All the stakeholders involved in getting the brown signs for Lincoln on the A1. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Lincoln will finally have its own brown signs at two junctions along the A1, directing visitors to the city’s heritage sites.
The new signs will be erected over the coming days at two junctions at Newark and Markham Moor near Tuxford.
The signs were pushed for by a joint campaign by Lincoln MP Karl McCartney, Lincoln BIG and local businesses.
Lincoln BIG, with the help of Karl McCartney, took the case for Lincoln brown signs to Westminster, and managed to win approval for the signs third time round.
Lincoln BIG also have a £60,000 funding package ready to pay for the signs.
A mockup of the signs that will go along the A1. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Brown signs are tourist signs along roads provided to help visitors on the last stage of their journey get to a tourist destination, that may also be difficult to find.
Lincoln’s winning argument was that it is a significant historic city, plus it is home to one of four surviving copies of the Magna Carta.
Funding was secured from a number of partners, with the County Council paying for half of the funding, and contributions from Lincoln Cathedral, Lincolnshire Co-op, City of Lincoln Council, Bishop Grosseteste University, the University of Lincoln, Lincolnshire Economic Action Partnership, Investors in Lincoln and Lincoln BIG.
Lincoln MP Karl McCartney at the presentation at Lincoln Cathedral. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Lincoln MP Karl McCartney said: “As a significant historic Cathedral and county city and as home of one of just four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta, I have long felt that having some ‘tourist’ brown signs pointing travellers on the A1 towards Lincoln is of crucial importance to our tourist and visitor industry.
“With the longstanding help and support of Lincoln BIG, Lincolnshire County Council, Lincoln Cathedral, Greater Lincolnshire LEP, the University of Lincoln, local businesses and others, and with the help of Conservative Ministers at the Department for Transport, together we have finally, after much bureaucratic delay, made A1 located brown signs to Lincoln finally become a reality.”
Lincoln BIG chief executive Matt Corrigan thanking everyone involved to make the brown signs for Lincoln a reality. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Lincoln BIG chief executive Matt Corrigan said: “It’s been a long and difficult journey but we are absolutely delighted that we have finally arrived at the day when the brown signs will go up.
“The signs underline Lincoln’s status as an important tourism destination, and the need to direct people here safely by the best route.
“We certainly would not have got to this point without the support of Karl McCartney and the many people and organisations, who both supported the campaign and donated money to pay for the work.
“It demonstrates how much can be achieved if the city stands together and presents a united front.
“The brown signs will play a vital part in the ongoing efforts to grow Lincoln’s vital tourism economy, which is key to creating jobs, growing prosperity and putting the city on the map.”
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St Marks Shopping Centre will lose another retailer later this year, as Trespass sets its closing date for the Lincoln branch.
Signs indicating that the outdoor sports store will be closing down have been up in the window for a number of weeks now, but a date has never been set.
“All stock must go” signage shows April 21 as the final day of trading for Trespass, before it leaves the city centre.
April 21 is Trespass’ final day of trading in Lincoln. | Photo: The Lincolnite
The shop is currently closed due to coronavirus lockdown, and as a non-essential retailer it will have to wait until at least April 12 to reopen.
This means that it will be reopened for just nine days before closing down for good.
St Marks has already lost Argos, Boots and Burger King branches in the last 12 months, due to the impact of COVID-19, and will now lose another store.
Debenhams will also be shutting down after the takeover from online retailer Boohoo, leaving St Marks retail park with limited shops in the area.
It is unclear what will replace Trespass at the St Marks Shopping Centre.
The Lincolnite has contacted a spokesperson at St Marks for a comment, but are yet to receive a reply.
A fundraiser has been set up to help the parents of a Lincoln baby who requires life-saving heart surgery.
Gracie Johnson is nine-and-a-half months old. When her mother Paige Jackson was 25 weeks pregnant she found out that her daughter has Tetralogy of Fallot, which is four congenital heart defects.
Gracie was born five weeks early on May 5 last year and had to spend three weeks in ICU at Nottingham City Hospital as she needed more specialist care.
Gracie has spent a lot of time in hospital since she was born in May 2020.
Her mother was by her bedside, but her father Mitchell Johnson was only allowed to stay at the hospital for around a week due to the coronavirus restrictions.
She was finally allowed home after four weeks, but her condition started to deteriorate and she was very unsettled.
Gracie has been under the care of Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, but at one point when Paige couldn’t get through to them in June last year, she phoned 111 and an ambulance was sent for Gracie.
She had to be put straight onto oxygen and put on the highest dose allowed because her levels were so low. She was admitted to hospital.
Gracie with her mum Paige Jackson (left) and her dad Mitchell Johnson (right).
Gracie was put on a life saving drug to help her heart while the hospital team decided on the best course of action.
A stent procedure was carried out and she was in intensive care for another three days before being put onto a ward.
Gracie Johnson needs major heart surgery.
Gracie had a few complications, including an absent pulse in her leg, and needed a blood transfusion from her mum, as well as being put on a ventilator for 48 hours. She stayed on the ward at Glenfield for two-and-a-half weeks.
She is on a lot of medication and her parents have been given basic life support training and carry out home monitoring that needs chartered daily.
Paige, 24, is a self-employed hairdresser and has been unable to work due to the coronavirus pandemic and caring for Gracie. Her father Mitchell is a self-employed dryliner, which is supporting the family but they are worried about future costs.
Paige’s cousin Becca Jackson set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for if accommodation is needed Birmingham whilst Gracie is in hospital and to help maintain home life ready for Gracie’s return.
Over £1,400 has so far been raised – click here to make a donation.
Gracie with her parents Paige Jackson and Mitchell Johnson.
The family went back to Glenfield Hospital on February 24 for an ECHO scan, ECG and consultation. The cardiologist was worried about Gracie as her pulmonary artery is blocked and she kept going blue.
Birmingham’s Children Hospital were contacted to try and push the 12-hour operation forward and Paige told The Lincolnite: “We should find out a date for the operation on Friday for sometime in the next week or so.
“I have to keep checking her oxygen levels throughout the day, which I have been shown how to do, and we have open access at the local hospital in Lincoln who can support her when needed and transfer her to Birmingham if her condition gets worse.
“I want to say a massive thank you (to the staff at Glenfield Hospital and other hospitals) for trying to save our daughter. We can’t thank them enough as without them she wouldn’t be here.
“They are unbelievable and go above and beyond, they are so family orientated and care for us and not just her.
“I am happy that she is getting sorted, but am nervous and feel very anxious. She is the light of our lives she’s amazing.”
Gracie’s mother said “she is the light of our lives”.
Becca told The Lincolnite: “Paige and Mitch have been amazing since the moment Gracie got her diagnosis. The strength and courage they have shown at every obstacle has been nothing short of inspirational.
“Gracie is such an amazing and brave little girl, and if this gives her mum and dad one less thing to worry about at such a difficult time then it’s done it’s job.
“We are behind them all the way and I’m truly overwhelmed at the kindness and generosity people have shown so far, at what is a difficult time for everybody.”
The body of a missing man has been found on the bank of the river at Waterside South in Lincoln, but his death is not being treated as suspicious, police said.
Andrew Arden, 44, was reported missing on January 27. He was last seen on Monks Road in Lincoln on January 28 and police launched an appeal to try and help find him.
A body was found on Wednesday, February 24. Although formal identification is yet to take place, Lincolnshire Police said they believe it is Andrew’s body and his next of kin have been informed.
Photos showing the clothing Andrew was thought to have been wearing when he went missing. | Photo: Lincolnshire Police
Police said: “There are no suspicious circumstances and a file is being prepared for the coroner.
“We are grateful to all who shared our previous appeals to to try and find him.”
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