The ground used to shake in St Benedict’s Square when The Lincolnshire Echo rolled off the printing press, a daily local paper, several editions during the day, Final had the national news the dailies would cover the following morning, a special sport edition at the weekend, vendors on street corners.
The Echo as known locally a pale shadow of its once former self, a single edition published once a week, stale news, staler that what we once used to wrap our fish n chips in, the one remaining vendor on the High Street long gone, its on-line version Lincolnshire Live, drivel, regurgitation of corporate press releases masquerading as news, click bait, not a clue how to use social media. No in-depth reporting, no investigative journalism, no holding local government to account. This is left to locals with no resources. One of many failed or failing local newspapers now breathing its last gasp.
If we look at last week’s edition, it is easy to see why no one reads let alone buys.
For months The Echo has been demonising the homeless, rather than taking to task the local council for failing to help. And help is not moving them on.
The Street and Steep Hill, many failing if not failed businesses, many do not even bother to open, tea shops that close when tourists are around but open when not, too many run of the mill tea shops chasing the nonexistent tourist pound, shops selling tat.
But what we learn is a popular shop that was rarely open and hardly surprising when open not busy is to close. Any one passing by has known this for weeks.
And this is the same story of a few weeks ago of a soap shop, a popular shop closing for lack of customers.
Spot the oxymoron, popular shop closing for lack of customers.
Maybe the scribblers have a different definition of popular to that in common use.
Little more than click bait, opening of a new Boots store a boost to the High Street. Er no, Boots is relocating to across the street.
No explanation of why Boots is relocating to across the street? A question any competent journalist would have asked. Difference in rent, end of lease? Will the other smaller Boots stores in town close and relocate to one store? No mention of Boots a major tax dodger, or that the only reason BHS closed was theft from BHS pension fund, rogue tax dodger Philip Greed.
A game of Pass the Parcel, Musical Chairs, one large empty unit relocates from one side of the street to the other side of the street.
Makes not a jot of difference to the High Street, there is still one large empty unit.
When writing of coffee it helps to know something of coffee. What has been written of 200 Degrees smacks of hype, ignorance and regurgitation of a press release.
200 Degrees is a chain, albeit a small chain, with a reputation for serving mediocre coffee. Better than the large corporate chains but not in the same league as local indie coffee shops Coffee Aroma and Madame Waffle.
No there is not a garden courtyard. There is a back yard, as yet unfinished.
A specialty coffee shop does not serve coffee blended with cheap nasty robusta.
Why poach staff from other coffee shops if host a barista training school? No qualified trainer for the training school.
Sincil Street is not being redeveloped it is being trashed, local Coop and Council in cahoots. Why is this not being questioned?
Why no questioning of the levy on all businesses to support Lincoln BIG, controlled by Big Business, unaccountable to local businesses, the money then squandered, no benefit to local businesses. A levy few can afford.
Why no questioning of Visit Lincoln acting as a quasi PR agency, paid to promote corporate chains?
No questioning of the incestuous relationship between local Coop, corporate chains, local Council and Lincoln BIG.
The Lincolnite little better not an echo, regurgitation of press releases masquerading as news, drivel, click bait.
Bailagte Independent, glossy packed with ads freebie monthly. What little content there is reads as advertising copy without the warning. A shocking waste of trees.
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