Archive for December, 2025

Tipsy Teapot Lincoln

December 21, 2025

Does Lincoln really need yet another binge drinking bar? They appear as regular as clockwork every six months or so. Only a few weeks ago an Irish bar opened, opening offers, half price drinks, launching a price war. Voluntary Code of Conduct not to encourage alcohol consumption. The emphasis is on  voluntary, in other words not mandatory, no provision for enforcement.

But , why not make it a condition of Licence, mandatory compliance with Voluntary Code of Conduct? First breach, a warning, second breach closed down.  It would only take one bar closed, the rest would fall into line.

Tipsy Teapot #bar #cocktails #coffee #cocktailbar #Lincoln

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-21T00:40:41.116Z

The latest to open, Tpsy Teapot, off the High Street, a street lined with disgusting junk food takeaways. It opened the Friday before Christmas. At least that was the first time I had seen it open. For months, a sign, Opening Soon.

On Google maps Tipsy Teapot promoting excess alcohol consumption it’s all about getting gloriousl a clear breach of Drinkaware Voluntary Code of Conduct avoiding promotion of excessive drinking. @drinkaware.bsky.social #Lincoln

Walking in Moorish influence. Accident or deliberate design? No idea. No one to ask.

Owners not there, which placed the staff in an awkward embarrassing position of being unable to answer questions from their punters. 

Nothing seemed to work, no idea when will be working. Why did they not have a soft opening, identify all the problems, close, then reopen when fixed? First impressions count. Not a very good start.

Source of the coffee? Sorry, no idea. East Anglia has excellent roasteries. Should not be difficult to source excellent coffee beans.

No espresso machine. No idea when one will be installed.

No coffee. No espresso martini.

A guide to Italy. Avoid anywhere with a laminated menu, a book, seek out those with a simple hand written menu. I’ve learnt, good advice. A laminated book of gimmick cocktails.

Gimmick cocktails. Cocktails poured out of a tea pot. No lessons learnt from Tap & Tonic, did not last long. Bailiffs called in.

Focus on the classics. They are classics for a reason.

Mexican espresso martini. Espresso martini with tequila. Swapping out the vodka does not work. I’ve tried. I’ve tried rum, I’ve tried varying the ratio of rum to vodka. It does not work.

That is not to say you cannot try and improve on the classic Dick Bradsell espresso martini. I’ve tried and I have.

No decent craft beer. The crap from industrial breweries. Tied to a pubco. 

A strange contraption on the bar. I thought maybe to dispense ready mix cocktails. Yuk. No. Ready mix flavoured fizzy drinks, saves room in the fridge.

A tiny mezzanine floor, more like a pulpit in a church. For a DJ. Why a DJ? If music, I’d rather live music. If not, no music, relax with friends or relax with a drink.

I found a seat, not difficult, it was empty. I walked out, walked back in to get a feel of the place. As I walked out, I tripped down a step. 

I looked when I left. Even though I knew where it was, it nigh impossible to see. An accident  waiting to happen. It needs a spotlight either side, a narrow beam running parallel to the step to highlight its existence.

No security on the door. With gangs of marauding drunks looking for trouble, lack of security is asking for trouble.

Located off the High Street, across the street from the New Theatre Royal.

For cocktails, visit Lincoln Jazz Cafe. Expertly crafted, no low quality cheap spirits. Pleasant atmosphere. Occasional live music.

Not cocktail bars, but will be served excellent cocktails, the White Horse and Olé Olé.

A little further afield, between Lincoln and Newark, The Allotment in the village of Collingham.  During the day, The Allotment is a coffee shop serving excellent coffee and lunch. On a Saturday night Cocktail Bar.

The White Horse always has an excellent selection of craft beer, and excellent food and service.

How Facebook became shit

December 16, 2025

Facebook is a walled garden.

Facebook ranks alongside Nestlé as an evil company. Zuckerberg offered to hand Hong Kong activists to China in return for access to the Chinese market.

In the beginning was MySpace. It was a pig’s ear, a pain in the arse to use. Facebook offered a structure, it was user friendly. To help users migrate, Facebook created a bot, it would log into MySpace, scrape the data, enable communication across the platforms.

Facebook is a classic example of enshittification

  • attract users then lock them in
  • attract businesses then lock them in
  • extract maximum value from users and businesses for the benefit of executives and shareholders

Facebook profits from peddling fraud. Let that sink in. Facebook makes money by peddling ads for fraud. Welcome to the enshittocene. Facebook makes money by delivering ads from scammers. fortune.com/2025/12/15/f…#Facebook #fraud #enshittification #enshittocene

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-17T20:44:48.668Z

Meta knowingly allowed scam adverts from China. Meta profits from scam ads.

Facebook profits from peddling fraud.

Let that sink in. Facebook makes money by peddling ads for fraud.

Facebook enables harm to children and young people.

Welcome to the enshittocene. Facebook makes money by delivering ads from scammers.

Facebook steals and abuses our data, uses it to manipulate us. Fight back by reducing the value of our data.

No personal data. Overwrite with fake data, then delete a few days later.

Do not tag friends, survey, games or quiz.

Facebook is a necessary evil. But don’t post any personal information, if you have, overwrite with fake information, then delete a few days later. No tagging friends, quiz, games or surveys.

Our value to Facebook is us, our data, and the connections we make.

An example of enshittification. My followers don’t see my posts.  Facebook allows bare minimum, to prevent users from leaving. Instead, will see crap that is not wanted. For businesses, the ads are no longer targeted, and they are paying ever higher fees for those ads.

We join Facebook because the people we wish to connect with are there. The network effect. If we leave, we have to bring our friends, they have to bring their friends. We are locked in.

The network effect works both ways. If our friends leave, we have to leave because we have no one left to communicate with.

The network effect was the only reason I joined Instagram, there were people I wished to communicate with. I was reluctant to join, I’d be happy to leave. As a communication tool it is useless, I can’t communicate. I can’t post live links. That’s why you see, find the link in the bio. The walled garden in realty a prison.

I don’t want the garbage Facebook shoves in my face. Even worse, the hype for dodgy products. Fight back, comment and expose the scams.

How do we transfer ourselves and our friends to a better platform, better still an open source platform? Why one platform, why not many platforms, where we can communicate no matter what platform we are on. Not that we are in isolated silos? Is that not how the Internet used to work? Is that not how e-mail works? We can all be on different mobile networks but we can all communicate with each other.

There is no excuse for using WhatsApp.

The face of evil and corporate greed. Why does Zuckerberg always come across as a jerk? Break up Facebook, strip of Instagram and WhatsApp. http://www.instagram.com/reel/DR2w-V8…#Facebook #enshittification #fail

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-26T20:11:25.807Z

With a jerk like Zuckerberg running Facebook, it’s always going to be bad. Tipping point, when the dislike of Zuckerberg exceeds the trouble of relocating, and bringing our friends with us.

Break up Facebook. Strip Facebook of  Instagram and WhatsApp.

  • Mindfucked
  • Careless People
  • Enshittification
  • Enshittification of the Internet

Vine’s Bakery

December 14, 2025

A bakery and coffee shop on an industrial estate outside Saxilby alongside the Foss Dyke.

Vine's Bakery #bread #sourdough #croissants #bakery #Saxilby #Gainsborough #Lincoln

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-15T17:35:19.637Z

Vine's Bakery #bread #sourdough #croissants #bakery #Saxilby #Gainsborough #Lincoln

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-15T17:36:45.035Z

Lincolnshire wildflower honey Vine's Bakery #bread #sourdough #croissants #bakery #Saxilby #Gainsborough #Lincoln #honey

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-15T17:39:44.789Z

takeaway coffee Vine's Bakery #bread #sourdough #croissants #bakery #Saxilby #Gainsborough #Lincoln #honey

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-15T17:43:54.906Z

No one about. Maybe because the chalkboard at the entrance to the industrial estate said closed at one, Google Maps said 1-30. Google Maps was correct.

Wild Lincolnshire honey, bread, baked goods and coffee.

Hot tip: Fermented garlic and honey. Peel fresh garlic cloves. Drop in the runny honey, jar half to two thirds full of honey. Ensure the garlic is covered. Leave for a about a week. Flip the jar every day to ensure the garlic is covered in honey.  Bubbles indicate fermentation in action. Occasionally slightly unscrew the lid to release the build up of gases. Garlic is high in microbes. Use raw honey, not cheap crap supermarket honey of unknown origin. Eat the garlic. Use the honey as a glaze on meat. Blitz the honey and garlic, use as a dip or salad dressing.

Fermented garlic and honey is a natural remedy known for boosting immunity, supporting heart health, improving digestion, and fighting inflammation due to enhanced probiotic and prebiotic action, antimicrobial compounds (allicin in garlic, antioxidants in honey), and easier digestion of garlic. The fermentation process makes garlic more palatable and potent, creating a potent, edible condiment that strengthens the gut microbiome and delivers powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits, excellent for the winter cold and flu season. 

An almond croissant for later, a sourdough loaf.

I was not going to have a drink, then changed my mind. It was awful, cheap unpleasant tasting coffee. I left after one sip. It left a vile taste in my mouth. On Facebook, Lincoln Tea and Coffee, which explains a lot, why it was undrinkable, ranks as one of the worst coffees available. Cheap low quality coffee for greasy spoon cafes. Vines Bakery should do better. 

These days spoilt for choice for excellent coffee.

Try

  • Outpost Coffee
  • Cartwheel Coffee
  • Cuppers Choice
  • Cromford Coffee
  • Two Chimps
  • The Blending Room
  • Dark Woods

Very helpful young lady behind the counter. An asset to any business.

How long the sourdough left to proof, to ferment? 12 hours in the fridge. This does not sound right. 24 hours, 36 hours, 48 hours.

I learnt Vines had opened a shop on Steep Hill. I passed it later, walking down Steep Hill from Bailgate. Only open until one. Had I known, I would have ended up at Bailgate, I would have picked up a Wellbeck sourdough loaf from Bailgate Deli.

Hot tip: Following advice from Effy, almond croissant placed in an oven five minutes fan oven 150C. OMG it was good. Beats an almond croissant from Grain of Truth Bakery into a cocked hat. Though to be fair, I’ve never popped into an oven. Their baked goods very poor, and now on offer in The Cheese Society have resorted to gimmicks, which if nothing else is a sign of desperation. Nothing compares with baked goods from Effy.

The sourdough bread was excellent.

Never buy Jason’s hyped plastic shrink wrapped sourdough from a supermarket. Look at the long list of ingredients.

Let down by the vile tasting undrinkable coffee.

Saxilby lies halfway between Lincoln and Gainsborough.

Liberty Slice

December 13, 2025

Not my choice, a takeaway, last Saturday night, gangs of drunks roaming the streets.

Join the queues outside the hatch.

The queues were for the bar next door.

I watched being made, asked questions.

To my pleasant surprise, excellent pizza. Crispy base. The best pizza in Lincoln. Liberty Slice has knocked Slow Rise off the top spot, which they have occupied since they opended.

New York pizza.

Passing by early afternoon today, I thanked for an excellent pizza last Saturday night. We remember you from last Saturday night. Intelligent questions? Yes.

Hot tip: Do not add anything onto a pizza. Absolute no no. Enjoy the pizza. Toppings are like chocolate added to a cappuccino, to mask a poor quality product.

Lincoln is a food swamp: corporate chain eateries serving crap, disgusting junk food takeaways and binge drinking bars. Venues worth frequenting are rare, but worth it once found.

Cocktail Bar The Allotment Collingham

December 13, 2025

Saturday evening last week, pleasantly surprised to find The Allotment open, busy, packed.

During the day an excellent coffee shop ,  Saturday evening it turns into a cocktail bar.

Cocktail Bar The Allotment #cocktails #coffee #coffeeshop #Collingham #Lincoln #Newark

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-09T22:54:33.766Z

A knowledgeable bartender mixing the cocktails. Quality, not the cheap rubbish find in pubs and binge drinking bars. Lincoln Jazz Cafe a rare exception.

Very limited choice. Though I’d rather have a limited choice, than a large choice clueless on  how to make. Though I’m sure, would make if asked.

I recommended

  • Dicktales – Dick Bradsell

Dick Bradsell created the espresso martini, the London cocktail scene.

I also recommended follow Dan Fellows, UK world champion coffee in good spirits for two years running.

My version of the espresso martin, a slight variant of that by Dan Fellows, we both independently arrived at an updated espresso martini.

Why busy? People don’t like pubs. Cocktail Bar The Allotment, pleasant atmosphere, pleasant staff.

We hear a lot of whining from failing hospitality, pleas for special treatment, tax concession, government bailouts and handouts. They are failing because they are crap. The places where they care, focus on quality, passion about what they are doing, understand customer service, are not failing,

Collingham is located midway between Lincoln and Newark. A very dangerous junction on the A46, a death trap. It should be closed, a roundabout. Turn off before Collingham and take the country lanes.

EMR 1735 Nottingham to Lincoln nightmare

December 11, 2025

Wednesday last week a nightmare. 1735 over crowded two coach Nottingham to Lincoln train never left the station.

Distorted announcements on the train.

A train on the line. Novel. A change from leaves on the line or wrong kind of snow.

Passengers for Newark advised to change to 1800 train. If nothing else alerted passengers unlikely to be leaving before 1800.

Passengers for Lincoln advised to catch a taxi.

Passengers for Lincoln advised to catch 1852 train to Newark, replacement bus service to Lincoln. I decided to wait, leave until last ten minutes, see what updates.

Advised to leave the train. Speak to staff on the platform. Catch next train. Which did not turn up. No station staff. I tried to speak to one man. ignored me, hops onto the train, shuts the door in my face.

With minutes to spare, advised catch 1852 to Newark.

1852 delayed. Several minutes late. There will be no replacement bus. Catch a taxi.

Told by guard, he will have more information at Newark, remain on the train. Newark, a man walked through the train, ordered everyone off the train.

Passengers abandoned at Newark. Find their own way home.

At Lincoln Central, replacement bus service.

No protocols in place, no contingency plans.

What happened Wednesday evening last week, not a one off.

Amazon is screwing us

December 9, 2025

And it’s not only Amazon.

Delivery riders, granting access to your customers, then dark kitchens undercut, target your customers.

TripAdvisor, trolls,  fake reviews. Pay a fee, bumped up the rankings.

Trust Pilot, 1* reviews are deleted. 1* review, swamped by five 5* reviews.

Hotel booking websites, take a higher percentage of your booking, bumped up the rankings.

Amazon is not the best on price. Where it beats nearly everyone, is service. Next day delivery. No quibble replacement of faulty goods. Or it once did.

Where they fail, worker exploitation, avoiding tax.

Having locked in buyers and sellers, we now enter the enshittocene.

Who pays for the ‘free’ delivery? There is no such thing as a free lunch. Sellers pay Amazon more than they’d pay a logistic company for the same delivery. This subsidizes Amazon ‘free’ delivery.

Search for a product. The best products, the cheapest, will not top the list. Paid for by the seller, or they are Amazon products. Amazon knows what sells. Poor quality knock offs from a sweatshop factory. The bargains, the better quality, are a long way down the search list.

Black Friday, I decided to check out Timemore for coffee scales. A reduction, but I had to pay postage. I then checked Amazon, the list was topped by companies I’d never heard of. Imagine if I was searching for coffee scales, not specifically Timemore?

Amazon dictates the price the sellers can sell elsewhere. This pushes up prices elsewhere.

Amazon takes 45 to 51 cents of every dollar a seller makes.

Amazon is laying off workers to invest in AI.

Introduce a 2% Big Tech revenue tax.

Introduce a wealth tax.

Break up Amazon.

  • Enshitfication – Cory Doctorow
  • Enshitfication of the Internet

Sellers are taking class action against Amazon.

Third party class action has been filed by sellers against Amazon. http://www.facebook.com/share/1GApSp…#Amazon

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-15T19:58:40.477Z

Effy Dak Passion Twist espresso

December 9, 2025

Vibe was packed, Effy was packed.

No baked goods, no mince pies, too late.

Espresso please. House blend. No you choose.

Tasting notes. Strange undertones. Pineapple and lychee? I was not too far off. Passion fruit.

Dak Passion Twist Hula Colombia, passion fruit, strawberry, floral.

Espresso £6-00, beans £24.

Nottingham Christmas Market

December 9, 2025

Located in Old Market Square, tat and junk food. Best avoided.

Nottingham Christmas Market Old Market Square tat and junk food #Nottingham

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-09T17:07:23.377Z

Nottingham Christmas Market Old Market Square tat and junk food #Nottingham

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-09T17:01:20.509Z

Nottingham Christmas Market Old Market Square tat and junk food #Nottingham

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-09T16:21:43.891Z

Walking through Wednesday last week, a slight detour enroute to Effy from Vibe, few people aound, swarming with pivate. security. The week before, armed police with semi-automatic weapons.

Unlike local businesses, no business rates, no BID Levy. No contribution to local society.

Nottingham Christmas Market Old Market Square tat and junk food #NottinghamLaughable. Gourmet Coffee. Meaningless. Used to be claimed specialty coffee. Open to moisture. Oxidised. Buy from local coffee shops – Vibe- Cosmos – Effy#coffee #ShopLocal

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-08T21:54:59.172Z

Two cheese stalls. One claimed to be award winning, but when asked. does not know what awards.

For cheese, visit The Cheese Shop in Flying Horse Walk.

Nottingham Christmas Market Old Market Square tat and junk food #NottinghamLaughable. Gourmet Coffee. Meaningless. Used to be claimed specialty coffee. Open to moisture. Oxidised. Buy from local coffee shops – Vibe- Cosmos – Effy#coffee #ShopLocal

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-08T21:54:59.172Z

A coffee stall. Coffee beans open to the air,  picking up moisture, oxidised,  stale,  flavoured beans, The stall used to claim specialty coffee. Now claims gourmet coffee. Meaningless.

Buy from local coffee shops, specialty coffee,freshly roasted beans. Spoiled for choice  in Nottingham.

– Vibe
– Cosmos
– Effy

Support local businesses, not stalls selling tat and junk food. Shop local.

.

Hotel Chocolat Victoria Retail Park

December 8, 2025

A srange location for Hotel Chocolat, shop and cafe on a retail park on the outskirts of Nottingham.

And no it’s not up market, any more then Gail’s is an up market bakery.

Hotel Chocolat Victoria Retail Park #chocolate #Nottingham

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-08T16:13:59.457Z

Hotel Chocolat Victoria Retail Park #chocolate #Nottingham

Keith Parkins (@keithpp.bsky.social) 2025-12-08T16:15:35.445Z

Overpriced, over packaged chocolate, marginally better than Cadbury’s. Check out the ingredients for emulsifiers. 

Owned by Mars who make 80% of the chocolate.

No longer can buy three bars of chocolate at a reduced price. Now a big discount for loyalty card.

I tried cold hot chocolate on ice with a shot of espresso. Ok, not great.

Whipped chocolate, looked good, but tasted disgusting.

Retail park on the outskirts of Nottingham. TK Max, a massive B&M, M&S.

Good argument for these retail parks to be charged higher business rates, then reduced for city centres.  And abolish the BIDs.

For quality chocolate, Luisa’s Chocolate in Sneinton Market or Darkroom Chocolate in Effy in Hockley.


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