Minister’s devolution rejection backs district councils’ concerns

More than a third of call-outs for Lincolnshire Police assistance are related to mental health issues, as the force has seen spikes in suicide rates affecting young people disproportionately.

This has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple lockdowns across the UK, with Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Chris Haward expecting further increases in mental health reports as the county leaves lockdown.

In the latest incident on Wednesday, April 14, Lincolnshire Police had to close Broadgate in Lincoln to talk down a man who was on the bridge.

Chief Constable Haward said: “This is a real issue around partnership operation and actual mental health provision in the community.

“Whilst we can respond to the initial crisis, it’s actually how do we deal with those people in crisis once the police have been, and how do we engage mental health practitioners, how do we engage with the NHS and how do we work as a partnership to try and help these people who are so vulnerable.

“We’re definitely seeing a real spike in suicide rates and attempted suicide, and it’s a very sad state of affairs. It’s actually affecting young people more disproportionately than anybody else from what I can see from our figures at the moment. We’re just going through a review of that.”

CC Haward also believes there are more people who will need mental health support. He said: “People will feel anxious about coming out of lockdown in some cases, and that may exacerbate some of these problems, and it’s only when we come out of lockdown, when people start reconnecting, that we find we’ve got people in need of help.

He added: “There’s work going on with the Police and Crime Commissioner and NHS mental health services, looking at what our partnership response will be, and how we might address this, but I think as we come out of lockdown, we’re probably going to see a further increase in this.”

“As an emergency service, we’ve got to be there to help with that but we’ve also got to be mindful that there is a wider response that is required here from our health partners, ambulance services and our local authorities about what that care might look like in the community.”

It is an exciting time for retailers in Lincoln, as they welcome customers back into stores after the relaxation of lockdown guidelines, but not everyone on the High Street has reopened.

The financial turmoil of the last year, brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and a long stretch of not being able to trade due to lockdown, has caused many companies to fall into administration and/or close stores.

Even big chains aren’t safe from this, and The Lincolnite took a walk down Lincoln High Street to see which stores haven’t reopened from April 12, when government guidelines allowed for them to return.

Patisserie Valerie

There were initially big plans for Patisserie Valerie’s unit once the business was forced to close amid a national fraud scandal, with live music and coffee venue Stray’s scheduled to take over the shop in the spring of 2020. However, no progress has been made with that deal, presumably as a result of the pandemic, and the unit is still vacant.

Superfi

The tale of this electronics store on the High Street is a peculiar one. It closed all of its national stores in February 2019, then returned in Lincoln in May, then closed again for lockdown, and hasn’t reopened since.

Moshulu

The bright and colourful shoe retailer will be waiting before it welcomes customers back, choosing to open on Saturday, April 24.

Eqvvs/ Eqvvs Women

A slightly delayed return for the fashion retailer, which has waited until Thursday, April 15 to open its Lincoln stores. This includes the Eqvvs store itself, as well as the Eqvvs Women store close by.

TGI Fridays

After what feels like a never-ending wait, TGI Fridays is very nearly ready to open its doors in Lincoln. The American-style restaurant chain took over the unit from Carluccio’s, after the Italian brand went into administration in March 2020. Fridays’ move was announced in July, planned to open before Christmas, delayed until January, then delayed again before a promise of a spring opening.

Two Seasons

A shock departure from our High Street, Two Seasons quietly closed its doors overnight in August and hasn’t been open again since.

Intersport

The sport retailer did reopen after the first lockdown, but its future is in doubt after not returning on April 12 this time round. The Facebook page has disappeared, and the website link to the Lincoln page doesn’t work. Could this be it for Intersport on the High Street?

Thorntons

Financial pressure brought on by COVID-19, as well as the “changing dynamics of the High Street”, meant the chocolate retailer closed all of its UK stores in March 2021.

Topshop and Topman 

After Sir Philip Green’s retail empire Arcadia Group fell into administration back in November, online fashion website Asos bought out the Topshop and Topman brands, but the physical stores were kept closed. This was also the case for the Lincoln branches inside Waterside Shopping Centre.

Carphone Warehouse

The mobile retailer was among the first to close its doors amid the coronavirus pandemic, shutting all 531 standalone stores in March 2020.

Monsoon

After Monsoon Accessorize entered administration and announced 35 store closures in June 2020, it was expected that the Lincoln Monsoon branch would not reopen. However, Accessorize was open on the High Street this week, leaving Monsoon’s future in jeopardy.

Jack Wills

This won’t come as a surprise to many, given the store’s abrupt end to life on Lincoln High Street back in July, with the sign painted over and a rumoured 50 stores closing across the UK.

Little Gift Shop

Little Gift Shop near the railway crossing on the High Street closed for good in September 2020 after six years in business. The unit has yet to be taken over by a new premises.

Linkage

Lockdown has been difficult for so many charities across the country, and Linkage is no different to that. They lost the Lincoln High Street store last year and it is now up for let with JHWalter. There are now just two Linkage stores in the area, one on the Bailgate and another in Birchwood.

Boots Opticians

Boots Opticians had a change of scenery in 2019 when it moved into the main Boots store, also on the High Street. Planning has now been submitted for another opticians, Acuitis Optical and Hearing, to move in there, and is pending council approval.

Fone Doctor

This unit has been an eventful one over the last few years, with Gametronics being there from 2014 to 2019, before a merger with Game saw that store close. It was replaced by Fone Doctor, which did not last long and ended up closing in January 2020.

Ruddocks of Lincoln

The wait for a new tenant at the former Ruddocks of Lincoln site has been a long one. Ruddocks closed on the High Street in 2017, after more than 160 years in business. After a couple of years planning, work has now begun on replacing it with an arcade bar called Carousel, which will also have a Quickdraw virtual shooting range.

Madame Waffle

The popular coffee bar will be reopening on May 19, should the government roadmap still allow it, due to a lack of outdoor space. Staff have refurbished the inside and have said they “cannot wait” to come back.

Stokes High Bridge Cafe

An institution in the city of Lincoln, the near 100-year-old coffee shop has been offering a delivery service throughout lockdown, and that has continued through April. Due to coronavirus measures not yet permitting people to dine-in for food or drink, High Bridge Cafe cannot reopen in that capacity until May. The Lawn on Union Road is open, however.

A previously-rejected 270,000 intensive chicken farm near Grantham has been approved after plans were resubmitted to the council.

South Kesteven District Council initially rejected the proposals in February 2020 due to concerns from the Woodland Trust over the impact of ammonia on a nearby ancient woodland.

Plans for the chicken farm were approved by South Kesteven’s Planning Committee on Wednesday and will see a six-shed farm built at High Dike, in Great Ponton.

Elisa Allen, PETA UK’s director previously said: “South Kesteven District Council has a duty to the taxpaying public, not to a bullying business that will bring misery and death to thousands of sensitive animals – it’s that simple.” 

PETA gifted the council a vegan hamper as thanks for rejecting initial proposals.

Developers RSK ADAS Ltd said: “The proposed development is needed to meet an existing market demand for UK sourced poultry.

“It is economically and environmentally preferable to meet this demand through diversification of developing new sites, such as at land near Railway Farm, which will breathe new industry into the rural economy of Grantham.”

Previously, a nearby school said parents had threatened to remove their children and that its existence was “under threat”.

Councillors were also angered by a “threatening” and “intimidating” letter from the applicant’s solicitor.

Compared to 144 objections and a 25,000 signature petition last year, only around 13 households have raised concerns to this development.

At the end of March this year, West Lindsey District Council approved an egg farm with 32,000 hens in Laughterton.