Morning in Lincoln

Stokes tea rooms on High Bridge

Newport Arch – Roman gateway to Lindum Colonia

Lincoln Cathedral

Just gone nine o’ clock the High Street very busy, but misleading. The level crossing had just opened and a wave of people poured across the tracks. By 10am very busy, by midday packed, barely able to move.

The two Waterstone’s only one copy of NeverSeconds each. At least now on display on the shelves.

Martha Payne was on TV over Christmas with an update of Martha, Meals and Malawi. She has so far appeared in every review of 2012, and still NeverSeconds not on prominent display in Waterstone’s. When I inquired last week, they had not a clue what I was asking for. Something very, very rotten with Waterstone’s.

River Witham has dropped 2-3 feet from it high of last Friday. Still flowing very fast, but not like last week, nor the ripples in the surface.

Stokes tea shop on High Bridge, purveyors of quality tea and coffee, pre-dates chains like Costa and Starbucks by more than half a century. The building a rare example of surviving medieval building on a bridge, the bridge has Norman arches.

Tea and bacon sandwich in Café 44. Lovely indie coffee bar with art by Phil Martin lining the walls.

Popped into The Collection. Two temporary art exhibitions. Neither worth wasting any time on. The Collection house an indie coffee shop run by Stokes.

Up The Strait, up Steep Hill. Lots of people around and yet many of the little shops shut, as was the Tourist Information Office. This is absolutely crazy. Yes, I can see they may deserve a holiday, but you do not shut when there are peak visitors on the streets.

Disgusted to find a Greggs in Bailgate. Literally the Roman Bail. Independent shops, plenty of eating places, not somewhere where junk food chains are welcome.

Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese from Comestibles, a type of Cheddar but vastly superior to Cheddar. A good selection of cheeses. Far better selection than the Cheese Society.

At the end of Bailgate, Newport Arch. A Roman gate.

Walking back down Steep Hill and The Strait, very very busy. Far more people than Friday of last week, when their few people around, though the town centre was very busy.

Lunch at County Restaurant. This used to be a good place to eat, but sadly has gone downhill.

Tags: Café 44, indie coffee shops. The Strait, Lincoln. The Collection, Steep Hill