Alex Colman

Plans for a series of artists’ markets to be held on Lincoln’s Steep Hill throughout the year have been announced on Tuesday by Lincoln BIG.

Running from March 3 to October 6, the markets will take place on the first Saturday of every month, from 10am until 4pm.

Visitors can expect colourful stores, offering individual painting to glassware and photographs, lining Britain’s Greatest Street for 2012.

Lincoln BIG Chief Executive, Matt Corrigan, said the market offers interesting individual items, ideal for gifts:

“Our artists’ markets are always popular because they allow shoppers and visitors to find really unique gifts for their friends or their home,” Corrigan explained.

An introductory offer is available for stallholders who can attend two events for the price of one, £25, if they sign up for the first market on March 3.

Market Co-ordinator, Lea Goldberg, explained how organisers want local artists to take advantage of this opportunity to sell their work.

Goldberg said: “Artists and makers have already started snapping-up stalls but we are still keen to hear from more who may be interested in taking space to show and sell their eyecatching work.”

You can contact Goldberg for more information on the market via email or by calling 07919806593.

Lincolnista’s Dean Graham introduced a local online ticket booking system

A local tourism website has launched a new online ticket booking system for city venues, set to benefit businesses and residents alike.

Lincolnista, which offers online reviews and guides to Lincoln, now sells e-tickets on behalf of several of the city’s largest venues, including supermansion clubs, Home and Tokyo.

One of the creators of Lincolnista, Dean Graham, explained how the e-ticket system saves time and money for customers.

Graham said: “The benefit of the e-ticket is that you get it there and then, with no postage fee or wait and with our open and honest single booking fee.”

The site charges a booking fee of £1 per ticket bought and does not charge venues for the service.

Promotions and Events Manager at Home, Mark Smith, said after considering a range of options Lincolnista impressed with their locality and low booking fee.

“Being a local company we have found them totally knowledgable of the city and their customer service invaluable, that teamed with targeted advertising via the website has made them a solid choice,” said Smith.

Since its launch at the beginning of December, the service has sold over £20,000 worth of tickets, with 400 tickets selling in under five minutes for Home’s New Year’s Eve event.

Graham hopes that other venues in the city will join the project with a particular benefit for smaller businesses in Lincoln.

Graham said: “For smaller businesses who have a smaller marketing budget the benefit is not just the booking system but with the traffic the site gets directing people to a wider choice of what’s on in Lincoln.”

The latest event available on Lincolnista is for The Only Way is Essex star Mark Wright’s guest appearance at Home on January 27.