Emily White

It’s pumpkin mania in the Cathedral Quarter as the Uphill Lincoln Pumpkin trail begins this October.

The trail will run from Saturday, October 20 to Sunday, November 4 and pumpkins will be on display in shop and business windows from The Strait to Newport Arch.

The trail was devised as part of a partnership with the Bailgate Guild, Visit Lincoln and Lincoln BIG and will feature the artistry from the staff at The Little Pottery Studio at The Lawn.

A pumpkin trail leaflet will be available from the Visitor Information centre at Castle Hill, challenging visitors to find all 44 pumpkins and solve clues along the way.

Each pumpkin has been individually painted, including 20 decorated by Lincoln Minster school pupils.

The Enjoy Uphill Lincoln campaign was a stand-out success

Bailgate Guild Chair Nicola Lockwood said: “This trail follows July’s Uphill Lincoln campaign which highlighted the unique offer and high level of customer service given by independent businesses in uphill Lincoln.

“It’s great that this trail is something every family member can have fun doing. The real bonus is that it is free and theres a massive list of fabulous prizes waiting to be won.”

The gifts include pottery classes, antiques and collectables, afternoon teas and collectables and lunches which have been provided by the local businesses.

Visit Lincoln chief executive Lydia Rusling said: “This pumpkin trail ties in perfectly with our Lincoln Loves Kids project which aims to get more families involved in local activities.”

“It’s really like a mini Lincoln Knights trail for the uphill part of the city and we’re sure it’s going to be a real winner for Lincoln.”

More information about the trail can be found on the Visit Lincoln website here.

A Lincoln software firm is preparing to launch new robotics technology after two million pounds of initial investment.

The specialist software provider Orderwise will showcase its latest development in robotic technology at the SME live expo in Birmingham this week.

David Hallam, managing director at Orderwise said: “We’re always looking to the future here at Orderwise and after a long time researching product to picker robotic warehouse automation, we’re now developing our own robotics solution here at our head offices in Lincoln. ”

The firm cited warehouse labour shortages and the need to lower costs as reasons for developing the technology which it plans to launch in 2019.

“It’s no secret that warehouse labour shortages are becoming increasingly common for many businesses. Companies are competing to increase sales and drive growth, while trying to avoid the costs of hiring more staff – and ultimately that’s where product to picker robotic warehouse automation comes in,” said David.

A full scale demo warehouse was used to test the robotics technology.

According to research, 70% of staff time is spent travelling around warehouses to gather stock for orders.

David said: “The reason we are investing in our new robotic technology is to help businesses bridge the gap between online and offline trading.

“One of the key benefits of warehouse robots is the significant productivity rate that can be achieved, which in turn can improve efficiency and aid faster fulfilment.”

The expo will take place October 16 to 17 at the Birmingham NEC where visitors will be able to get a glimpse of the company’s developing automation software.