Four police forces tackle the ‘F4tal 4’ in Lincolnshire

Grimsby’s Freshney Place shopping centre has been placed into receivership.

The struggling shopping centre is now in the hands of its lenders following financial difficulties.

It will remain open as normal, with former owners Capreon continuing as the centre’s managers.

North East Lincolnshire Council say plans for Grimsby’s new cinema and market hall are still being worked on.

Receivers Cushman and Wakefield were appointed on January 18.

This happened days before the landlord of New Look – whose landlord is not  Freshney Place – unexpectedly left the lease.

Letters have been sent to Freshney Place traders in the past week informing them of the change.

It is another blow to retail in Grimsby town centre after two years of challenges from the pandemic.

“However, Capreon have assured residents that work will continue to develop the planned multi-screen cinema and new market hall, which are a joint venture between Freshney Place and North East Lincolnshire Council.

A spokesman for Capreon said: “We can confirm that Cushman & Wakefield were appointed as Fixed Charged Receivers over Freshney Place Shopping Centre on January 18, 2022.

“Capreon has been retained by the receivers to continue their role as asset managers for the shopping centre which will remain open for trading as normal.

“We will, of course, also continue to work with North East Lincolnshire Council in the delivery of the proposed new cinema and market hall for the town centre following the successful award of the Future High Street Fund grant monies last year.”

North East Lincolnshire Council said the receivership will not affect plans for regenerating the high street.

A spokesperson for the council said: “As reported, Capreon has confirmed that it is to continue its role as asset managers for the centre and will continue to work with us in the delivery of the proposed cinema and market hall for the town centre following the successful award of the Future High Street Fund grant monies last year.

“The situation therefore remains unchanged, and we move forward with our plans for the complete regeneration of the Western side of the centre taking in the existing Market Hall.”

North East Lincolnshire Council and Freshney Place are to both contribute £5million towards the project, with £17.2million being provided by the national Future High Streets Fund.

Demolition on the existing market hall is expected to begin later this year if a planning application is approved.

Freshney Place were approached for comment and a spokesperson said they had nothing to add to the statement released by Capreon.

South Kesteven District Council’s leader has told his authority he continues to reject a “one size fits all” Greater Lincolnshire combined council, but said his authority needs to be a part of the devolution process to avoid changes being forced upon it.

Conservative Councillor Kelham Cooke was responding to a question at SKDC’s Full Council meeting on Thursday when he told members reorganisation was “on the horizon for this authority” adding “we need to be open and honest”.

Independent Councillor Phil Dilks had asked for his opinion, reminding councillors SKDC had previously rejected a deal which would have seen the council overseen by a mayor.

“The people of South Kesteven and this council recognised that none of the so-called extra government money, dangled as a carrot to persuade minds in favour of that plan, would be invested in South Kesteven but would be mostly diverted furthest away from us and poured into the Humber industrial ports which are literally as far removed from my ward and yours as London is,” said Councillor Dilks.

He said there was now a “governor” being promoted for the new combined authority instead of a mayor, and asked Councillor Cooke to “assure the people of South Kesteven… that you, your cabinet, and the administration of this council, is still opposed and will remain opposed to the notion of a unitary Greater Lincolnshire with or without a mayor or a governor”.

Councillor Cooke said it was a “matter of public record” he had voted against the previous plans.

However, he said the government’s Department of Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities was about to publish a white paper including devolution and potential deals for reorganisation.

He said leaders across the county regularly spoke about it.

South Kesteven District Councillor Phil Dilks.

“I’ve said previously I’m not in favour of a one size fits all Greater Lincolnshire combined Council, as I do believe it would be just a huge geographic area, and I don’t think that’s the way in which the government is currently thinking,” he said.

“It is very much a case though that either we have to be a part of the process or we will have it done to us.”

He said the council needed to be actively involved and engaged with the process.

“If there is an offer, it will be up to us as a council to then determine again, what the decisions should be in terms of our future, but I don’t hide the fact that I do think reorganisation is on the horizon for this authority and we need to be open and honest about that.”

Councils working on a renewed bid to the government for devolution earlier this month said they had a “compelling case” ready to go.

Talking about the government’s levelling up agenda earlier this month Lincoln MP Karl McCartney predicted that Greater Lincolnshire could become a unitary authority “very soon”, with a central mayor and a group of elected “super councillors”.

A 73-year-old pedestrian has died in a single-vehicle crash on the A46 at Nettleham on Thursday.

Police were called to an incident at Welton Road at around 12.30pm, after reports of a Silver Hyundai colliding with a male pedestrian.

Emergency services worked together to treat the victim for his injuries, but he has sadly died following the crash.

The A46 has been closed off at Nettleham Road roundabout and Deepdale Lane as a result.

Officers are appealing for witnesses of the crash, or anyone with CCTV or dash cam footage, to come forward.

You can do so by calling 101 and quoting incident 182 of January 27, or emailing [email protected] and using the same incident number in the subject box.