A popular Steep Hill tea room will close its doors after almost 30 years, amid what’s been described by the owner as their toughest ever few months.
Pimento tea rooms on Steep Hill, which specialises in vegetarian and vegan friendly menus will close on May 7 at 5pm
Jessica Bradshaw, 30, has worked at the tea room for 18 years and has been at the helm of the business for around seven of those.
With her first baby on the way, Jessica explained it was the right time to surrender the lease. But she added that growing challenges over the years played a big part in the decision.
“Pimento opened in 1990,” Jessica said. “I have generally found that independent trade in this area of Lincoln has become harder every year, but in the last 12 months footfall has fallen dramatically. It’s the worst it has ever been.
“Events like the poppies at Lincoln Castle, the Magna Carta celebrations and the barons and knights were fantastic for business, but this year there seems to be less drawing people in, even with the 100th anniversary of the RAF. It’s disappointing there will be no air show.
“The news of Cote closing this week, another big brand disappearing from the High Street, is a sign of how little time and money people are spending out. It won’t be the last.
“April was the worst month we have seen in 20 years for takings.
“Of course the bad weather played a big part in that too. We’ve had a lot of rain and the cancellation of the Christmas market saw us lose a lot of money. Sometimes all it takes is a bad forecast to impact trade.
“I think Brexit has been an issue that has impacted people’s spending. I think people are holding on to their money and not going out as much because they are nervous about what’s going to happen.”
Jessica opined that local councils businesses and groups needed to focus on visitor information and good transport and parking in order to boost footfall in the uphill area of the city.
She praised the City of Lincoln Council’s brand new bus station and multi-storey car park in the city centre, but noted that there is no visitor information centre in that area, and questioned the transport options to take people up the hill.
Jessica recalled fond childhood memories of the quaint Steep Hill building and added that she and her team of 10 staff would be said to lock up for the last time next month.
“I’d like to say thank you to all of our customers over the years. We’ve had many great memories here as well as lots of hard work, blood sweat and tears.”
Many customers have left messages of support on the business’ Facebook page.
Jeremy Heath said: “So sad to hear this, especially as no one is taking over as a going concern. A loss to the city for sure.”
Sally Hughes added: “So sorry to hear this. There is so little for vegetarians in Lincolnshire. The food and staff have always been amazing. Thank you and good luck with your exciting future plans.”
Since the beginning of the year, a number of brands disappeared from the city. Cote Brasserie was the latest, following Toys R Us, Chimichanga, Carpet Right and more.
Happy Home Cottage Company next door will be remaining open as normal.
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City of Lincoln Council has approved a 1.9% tax hike despite a series of cuts for 2021-22 due to the financial uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 1.9% rise will take city council’s share of council tax for a Band D property in Lincoln to £285.39 – an increase of £5.31.
The executive committee agreed on increasing allotment charges, council house and garage rents.
Council bosses predict a budget gap of £1.75 million and said it must close the hole for financial stability.
Allotment charges will also see most tenants pay between £58.70-£78.30 per year from 2022, an increase of between 38p and 51 pence per week.
Council housing rent will increase by an average of 1.5%, while council garage rents will increase by 3%.
Attendees at City of Lincoln Council’s executive on Monday.
The authority said it faces a number of ongoing challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic and requires a substantial reduction in all of its budgets.
Cllr Ric Metcalfe, Leader of City of Lincoln Council said: “It’sareasonablymodestincreaseformostpeople,andwewill support lowincomegroups stillwiththeconcessions.”
The council has saved more than £9 million annually over the past decade, however will have to increase savings by £850,000 next year, rising to £1.75 million by 2023/24.
Due to the pandemic’s impact on government funded reliefs, empty properties and business closures, the authority estimates it will only retain £5.1 million of the £42 million of business rates generated in the city.
The draft budget will go to consultation and return before the council later this year for a final decision.
There have been 372 new coronavirus cases and nine COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Monday.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 325 new cases in Lincolnshire, 30 in North Lincolnshire and 17 in North East Lincolnshire.
Some nine deaths were registered in Lincolnshire and none in North and North East Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England reported nine new local hospital deaths at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and one at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust on Monday. Hospital deaths have now surpassed 1,000 since the pandemic started in Greater Lincolnshire.
National cases increased by 37,535 to 3,433,494, while deaths rose by 599 to 89,860.
Leader of South Holland District Council, Cllr Lord Gary Porter, put the spike down to outbreaks in two care facilities, one being a children’s care home.
A group of urban explorers who travelled from three different counties to look around derelict buildings were caught and fined in Grantham for breaching lockdown rules. Two groups of revellers in the woods near Woodhall Spa have also been fined.
In national news, Public Health England have confirmed 4,062,501 people have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Those in England aged 70 and over, as well as the clinically extremely vulnerable, will begin receiving offers of a coronavirus vaccine this week.
Ten hospital trusts across England consistently reported having no spare adult critical care beds in the most recent figures available.
It comes as hospital waiting times, coronavirus admissions and patients requiring intensive care are rising.
All UK travel corridors, which allow arrivals from some countries to avoid having to quarantine, have now closed until at least February 15.
Travellers arriving in the UK, whether by boat, train or plane, also have to show proof of a negative coronavirus test to be allowed entry.
Supermarkets face increased inspections from local councils to ensure they are COVID-secure amid a push from the government to clamp down further on coronavirus transmission.
Local governments have been asked by ministers to target the largest supermarkets for inspection to ensure companies are enforcing mask wearing, social distancing and limits on shopper numbers.
Here’s Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rate up to January 17 according to the government dashboard:
Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates from Jan 11 to Jan 17. | Data: Gov UK / Table: James Mayer for The Lincolnite
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Monday, January 18
Greater Lincolnshire includes Lincolnshire and the unitary authorities of North and North East (Northern) Lincolnshire.
44,374 cases (up 372)
30,784 in Lincolnshire (up 325)
6,927 in North Lincolnshire (up 30)
6,663 in North East Lincolnshire (up 17)
1,686 deaths (up nine)
1,196 from Lincolnshire (up nine)
268 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
222 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)
of which 1,006 hospital deaths (up 10)
612 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up nine)
30 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
363 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one)
3,433,494 UK cases, 89,860 deaths
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.
Eight people were fined for two separate COVID-19 rule breaches over the weekend, after being found partying and camping near Woodhall Spa.
Officers were called to two different incidents at Ostler’s Plantation, a woodland area near Woodhall Spa on Saturday, January 16 and on Sunday, January 17.
Five people were issued with £200 fines after a report of partying at around 11.08pm on Saturday.
The next morning, police were again called to the area at 8.21am after people were seen camping at the location.
Three people were fined as a result of this, again valued at £200 due to being first time offenders.
If these fines are paid within 14 days of the offence, the cost will be cut in half to £100.
On the same weekend, but this time in a different location, six urban explorers were fined after travelling from three different counties to try and gain access to an abandoned hospital in Grantham.
The behaviour of COVID-19 rule breakers has been described as “dangerous” by Lincolnshire Police’s assistant chief constable Kerrin Wilson, who referred to them as “Covidiots”.
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