Life visits North and South Hykeham

Responding to the changing needs of residents, businesses and visitors alike, these communities have grown considerably in recent years, and there is plenty in the pipeline for 2020, as Melanie Burton finds.
Despite its close proximity to the larger city of Lincoln, North Hykeham is constantly expanding and is a much sought after area for both residents and businesses.

Dissected by the busy main Lincoln to Newark road, it has a good mix of shops, plenty of attractions to enjoy and convenient access routes via both road and rail.

With its own swimming pool and leisure centre, five parks, three churches and four pubs as well as a theatre, and its own railway station, it isn’t difficult to see why North Hykeham is the place to be.

There is also a whole host of businesses and services based in the area located on numerous business/industrial parks such as Teal Park on Whisby Road just off the A46, Gateway Park in South Hykeham and the Lindum Business Park and Westminster Trading Estate on Station Road, North Hykeham.

Teal Park is an 87.2 acre (35.3 hectare) business park with an extensive frontage to both the A46 Lincoln bypass and Whisby Road.

It is home to one of the area’s largest employers, Siemens industrial gas turbines service business, as well as Marshall Motor Group’s Jaguar Land Rover dealership.

Gateway Park is ideally located at the junction of the Lincoln bypass and the A46 dual carriageway to Newark and the A1 and is home to Soper BMW/Mini, Horton Skoda, Brewsters Public House and McDonald’s drive-thru restaurant.

Plans are also in the pipeline for 15 new commercial units to be built this year for start-up and growing businesses in North Hykeham.

If the plans are approved, North Kesteven District Council will invest £2.2 million developing part of Discovery Park on Whisby Road, just off the A46, with work beginning as early as the spring.

Leader of North Kesteven District Council, Councillor Richard Wright, said industrial developments were still in demand in North Hykeham and this proposal complemented the council’s existing investments as well as providing starter and growth opportunity space for businesses in the area.

The Council already manages 111 workshops across 11 sites and occupancy levels and demand are both very high.

Cllr Wright said: “This proposal is another demonstration that we are open for business and that this council wants to do everything it can to develop new jobs in our district.”

The new development would be called Discovery Court.

The Lindum Business Park is located on Station Road and houses several businesses comprising the Lindum Group and a number of other businesses, some of which are closely associated with the group.

Westminster Trading Estate is also on Station Road and comprises 26 companies ranging from plant hire, catering and kitchen equipment suppliers, to auto engineering companies, car traders and auto repairers.

It is also home to one of the area’s premier music studios which offers opportunities for recording, rehearsing, equipment rental, sound engineering, tuition and musical supplies.

In the same area, the second phase of development is underway at St Modwen Park, a popular 70-acre industrial and logistics scheme at neighbouring Witham St Hughs, also off the A46.

Councillor Wright added: “We’ve got other projects going on in this area too, so I can honestly say that North Kesteven is definitely on the development map, and with plenty of housing plans on the books and a new innovative approach to returning empty homes for use, there’s plenty of action across all of our priorities.

“2020 is going to be a great year for the district.”

The area is not just the place to be for businesses though. Residents have all they need on their doorstep from superstores, niche independent traders and the smaller local ‘corner’ shops, to top leisure facilities, sports and children’s activities as well as open green spaces to enjoy the outdoors and a whole range of beauty services from hairdressers, beauty salons and nail bars to a tanning shop and a spa.

There are also plenty of community meeting places such as Hykeham Memorial Hall on Newark Road, North Hykeham Village Hall (The Ark) on Moor Lane and Hykeham Community Hub situated on Valerian Place, on the Manor Farm Estate, which was officially opened on 25th August 2017, as well as South Hykeham Village Hall on Boundary Lane, South Hykeham.

The Hykeham area is easily accessible via road and rail with a good bus service and its own railway station on the Nottingham to Lincoln line owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Railway.

Plans are still being progressed for a North Hykeham Relief Road which would create a new link to the south of Lincoln, connecting the A46 in the west to the A15 Lincoln Eastern Bypass.

The plans have been included in a priority list of schemes for government funding by Sub-national Transport Body Midlands Connect, with a request for £108 million to deliver it.

The total cost of the North Hykeham Relief Road is estimated at £153 million, including a £45 million contribution from Lincolnshire County Council and developers. If successful, the council would deliver the physical infrastructure.

Councillor Martin Hill, leader of Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Among its many other benefits, the road will help us meet growth targets for the area, improve A46 connectivity between the Midlands through to the Humber ports, and better connect the rest of the country to Lincolnshire’s coast.

“We’re glad to have Midlands Connect’s support in pushing this project through and ensuring that the region gets its fair share of the £3.5 billion investment pot available over the next five years.”

LINCOLN TEA & COFFEE COMPANY
The Lincoln Tea and Coffee Company is located on Exchange Road and has been enjoying success after success since forming in 2013. Owners Susie and John Carlisle have even created their own brand of tea called Lincolnshire Tea to rival the renowned Yorkshire brand and have even taken it to showcase in Westminster.

“We are going from strength to strength with an average 75% increase on sales per month over the last year compared to the previous year’s sales,” Susie said.

“In the light of major retailers reporting their 2019 Christmas performances, I thought I would have a look at our festive season performance as we knew it had been a good season for us.

“We are really proud to say our sales for December 2019 are up by 89% compared to December 2018.”

Lincolnshire Tea is a special blend of high grown tea from East Africa and the fertile floodplains of the Brahmaputra in Assam and has become an award-winning brand.

After an unprecedented number of entries and four months of rigorous shortlisting, testing and tasting, Lincolnshire Tea was awarded the prestigious Great British Food Awards 2018 ‘Highly Commended’ title by celebrity judge, chef and food writer Valentine Warner.

It was the only tea to be amongst the award-winning products.

They have also begun to roll out the new 100% compostable paper bags too which is a huge achievement in the paper tea bag industry.

“We are passionate about building long term relationships with our clients and have increased our product lines to fit their individual needs. We work with a wide range of businesses – hotels, tea shops, coffee shops, gelato companies, conference facilities, offices, boat hire companies, football clubs, farm shops and more.

“Identifying individual needs and seasonal demand within a business e.g. wedding season, holiday season and even the Christmas market is essential.

“We feel we represent Hykeham and Lincoln as being a great place to run a very successful business and being invited to Westminster in 2019 to showcase our Lincolnshire Tea was a very exciting opportunity for us.

“We know Lincolnshire Tea is being enjoyed worldwide too.”

SRPA ACHIEVES GOOD GRADE
Sir Robert Pattinson Academy in Lincoln has been hailed as ‘calm, happy and caring’ by inspectors from Ofsted, who once again rated the school as ‘Good’.

Head Teacher Dale Hardy was also praised by inspectors for making ‘many improvements’ since he joined the school last year.

The report concluded: ‘This is a calm, happy and caring school. Pupils flourish as a result of the good quality of education and the opportunities open to them.

‘They know that their teachers want them to be successful and enjoy their learning.

‘Pupils told us that there have been many improvements since the Head Teacher joined the school. Pupils agreed that this change was for the better. They said that behaviour has improved and that pupils get on well with each other.

‘The school provides a good quality of education. In the short time they have been at the school the Head Teacher and Deputy Head Teacher have raised expectations in relation to pupils’ attendance, behaviour and achievement.

‘Over the last year leaders have reviewed the curriculum in all subjects. They have done this to make sure that there is coherent, clear and detailed sequencing of learning.

‘This has ensured that pupils are now able to build on what they already know as they learn new concepts.’

The academy was last inspected in 2016.

Mr Hardy said: “Such a positive endorsement… is very welcome and is testament to the hard work of all the staff and the pupils,” he said.

“We have seen a lot of change over the last year and that is always a challenge for a school but we have enjoyed fantastic support from staff, governors and parents.”

TAKE UP BOWLS FOR FITNESS AND FRIENDSHIP
Lincoln is home to one of the most successful Indoor Bowls clubs nationally, with some of the very best facilities and coaching in the sport.

Danny Brown is general manager of Lincoln and District Indoor Bowling Club, located on Hall Drive, Lincoln and is responsible for promoting the club to new members and encouraging non-members to come along to use the facilities too.

“Indoor Bowls can be played at whatever level suits your ambitions,” said Danny. “It is a great way of keeping fit all year round and meeting our very friendly and welcoming members. It is also a competitive and skilful sport which would suit team and sports players who are beginning to find the rough and tumble on the field a bit too much.”

Visit the club and you will find restaurant and bar facilities, ideal for enjoying a quick tea or coffee or a delicious meal before or after your game.

The club has recently laid a new state-of-the-art blue bowling surface and can offer four free bowling sessions to all potential newcomers as a ‘taster’. There is also free bowls coaching for beginners for as long as they wish to take advantage of it.

“Whatever your age or ability,” Danny added, “this sport and the club are here to welcome you, so give us a call or pop in to look around.

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