Lincoln Varsity is currently undergoing a major £230,000 refurbishment after the bar was taken over by new owners.

Stonegate Pub Company, a brand which owns venues such as the Slug and Lettuce, Scream and Yates, bought Varsity on Guildhall Street from Bramwell.

As part of the new ownership, it has decided to update the look inside and outside and rebrand it as The Mailbox.

The bar closed May 26 in order to prepare for the new look and name.

The Mailbox will open again at 7pm on June 12, with entertainment including cheerleaders, parkour, singers, caricaturists and magicians.

The menu and drinks on offer will also change, instead offering an American themed food menu and more cocktails and world beers.

There will be five regularly rotating craft beers on tap and three cask beers also be available.

The pub will open at 8am, seven days a week, until midnight every night except Friday and Saturday, when it will open until 1am.

Varsity sales manager, Georgia Cartwright, said: “Varsity has been well and truly loved by its customers, and was desperately on need of a refurbishment.

“We will be very different from what we are now. It will be light, bright, airy and modern with many personal touches that will definitely set us as one of the high end bars and restaurants in Lincoln.

“More TVs/projectors and better sound for sport, a delicious American style menu with chilli dogs and pulled pork burgers, a wide range of cocktails, craft beers and world lagers including local ones and live music every Friday.”

General manager Matthew Picker added: “The Mailbox will become the must attend venue for all students and like minded customers.

“We are opening in time for England’s first World Cup match and customers can enjoy the sport in our new venue.

The new bar is also recruiting 12 more staff; to join the team by sending a CV to RMcCuskerMailbox@gmail.com.

The organisation which promotes and supports growth in Lincoln city centre has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award.

Lincoln BIG is just one of five to be shortlisted for the award of the best business improvement district (BID) in the country.

The award recognises organisations which have delivered innovative projects and real economic benefits to their town or city.

There are 175 BIDs in the UK and all are eligible for entry into the awards run by the national Association of Town and City Management (ATCM).

Lincoln will be up against entries from Falkirk, High Wycombe, Hammersmith and Norwich and the winner will be announced at a special awards dinner at the ATCM annual Summer School in Dundee on June 26.

Lincoln BIG’s entry highlighted the success of the group in generating external funding to deliver city centre projects, with funding increasing from £225,000 at the start of the first Lincoln BID in 2004, to £1.2m in 2014.

Lincoln BIG has generated income from a multitude of sources including European Funds, The Lottery, Arts Council England, sponsorship, commercial services, membership services and retail sales through the Visitor Information Centre.

Lincoln BIG Chief Executive, Matt Corrigan, said: “We are thrilled to even be considered in the top five BID organisations across the UK.

“It is fantastic for the staff and the board to get recognition for the hard work and success that we have delivered to the city.

“But more importantly it is another significant step in raising the profile of our fantastic city and that can only have a positive influence on the development of our economy.”

Martin Blackwell, CEO of ATCM said: “Partnerships come in many shapes and sizes, but the underlying truth is that communities are stronger when people with ambition, talent and a love for their local area come together to make a difference.”

A new ‘affordable’ gym is being constructed on Nettleham Road in Lincoln, and is due to be completed in August.

Chartered Surveyors Hodgson Elkington concluded negotiations for the development of the national gym operator Fit 4 Less.

The Fit 4 Less chain offer monthly membership from £14.99 per month, with no contract options.

Land owners and developers Taylor Lindsey are letting the premises to the gym brand, which is part of British fitness franchise, the énergie group.

Adrian Bower of Taylor Lindsey said: “The Fit 4 Less project is the latest phase on our Roman Gate development on Nettleham Road.

“We are in discussions with other interested parties for the site and look forward to making further announcements in the near future.”

The gym will be run by local franchisee, Michael Culshaw, who said: “I am delighted to be able to offer a new gym to the people of Lincoln.

“We hope to be opening the gym to the public from September this year and will be launching our own website from June to keep everyone updated.”

Dan Race, Partner at Hodgson Elkington, who negotiated the deal, added: “We are very pleased to have secured Fit 4 Less for Roman Gate, there are a number of gyms to the South West of Lincoln but this will provide a very useful facility for people living in the North of the city and the villages beyond.”

Lincoln design firm Ruddocks launched a new garden and outdoor function space with the help of four local schools.

The garden is based at the company’s premises at Great Northern Terrace, and was designed with the help of 21 pupils from Manor Leas Junior Academy, Fosse Way Academy, All Saints C of E Primary and Ling Moor Academy.

All 21 children were invited to a special launch event on June 5 to see their designs in real life and get some hands-on gardening experience.

The chosen pupils took part in activities such as pond making, creating a bug hotel, planting seeds and painting pots and creating bird feeders.

Once finished, the garden will be maintained by the staff at Ruddocks, which also gives them access to fruit and vegetables as well as an area to hold meetings and have lunch.

They will also be donating any excess produce to local charities such as Lincolnshire Food Larder.

Verity Stephenson, Project Manager at Ruddocks, said: “We had overgrown land that was being wasted and we thought it would be great to work with local schools to help shape something practical that would be around for years to come, benefiting our staff and encouraging wildlife.

“The response from the pupils was fantastic, in total we had over 250 designs submitted and the quality was so good that we took elements from 21 ideas to form one ultimate garden.”

Ruddocks also thanked Doddington Hall, Turnbulls, Diane Easton, Sinclair’s, Stumpbusters and many more who donated time and resources to the garden.

Mary Brown, a Teacher at Manor Leas Junior Academy added: “It was a great opportunity to mix with other schools and get out and do something different.

“The pupils enjoyed creating their designs and then trying out the different activities that all contributed to transforming an unused area into a practical garden which is great for wildlife and encourages a better environment”

Grants of up to £15,000 are now on offer in Lincoln to help voluntary and community groups support the city’s unemployed.

The second round of the ESF Community Grants Fund launched on June 2, managed by Futures Advice Skills & Employment and funded by the Skills Funding Agency and the European Social Fund.

The grants aim to help groups reach out and help those struggling or “hard to reach” in the labour market around the city and county.

Grants of between £5,000 and £15,000 are available to support different activities.

Activities accepted include:

• Initial help with basic skills
• Taster work experience including voluntary work
• Training, advice and counselling
• Confidence building
• Job search assistance including the provision of equipment and other help necessary to secure employment

The first round was in February, with 169 applications from across the East Midlands.

Sarah Bull from Futures said: “We were really pleased with the response to the first round and in total we have already allocated over £172,000 to groups across the East Midlands.

“We are looking forward to receiving even more applications in the next round and interested groups and organisations can find out more from our website.”

Groups can request an application pack before June 20 by emailing comm.grant.apply@futuresadvice.co.uk.

Applications must be returned to Futures by Friday, June 27.

There will also be a Futures event Lincoln Voluntary Centre Services on Tentercroft Street, Lincoln, on June 12 between 11am and 12.30pm to discuss the funding available.

The University of Lincoln will transfer the management of Engine Shed and Tower Bar to the Students’ Union in order to “improve student experience”.

All permanent staff at both venues will remain as part of the venture.

Any profit made from the venues will now be directly invested into improving the student experience, such as expanding support on academic issues and improving volunteering and activities.

The management transfer idea came after market research from an external organisation showed that students wanted more student-led social spaces and activities.

The announcement follows a recent managerial transfer to the SU of popular student bar The Shed in January.

James Brooks, CEO of the Lincoln Students’ Union, said: “I am really pleased that Lincoln students will have a venue that they can call their own where they will have a real say over what events and activities take place within it.

“The student experience at Lincoln is something that we pride ourselves upon and this can only enhance that further. All permanent staff employed at the venues will be part of this exciting new venture.”

Lincolnshire Trading Standards have confirmed that they are investigating a complaint about the alcohol served by the operators of the Tokyo nightclub on Silver Street in Lincoln.

The consumer rights service is looking into allegations that a representative of the owner was seen topping up premium branded spirit bottles with cheaper spirits.

The allegation was reported by bar staff at the venue to Lincolnshire County Council’s Trading Standards team on June 2.

The lease of the business was taken over from Tokyo Industries Limited by local man Darren Smith in October 2013 and the nightclub is currently managed by Diva Leisure Limited.

Darren Smith did not reply to a request for comment from The Lincolnite.

A spokesman for Lincolnshire Trading Standards said: “We can confirm that we have received a complaint about the alcohol being served in a night club on Silver Street, and we are looking into the matter.”

Tokyo Lincoln has not been open for trade since the complaint was reported.

The University of Lincoln Students’ Union will implement a new admission policy for non-students after taking over management of the on-campus Tower Bar.

The University will transfer management of the bar and the popular Engine Shed venue to the SU in August in a bid to “improve student experience”.

Among changes enforced as a result, members of the public will only be able to gain entry to the Tower Bar if signed in by students starting September.

The SU said in a statement: “The change of management doesn’t mean the venues will be student-only.

“Members of the public will still be able to attend live music and comedy gigs at the Engine Shed, as they always have done.

“We will be introducing more student-focussed events though and we plan to make some changes to the admission policy at the Tower Bar, which would mean guests being signed in by students.

“Many student venues operate on this basis and it’s something our students have told us is important to them.

“There won’t be any changes until September and we’ll make sure our customers know well in advance.”

Lincoln’s four-times paralympic medalist Jade Etherington will meet with county businesses at this year’s Lincolnshire Show.

Jade will make a special guest appearance at the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce’s annual Lincolnshire Show lunch on June 19.

She will also visit around on the second day of the show.

The visually-impaired Alpine Skier, who is one of Britain’s greatest winter Paralympians will be doing a question and answer session with Lincolnshire Chamber members about the continual commitment, drive and passion that was required to achieve her ambitions.

Tickets are available through a new hospitality package. The package also includes exclusive access to the Hospitality Marquee, a wine reception and a two course lunch and coffee with some of the best views across the main ring.

Simon Beardsley, Chief Executive at Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce said: “We are delighted that Jade Etherington will be joining us and we look forward to welcoming her to our exclusive lunch.

“Being a Paralympic champion takes drive, ambition and determination, and I think Jade’s story will inspire us to think differently about how we can achieve our business and personal life goals.”

The Chamber’s corporate hospitality ticket includes entry to the show on Thursday , June 19, and exclusive access to the Hospitality Marquee from 11.30am – 3pm.

Tickets cost £45+vat, which includes entrance to the Show. After lunch guests can spend the afternoon exploring the rest of the Showground.

Businesses can book tickets by calling 01522 846922 or emailing Marie.Pritchett@lincs-chamber.co.uk.

Find out more about the 130th Lincolnshire Show from our story here.

Developers have been granted planning approval to extend Valentine Park South off Tritton Road in Lincoln.

Lincoln-based Castle Square Developments obtained consent for a new 12,000 sq ft unit attached to the left of The Range.

Valentine Park South is already home to The Range and Wren Living and is located next to Valentine Retail Park, which is home to Next, TK Maxx and Asda Living.

The new unit will have 8,000 sq ft of ground floor space, which could be increased to 12,000 sq-ft with the installation of a mezzanine floor if required.

Chartered Surveyor Banks Long & Co, which represents the developers, hopes the new unit would attract a high profile retailer to the city.

Banks Long & Co Surveyor Tom Strawson said: “We feel that the timing of obtaining the consent is appropriate, as there are certainly signs to suggest that the market has turned a corner.

“We are already in discussion with a number of high profile operators and hope to be able to make an exciting announcement in the near future.”

Castle Square Developments Director John Lockwood said: “We are confident that we will be able to generate some strong early interest in the unit, considering the strength of this location and the past success we have enjoyed with both Valentine Park developments.”

A Lincoln entrepreneur has opened a second-hand wedding and occasion dress shop in Lincoln.

Vicki Lamming from Lincoln opened her start-up business with the help of the Prince’s Trust Enterprise Programme, on a budget of just £3,000.

The Bridal Room opened its doors on June 7 and has been gaining a large following on its Facebook page since.

The shop opening even saw Vicki’s mum Deborah Swan handing out leaflets on Lincoln High Street while modelling one of the dresses.

Vicki says online browsing is not how dress shopping should be done, and is encouraging people to visit the shop in The Mall on upper High Street.

From her small dressing-room-style shop, Vicki is accepting dresses that are less than three years old or in good to pristine condition and selling them for half the bought price.

She said: “During my course with the Price’s Trust I conducted a lot of market research. I joined Facebook groups and conducted surveys in order to way up the demand for this kind of market.

“A lot of people were looking for advice, and a lot of people’s budget for a wedding dress was £500. I have only got two dresses over that amount so for the majority of people it’s an affordable alternative.

“With the climate the way it is, people are looking for more ways to save money.

“I surveyed people in Lincoln and 73% of those who completed it said they were more likely to buy second hand dresses if there was a physical shop they could go in to for advice.

“I bought my dress second-hand. I found it on one of the sites online and I had to go to a woman’s house and watch her break down in tears because she had to part with it and didn’t really want to sell it.

“This way, customers can come in for advice and try on the dress without the interaction of parting someone from their beloved keepsake. That part is already over.

“For anyone wanting to make some money and some space in the wardrobe, I’m not too strict on what I take. If it’s in good condition and I can sell it I will take it. I have a dress that is 15 year’s old and the detail in it is faultless.

“The great thing about ‘old’ dresses is they will always make a comeback.

“I also have brand new dresses that people are selling because they decided on another at the last minute.

“I believe I am the only second-hand wedding dress shop in Lincoln, and I have big plans for the future. I couldn’t have done all this without the help of my friends and family.”

The former Varsity bar on Guildhall Street in Lincoln has reopened after a £230,000 refurbishment and rebrand as The Mailbox – and The Lincolnite went on a first-look tour.

Stonegate Pub Company, a brand which also owns Slug and Lettuce, Scream and Yates, took on ownership of the business from Bramwell.

Varsity closed on May 26 for the refurb and restarted trading as The Mailbox on June 12. The building housing the venue used to be a post office.

As previously reported, the new menu offers American-style food, various cocktails and beers from around the world, including five regularly rotating craft beers on tap.

The layout includes an outdoor beer garden, a downstairs sports zone and curved bar.

Sales Manager, Georgia Cartwright, said: “We are anticipating the bar to be one of the most popular in Lincoln and to be right up there with competitors.

“We are offering unique facilities and the investment in technology here will make it like no other. For example, we’ve got super-fast WiFi installed, free charging points and even free phone chargers behind the bar.

“We also have a free printing service for those working from the WiFi. Customers just need to collect their prints from behind the bar.

“The feel of the bar is totally interactive and a real communal space. We even have a Virtual Juke Box app where you can request the next song on the playlist.”

“We hosted a trial day on June 11″, said Georgia. “Everything went smoothly. We were fully booked and serving around 60 people per hour.

“Based on trial service so far, the most popular thing on the menu has to be the pulled pork. Our special trays and sharers are also delicious.

“We are all really excited to crack on with our future plans and have really been enjoying the training process. We have been visiting breweries and taking special mixology classes too.”

New owners have hired 6 new members of staff are are still recruiting. To join the team, you can send your CV to RMcCuskerMailbox@gmail.com.

Work is underway on the second Aldi supermarket store on Newark Road, Lincoln after a multi-million pound investment.

The new shop, on the former site of Ready Rent a Car, will open for business on October 2, 2014.

The store development, which covers 990 square metres of sales space, has created 40 new jobs in the area, with recruitment currently ongoing.

Staff training has also begun from the Aldi store on Wragby Road.

A 75-space car park is being constructed, and the store will be open between 8am and 10pm between Mondays and Saturdays, and 10am until 4pm on Sundays.

Property Director, Mark Taylor, said: “Works are progressing extremely well on the second store for Lincoln.

“Aldi are excited about the opening of their new store and the ability to offer residents of Newark road and the surrounding areas fresh fruit and vegetables daily, at a significantly lower price than other mainstream supermarkets.

“The consultation for the planning application back last year went extremely well and was very well supported.”

The German supermarket chain has over 8,000 stores worldwide, 400 of which are based in the UK.

Three Lincoln locals want to raise £50,000 in funding in order to launch an international brewing project in Lincoln.

The campaign, set up by Lee Thomas (28), James Fenwick-Smith (27) and James Hoy (28), aims to bring a brewing project of international scale to the city, and everything will be run by the public.

The Crowd Brewing Company would see a ‘crowd’ of business owners handling control of decisions from the style of beer to brew to the way it’s packaged and marketed over to an online community.

In addition to gaining managerial control of the business, lifetime membership (which costs a minimum £20 donation) will run on a funding for reward basis and perks are in the pipeline.

The entrepreneurial trio say that the project has been two years in the making and they have already managed to finance the fermentation vessels and a building big enough to produce 2,500 litres.

They have allocated 35 days in order to make the project a reality and will return any donations to the contributors should the target not be met in time for the deadline.

Organiser Lee Thomas said: “We have planned meticulously not only for brewing but also how to create the best possible platform for the crowd to engage with the brewery.

“The online community will have 24/7 access to all the brewery’s information as well as live video streams so that people can engage wherever they are in the world.

“The decisions of the crowd will ultimately decide the success or failure of a real world business.”

Lee added that while the three owners have a passion for brewing and producing a local success, their skills are a mixed bag of marketing and business.

“The three of us come from different backgrounds in terms of our education and training. Namely IT, production, business and marketing.

“So we have poached an experience brewer from an existing brewery outside of the county who will join us when the funding campaign is successful.

“We also have a host of contacts in the industry who have been vital in getting us to where we are now and will play a part in helping us move forward.

“Lincoln is bang on trend in taking up the excellent real ales and craft beers produced locally.

“We already have some great brewers in and around Lincoln and we hope that this project in allowing people to get more involved with the brewing industry will encourage people to not only try the great beers they help create through Crowd Brewing Company but also try more local beers as well.”

A Lincoln entrepreneur has achieved a lifelong ambition of starting his own shipping company in the city centre.

Clive Jenkins has opened the doors of a specialist packing and shipping firm, Pack & Send, which is based at 4 Newland.

The firm provides services for both personal and business customers, and specialises in delivering both fragile, valuable and expensive items around the globe.

The UK franchise will deliver items from musical instruments and medical equipment, to prams and even taxidermy collectables.

Clive set up the first Lincoln branch of the established international firm after securing a loan with Natwest, through the government-backed Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme.

The investment enabled Clive to complete renovation and cosmetic works to premises in Lincoln and also take on a full-time member of staff.

Clive said: “It’s certainly a challenge setting up a business from scratch, but having the freedom and flexibility to make decisions and steer the business in the direction I want is well worth it.”

Frances Simpson, local relationship manager for NatWest, added: “It is a pleasure to have supported Clive on his journey to becoming a business owner. I wish him every success in this new venture and look forward to watching the business flourish.”

Lincolnshire has seen a significant rise in the income tourism brings into the county, according to new figures by Visit England.

In 2013, tourism brought nearly £1.2 billion into the county — a 23% rise since 2009.

Over 18 million people visited Lincolnshire last year, which a 6% increase on 2012.

This also helped lead to a 5% rise in the number of people working in tourism industry, with 18,688 full time equivalents now employed in the sector.

Councillor Colin Davie, Executive Member for Tourism, said: “Tourism is a key industry for Lincolnshire’s economy, and we’re working hard to attract even more visitors.

“These figures show that our efforts, and those of our partners, are paying dividends. Importantly, we’re not just bringing more people into the county, but we’re also encouraging them to stay for longer.

“I’m confident this trend will continue, and that next year’s figures will be even better as we celebrate the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta and re-open the newly-refurbished Lincoln Castle.”

A pub in the east of Lincoln has won the top CAMRA accolade in the county, the Lincolnshire Pub of the Year award.

The Dog and Bone pub on John Street won the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) award after judges visited the local CAMRA branches’ top picks to choose an overall county winner.

Judges were looking at quality of the beer, atmosphere, service, community focus and value for money.

The Dog and Bone fought off competition from the Half Moon in Willingham by Stow, the Malt Shovel in Scunthorpe, the Nobody Inn in Grantham, Brown Cow, Louth, and Nottingham House, Cleethorpes.

The pub is run by landlords Chris and Sarah Sorrell, who took over the premises in February 2013.

They’ve made a number of changes since taking it on, such as turning a storage area into a small beer garden, plus a number of activity events for the locals, like a walking group, jam sessions, a craft group, art exhibitions and cook-offs.

Lincoln CAMRA secretary, Steve Renshaw, said: “I recently described the Dog and Bone as Lincoln’s best kept secret but, with these awards, landlords Chris and Sarah Sorrell are now getting the recognition they deserve.”

The pub will now progress to CAMRA’s regional heat of the competition, against pubs from Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Rutland.

A new two-week academy for students, promoting the range of career opportunities in the offshore wind industry, will engage University of Lincoln students and ambassadors from Lincoln Siemens.

The Norstec Academy will select 20 students from universities and further education colleges to tour sites and companies across the country, as well as provide insight from industry professionals.

UK students will be chosen based on competition responses to the question: “What inspires you most about the offshore renewables industry?”

Norstec was set up in 2012 by PM David Cameron in order to promote the benefits of offshore wind in the UK and Northern Europe.

The organisation has over 150 signatories, including Siemens and a wide range of commercial, NGO and academic partners.

As part of the industry carousel, the pilot academy scheme has enlisted the skills of University of Lincoln journalism students Ben Staff (third year student) and recent graduate Dan Brown.

The pair will document student voices and experiences with a City University London student throughout the tour with film, blog posts and social media, and gaining their own unique insights.

Dan Brown said: “This opportunity really stood out to be not because it’s something I knew a lot about but because I was curious to learn about the engineering.

“This experience will be so valuable and totally different from anything I have been doing at university it’s really and there is a lot of responsibility involved with major companies like Siemens.

“Most people like me don’t know much about the industry so it’s important that there is a space in the media to inform people about sustainable energy.

“I’ll be filming the tours and producing a documentary”

Ben Staff said: “There has always been an interest for me because my dad worked in a power station for 30 years so I can apply my knowledge from his perspective and now compare through my writing.

“We are at the forefront of the energy crisis and I think the best way to get that message across is through publicity and journalism.”

Student Ambassador from Siemens Audrey Bowie, who completed a placement at Lincoln Siemens, added: “The most important thing for me is to give young people an awareness of the industry. It’s a really exciting career to get in to.

“I think people have various views on wind farms. For me a wind farm is much more attractive than say electricity pilons and there are a lot of myths about the efficiency of wind farms so education and information through the media is so important.”

Chair of the Lincoln Siemens Communications and Outreach Group, Rachel Odams, has been driving the skills initiative.

She said: “We are piloting this in the UK and we have had applications from other Northern European countries too.

“In every sense this is a viral campaign, not only with social media but we will also be using our networks and the media.

“The UK is the biggest market in the world for offshore wind, it is by far the windiest place in the whole of Europe.

You can follow the industry carousel tours with the hashtag #NorstecAcadmy, or on the Facebook page.

Siemens Lincoln is celebrating its role in encouraging women to take up a career in the engineering industry and promoting future job opportunities with the re-launch of a Females into Industry Challenge.

The challenge, which started in 2003, was set up in order to tackle the claim from Engineering UK that upwards of 1.5 million engineers will be required over the next decade.

Entry Level Talent Manager at Siemens Angela Borman, who leads the challenge, said: “I believe businesses in Lincolnshire aren’t actively encouraging females to consider engineering as a career and I think that is 50% of the population that’s not being tapped into.

“Whether it’s through schools or publicity, firms and SMEs it should be portraying that this is not a male orientated industry any more.

“One other thing that remains important to remember is that there is no age barrier to being an apprentice. Just in the same way we need to eliminate gender imbalances, there should be no set age limit. The criteria for being a good engineer is passion.”

Val Andrews (40) who completed a scholarship scheme after returning to the industry said: “I juggled my university studies with running a family and, because of my age, I was aware that I needed to have some sort of industry experience or look for a way into the industry.

“For me the University of Lincoln was the best place to be because it has such strong links with Siemens. It has been tough and a real leap of faith because I’ve had to uproot my family from Norfolk to be here.

“I feel that people like me aren’t informed enough about the options out there and the different occupations out there. It’s definitely not just for men.”

Test Engineer, Kelly Wagstaff, (35) began her career by taking on a three-year modern apprenticeship course at Lincoln College with Siemens in 1998.

Kelly, who graduated from university in 2012, now works with electricians testing the Siemens industrial gas turbines designed and manufactured in Lincoln.

She said: “If I had been introduced to this career path in my school years I definitely would have benefitted.

“The industry does come across as a male dominated environment but I have never felt intimidated, everyone is so supportive. I definitely see an opportunity to move forward in my career too.”

Susan Garrick (17), who studied at Branston Community Academy before taking on a Siemens apprenticeship through Lincoln College, is the only female in her group at Siemens.

Susan said: “The real experience has been fantastic. I don’t mind that I am the only girl, I think I probably have just as much if not more engineering experience than most of the boys.”

Beth Tufrey (17) completed her first two-day Females into Industry experience in Year 8. She is currently on a work experience week with Siemens Lincoln.

Beth added: “I was quite good at maths and Design Technology at Branston Community Academy and was directed to the challenge.

“Without actually being properly introduced to the career options within the industry I would never have considered it but it has been so fun and hands on.

“I’m quite creative and love the design aspect so it’s definitely something I would consider in the future.”

Ed Balls, the Shadow Secretary Chancellor of the Exchequer, visited Lincoln businesses on Thursday, June 19, and discussed challenges facing businesses across Lincolnshire.

First, he attended a private meeting at Lindum in North Hykeham with representatives of manufacturing, construction, public and third sector organisations from across the county.

In the afternoon, along with Labour MP candidate Lucy Rigby, Ed Balls visited the Siemens Main Works site on Pelham Street in the city.

After a tour of the facility, he participated in a Q&A with Siemens employees, and then spoke to media representatives.