November 12, 2018 9.12 am This story is over 64 months old

Work starts to turn historic Lincoln pub into offices

New lease of life for historic pub
Banks Long & Co director James Butcher and Optima Graphic Design MD Simon Shaw inside the old pub

Work is underway to transform the historic Duke of Wellington pub on Broadgate into offices for a Lincoln design business.

As previously reported, Optima Graphic Design Consultants bought the building from Lincolnshire Co-op and received planning consent to transform it into offices for the expanding firm.

The Duke of Wellington pub is an iconic Lincoln landmark which has stood empty since 2011 and was, at one stage, earmarked for demolition.

In the 1980s, The Bivouac Club was based on the first floor and had hosted Pulp, Saxon, Ten Pole Tudor and The Killers.

Optima Graphic Design Consultants managing director Simon Shaw and Banks Long & Co director James Butcher outside the pub

Optima employ 19 people. “The move will see us double our current workspace and we hope to increase our team,” said MD Simon Shaw.

“Our move is designed to be a longer-term investment which will give us the capacity to employ up to 30 people in the years ahead.”

‘There are two aspects to the refurbishment.  We are creating superb working space on the ground floor for our account management and support teams. Then upstairs we are having a fully-functional, light and bright open-plan studio.  It is also great to have parking on site, which is a real plus for us.

“The building’s original layout is to be retained, but upgraded to improve its efficiency, through repainting, repointing and repairing or upgrading windows. The pub’s existing signage is also being re-used.”