News

Work has started to make way for a major new Next Outlet store at Springfields Shopping Outlet in Spalding. The transformation and fit out will take three months, with plans to open the new store in time for peak Christmas trading in December. Ian Sanderson, head of Springfields, said: “We have worked hard for years to secure the introduction of Next, the most ...

It could be a hollow victory for campaigners trying to save a village pub if plans to turn it to a family home are refused. Villagers in Gedney Hill had started two petitions in a bid to secure the future of the Red Lion as a “community asset” after plans were drawn up to alter and extend the pub and ...

Building materials containing asbestos have been found dumped in three locations in South Holland. The items were discovered by South Holland District Council’s Environmental Services team and officers are keen to speak to anyone with information. The first deposit, which possibly came from a garage, was found in Sparks Lane in the Whaplode area. Roofing sheets were found in a ...

Work has been completed on 39 affordable homes in Long Sutton. The homes have been built thanks to a partnership between developer Westleigh, L&H Homes and South Holland District Council. The scheme, called Marston Park, is Westleigh’s second phase of development on-site. Phase one, which was launched back in 2011, saw 40 properties built, including 32 affordable rent and eight ...

A frog and a couple of Minions have been raising a smile after taking up residence outside a Spalding home. Mum Charmaine Hall has put hours of work and creativity into creating the painted tyre works of art, which have created quite a stir. Charmaine, who lives in Mallard Close, said: “Pictures of the Minions were put on the Spotted: ...

A mother who was told by doctors to raise her baby boy as a daughter has spoken of the pain she felt when her child grew up and admitted he needed to live as a man. Julia Farmer (47), of Oldham Drive, Pinchbeck, fully supports son Joe Holliday in his recent transition back to male, but has suffered terrible guilt ...

Family and friends have offered a reward to catch the culprits who stole hanging baskets from a memorial to a village stalwart affectionately known as Mr Whaplode. Police were called after the flower-filled baskets disappeared between 7pm on Friday, August 21, and noon the next day from the memorial to former parish councillor Alec Welch in the centre of Whaplode. ...

Two aircraft were involved in a “near miss” incident over Spalding earlier this year, it has been revealed. A Tutor plane came close to colliding with a PA28 in the skies above the town in February, with one pilot describing the incident as “medium risk” of collision. It came just months after a £28million US Air Force F-15 crashed into ...

Holbeach residents who are unhappy with a resurfacing job done in the town will be pleased to hear contractors will be going back. Lincolnshire County Council’s highways department closed Hallgate on August 21 to carry out resurfacing works. However town residents have been complaining saying the job hasn’t been done properly. Brian Walsh said: “It beggars belief they have just ...

The new Lord Porter of Spalding says his being made a life peer will be a positive thing for South Holland. Leader of South Holland District Council Gary Porter will sit in the House of Lords after being made a peer in the dissolution peerages list following the last general election. He has been honoured for his work with the ...

A troubleshooter parachuted in to oversee a struggling Spalding secondary school has left after helping to turn it round. Executive headteacher at the Sir John Gleed School, Chris Mallaband, will leave the academy in the capable hands of headteacher Will Scott as he heads off to take up a new role as principal at a London college. Mr Mallaband spent ...

Plans are being put in place to ensure Lincolnshire secondary schools are able to cope with a spike in pupil numbers. Over the past three years Lincolnshire County Council has invested £34million in new primary schools and expanding existing ones to provide an extra 3,000 places. These include the new Wygate Park Academy in Spalding, as well as expansion at ...

A newly-installed tidal gauge at Sutton Bridge has started collecting data that will help measure tides, predict flooding and assess the impact of climate change more accurately. The project, which began last September and was finished in May, completes a national network of 44 gauges that record information about sea levels to provide more accurate forecasts. The instrument is on ...

A Deeping St Nicholas farmer can surely say he has done his bit for nature conservation after sales of his homegrown bird food helped raise £1million. Nicholas Watts grows more than 400 acres of seeds for birds at Vine House Farm and is the largest grower of sunflowers in the UK. Since 2007 his award-winning business has produced 13,000 tonnes ...

People caring for someone with dementia are being offered the chance to learn more about the condition in a series of courses. The courses are being run in Spalding by the Alzheimer’s Society and aim to help carers understand more about the condition and its symptoms, legal and money matters, providing care and coping day to day. Nasim Minhas, Alzheimer’s ...

A Spalding off licence which was caught selling counterfeit bottles of whisky and vodka as well as illicit cigarettes has had its licence to sell alcohol revoked. The action was taken by South Holland District Council’s Licensing Committee after Lincolnshire Police and Lincolnshire Trading Standards requested a review of the premises licence for Europe Store, based in Holbeach Road. At ...

The family of a human rights campaigner who could face seven years in a Thai prison have said he is “staying strong and positive”. Former Spalding man Andy Hall is due to appear in court in October to face criminal defamation and computer crimes under what his family have called “draconian laws” relating to a report he co-authored which accused ...

Almost 20 bin bags of rubbish were picked up from some of Spalding’s worst grot spots during a three hour clean-up operation. The mammoth litter-pick was carried out by a team of seven people – including six members of staff from a town centre business and a member of the public who volunteered to help. The workers from accountants Moore ...

A programme of summer activities across South Holland has been hailed as a spectacular success. The popular Activate events, which are run by South Holland District Council’s Community Development team and Lincolnshire County Council’s Youth Services, took place in Gedney Drove End, Donington and Sutton Bridge earlier this month. Almost 400 people attended the events aimed at giving young people ...

Action has been taken after reports of hundreds of dead fish were seen floating in a Spalding waterway. Several walkers who had spotted the fish floating in Vernatt’s Drain had reported the matter to the Environment Agency over the weekend, as well as posting pictures on the Facebook page Spotted: Spalding. The Environment Agency said it had taken immediate action ...