Popular Lincoln café owner leads nominations in courtesy campaign

A Lincoln café owner is leading the way in a campaign designed to highlight why the city is one of the most polite and friendly places to visit.

Bar Unico owner Gio Carchedi is currently in first place in the Bailgate Independent’s Courtesy Call Campaign, with The Angel Coffee House on Free School Lane and The Akedo Bar on Corporation Street hot on his heels.

The campaign was launched to emphasise the importance of good manners, great service and good deeds to the overall feel of a city.

It is backed by The Lincolnite and Visit Lincoln, with almost 70 nominations having been submitted in just the first month.

Organisers hope that the scheme will show Lincoln off to the National Campaign for Courtesy, which has invited the city to enter its Top Town competition.

Lincoln’s entry to the Top Town competition will be independently judged by NCC members in 2018.

To receive the award Lincoln has to show that it “supports local businesses, runs its council with efficiency and consideration for residents and visitors, and whose retail outlets show outstanding customer service and good manners.”

The city’s café culture has so far been the most frequent area to be nominated.

Head of Visit Lincoln Lydia Rusling said: “There’s been a fantastic response to the campaign and it has really underlined what a thriving café culture we have.This is great to see especially as some of the nominated businesses are quite new.

Martin Schoenbeck regularly goes to Bar Unico, which is based on St Benedict’s Square in the city.

He said: “I am a part-time support worker for a man with cerebral palsy and he is so well looked after by Gio and his staff.

“He is now confident to go in there on his own now and enjoys this every week.

“I am sure that Gio would look after all disabled people this way, and it is so refreshing to see this care and attention taken to make disabled people feel welcome.

“Nothing is too much trouble, and even at busy times they have a smile for you – this is really the way all places should be.”

The full list of nominations is:

• Bar Unico on St Benedict’s Square
• Bunty’s Tearoom on Steep Hill
• Ruby and Betty’s Bra Emporium on Sincil Street
• The Cosy Tearooms in North Scarle
• Lottie’s Attik on Steep Hill
• Forty-Four on Steep Hill
• Akedo Gaming Bar on Corporation Street
• Craftea Café on Melville Street
• Coneys Menswear on High Street
• The Angel Coffee House on Free School Lane
• Early Help Team, Children’s Services, Lincolnshire County Council
• Lady Rose’s Edwardian Tearoom on Free School Lane
• Chantal on Bailgate
• The Ticklebelly Lane Bakery in North Scarle
• Coffee Aroma on Guildhall Street
• Jade Clarke, Group Leader, Grow Lincoln

Please send your nominations to [email protected] with courtesy call as the subject.