Jocastas Group's wedding venue is closing down this month. Photo: Jocastas Group
A long-established wedding venue near Whisby Nature Park is closing down this month, leading to a number of event cancellations.
Family-owned business Jocasta’s Group has been operating as a wedding and events marquee venue from its site on Thorpe on the Hill since 2009, but is now set to close according to a letter received by a disappointed future bride.
Lindsey Smith, 31, from Lincoln, is due to marry her partner Joe Sawyer in September and has had her wedding booked for two years.
Her excitement turned to despair when she received a letter from director Steve Horbury on Monday morning.
Enclosed with the letter, which confirms the venue was closing in January, was a cheque to the value of what Lindsey and Joe had paid.
Lindsey and Joe received this letter from the Jocastas Group.
The letter continues with an apology.
Jocastas Group offers fine dining weddings, wedding marquees and catering, as well as corporate and social event management.
The company has been in lengthy discussions, but said it has been unable to “viably renew our ground leases and infrastructure rentals with our respective landlords”.
This, along with some personal issues and redevelopment of the site, left the company with no option than to close its Lincoln-based wedding venue business.
However, its director offered an apology to the frustrated couple and is actively seeking an alternative site for weddings for the summer.
“Absolutely heartbroken”
Lindsey Smith and her partner Joe Sawyer.
Lindsey said she was told the company is honouring its next 10 weddings. Although the company were pleasant over the phone, it didn’t stop her from feeling deflated about her big day.
She has wedding insurance, which she can claim on, but it means she has less time to plan things and will have to pay to change some things such as reprinting invites.
Lindsey told The Lincolnite: “This morning I was absolutely heartbroken. To book a wedding in just eight months would be hard, with flowers, hair etc. So I was thinking do I cancel the whole thing and reschedule?
“I have found a venue which has the date available and I am going to look at it tomorrow.
“I am relieved to have found somewhere, but I am still heartbroken as I had an ideal location. I am still gutted as everything was planned, but it’s not meant to be.
“I feel a bit more upbeat than this morning, but it depends if the next venue is suitable, and there will be some added expense and stress due to changing things.
“There was no indication before today that there were any problems. It’s a shame it’s happened because it’s a beautiful venue. It usually seems busy there with weddings and parties.
“I’m grateful I got my money back, but they could’ve rang to tell me rather than a letter. The man on the phone was emotional and it is not a decision they have taken lightly.
“I would like to say to advise people to take out wedding insurance in case this happens when you never think it will, but I’m so glad I did.”
The Lincolnite approached the Jocastas Group for a response, but they were unable to issue a statement by the time of publishing.
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A local man was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and dangerous driving after two pedestrians were injured in a collision with a car and three parked vehicles in Skegness.
Lincolnshire Police officers attended the scene after the collision between a blue Citroen Berlingo, the parked vehicles, and a man and a woman, who are both in their 60s, on Winthorpe Avenue shortly before 7pm on Friday, April 16.
The two pedestrians suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital. However, their injuries are not thought to be life threatening.
A 63-year-old local man, who was driving the Berlingo, was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and dangerous driving. He has since been released under investigation.
Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage and anyone with information should contact them on 101 or via email at [email protected] quoting incident number 389 of April 16.
Few people attended the second Kill the Bill protest in Lincoln on Saturday, as Extinction Rebellion activists stood alone on the High Street to campaign against a proposed policing bill that could make many protests illegal.
Activists from Extinction Rebellion Lincolnshire gathered at Speakers’ Corner to oppose plans for the latest Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which could curtail protesting rights if passed through parliament.
Extinction Rebellion were the main representatives at the protest. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Under the proposed bill, police officers will be given greater powers to put a stop to any protests, as well as determining start and finish times for them, and controlling noise levels.
A few stopped to talk with the protestors, but most just went about their day walking down Lincoln High Street in the first weekend that non-essential shops and beer gardens reopened.
The Lincolnite spoke to one of the rebels at the protest, to find out the reasons behind the march.
They said: “This draconian bill cannot go ahead, it needs to be taken apart and re-evaluted completely.
“People have been walking past us shaking their heads, but they don’t realise that it’s their freedom we are fighting for.”
The Lincolnite photographer Steve Smailes captured some pictures from the protest.
Signs were put up by the works at Speakers’ Corner on Lincoln High Street. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
A 19-year-old man is in hospital with serious injuries after a crash on the A52 on Friday evening.
The single-vehicle crash, involving a white Suzuki Splash, happened in the westbound lane of the A52 between Barrowby and Sedgebrook at around 7.20pm on Friday, April 16.
The driver of the car is now in hospital after suffering serious injuries, and police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
Officers believe the driver had travelled from Grantham on the A52 at Barrowby before the crash.
Anyone who has dashcam footage or saw the vehicle before the incident is being asked to call 101, quoting incident 420 of April 16.
Alternatively, you can email [email protected], using the same reference in the subject box.
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