unsuccessful, but there has been no progress with the sale since, and The Lawn remains a disused jewel in Lincoln’s crown.
New student flats complex built
Mock views of the new student flats complex, flush with the RSPCA shop.
A new student development on St Mark’s Street made way for 120 student rooms, with studio apartments, cluster rooms and ‘buddy rooms’. The project, by JR Pickstock Ltd and Elements Europe, meant an eastbound-only closure of the road for eight weeks to allow for the build.
Lincoln Broadgate Premier Inn opened
After several months of delays, the Premier Inn on Broadgate in Lincoln opened in June, with hopes to boost the local economy by £6.5 million. The chain created 50 new jobs for residents of the city.
Lucy Tower revamp
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Structural work at Lucy Tower Car Park in Lincoln, meant that the site was closed from March 2013, for a planned 20 weeks.
But in June, further delays to opening were announced as engineers discovered more repairs were needed than originally anticipated.
When September came around, the City of Lincoln Council made the announcement that the car park would not be ready in time for Christmas. The delay on site resulted from the discovery that large areas of steel within the concrete on each floor were far more corroded than initially thought.
Developers submitted plans to build a new £28 million student accommodation block by the University of Lincoln in December. The development, called The Gateway, will provide a large number of high quality student homes, plus commercial frontage on the ground floor. Read the full story here.
Wyvern House opens for business
Wyvern House, located on Kesteven Street, is a new office space development by Lincolnshire County Council ahead of the East West Link Road development. Businesses were invited to view the new commercial space on December 2. Read the full story and see our gallery here.
Eco homes proposed at Lincolnshire Showground
Proposals are in place to bring a number of eco homes to a plot of land at the Lincolnshire Showground near Lincoln. The eco housing development by Gusto Group will see 18 homes built, constructed to the highest standard of sustainability, which won’t need a central heating system to keep warm. Read the full story here.
Plans for Lincoln Agricultural College campus
Image: CAD Associates
Lincoln-based architectural consultants CAD Associates have also submitted a planning application on behalf of Bishop Burton College for a £13.5 million Agricultural College Campus adjacent to the Lincolnshire Showground. Read the full story here.
Project to turn Red Arrows home into tourist attraction
In October, ambitious plans to transform the home of Lincolnshire’s Red Arrows into a worldwide tourist attraction were being drafted. See the full story and plans here.
Lincoln’s first Sainsbury’s Local opened
In February, The first Sainsbury’s convenience store in Lincoln opened its doors on Carholme Road. The shop, which cost £1.4 million to build, created 25 new jobs and a much needed cash point in the city centre.
In March, local company Lindum were named as the top construction employer in the UK and 6th overall in the Sunday Times Best 100 Companies to Work For list 2013. Read the full story here.
Carluccio’s opened in Lincoln
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Making a grand entry on to Lincoln’s ‘Little Italy’, Carluccio himself attended the opening of Lincoln’s addition to the chain restaurant in April. The restaurant and deli shop replaced the building that previously traded as Lamb and Flag pub.
Lincoln green energy supplier Freewatt split its business into three in April following. Freewatt owner and previous Managing Director Julian Patrick became the company’s CEO so he can focus on business development.
In August, the company proposed to build a solar farm in Branston, which would provide electricity for 6,000-8,000 houses.
The company continued to work with Lincolnshire Co-op on an energy investment project that saw photovoltaic panels added to the roofs of stores around the area.
Moka and Shack nightclub opened
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The popular club, formerly Ritzy, JJ’s and Pulse, closed for redevelopment on June 29. On August 13 The Lincolnite went on a firs-look tour of Lincoln’s new club Moka and Shack. Read the full story and see the gallery here.
Dogma goes Craft Bar and Kitchen
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The Lincoln High Street bar and restaurant, which used to be Dogma, had a makeover and reopened as Craft under new owners. Craft Lincoln officially opened to the public on September 6, creating 27 jobs. Read the full story and see the gallery here.
Former footballer opens Italian bar
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
On November 15, the city met its newest family-run bar and deli. The Lincolnite visited Bar Unico after launching and went on a first-look tour of the business. See the full story and gallery here.
Fresh look for Walkabout
Lincoln’s Aussie-themed Walkabout bar was the third in the country to get a £500,000 refit.
Opening its doors officially on November 21, The Lincolnite visited Walkabout on the High Street for a first-look preview of the revamped space. See the story and gallery here.
The Rest on Steep Hill
The Rest Hotel is a new boutique bed & breakfast accommodation, in the heart of the city’s Cathedral quarter. The business opened in time for the Lincoln Christmas Market 2013 and created 12 new jobs.
The Lincolnite visited The Rest just before their grand opening for a special tour. See our full story and gallery here.
New American-style restaurant
Back in January, diners in the city welcomed new American smokehouse Ribs ‘n’ Bibs to The Strait in Lincoln. The restaurant opening created around 11 new jobs in the city and inspired meat-lovers far and wide.
Calendar boys (L-R): Mark Bradshaw, Chris Hubbard, Mark Poplett, David Holmes, Andrew Manderfield, Jason Robinson, Alex Thompson, Daniel Rippon, Ben Halstead and Paul Tutin. Also to appear, but not in this picture James Pinchbeck and Ben Robinson.
Of course we had to include the dashing boys from Streets Chartered Accountants in our Year in Business roundup. In October 2013, 12 brave partners and staff posed for a charity calendar in aid of St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice. See our story and sneak peek gallery here.
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The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
A man drowned in the estate lake at one of the UK’s most beautiful Elizabethan halls after consuming “significant” amounts of booze and cocaine while on his stag party with friends.
An inquest heard Shailesh Ishwar Chauhan, 32, had spoken to his fiancee on the phone at 9am on June 12 this year when he said he was near a lake – and she believed he was “heavily intoxicated”.
Mr Chauhan, from Chelmsford, Essex, was later seen swimming in the water at Doddington Hall, near Lincoln.
Staff went to check on their guest but there was no sign of him.
His friends reported him as missing and police divers found his body on June 13.
A post mortem examination found the cause of death was drowning as a result of cocaine use and “high alcohol intake”.
Acting senior coroner for Lincolnshire Paul Smith recorded a conclusion that market researcher Mr Chauhan’s death was misadventure.
Mr Smith said: “Shailesh Ishwar Chauhan was confirmed dead on June 13, 2021 at Doddington Hall, Doddington, Lincoln as a consequence of drowning on a background of alcohol use and the ingestion of cocaine.
“He had travelled to Doddington Hall on June 11 with a group of friends for his stag weekend.
“On the evening on June 11 he and his friends had a party, during which he consumed a significant quantity of alcohol and ingested a significant quantity of cocaine.
“He was last seen by his friends at breakfast time on June 12, at which time he was intoxicated and under the influence of cocaine.
“He spoke on the telephone to his fiancee until approximately 9am when he described being near a lake.
“She formed the view that he was heavily intoxicated.
“He was later seen by passers-by near to the water’s edge and subsequently to be swimming in the lake, although he did not appear to be in any distress.
“When staff visited the lake to check up on him he was not visible and could not be found within a search of the surrounding area.
“He was reported missing by his friends later that day.
“On June 13 an underwater search of the lake located his body.”
Mr Smith, who held the inquest at the Myle Cross Centre, in Lincoln, added: “On balance of probabilities, whilst intoxicated and under the influence of drugs he made the conscious decision to swim in the lake where, as a consequence of his condition, he drowned.”
The owner of Doddington Hall in Lincoln was appointed as the new High Sheriff of Lincolnshire in April.
Claire Birch, who has lived at Doddington Hall with her husband James since 2006, made her declaration in a small turnover ceremony in the gardens of the hall.
Built between 1593 and 1600, Doddington Hall and Gardens are open to the public, with facilities for private tours and school visits. Summer concerts and occasional exhibitions are held in the Long Gallery. Other businesses have been developed on the estate such as the sale of Christmas trees, weddings, a Cycle shop with cafe and a farm shop selling local produce.
In 2020 the Hall was featured on an episode of “An American Aristocrat’s Guide to Great Estates” on the Smithsonian Channel and Amazon Prime.
The countdown to Christmas is on! Advent calendars are being opened, presents are being bought, decorations have been put up, and some in Lincolnshire have gone that extra mile with festive lights.
A huge part of the Christmas festivities is putting up Christmas decorations, and while some may opt for a more reserved fit-out, others light up their street both literally and emotionally.
Here is a look at some of Lincolnshire’s most incredible and imaginative Christmas decorations, from a giant Santa the size of a house to a grotto with a sleigh and 31 trees surrounding it.
Moor Park – Ruskington
What could possibly be better than one house going all out with decorations? Well, three of course!
In the corner of Moor Park in Ruskington you can find this illuminated winter wonderland, boasting Santa inflatables, light-up candy canes and warm festive messages.
Elmtree Road – Ruskington
This family on Elmtree Road in Ruskington are pulling out all the stops this festive season! | Photo: The Lincolnite
How this family have managed to fit this many decorations into one place I will never know, but regardless of that, seeing it made my jaw drop.
Many people pay a visit to the house on Elmtree Road in Ruskington just to see the lights in person, and trust me as I speak from experience, it’s worth it.
Sheldrake Street – Sleaford
It’s a community thing on Sheldrake Street in Sleaford, as multiple houses have collectively decorated their homes to create a wonderful festive corner for passers-by.
There are illuminated animals, trees wrapped in white lights, and there’s even a Santa Stop Here sign being projected onto one of the house’s walls.
Alma Avenue – Skegness
An incredible Santa’s Grotto in Skegness. | Photo: Adrian Dawes
Adrian Dawes has created a winter wonderland at his home on Alma Avenue, with Santa and his sleigh surrounded by 31 Christmas trees and 15,000 lights.
It is all in aid of Skegness RNLI, with the lights on every night between 4.30pm and 10pm until January 2, and Santa available to meet and greet the kids on weekends.
High Street – Walcott
Spirits are high in Walcott! | Photo: Lindsay Knight
An imaginatively decorated home! Lindsay Knight on Walcott High Street has used fairy lights on her shed and the front of the home, as well as various festive characters.
Inflatable Santa Claus can be found both outside the front door and on the shed, as well as a glow-up inflatable tree and an igloo, guarded by a penguin.
Meadow Lane – North Hykeham
Peter Clare’s family in North Hykeham have become somewhat famous in their local community for their annual Christmas lights switch-on, and this year was no different.
Now that is one BIG Santa. | Photo: Jessica Thorpe
Surely the award for the biggest Father Christmas in Lincolnshire has to go to Jessica Thorpe in Skegness, whose inflatable Santa decoration is almost as tall as her house!
Alongside Santa is a much smaller inflatable elf, and a small snowman stood at the door, which sits between an inflatable candy cane-style entrance.
Ancaster Drive – Sleaford
A house on Ancaster Drive has a Nativity scene as part of its decorations. | Photo: Kay Thomson
Andy and Joy Wood on Ancaster Drive in Sleaford have paid homage to the story origin of Christmas with their decorations, creating a Nativity scene.
As well as this, there are light up animals all over their garden, and festive illuminations for all to see.
Westbeck – Ruskington
Santa’s Blotto! | Photo: Susan Kilburn
Perhaps the most inventive of them all, Susan Kilburn has created a tongue-in-cheek version of Santa’s Grotto, showing Father Christmas and a reindeer getting merry.
Santa’s Blotto, on Westbeck in Ruskington, gives us a side to Father Christmas we potentially don’t see all that often, enjoying a mulled wine or two!
Hospitals in Lincolnshire will benefit from more than £12 million of improvements thanks to a much-needed government funding boost.
Investments will see wards refurbished, new estates built and digital solutions updated, as part of the latest funding announcement from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
The investment is made up of:
£5 million for two new laminar flow theatres at Grantham hospital
£3.3m to refurbish and expand the critical surgical wards at Boston and Grantham hospitals
£1.1 million towards the replacement of the digital cardiology system
£2.5m for an artificial intelligence solution to support triage and management of the patient waiting list
£600,000 for a digital solution to support the MSK pathway
Director of Finance and Digital at ULHT, Paul Matthew, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this additional funding, which we believe will have a huge impact upon the care that we can provide to our patients as well as supporting our valuable staff.
“On top of this, our healthcare system in Lincolnshire has been granted additional funds to establish a new Citizen Atrium, which will help us to work better with our patients to understand how they access support and guidance.
“We are now working up our plans for these developments and proposed timescales.”
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