100 visitors. 9 tours. 2 days. Caistor’s 2–4 Market Place heritage regeneration project took centre stage during this year’s Heritage Open Days Festival, as nine fully booked Hard Hat Tours welcomed 100 visitors through the gates of one of the town’s most historic – and once most at-risk – collection of buildings.
Over two days, the Grade II listed site, which has stood derelict for years, became the focus of community pride and curiosity. With every space on the tours booked in advance, visitors were treated to a first look at the renovation works that have been in progress for the last 12 months, and left with a clear sense of excitement for the building’s future. Many described the experience simply as “wow.”
The weekend began with a special opening on Saturday morning for Councillors and dignitaries from across Lincolnshire, including Caistor Mayor, Jon Wright, and Lincolnshire County Council Leader, Sean Matthews. Local historian Alan Dennis brought the building’s heritage to life with stories from Caistor’s past, before one of the Board Directors, Paul Kirkby, led the first group through the site, sharing plans for the restoration ahead.
Throughout Saturday afternoon and Sunday, among those attending were local residents, former tenants, and even the ladies who once worked in the building when it was the town’s Co-op. The tours sparked memories and storytelling, connecting generations and underlining the importance of preserving and reimagining the spaces of 2-4 that have shaped local life for decades.
Phase One of the project is already well underway, with work focused on restoring the shopfronts of 2, 3 and 4 Market Place, creating holiday lets, and opening the community space.
Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Co-operatives UK, Pilgrim Trust, West Lindsey District Council, Heritage Lincolnshire, The Architectural Heritage Fund, and Caistor Town Council, supplemented by the Community Ownership Fund initiative, and the expertise of Messenger BCR Group, Greenwood Projects and Anotherkind Architects, the site is being carefully brought back into use.
Feedback from the tours was overwhelmingly positive, with visitors expressing pride in seeing progress on a project that has been years in the making. “Opening the doors, even at this early stage, has helped people reconnect with the building,” said Neil Castle, member of the Board of Directors for 2-4 and Secretary for the Caistor and District Community Trust.
“It was a privilege to hear the stories and memories people shared – it’s exactly why this project matters. We hope that by being able to show our guests what exists behind the compound, and all the hard work that has been done to date, has really brought home why this project is so important for the future of Caistor.”
Thanks to the support from local sponsor 1st Select, every guest was able to take away a £5 voucher to spend at participating Caistor cafés and eateries – including Helz Kitchen, Caistor Arts and Heritage Centre, Ted’s and YM Bakery – over the Heritage Open Days Festival week, encouraging dwell time and return visits; investing back into the local economy.
With work well underway, 2–4 Market Place is firmly on the path from dereliction to rejuvenation – a symbol of how historic buildings can once again take pride of place in their communities.
Main image: To celebrate the first hard hat tour to take place, Board Directors welcomed a selection of VIPs to 2-4. Pictured (from left) Mark Hughes – Board Director at 2-4, Duncan Cole – Board Director at 2-4, Neil Castle – Board Director at 2-4, Cllr Owen Bierley – West Lindsey District Council, Cllr Angela Lawrence – West Lindsey District Council, Cllr James Bean – Lincolnshire County Council, Cllr Linda Milner – Caistor Town Council, Cllr Sean Matthews – Lincolnshire County Council, Cllr Jon Wright – Chairman & Mayor of Caistor Town Council, Cllr Jayne Bowman – Board Director at 2-4 and Caistor Town Council, Steve Critten – Board Director at 2-4, Michael Galligan – former Councillor and active community member, and, finally, Paul Kirkby – Board Director at 2-4 and tour guide.
