December 14, 2017 1.49 pm This story is over 75 months old

The Voice of Lincoln: Are we a snowflake generation?

The Lincolnite spoke to people on Lincoln High Street.

People in Lincoln still have a lot to say on the unpopular decision to cancel the final day of the Christmas Market — and one woman from Yorkshire said that Yellowbellies do not know to drive in the snow.

Five days on from the controversial decision, City of Lincoln Council continues to face criticisms for the cancellation on the threat of forecasted heavy snow which never materialised.

Locals have been quick to condemn the council for the decision, with even outspoken television presenter Piers Morgan ranting about the closure, claiming we are “a snowflake generation” and asking what had happened to the country.

The city council has defended its decision, but has put on free parking at some of its car parks from now until Christmas in a bid to encourage visitors back to Lincoln and support uphill businesses.

Now that the dust has settled slightly since the cancellation, The Lincolnite went out onto Lincoln High Street to speak to people about what they thought about the decision, the free parking offer and Piers Morgan’s comments.

Yorkshire woman Audrey Beverley, 68, was in the city centre with her husband John, and said that we had got out of the habit of driving in snow.

She said: “We come from West Yorkshire at the foot of the Pennines. I used to cross the Pennines every day and drove in snow on numerous occasions.

“People round here don’t know how to drive!”

Tony Isard, 53, echoed this view, adding: “We do seem to fall to pieces when we have a little bit of snow.”

Rhiannon Howells, 21, said that the free parking offer from the council was a nice gesture, but added that Piers Morgan was probably right with his snowflake comments.

“I think Piers Morgan talks a lot of rubbish but that probably is quite accurate.

“I think it’s really sad as it’s big income for lots of people at that time of year and it didn’t really snow!”

Meanwhile, Trudie Alger, 60, joked that the council had “been looking at the wrong website for the weather forecast”.

The free parking offer will be available 8am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday – 16 & 17, 23 & 24 December. It will cover car parks at The Lawn, Westgate 1, Westgate 2, Westgate 3 and St Paul’s Lane.

In addition to this offer, all city council car parks will be free to use between 5pm and 9.30pm on 14 and 18 – 23 December when using the www.paybyphone.co.uk app.