The Mindful Mug CLOSED

Today the very last day of The Mindful Mug coffee shop.

Charlotte worked hard, very hard, would have to close for a day, to recover . But did not give up,

It’s not easy. A single mother, two young children, single handed running a coffee shop, insufficient capital,  in a street with no football.

She did not get off to a very good start. Beans sourced from Lincoln Tea and Coffee. Suppliers to greasy spoon cafes who don’t care what they buy, so long as it’s cheap.  It would be hard to find worse. A A-board outside Lincoln Tea and Coffee, is like flying a fag ‘We serve shit coffee’.

Learning on the job is not easy. Not when rent to pay, young mouths to feed.

But learn Charlotte did. Towards the end Serving organic specialty coffee, from ….. Matcha and tea from the Tea Lab .

What did for Charlotte, was not the coffee shop, lack of customers, it was a Rachman landlord. The property is in appalling condition. Detrimental impact on the health of the children. Lincoln City Council and Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue service acted. The family had to move out. Made homeless for Christmas.

Charlotte may be down, but not out. Like a phoenix will rise from the ashes , ideas are already floating around. In the meantime, maybe a temporary location.

Footnote: Anyone who is thinking of leasing this property. Think again. No footfall, appalling state of the repair. The rent should be a fraction of what Charlotte was paying.

Everyman Cinema rooftop bar

Last week, a long return journey from York due to a major signal failure north of York causing long delays.

Missed connection at Doncaster, advised to change at Newark.

Newark a taxi across town from Newark North Gate to Newark Castle.

Last bus long gone.

Everyman Cinema rooftop bar overlooking Lincoln.

Ripoff prices on drinks.

I ordered a burger and chips. Very poor quality.

• PHOTOS Everyman Cinema rooftop bar

White Horse burger salad and craft beer

Not been in the White Horse for a while. Usually quiet late lunchtime early in the week. To my suprise packed, more like a Saturday than a week day.

craft beer White Horse #craftbeer #cocktails #pub #restaurant #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-30T17:11:58.492Z

AI? White Horse #craftbeer #cocktails #pub #restaurant #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-30T17:18:17.304Z

craft beer White Horse #craftbeer #cocktails #pub #restaurant #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-30T17:21:12.888Z

burger and salad White Horse #craftbeer #cocktails #pub #restaurant #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-30T17:44:16.734Z

I noticed The Cheese Society was open  Never used to be open Monday and Tuesday. But less said about The Cheese Society the better. Used to serve excellent cheese lunches, closed, renovation, now sandwiches and takeaway coffee and gimmicky baked goods.

Staff in White Horse equally surprised how busy. Maybe because many places closed over Christmas and New Year.

Hospitality is failing. Constant whining, pleading for government bailouts. Contrast White Horse with the High Street on Saturday. Usually packed with gangs of marauding drunks. Not busy. A price war has broken out. Half price drinks.

On the other hand, White Horse, just off the High Street, lunch time, early in the week, heaving.

Hospitality where they care, is not whining.

I looked in The Cheese Society. As I thought, not  usually open Monday and Tuesday. I wished them a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Told them I missed their lunches (as do many others).

Then to Coffee Aroma for a coffee. Though worth noting, the White Horse serves speciality  coffee. Quality matters. 

• PHOTOS White Horse

cappuccino Coffee Aroma #coffee #coffeeshop #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-30T17:28:08.578Z

High Street Lincoln binge drinking bars

Lincoln High Street is lined with binge drinking bars. And not only the High Street. Every six months or so, another one opens.

A price war has recently broken out with the opening of an Irish bar. Half price drinks.

Not to be outdone, the latest additions Tipsy Teapot gimmick cocktails is promoting on Google maps,  ‘it’s all about getting gloriously Tipsy’  ,  a clear breach of Drinkaware Voluntary Code of Conduct avoiding promotion of excessive drinking. @drinkaware.bsky.social #Lincoln

Mid-Saturday afternoon onwards, gangs of marauding   drunks looking for trouble. From late afternoon Friday is not almost as bad as Saturday.

Therefore very strange , the Saturday between Christmas and New year the top of the High Street was dead, relatively quiet, few people around.

York Railway Station major signal failure

On arrival at York Railway Station the day before Christmas Eve, when everyone traveling for the Christmas, hear what did not wish to hear, signal failure north of York, no trains.

York Railway Station #York #trains #transport

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-26T20:59:51.770Z

York Railway Station #York #trains #transport

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-26T21:01:57.266Z

York Railway Station #York #trains #transport

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-26T21:06:36.748Z

Large numbers of passengers, the station very crowded.

I was not immediately affected, but would be affected later.

Problems until 1500.

I had a choice, train to Retford or Doncaster, then change.

I inexplicably got lost walking to the station. Train delayed, but I’d miss my connection at Doncaster. Advised, travel to Doncaster, then seek further information.

At Doncaster, advised change at Newark.

Newark, taxi to station other side of town. .

York Christmas Market

Where was it?

Tuesday of last week, day before Christmas Eve, a trip to York for the Christmas Market.

A slight detour from Bar Hackery to Fossgate, all I found was rows of locked garden sheds.

I learnt from Lè Speciality and Kiosk that it closed Monday. Not a popular decision.

I wonder how many visitors to York had a wasted trip to York for a Christmas Market, only to find CLOSED?

LNER York to Lincoln via Doncaster nightmare

I’ll get to the nightmares but first timetable changes and other LNER problems. The nightmare did not originate with LNER, but LNER made it worse.

LNER bullshit video on Facebook. So bad, ASA should issue a fine. An example of Facebook enshittification. http://www.facebook.com/share/v/1C8i…#LNER #Facebook #fail #enshittification #trains

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-25T00:40:27.205Z

But first the LNER bullshit video on Facebook. So bad, ASA should issue a fine. An example of Facebook enshittification.

Book a seat. It is never the seat booked.

Catch a train, find a seat. If can find a seat.

Cheap Day Returns. Don’t exist. Pay for two singles.

Saver Tickets, Super Saver Tickets. No longer exist.

Cheapest ticket, ask at the station. Often a split ticket. Cheaper than LNER website with their mutating rail fares

The 13A sockets are beneath and between the  seats. Have to be a Japanese contortionist to access. No integral usb sockets. No fast charging.

Can order food from a seat. Really. Is it that much hassle to walk to the buffet car?

On a recent trip, a female LNER staff member smashed my phone. I’m still waiting to be compensated for the repair.

Catch an LNER train. LNER Gestapo patrol the train. Wrong train, wrong time, wetting themselves to issue a fine. All passengers wish to do is travel from A to B with minimum hassle. But problems, delays, cancellations, LNER staff not to be seen.

Two weeks ago, ihe middle of December 2025 , major timetable changes,  Not a few minor tweeks, major changes across the entire network.

For example, two trains an hour Lincoln  to Nottingham,where previously  one train an hour.

Lincoln to York via Doncaster, return via Newark. Now, Lincoln via Newark, return via Doncaster.

Tuesday, the day before Christmas Eve,

Outgoing, from Lincoln, 1120 train to King’s Cross, change at Newark for the Edinburgh train.

1120 LNER Azuma #Lincoln #London #KingsCross #trains #transport

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-26T20:45:50.066Z

LNER Azuma waiting at the station at least 30 minutes before the train was scheduled to leave. I boarded an empty train. Even when it departed, very few passengers.

Train from King’s Cross to Edinburgh packed.

At York, never seen so many passengers. Christmas, or was it no trains north of York massive signal failure?

No trains between York and the North. Signal failure. Train over 20 mins late. Missed connection at Doncaster. Ten minutes window. Advised alight at Doncaster, make further inquiries. At Doncaster advised change at Newark. I could have remained on the train and changed at Newark. Newark taxi ride to a station on the other side of town. Reach destination, last bus long gone. Not eaten since a bowl of soup at lunchtime. Not feeling well. Cost of meal, cost of taxi.

Bar Hackery sourdough bread

En route from The Perky Peacock to coffee shops in Fossgate a detour to Bar Hackery, an excellent bakery in Mickelgate, to buy sourdough bread. Also, I don’t know what it is called, maybe a knot with pistachio in the middle.

Bar Hackery #bakery #patisserie #bread #sourdough #Mickelgate #York

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-28T00:56:26.120Z

Bar Hackery #bakery #patisserie #bread #sourdough #Mickelgate #York

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-27T18:50:50.275Z

I learnt they now have four shops, including a coffee shop in the centre of York.

• Bar Hackery bakery

Seven Districts Bailgate cappuccino

Saturday, Bailgate dead, no one around, businesses on Steep Hill and Bailgate closed. They close before Christmas, open sometime in January, then spend the rest of the year whining, no trade , we miss the Lincoln Christmas Market of tat and junk food.

Christmas Holidays, tourists visit Bailgate and Steel Hill, January dead, does not start to pick up until School Half Term.

Once I asked a few businesses why closed? We have to have a holiday. They could close all of January, take off to Tenerife, and not lose any trade.

• PHOTOS Seven Districts Bailgate

Seven Districts Bailgate was packed. No surprise, one of the few places open.

Seven Districts made the mistake of opening a few years ago as a restaurant. They learnt from their mistake, and changed to a coffee shop. Made sense as they are a coffee roastery.

In the summer it is pleasant to sit on their terrace with a stunning view of the Cathedral. In the winter to sit by their fake log fire.

My favourite spot taken. I sat by the window, where it was not dark and gloomy, with a cappuccino.

It was then head off down Steep Hill in the hope of finding the Vine’s Bakery pop up shop open. I would have picked up a Wellbeck sourdough loaf from Bailgate Deli. Sadly has closed and will reopen in January under new owners (cafe next door). Barry will be much missed. I’m sad to have missed him to say goodbye .

Fossgate Lè Speciality and Kiosk

Fossgate is a street in York with two excellent coffee shops, Lè Speciality and Kiosk.

Lè Specialty #matcha #coffee #coffeeshop #Fossgate #York

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-23T18:11:10.041Z

Lè Speciality, a Korean coffee shop, coffee. matcha and Korean dishes.

Lè Special was closing. Christmas, closing early.

cappuccino and mince pie Kiosk #coffee #coffeeshop #Fossgate #York

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-23T18:02:56.621Z

ceramics Kiosk #coffee #coffeeshop #Fossgate #York

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-23T18:05:18.886Z

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Across the street from Lè Speciality to Kiosk. Cappuccino and a mince pie.

On the shelves, ceramics from a local pottery.

Local businesses support local businesses, recycle money within the local economy.

Always support local businesses, they care, are passionate about what they do.

• PHOTOS Fossgate Lè Specialty and Kiosk

It was then make my way to York Railway Station. Only I got lost. hopelessly lost, no idea where I was, or how I ended up where I was, then ended back in the city centre. My train was running late due to massive signal failure north of York, which meant I missed my connection at Doncaster. Nightmare.