Lincolnshire County Council has stepped in to keep the ‘Spalding Into Town’ bus service running, following the previous operator submitting a notice of cancellation.
The service will now be financially-supported by the county council, along with funding from a local developer. Buses will run from 7am until 5:25pm, Monday to Saturday.
Cllr Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: “Unfortunately, the previous operator was no longer able to run the ‘Spalding Into Town’ bus service as a commercial route, so we’ve stepped in to fill the gap for our residents. After putting the contract out for tender, Black Cat Travel are the new operator for the next two and a half years.
“The improved service will benefit more residents and businesses in and around Spalding. Not only will it run longer hours, with buses operating from 7:30am Monday to Saturday – more than an hour earlier than before – but it will also service more locations, including Holland Park, Johnson Hospital and Springfields Retail Centre.
“Improving connectivity throughout the county is a key priority for us because reliable, good-quality bus services are key to keeping people in the county moving and also reducing the number of cars on the road.”
Cllr Davies added: “The public transport network is facing significant challenges, primarily passenger numbers not returning to pre-Covid levels. That’s why we’re working in partnership with the county’s bus operators to create routes that meet residents’ needs while also being financially-viable for bus operators to run.
“We recognise the importance of the county’s bus services and are working in partnership with the county’s bus operators to ensure the financial support we can offer is enabling the most important services to continue running.
“We also offer a dedicated transport helpline to assist passengers in finding the best travel solution for them, with our CallConnect service working alongside bus services to meet residents’ needs.”
County council steps in to continue ‘Spalding Into Town’ bus service
Improvements to the ‘Spalding Into Town’ bus service will enable passengers to travel further, later and more frequently.
Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials returns as one of the most popular sporting events in the UK
The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, one of the most popular sporting events in the UK, took place last week (from Thursday 1 – Sunday 4 September) at Burghley House.
Acknowledged globally by leading riders as their ultimate competitive goal, the equestrian event attracts fantastic crowds from across the country.
Exhilarating equestrian action took place alongside shopping avenues, specialist food stalls, and a plethora of other attractions and activities on offer.
Martyn Johnson, new director of Land Rover Burghley, said: “We are delighted to be able to bring Burghley back after the two years lost to the Covid pandemic.”
There was no shortage of prizes handed out at the end of Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, including:
Land Rover Perpetual Challenge Trophy, awarded to the winning owner. A miniature replica will also be awarded to the owner and the rider of the winning horse: Trevor Dickens
Burghley Challenge Cup, awarded to the winning rider: Piggy March
Henry Tate Challenge Cup, awarded to the owners of the second horse: Sarah Webb, Patricia Davenport & Millie Simmie
Sugden Challenge Trophy, awarded to the rider of the second horse: Tom Jackson
Stamford Challenge Cup, awarded to the owners of the third horse: Joe & Alex Giannamore
Silver photo frame, awarded by Dawson of Stamford Ltd to the rider of the third horse: Tim Price
Miniature of the Land Rover Perpetual Challenge Trophy, awarded to the highest placed first-timer: Tom Jackson & Capels Hollow Drift
Plaques, awarded to all owners whose horses complete the competition, and to any athlete completing who is not the owner of the horse.
Richard Matson Memorial Trophy, and £1,000, will be presented by the British Horse Foundation to the breeder of the highest placed British bred horse, provided it finishes in the top 20: Elaine Hepworth for Classic Moet
Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain Bronze, awarded to the owner of the highest placed horse sired by an SHB(GB) Graded Stallion or HIS Premium Stallion, provided it finishes in the top 12: Trisha Rickards, Sophie Rickards and the rider
Scholarship for two embryos, awarded by Twemlows Stud farm to the owner of the highest placed British domiciled mare to finish in the top 20: Trevor Dickens for Vanir Kamira
The Avebury Trophy, presented by Mark and Rosemary Barlow in memory of their three-times Burghley winner, to the rider of the best cross-country round as judged by Captain Mark Phillips: Jonelle Price for Classic Moet
Peden Bloodstock Horse Care Prize, to the grooms of the best-cared-for horses, in recognition of their hard work and dedication. Winner: Fraser Kirby for his care of Helen Wilson’s My Ernie Runner up: Sarah Charnley for her care of Ros Canter’s Pencos Crown Jewel
The Worshipful Company of Farriers Best Shod Horse Award, judged by Chris McCabe: Stephen Hill for Angus Smales’ ESI Pheonix
Unsung Hero Award, in memory of Justin Llewellyn: Sue Browne. Sue has been involved with horse trials for as long as anyone can remember. She was extremely influential in the creation of the Burghley Young Event Horse series alongside Bill Henson, and has been on the Burghley organising committee for years.
Vice-Presidencies: Captain Mark Phillips and Jane Holderness-Roddam
Picture: © Peter Nixon / Nixonphoto
Bransby Horses host free equine worming information evening
Lincolnshire-based equine welfare charity Bransby Horses are inviting horse and land owners to a free worming seminar on Thursday 8th September.
Worming practices have changed considerably over the past decade and with a wealth of information out there, what’s best for your equine may not be entirely clear.
The ‘Make A Difference: Think Twice Before Using Wormers’ event will explain the most up to date veterinary guidelines for anyone in search of more clarity on how best to treat their animals.
Along with Clare Shand from Westgate Labs, the Bransby Horses’ equine welfare team will be on hand to answer any questions and help anyone looking after equines gain a better understanding of what is required to keep an animal healthy.
Bransby Horses’ welfare manager, Rachel Jenkinson, said: “It will also be a good opportunity to hear about our work in general and to ask questions. An effective worming program is an essential part of looking after any horse, pony, donkey or mule, but people may not be aware of the most effective way to do this.
“It’s also a good opportunity to learn how to tighten up your worming program as this could also potentially save you money, at a time when every penny counts.”
The event is free but booking is essential, as places are limited.
To secure your seat on Thursday, September 8 at 6.30pm – 9pm, call Bransby Horses on 01427 788 464 or register online.
Refreshments will be provided.
Football wish comes true for Ray at Neale Court Care Home
Staff at Neale Court Care Home in North Hykeham arranged for 82-year-old Lincoln City fan Ray Inman to attend a league match against Fleetwood on Saturday 27th August at home.
The outing was arranged as part of Country Court’s Make a Wish initiative. Residents are given the opportunity to tell staff about somewhere they have always wanted to go or a special activity they always wanted to do.
Ray’s passion for football started at a young age and he has lots of fond memories of watching Lincoln City. He would regularly go to his Grandparent’s house, and they would all watch the game together or listen in on the radio. He would often shout “COME ON RED IMPS!” These days Ray usually watches sports on TV, but the staff at Neale Court were keen to make his wish to see them play happen for him.
“Ray loves his football and is a huge Lincoln City fan,” said wellbeing coordinator Becky Bourke. “He loves reminiscing and telling us all about when Bill Anderson was the Manager and Andy Graver all-time best goal scorer. His day was made very special as his daughter Karen and his son-in-law Matthew and grandchildren Jack, Lewis and Amelia joined him to watch the match. Ray was in his element. We would like to thank the team at Lincoln City who helped to arrange tickets.”
Ray was born on 22nd January 1940 and loves to talk about his childhood, particularly his school days which he loved. After he finished school, he became an engineer and worked at Ruston and Hornby, a well-known manufacturer of narrow and standard gauge diesel locomotives. Later, he had a change of career, spending seventeen years working for the Royal Mail. Every day he would get up at 4 am to deliver mail in Branston, cycling back to Lincoln post office at the end of his rounds.
Ray is married and has a daughter and five grandchildren, all of whom are very important to him. He has lived at Neale Court Care Home since 2020, he enjoys regular visits from his wife Pat. The staff team at Neale Court love to listen to them reminisce and talk about the past, especially dancing at Park Street every Friday.
To find out more about life at Neale Court please get in touch with home manager Kayleigh Moss on 01522 682 201 or email nealecourt@countrycourtcare.com.
Go-ahead for new leisure and learning hub in Mablethorpe
Councillors have approved planning consent for a new purpose-built leisure centre and digital learning complex for Mablethorpe.
The new 3,000m² hub will be built on the site of the current Station Sports Centre in Mablethorpe and will increase and improve opportunities for leisure and learning in the town.
With £7.4m in Towns Funding through the Connected Coast Town Deal, the development will offer a new swimming pool and changing village, as well as studios and a fitness suite.
There will also be commercial space within the hub and the design of the site will include meeting places and recreational facilities, including an adventure play area.
The development will provide a digital inclusion learning centre to enable local learners of all ages to access distance learning courses and gain new skills that can improve their career prospects.
The development of the hub is being led by East Lindsey District Council. Cllr Richard Fry, the political lead for the Leisure and Learning Hub Towns Deal project, said: “This scheme will help improve the health and wellbeing of residents in Mablethorpe for years to come as well as providing new opportunities for learning in the town.
“It’s no secret that a swimming pool has been a desire of many residents in Mablethorpe over the years. This scheme, thanks to the Towns Deal funding, now makes that possible. I am delighted the Planning Committee approved the application and I look forward to seeing the benefits the scheme will bring to Mablethorpe.”
Chris Baron, chair of Connected Coast, said: “With planning consent approved, we can now move forward with developing the hub which will significantly enhance the opportunities for leisure and learning for Mablethorpe.
“This is an important development and one that will play a crucial role in supporting health and wellbeing as well as enabling people to gain skills that can lead to jobs and business opportunities.
“This is a significant milestone for the project and we now look forward to seeing the development progress over the coming years.”
The new hub will also provide new jobs and business opportunities in the town, and as it is located on a key gateway close to the high street, it will also help to improve people’s overall experience of the town centre.
Plans lodged to revitalise community hub in Epworth
A planning application has been submitted to transform the Epworth Community Hub.
Through the plans a new library, training kitchen, multi-purpose community spaces, and additional workout space will all be added to the existing leisure centre.
Outside, visitors would benefit from additional car parking, including electric vehicle charging points.
The project is part of North Lincolnshire Council’s £5m community investment programme, which makes it easier for residents to access support in the heart of their communities.
Conveniently, community hubs join facilities together under one roof, reducing the need for unnecessary journeys across larger areas.
The Epworth Community Hub follows the successful transformations in Ashby, Barton, Brigg, Crowle and Riddings.
Plans submitted to create visitor destination and education centre within the grounds of historic Harlaxton Manor
Urban Edge Architecture has submitted a planning application to South Kesteven District Council on behalf of Harlaxton College for the restoration of the disused Walled Garden at the historic Harlaxton Manor, near Grantham, to create a stunning and sustainable visitor attraction and educational experience.
As landscape architect and project lead, Urban Edge worked in close collaboration with Harlaxton College to create a masterplan for the 56.65ha site and a detailed landscape design focused around the historic Grade II* Listed Walled Garden, which will not only restore the historic fabric, but recreate the original productive function of the garden and introduce opportunities for education and participation.
The proposals have been submitted following extensive engagement with stakeholders and with representatives of the community and officers of South Kesteven District Council, Historic England and Lincolnshire County Council.
Andrew Cottage, head of Landscape Design at Urban Edge, said: “This is an exceptional project in which we have applied our landscape design skills and understanding of the historic environment to deliver a practical and beautiful scheme that will meet the needs of the College and satisfy the requirements of Historic England and the planning authority.
“On completion the public will have access to assets of heritage significance which have previously been inaccessible to visitors helping them to understand, appreciate and interpret the past.”
The Walled Garden will be made fully accessible and will be arranged around a series of axial vistas dividing the area into a series of garden rooms, each with a different character. Some areas will focus on the historic roots of the garden, emphasising the production of fruit, vegetables, herbs and cut flowers, with others being themed with specialist planting, such as four seasons, medicinal and sensory gardens. Tall hedges aligned with the axial paths will introduce a sense of intrigue and drama by not allowing the whole garden rooms to be seen at once and will create a sense of arrival in to the next character area.
The scheme includes associated visitor infrastructure such as a new car park; footpath network and play area, whilst a large lawn will create a flexible space for informal gatherings and more formal events such as performances and parties. The listed Gardener’s House is being restored and converted by HP Architects Ltd into a new café, visitor facilities and education centre. The two historic vineries will be sensitively replaced and will serve as a café seating area with splendid views across the gardens and an education centre.
Despite the challenges of working with heritage assets, sustainability was a key focus of the design, which included elements such as green roofs, ground source heat pumps and solar panels on the roof of the new energy centre. EV charging points will be included in the car park, and the whole project is targeting BREEAM Very Good.
Concludes Andrew: “This is a remarkable opportunity for us to be involved in a very exciting project to restore an historic walled garden and make it relevant in the 21st century, creating opportunities for education, participation and horticultural innovation. It was immensely rewarding to lead and coordinate such a talented multidisciplinary design team to achieve such an impressive outcome.”
Urban Edge’s design is part of an on-going process by Harlaxton College, the overseas study centre of the University of Evansville, in close liaison with Historic England, to restore and preserve the historic features within the estate and remove the Grade II* listed grounds and gardens from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register.
Full Design Team:
Landscape Architect: Urban Edge Architecture
Architect: HP Architects Ltd
Business planner and Cost Consultant: Focus Consultants
M&E Engineer: BCA
Structural and Civil Engineer: CTP Engineers
Sustainability Consultant: Focus Consultants
Ecologist: Inspired Ecology
Arboriculturalist: RPS
“Brutal thug” sentenced to 10 years
A “brutal thug” has been jailed for more than 10 years after being found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm.
Gavin Knight (36), of Doncaster, was sentenced at Grimsby Crown Court on Friday 26 August to ten years and six months after an incident in March.
Knight was convicted of causing life-changing injuries to a woman during a “sustained” attack in Cleethorpes.
Officer in the case, DC St Quinton of Grimsby CID, said: “Firstly, I would like to commend the victim for their incredible bravery and resilience throughout the investigation.
“This was a planned and sustained attack by a brutal thug and it cannot have been easy for the victim to come to terms with their injuries. These horrific life-changing injuries were some of the worst I have seen during my career and have affected the victim both physically and mentally.
“I sincerely hope today’s substantial sentence can provide the victim with some sense that justice has been served, and this dangerous man is off the streets.
“I would also hope this sentence of more than 10 years gives other victims of violence faith that this will not be tolerated and that we will leave no stone unturned in getting justice for victims of this type of offence.
“If you have been a victim of serious violence, report it to us and we will act upon it.”
Annual Pumpkin Festival returns to Spalding this October
Spalding’s annual Pumpkin Festival will return to the town this year on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 October, celebrating local horticulture and harvest with an array of games, craft activities, live entertainment, food and gift stalls for the whole family to enjoy.
Organised by South Holland District Council, on Friday the festivities will be hosted in the Gardens of Ayscoughfee Hall from 6pm till 9pm, with the festivities continuing in Spalding town centre on the Saturday, from 11am until 3pm.
In Ayscoughfee, families will be able to enjoy the harvest-themed Gardens with magical decorations created by local community groups, charities and children, as well as a special illuminated trail featuring Pumpkin Sculptures by local artist Jonathan Nicholls.
There will also an enchanting fire garden with fire-lit sculptures and a fire performer, all alongside a variety of traditional garden games, live music, barn dancing and more to join in with.
Whilst the event is free, booking tickets is still required for the Friday event at Ayscoughfee to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.
On the Saturday visitors will be able to buy a wide selection of delicious food, crafts and gifts from various special stalls, alongside usual Saturday market traders. The games continue here amongst street entertainment, live performances and scarecrow competition, with a ‘ride on pedal tractor corner’ as well.
There will also be a chance for children to meet Cinderella and see her beautiful carriage, before taking a family stroll down ‘Pumpkin Street’ with incredible professionally carved Pumpkin sculptures decorating Bridge Street.
Councillor Gary Taylor, portfolio holder for communities and facilities, said: “The Pumpkin Festival is always one of the highlights of the year in Spalding, and I can’t wait for this year’s event, with a fantastic range of activities and entertainment to get involved with over the two days.
“I’d like to encourage everyone to come along and get involved, and take part in this celebration of our local harvest and horticulture, whilst having fun together and supporting our local businesses and traders.”
There is a road closure in place for Spalding’s Sheep Market and Gore Lane on Saturday 8 October from 7am till 4:30pm.
Decades-old seafront pub in Cleethorpes sold
Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co has sold the Punch Bowl Inn, a well-known gastro pub-restaurant in Cleethorpes, for the first time in 34 years to Lancashire-based pub company, Trust Inns.
The Punch Bowl Inn is a popular venue amongst locals and visitors of the North East Lincolnshire seaside town and has hosted many events and weddings over the years. The pub is located along the town’s North Promenade and features a 120-cover bar and restaurant, an entertainment area with a pool table and a large function room.
The previous owners, Bernard and Sheila Stafford can now retire following the successful sale. They said: “After nearly three and a half decades, we felt the time was right to retire and allow for younger blood to invest further in the pub and begin a new chapter.
“The Punchbowl has been a huge part of our lives and we’ve had many fantastic years here. We really enjoyed owning the business and would like to thank all our loyal customers for their support, especially throughout such a tough final period, with the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Punch Bowl Inn will now join Trust Inns’ estate of over 500 pubs across the UK and will be run as a managed house investment.
Mark Brown, Managing Director of Trust Inns, said: “We’re very glad to be adding The Punch Bowl to our expanding portfolio in Yorkshire. Our broker, Sam Ashton – senior business agent at Christie & Co was a pleasure to deal with and we’re excited to be taking advantage of the coastline tourism trade here.”
