A new review calls for the gates to be closed and locked overnight. | Photo: Google Streetview
Councillors in Boston want the town’s Central Park gates to be locked overnight in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour and reassure residents who feel unsafe in the town.
A review into the town’s economy before scrutiny at Boston Borough Council on Tuesday also calls for tougher measures around alcohol licensing.
A number of recommendations will see the council lobby government for further action.
The closure of the park has been a controversial issue, with residents saying it will combat incidents such as where individuals were seen urinating or defecating in the area, sleeping there overnight and other alcohol-related anti-social behaviours.
Banning the sale of alcohol during licensing appeal periods
Licensing the sale of tobacco
Closing businesses in breach of licensing conditions “immediately” until an official hearing
New fining powers for police and senior councillors
Increasing alcohol licensing fees
Increased public reporting of anti-social behaviour figures
The report suggests a four month trial period.
The review took in feedback from more than 150 people, as well as crime and safety officials.
A report to members next week said: “The feedback provided a very clear insight into the key concerns held by the public and their perceived fears and frustration in respect of licensing activity and police enforcement within Boston.
“Representation by the various support services within the town all agreed certain areas identified within the consultation including ease of access to strong alcohol, and ongoing pharmaceutical misuse drive fears.
“However, they also confirmed reductions of ASB and aspects of such, within the town centre.”
Residents said they did not feel safe in Boston. Pictured is West Street. Photo: Google
A recent Police and Crime Commissioner survey saw 46% of residents score Boston as 5 or less out of 10 in relation to how safe they feel, while 58% said their community was “becoming less safe”.
Meanwhile, data in the report shows “significantly higher” enforcement action in Boston than in Skegness and Horncastle combined pre and post COVID-19 lockdown.
The report said the majority was youth-related.
Another report from a previous meeting said issues were raised around drug taking, large groups loitering around off licences, worries about violence, “genuine fear” about going out and a “continued lack of respect by some European nationals”.
“Residents felt that Boston had no-go areas / ghettos within the town that were unpoliced, and there appeared an overall lack of confidence in the police and council,” said the report.
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A Lincoln-based distillery launched a new rapid aged whiskey, creating the equivalent of an eight-year-old whiskey taste in just a few days.
Unconventional Distillery has mastered a way to transform new whiskey and give it a blended flavour, the kind you would expect from something that has been resting in a barrel for several years.
The technique, which uses a combination of heat, sound, light and secret ingredients, is currently only used by two distilleries in the world, and Unconventional in North Hykeham is one of them.
Rapid aged whiskey is the newest product launched by the distillery since it began in September 2019 as craft rum specialist.
It is available to buy now with limited stock at a Black Friday price of £40 per 70cl bottle from Big Barn marketplace online.
Sam Owen is the owner of Unconventional Distillery, which is based in Lincoln.
Sam Owen, managing director of Unconventional Distillery, said he is keen to change the narrative of whiskey and bring it into the future.
” We want to move away from what is deemed classical and uncover new ways of distillation that create stand out products, with a distinctive brand and flavour.
“Our rapid aged whiskey allows us to experiment with unique flavours, that we are confident go against expectations, and appeal to both whiskey connoisseurs and the curious alike.”
The man in charge of care homes in Lincolnshire said extra precautions are still needed for visitors, besides twice-weekly rapid testing.
Boris Johnson outlined his COVID-19 winter plan on Monday, with families able to visit and hug their loved ones in care homes if they take 30-minute rapid lateral flow tests twice a week. This is due to be rolled out next month.
Glen Garrod, Executive Director of Adult Care at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “[Care] homes would need to continue to ask visitors to take precautions to reduce the risk of infection that might not be picked up by testing.”
“The test is still being trialled and is proving to be pretty effective so far, although no test is infallible.”
Since November 16 rapid testing has been trialed in 20 care homes in Cornwall, Devon and Hampshire.
This enables an indoor visit without a screen separating family from their loved ones.
Visitors will be able to take a test at home or the 30-minute test which can be offered at a care home.
Glen Garrod, Executive Director of Adult Care and Community Wellbeing.
Glen Garrod said people in care homes are “especially vulnerable to serious illness if they catch COVID-19, and any visiting will have to follow strict guidelines to enable this to happen without offering more risk than is necessary to residents.”
He said: “It is important that people living in care homes can take advantage of the relaxed rules that the rest of us will want to enjoy over the festive season, to be able to see family and friends in a safe way. Being able to do this supports the mental health and wellbeing of everyone involved.”
Lincoln Cathedral and Castle have been the centre of a nickname frenzy in recent weeks, and Wikipedia has now recognised these alternative names for the city’s landmarks.
Despite many people saying they regularly call Lincoln Cathedral Cathy, when The Lincolnite used the adorable term on Facebook, the nickname has proved controversial with some.
Now, after weeks of speculation about the legitimacy of the Cathy and Cassie nicknames, both now appear at the top of the landmarks’ Wikipedia pages — the most popular encyclopedia on the globe.
The changes appear to have been submitted at the beginning of November and were approved by Wikipedia editors after several upvotes from other users.
Lincoln Cathedral’s Wikipedia front page now reads: “Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln Minster, or the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln and sometimes St Mary’s Cathedral, or Cathy in Lincoln, England, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Lincoln.”
Even Wikipedia is getting in the habit of calling it Cathy!
Lincoln Castle’s page now says: “Lincoln Castle, or Cassie, is a major Norman castle constructed in Lincoln, England, during the late 11th century by William the Conqueror on the site of a pre-existing Roman fortress.”
The Wikipedia entry for Lincoln Castle.
What do you think? Do you call the cathedral Cathy or do you find it strange?
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