News

Chance to see sculpture designs for £18,000 Spalding town trail

People will this week get a first chance to see the designs for a series of new sculptures for Spalding. The £18,000 town trail will be artwork depicting local people who modelled for artist Joseph Hillier. He was commissioned by arts programme Transported, in partnership with Spalding and District Civic Society, to create the small bronze sculptures inspired by the ...

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Your next home for £275,000? Former Spalding Magistrates’ Court complete with cells, dock and plenty of history

With more than 150 years’ history of criminals passing through and features such as cells and a reinforced dock, it’s the kind of home which would never be short of a talking point. The former Spalding Magistrates’ Court has been put on the open market, being promoted as possible residential accommodation. The price tag for the Grade II listed building ...

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Five homes planned on former medical centre site

Plans have emerged for the former Gosberton Medical Centre to be demolished to make way for homes. The plot, which is close to the current practice in Low Gate, is earmarked for three terraced homes and two bungalows. Plans have been submitted to South Holland District Council under the name of Dr Mark Bemment, one of the partners in the ...

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New home furnishings charity shop in Spalding

A Spalding charity shop was so busy with furniture donations that it has taken a leap by opening a dedicated store. The Lighthouse Project, which has a shop and café in Sheep Market, now has a unit at Broadgate House in Westlode Street. The shop has soft furnishings and electrical goods and is open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays 10am-2pm. ...

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South Lincs doctor: ‘Be aware of dangers and health complications of obesity’

South Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group is reminding patients of the importance of eating healthily and keeping fit, particularly during the winter months. An estimated one in four adults and one in five children aged 10 to 11 in the UK are considered obese, putting themselves at risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression and stroke. Dr Kevin Hill, chairman ...

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Opposition to takeaway plan for former Welec shop in Spalding

A planning application to allow the former Welec shop in Spalding to become a takeaway is opposed by Spalding and District Civic Society. Welec, in New Road, closed last Saturday (January 16) following the retirement of business owners John and Jean Wellband. Premises landlord, The Trustees of the Frances Blane Settlement, has applied to South Holland District Council for permission ...

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Lloyd Loom furniture production continues in Spalding

Business is booming at a workplace staffed entirely with ex-employees of troubled Lloyd Loom of Spalding. The majority owner and managing director of Lloyd Loom Manufacturing Ltd is former Lloyd Loom of Spalding sales manager Steve Duncan. He and four other colleagues are now making a living producing the high-end handmade furniture for the trade market from a unit at ...

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Design for acoustic pavilion at Ayscoughfee Gardens revealed

This is the proposed design for a new pavilion for Spalding’s Ayscoughfee Gardens. The construction materials of oak and stainless steel have been selected to tie in with the surroundings of the Grade I listed hall, and detachable acoustic panels used at the back of the structure would enhance sound during dramatic and musical performances. The current pavilion with its ...

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Road maintenance and bus services in line for Lincolnshire County Council cutbacks

Road maintenance and bus services could suffer as part of £6.2million of proposed cuts to Lincolnshire County Council’s highways and transport budget. Measures being considered to make savings include gritting fewer roads, turning off some street lights, and reducing budgets for pothole repairs, grass verge cutting and rights of way upkeep. And a council meeting on Monday (January 18) was ...

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Lincolnshire Police warn about offences with drones

Police are raising public awareness about the use of drones (unmanned aerial vehicles). Temporary Ch Insp Deb Clark, of Boston/South Holland Local Policing, said: “Drones are cheap, and easy to get in the air. No doubt many will have been given as presents over Christmas. “The ownership and use of drones is not in itself unlawful but in certain circumstances ...

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£5million care home plan for former Spalding primary school site

The site of a former primary school could be transformed into a £5million care home if plans are given the go ahead. Country Court Care wants permission to change the former Goodfellows Primary School building at Spalding Common into a modern specialist dementia care and residential home. The company has applied to South Holland District Council for permission for the ...

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Long Sutton ‘short changed’ when it comes to policing

Long Sutton is being “short-changed” when it comes to policing according to an angry resident. The man, who has asked not to be named, says despite a recent spate of burglaries in the town, he rarely sees a police officer and police are not warning residents in general about the problem. In a letter to The Voice, the resident said: ...

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Spalding power station on hold until 2017

Plans to double the size of Spalding’s power station have been delayed again – with summer 2017 being the earliest work is now likely to start. Last spring, InterGen, which owns the town’s existing power station, had said it hoped work to construct the new station – bringing hundreds of construction jobs to the town – could begin early this ...

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Hare coursing day of action: Officers quickly switch to make burglary arrests

A day of action targeting hare coursers was interrupted when officers switched to dealing with a suspected house burglary. The arrests of an 18-year-old and two 15-year-olds perfectly demonstrated Lincolnshire Police’s recent move towards many more officers tackling rural crime while also being available to respond to other incidents. I was invited to join last Wednesday’s orchestrated effort, involving officers ...

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Human rights campaigner Andy Hall back in Thai court

Human rights campaigner Andy Hall has had his passport confiscated as he awaits trial in Thailand. Mr Hall, who is from Spalding and still has family in the town, also faces a travel ban restricting his movements after a ruling by Bangkok South Criminal Court. The ruling was made ahead of a hearing on Monday where Mr Hall was indicted ...

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£140,000 upgrade plan for all-weather pitch and floodlights

Plans costing £140,000 are in place to replace an all-weather pitch in Long Sutton and upgrade its floodlights. Long Sutton Community Sports Association’s playing surface at Peele Leisure Centre has served its many uses for 20 years, but is now in need of replacement. And the floodlights would benefit from an overhaul, including LED bulbs. The association has made a ...

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Development after CCTV image released in connection with assault in Spalding

UPDATE, Tuesday am: Police say as a result of the publicity yesterday, two people have come forward. They have been interviewed and police have now removed the image from their website. The Voice has done the same. Thanks to all who shared the original report.   MONDAY pm: Do you recognise any of these three men facing the camera? Police investigating an ...

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Lincolnshire Police lead officer on rural crime: ‘How we adapted to deal with scourge of hare coursing’

Some readers of The Voice have expressed concern that Lincolnshire Police is directing large amounts of resources to tackling hare coursing. The force’s lead for rural crime, Ch Insp Jim Tyner, responds: There is always a balancing act and there are many people in rural communities who feel that more should be done to tackle hare coursing. Hare coursing, and the ...

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1960 Peele School class reunion thanks to ex-pupil Dennis

A reunion of classmates from more than 50 years ago will happen thanks to the hard work of one of the pupils. Dennis Woods spent the final five months of 2015 trying to trace former colleagues from the 1960 Upper Class Five at The Peele School in Long Sutton. And his dedication paid off when he was able to track ...

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Work on Spalding’s Lincs Gateway site to resume soon

Work on the Lincs Gateway project in Spalding is to resume this month (January). Construction of the first parts of the 51-acre development just off the A16 at Barrier Bank began last year but was then stalled due to highways and technical issues, which have now been resolved. Lincs Gateway, which was granted planning permission in late 2014, will include ...

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