October 26, 2021 4.00 pm This story is over 29 months old

Nurse opening guest house and holiday lets in Lincoln’s West End

We went for a sneak preview inside
Sharon Balding is the manager of Tavmar Apartments on West Parade in Lincoln, which opens in November 2021. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

A woman who works as a nurse at hospitals in London has returned to her Lincoln roots to open a new eco-friendly modern guest house and holiday lets in the West End of the city.

Sharon Balding grew up in Lincoln before moving to London, where she currently lives and works as an oncology nurse. She wanted to return to work in her home city and will run Tavmar Apartments, but will also continue her part-time nurse role in London at the same time.

When the units formerly occupied by Optima Graphic Design Consultants Ltd at 10-12 West Parade became available at £230,000 each, it was purchased by Sharon’s friend Mr Andrew who asked her to run it.

There are seven themed guest rooms, including The Brayford Room. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Inside The Brayford Room. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The rooms are all en-suite. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Sharon, 48, told The Lincolnite that Tavmar Apartments will open in mid-November and aims to be eco-friendly, including vegan toiletries, and use modern technology such as checking in via an app and motion sensor lighting.

There are seven guest rooms, two of which are dog friendly and have access to a garden, and one is disabled friendly with rails fitted. There are also two holiday lets on the second floor with their own kitchens and living areas.

There are two holiday lets on the second floor, each with their own living area. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The holiday lets also have their own kitchen area. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Inside one of the holiday lets. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The room has a view of Lincoln Cathedral too! | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

After completing gutting the building and carrying out a full refurbishment, Sharon is now adding the finishing touches ready to open next month.

The front door of the guest house, and of each room, will be accessed via a mobile phone app, which will prompt an online check-in.

Each room will also have its own unique door code, provided via the app, as well as tea and coffee making facilities and a bathroom.

The guest rooms and holiday lets are priced at £85 and £110 per night respectively. Online bookings will open via the Tavmar Apartments website, as well as via online travel agents such as booking.com, from November.

Two of the guest rooms on the ground floor have access to a garden area. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The garden area for two of the rooms at Tavmar Apartments. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Oncology nurse Sharon Balding is the manager at Tavmar Apartments. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Sharon told The Lincolnite: “We are in the technology age and it is changing daily, so it was important to move with the times.

“I have also been vegan myself for five years. I think began vegan and eco-friendly is under represented in Lincoln and I wanted to help do something about it. It is nice to keep my Lincoln ties and I am really excited, and can’t wait to get people in.”

Each room has a theme – including Cathedral View, Brayford Room, Lincoln Room, Traditional Room, and The Stonebow Room. Check-out times will be more flexible than what would be expected at a traditional guest house.

Tavmar Apartments has seven guest rooms and two holiday lets. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The Stonebow Room has a particularly catchy name! | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Tavmar Apartments is located next to La Trattoria Da Vincenzo restaurant on West Parade in Lincoln. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Tavmar Apartments will open in mid-November 2021. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Although, the guest house located next door to La Trattoria Da Vincenzo restaurant is very much automated, around six new jobs were created for a team of cleaners. When guests check-out electronically, the cleaners will automatically get notifications that the room is ready to be cleaned.