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Boston’s biggest Brexit vote majority (75%) could be rewarded with a museum, with the Lincolnshire town shortlisted as one of the two potential locations for a so-called Museum of Brexit.

The Museum of Brexit describes itself a project that is “supported by many on both sides of the referendum question, and aims to provide a fair and balanced view of the campaign and what led up to the campaign”.

The trustees of the Museum of Brexit said they’re now deciding between Boston or Peterborough after 18 months of locational research, market trawling and site visits across the UK.

The location decision will be announced in early 2022 and the museum will open by late 2023, according to The Telegraph.

Five years after having the biggest Brexit voting majority in the UK (75.6%) Boston could cause a stir again by becoming a potential location for the new Museum of Brexit.

Each of the 50 initial locations were put through a matrix of 14 criteria before being whittled down to a shortlist of just two – see what the locals said to our Local Democracy Reporter about the issue of Brexit last year.

In a questions page on the museum’s website it is asked if the museum will be balanced. The response stated: “Yes, because no story can be told in isolation. There were two sides to the 2016 Brexit debate, and both need to be explored.”

Lee Rotherham is a former director of special projects at Vote Leave and one of the trustees of the Museum of Brexit. He led the search for a permanent site and said: “This has been a long and involved process. Each of the 50 initial locations were put through a matrix of 14 criteria.

“This brought the long list down to a point where we could review individual sites on a separate set of fresh criteria relating to the buildings themselves. This was a difficult task as there are some remarkable sites out there.

“Everything from size, cost, transport links, support or otherwise from the local community, and council, through to ability to hire – local wage rates etc were considered.

“In the end we have decided that the two buildings most suitable for our needs are in the town of Boston in Lincolnshire, or the City of Peterborough. Both of these buildings would match the requirements of the museum in display space, archive space, and the ability to run educational programs.

“What is vital is that this project is sustainable, financially and historically. We are not looking at the next 10 years, we are looking at the next hundred.

“It is an exciting time for all of us at the museum, and we are now going through the plans and discussing with the relevant stakeholders about exactly where we will be based, and from there we will be able to start the process of creating a museum that will be able to talk about the history of Brexit, but also the longer story of the United Kingdom’s sovereignty, its international ties of trade and culture and the personal stories that bring this epoch making period of our history to life.”

The building earmarked for the Brexit museum in Boston has not been disclosed at this stage.

Reactions on Twitter to the news over the weekend weren’t so kind.

The Red Arrows’ 57th season ended in style last week, and it was one that will be remembered for years to come as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team once again proved why they are the crown jewel of the nation.

The final display of the season was staged above the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier in Portsmouth on Wednesday, October 20, coinciding with the Prince hosting the Pacific Future Forum, a major defence, security, trade and technology summit.

It has been a season which has seen the Reds host a flypast of Wembley Stadium during the final of the European Championships, when England narrowly missed out on footballing glory against Italy in the summer.

The team flew over Silverstone for the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, they have flown to Dubai for the Expo 2020, representing the United Kingdom in the wider event, as well as hosting other high profile displays such as the G7 summit.

The team coped with challenging times during the coronavirus pandemic, and paid tribute to the NHS and key workers with an all-blue smoke trail in the slalom move after an extended break from live displays due to lockdowns.

In total, the Reds managed 37 public displays and 22 major flypasts during the 2021 season, and were notably flanked by the RAF’s new submarine-hunter aircraft, Poseidon MRA1 for the first time, for a flypast of RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland in July.

The Reds will now have a brief end-of-season break in November before returning to training ahead of next year’s events, where they are sure to dazzle once again. Read more of The Lincolnite‘s stories about the brilliant 2021 season on the Red Arrows section of our website.

The ending of the 2021 season also signals the end for two of the Red Arrows’ famous pilots, as they call time on their careers as display pilots for the famous RAF team.

Squadron Leaders Jon Bond and Steve Morris have notched up eleven years of pilot service for the Red Arrows between them, flying in Reds 6 and 9 respectively.

They have now flown their final sorties with the team, and bid an emotional farewell to the world famous Red Arrows.

Sqn Ldr Morris, originally from Sheffield, has clocked up over 400 public displays, and he said: “My seven years with the Red Arrows have been the most enjoyable years of my life.

“It’s been a busy, intense job but incredible to represent the Royal Air Force and the United Kingdom.

“To be able to be part of such a special team has been a great privilege, both in terms of the flying and also the opportunity to hopefully inspire individuals of all ages and backgrounds.”

Sqn Ldr Bond joined the RAF in 2006 and started flying the Typhoon aircraft, which he will be returning to after leaving the Red Arrows display team.

He said: “Clearly, flying at 100ft pointing at another aircraft is something I am incredibly privileged to have done during my Service career and have thoroughly enjoyed it.

“However, living and breathing the whole team ethos, in striving to achieve the goal of delivering a display season to a standard of excellence on a daily basis, is what I have enjoyed the most.

“I have been incredibly proud to wear the red suit for four years and, I certainly believe, the glow surrounding the team has grown ever brighter, even in that short period of time.

“It has been a total honour to be part of Red Arrows history in some small way and to work with such driven and capable colleagues and I wish the team the very best for the future.”

New pilots to replace Bond and Morris have already been selected, and will be announced once training for the new season gets underway, following a break in November.

Lincoln Ladies continued their unbeaten start to the season in the Women’s NC 2 Midlands (North East) with a 13-0 home victory against title rivals Peterborough.

A try-saving tackle by Lincoln’s Jo Parkes stopped Peterborough from scoring in a tight first half.

Emelia Twesigye slotted over a penalty on the stroke of half-time to give Lincoln a narrow 3-0 lead.

Twesigye successfully kicked a second penalty in the second half to extend Lincoln’s lead before being involved in the game’s only try.

She broke through to within five metres of the line after a short ball from Abi Lee.

After a few phases, Lincoln then worked the ball out wide soon after to set up Jenna Bierton, who stepped inside the centre and went over for a try.

Twesigye slotted over the conversion to complete the scoring on what was a fine afternoon for Lincoln.

Grant Cowe scored two tries as Lincoln’s men’s 1st XV suffered frustration on the road with a 33-20 defeat at league leaders Newark in Midlands Two East (North).

Lincoln opened the scoring via Louie Cooke’s penalty before Newark hit back with tries from Rhys Overland, James Archdale and Will Britten.

Alex O’Dell converted two of the tries to give Newark a 19-3 lead going in at the break.

Lincoln reduced the deficit when Cowe powered his way over for a try, but Newark responded with tries from O’Dell and Ashe.

Josh White handed off a Newark player before going over for a try before Cowe scored his second of the match, but it was too little too late for Lincoln.

Other Results

In the Midlands Premier, a late conversion by Tom Alldridge helped Scunthorpe to a 21-19 victory at Oundle.

Captain Tom Foster, Josh Lugsden and Joey Mowbray scored the tries for the visitors, which were all converted by Alldridge.

In Midlands Two East (North), a try from captain George Grant and Spencer Holvey’s penalty could not prevent Market Rasen & Louth from suffering a 45-8 defeat at Southwell.

Stamford lost their first league match of the season in Midlands Two East (South) after a 38-7 home defeat against Northampton Old Scouts.

John Hickman scored Stamford’s only try of the game, which was converted by Jack Martin.

In Midlands Three East (North), Gavin Purvis, James Cowley, James Goodrich and Justin Dingley all scored tries as Kesteven won 26-7 at Sileby Town.

Matt Grinney converted three out of the four tries on what was a great afternoon for the visitors.

Grimsby three-match winning run was ended after a 23-8 defeat at Mansfield.

Mike Vankampen scored Grimsby’s try and Jess Matthews kicked a penalty.

Boston lost 29-5 away against Nottingham Casuals, with the Lincolnshire side’s try scored by James Griffin.

In Midlands Three East (South), Miguel Da Silva, Tom Parker and George Brown crossed for the tries in Spalding’s narrow 30-22 home defeat against Melton Mowbray.

Conall Mason added two conversions and a penalty.

Bourne made it back-to-back victories with a 42-20 home win against Huntington & District.

Scrum-half JJ Roberts scored two of Bourne’s tries and Sam Evison was on form as he kicked multiple conversions and penalties to add to the hosts’ tally.

Kieron Smythe grabbed two tries as leaders Gainsborough claimed a 38-27 victory at Sleaford in Midlands Four East (North).

Jordan Beresford, Billy Nicholson, Ben Watson, and Brad Beresford scored a try apiece for the visitors, with the latter also kicking four conversions.

Aidan Smith crossed for two of Sleaford’s tries and Jack Osbourne and Will Barnes each scored one.

Sleaford captain Dan Mackie kicked two conversions and a penalty.

Second-placed Cleethorpes also had a great afternoon with a 47-12 victory at winless Worksop.

North Hykeham’s first team were not in action, but their 2nd XV had a weekend to remember with an emphatic 77-0 win away against Spalding.

Jack Thomas crossed for hat-trick of tries and Jamie Robson and Dan Greener each grabbed two.

Sam Cooke, Rob Booth, Adam Bird and Ross O’Loughlin each scored one try for North Hykeham. Greener added six conversions and Booth kicked five.

In Midlands Four East (South), Zach Sismore scored two tries as Deepings recorded a 30-14 victory at Thorney.

Luke Warren, Chris Jones and Lewis Cannell also scored tries for the visitors, with Luke Whitby adding a conversion and a penalty.

Stamford College Old Boys saw their home match against Kempston called off as the Bedford-based side have withdrawn from the league.

Women’s Rugby

In the Women’s NC 2 Midlands (North East), captain Hannah Booth, Lycia Elston, Catherine Neville, Charlotte Daubney, Max Heeley, and Tash Champion all scored tries as Boston Ladies beat Kesteven 34-5.

Aimee Goument scored a try for a Kesteven Ladies side that refused to give up and battled hard throughout the match.

Kelly King and Katy Craddock scored two tries apiece as Sleaford Ladies won 39-10 away against Deeping Devils Ladies.

Anna Chick, Rachel Cozens and Chloe Weston also scored tries for the visitors, while Craddock kicked two conversions.

Jo Burke and Amy Charity scored the tries for Deeping Devils.

Cassie Milestone crossed for four tries and kicked five conversions as Scunthorpe Ladies won 69-0 in a friendly against a Gainsborough side who were playing in their first ever home match.

Ewa Jasek grabbed a hat-trick of tries, while Jorja Lyons and Steph Ellis each scored two. Mel Wright-Mahoney and Jasek both kicked one conversion.

To ensure the game went ahead Scunthorpe helped with numbers and leant four players to the opposition – Bethany Parsons, Jacqui Warrington, Kirsty Grey and Harriet Burniston.

Gainsborough Ladies’ head coach Martin Roberts said his side did well in their first ever home match and their heads never went down, with stand-out performances from Hailey Street and Amber Roberts.