Imps turn over £6.5m despite COVID-19 impact

A local mum turned her pandemic redundancy into a life-long dream after opening a new cafe with her daughter in North Hykeham.

Jo Stone, 56, was made redundant in June after 24 years as a manager with HSBC. She joined forces with her 26-year-old daughter Bethan, known by her family as Boo and Boodles, to launch a new business.

Together the duo opened Boodles Cafe and tea room in the Hykeham Green Shopping Centre on Lincoln Road on Monday, October 18 and The Lincolnite went to check it out.

Cooked breakfasts are among the specialities at Boodles Cafe. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Lasagne is one of many home cooked items on the tasty menu at Boodles Cafe. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Boodles Cafe has a focus on fuelling locals with hearty breakfasts, good home cooking and late night platters to bring the community together through food.

In addition to breakfasts, the cafe also sells sandwiches, omelettes, homemade sausage rolls and a variety of main meals such as lasagne and shepherd’s pie. Sunday lunches are served between 12pm-5pm every Sunday.

Jo told The Lincolnite: “I have always wanted to own a cafe and it seemed like the right time. We love the pleasure of cooking for people and everyone’s feedback has been great, and we thrive on that.”

Just some of the range of cakes available at Boodles Cafe. Lasagne is one of many home cooked items on the tasty menu at Boodles Cafe. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Why not try the chocolate cake? | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

There is a range of desserts to choose from at Boodles Cafe. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Boodles co-owner Jo grew up in an RAF family that toured Singapore and Malta as her father Frank Barrett was an aerial erector dealing with signals, including at RAF Digby in Lincolnshire.

Frank was later awarded an OBE for his services to the Royal Air Force Association, while Boo has further ties with the RAF as her dad Taff Stone was the chief engineer who restored the Vulcan XH558 back to flight.

The Stone family settled in North Hykeham with Jo and her sister Denise attending Sir Robert Pattinson Academy. They lived with all their extended family under one roof, which is where she said the “real passion for feeding what felt like the five thousands really took”.

Inside Boodles Cafe. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Preparing the food at Boodles Cafe. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Cooking has always been a passion for Boo, who previously worked as a chef at the Horse & Groom in Lincoln and the Ferry Boat in Washingborough, as well as at two local care homes.

Her nickname came about as her siblings couldn’t pronounce Bethan properly, so it didn’t take long for her to become known as Betty Boo. Over the years it was shortened to Boom and later Boodles, which became the cafe’s name too.

Boodles Cafe is also recruiting for two new chefs and waiting staff and anyone interested applicants should email [email protected].

Jo’s former colleagues at HSBC enjoyed lunch at Boodles on Tuesday. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Happiness is a kitchen full of full tummies and smiles. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Welcome to Boodles Cafe in North Hykeham. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The cafe is licensed to sell alcohol and is open in the evening too. It is open Monday to Saturday between 7am and 10pm, and on Sundays from 8am-8pm.

The government will open up national vaccine hubs to 12-15-year-olds this half-term, as 644 positive tests are recorded in Greater Lincolnshire on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s figure is 25% lower than the 863 cases at the same point last week.

The latest government data also shows four deaths of Greater Lincolnshire residents, while one new deaths was reported at Greater Lincolnshire’s hospitals.

The latest COVID stats for Lincolnshire are:

• 644 new cases of coronavirus in Greater Lincolnshire with 495 in Lincolnshire, 73 in North East Lincolnshire and 76 in North Lincolnshire
• Four deaths were recorded in the government figures including three Lincolnshire residents and one North Lincolnshire resident
• Hospital data showed one further death at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust

Health secretary Sajid Javid has confirmed today that the national vaccine booking service will be opened up to children aged 12-15. It is part of efforts to “ramp up” the programme.

“To make the most of half-term next week, we will now be opening up the national booking service to all 12 to 15-year-olds to have their COVID vaccinations in existing national vaccination centres, which will offer families more flexibility,” said Mr Javid.

“I think it is important that anyone who is invited as eligible for a vaccine, including young people, that they do come forward and take up that offer.”

It comes as MPs debate extending coronavirus legislation by renewing the Coronavirus Act 2020, which gives the government emergency powers – including shutting down businesses and detaining COVID-positive or at-risk individuals.

Mr Javid told ministers there was “huge pressure” on the NHS and that it was facing a “particularly tough” winter.

Lincolnshire’s infection rates from September 27 to October 19 | Table: Daniel Jaines, Data: Gov.UK

The news comes as the latest data for Lincolnshire shows West Lindsey is currently the area with the fifth highest infection rate nationally with a rate of 743.4 per 100,000 population.

Greater Lincolnshire as a whole has seen a rise in infection rates and, on average, sits above the England average of 424 per 100,000 population.

In Lincolnshire, the infection rates for those aged 10-14 is 2,879.3 per 100,000 population while for 15-19s it is 1,163. In North East Lincolnshire the figure is 1,454.3 and 834.1 and in North Lincolnshire it is 1,443.8 and 807.5.

According to the data, around 26.8% of 12-15-year-olds have been vaccinated in the county, while in North Lincolnshire the figure is 19.1% and in North East Lincolnshire it’s 22.5%.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Tuesday, October 19

129,308 cases (up 644)

• 85,673 in Lincolnshire (up 495)
• 21,270 in North Lincolnshire (up 76)
• 22,365 in North East Lincolnshire (up 73)

2,379 deaths (up four)

• 1,739 from Lincolnshire (up three)
• 328 from North Lincolnshire (up one)
• 312 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)

of which 1,429 hospital deaths (up one)

• 876 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)
• 44 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
• 1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
• 507 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one)

DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF THE LATEST UPDATE. POSTCODE DATA INCLUDES DEATHS NOT IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES OR IN HOSPITALS OUTSIDE AUTHORITY BOUNDARIES.

A fundraising effort to help a young boy from Lincoln with a terminal illness tick off his bucket list raised close to £2,000 thanks to a charity truck pull and raffle.

Local strongmen Dave Johnson and Craig Collins, who often complete feats of strength for charity, hosted a truck pull on Saturday, October 16.

It was in aid of Joshua Bilton, 21, whom The Lincolnite wrote about in September, after his family organised a fundraiser to help him tick off a bucket list of activities, as doctors were unable to prevent the heart issues he suffered from Williams syndrome.

Joshua with his mother Heather.

His condition affects growth, causes mental deficiencies and can be associated with heart defects, and after years of tests and diagnoses, Joshua’s family have been told his condition is terminal.

Joshua was given two years to live in September, and since then has been experiencing amazing things since then to fill the remainder of his life with memories.

A huge tick on Joshua’s bucket list as he got to meet one of his favourite wrestlers at a WWE show in London.

He went to the O2 in London to watch WWE live and met some of his favourite wrestlers, and is now hoping for a holiday to Disneyland and a Zoom chat with his favourite band, Slipknot.

To help with the fundraising effort, Dave Johnson and Craig Collins hosted a truck pull in Lincoln over the weekend, allowing people to raise money for a good cause while testing their strength.

26 competitors took on the truck pull to help raise money for Joshua.

The event saw Dave himself take on a 27 tonne truck pull, along with 25 others competing such as Dave Thornton and double Guinness World Record holder Mark Anglesea, and it raised £1,270 for the cause. You can still donate here.

As for Craig’s raffle, that raised £700, meaning the total amount gathered from the event was £1,970.

Dave and a few of his friends painted their faces in honour of Damian Buckle, a friend of theirs who died in a crash on the A46 earlier in 2021.

The truck pull was also in memory of Damian Buckle, a close friend of Dave‘s who died in a crash on the A46 in August this year.

Dave Johnson said: “Thank you to Flying Hire for allowing us to do the event, to Dave Thornton and Mark Anglesea for the help and support, to Craig Collins for his hard work and everyone who competed.

“Hopefully it can help Joshua fulfil his bucket list.”