What better way to start a career than playing fruit machines and video games to make sure that they work? This is how Neil Everatt, 49, found his passion for technology. As CEO of Lincoln-based Software Europe he now uses all forms of technology to help make business life simpler. He has an ambitious goal to reach a £10 million turnover by 2019 whilst providing a fun office environment with space hoppers and arcade machines for his staff.

When Neil left North Kesteven School at the age of 16, he was unsure what he wanted to do with his life. “Fortunately the government had a scheme called the Youth Trade Scheme (YTS),” he said. “The idea was that they would catch the people leaving school that had no idea what they wanted to do and I fell in that category very easily.”

This feature interview was first published in issue 46 of the Lincolnshire Business weekly magazine, now available to read at www.lincsbusiness.co. Subscribe to the email newsletter to receive the latest edition in your inbox this Friday.

He went to Lincoln Technical College to learn electronics and got a part time job. “My first ever job was playing video games and fruit machines to make sure that they worked.

“That was my first experience of technology and I just got a buzz out of it. I learned really quickly that actually if you worked really hard you could move up through the ranks quite quickly.”

After having worked for Software Europe on and off since 1992, Neil received an email from one of the founders in 2008 asking if he would like to run the company. He jumped at the chance to return to the company for the third time and take control.

“It took me all of 0.2 seconds to make that decision (but you never tell your wife you have made your decision that quickly),” Neil laughed. “So I came back in 2008 as the Managing Director.”

Taking on the digital age

Since the 1990s, technology has evolved at a speed that has never been seen before. For many companies it’s hard to stay up to date, but for a business which prides itself on keeping ahead of technology to provide the best service to its clients, it is a real challenge.

“In 2000, the company decided to have a play with this internet technology and at the time, if you think about the internet back then, you were probably still dialling up to get your connection.

“We decided to put all of our eggs in that basket of the internet. 15 years later we have got this huge amount of knowledge on how to deliver services over the internet, all business to business type services.”

Neil keeps a mini museum of mobile tech in his office. It has everything from the first mobile phones, where you needed to be a professional weight lifter to carry them, to the now redundant Google Glass. He gets all of the latest technology so that he can stay ahead of the market. “I think you have to be passionate about it, you have to keep your eye on things.

“We are doing a presentation about where the world will be in 2022 and, it’s thinking about robotics and using drones. Amazon are trialling delivery by drones so we bought one and we are going to get to use that in the presentation to show how, in the future, these things are going to work.”

The full cover interview with Neil Everatt is available to read in full here. For the latest dispatch of business news from across Lincolnshire delivered in your inbox every Friday, subscribe to the Lincolnshire Business magazine.

Wine enthusiasts will be flocking to a new Lincoln wine bar, when it opens its doors Wednesday, September 23, after an investment of over £50,000.

Co-owners, Jo and Paul Bycroft, have set up Optimist Wine Bar on West Parade, formerly the Bronze Pig restaurant.

The couple previously owned The Bowl Full Tapas Bar on West Parade for 11 years but wanted a change of pace, and have created three new job opportunities.

Jo said: “Lincoln doesn’t have a proper wine bar and I always wanted one. We always seek out wine bars and independent places whenever we go anywhere else and Lincoln didn’t have that.”

The venue seats around 30 customers with table service to be able to relax with friends and enjoy some wine and home made nibbles.

The bar opens 4pm until midnight Wednesday to Friday and 12 noon until midnight on Saturdays.

“I’m 45 and I’m catering for the people like me who want to be able to go out and who don’t want to be surrounded by a load of young people and loud blaring music. It’s that high end level where you can sit down and get looked after at your table,” Jo added.

“We are having cheeses from The Cheese Society, which will change monthly. We will roast our own hams and slice that up with our own homemade piccalilli. We are also making all of our own bread. It’s sociable food.

“We’ve got static wines on the list including 10 whites, 10 reds, five fizz and three rose.

“Then we have a lot of specials that we’ll be having as well. We are looking to change the specials every week and we will have wines from all over the world from £15 a bottle to £40/50 a bottle, which people can come and have a taste to see what they think.

“I’m really looking forward to Lincoln people having an independent wine bar where they can come along and experience something totally different to what they have had before.”

A new Co-operative food store has opened in North Hykeham after a £600,000 investment, creating 19 new jobs.

Pupils of South Hykeham community primary school helped the store team to cut the ribbon, declaring it open on September 17.

The school received a donation of £350 from the store to support its activities and contribute to school funds.

Located in Severus Crescent, the new 3,000 sq. ft. store will focus on fresh and healthy food, meal ideas and essentials, include an in-store bakery and provide car parking for customers.

The new Co-operative Food store will also be offering discounts for students who hold a valid NUS extra card.

James Wiswould, Manager of the new Co-operative Food, said: “We are thrilled to have made such a significant investment in North Hykeham, and delighted that we have a fantastic new food store with which to serve the community – it is an exciting time for the whole team.

“The Co-operative is working to transform and grow its convenience business, investing to enhance the in-store experience while lowering the price of everyday essentials.

“We are confident that the store will be a real asset to the community, enabling shoppers to pick up delicious food conveniently and, as a community retailer and a co-operative, it will play its part in local life too.”

Greater Lincolnshire LEP has placed a bid to make Lincoln Science and Innovation Park an enterprise zone. This is one of three bids that have been applied for in Greater Lincolnshire.

Enterprise zones bring benefits to businesses including lower taxes, access to superfast broadband and streamlined planning permission to boost infrastructure improvements.

It would provide the infrastructure and commercial incentives needed to deliver the first science and innovation park in the region and will focus on the key growth sectors in manufacturing, advanced engineering and food manufacturing.

The £50 million Lincoln Science and Innovation Park has already completed the first phase and the second phase is underway. It is 11 acres, which is the result of a partnership between the University of Lincoln and Lincolnshire Co-op and includes the Joseph Banks Laboratories.

In addition to Lincoln Science and Innovation Park, Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has also placed a bid for Europarc in Grimsby and North East Lincolnshire Council has placed a third for South Humber Industrial Infrastructure Programme (SHIIP).

The final decision on whether any of these bids are successful will be confirmed on November 25.

John Latham, Director of Development and Environmental Services at City of Lincoln Council, said: “The city council welcomes the proposal for Lincoln Science and Innovation Park to be declared an enterprise zone and sees this as a genuine opportunity to encourage this important development.

“Through the incentives available for enterprise zones, this initiative will help to accelerate the development of the site but also help to promote Lincoln as a place growing businesses will want to be, with the inevitable benefits for the wider economy.

“The council will continue to work closely with Greater Lincolnshire LEP and Lincoln Science and Innovation Park to make this a success.”

Ruth Carver, Director of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, said: “Enterprise zones are vital for the accelerated jobs growth we wish to see in Greater Lincolnshire.

“We have submitted two bids: one to support the food industry in Northern Lincolnshire and one to create a Lincoln Innovation & Enterprise Zone which will focus on the key growth sectors in manufacturing, advanced engineering and food manufacturing.

“Enterprise zones are a critical part of the strategic vision and planning required to deliver new employment sites throughout the region, accelerating business productivity and skilled employment for our priority growth sectors.”

For the latest dispatch of business news from across Lincolnshire delivered in your inbox every Friday, subscribe to the Lincolnshire Business magazine.

Taking charge of Lincolnshire’s economic development is no easy task, but Colin Davie, 53, rises to the challenge. As the Executive Councillor for Economic Development, Environment, Strategic Planning and Tourism at Lincolnshire County Council, you can imagine that it’s going to be a bit of a hectic lifestyle, but Colin wouldn’t have it any other way. He is an ambassador for Lincolnshire and that’s the way he likes it.

Born and bred in Lincolnshire, Colin left for a short time to go to London to study Politics and Economic History, getting involved in student politics along the way.

“I went into politics with the idea that I wanted to be a journalist or a writer, and when I was at university I ended up getting involved in student politics and becoming vice president of the uni. One of the roles that I had there was to look after the entertainment for 20,000 kids,” said Colin.

That role took him down a different career path. “I got a call one day from a big agency in the music industry saying ‘Come and work for us’, so I went and worked in the music industry instead.

Today, Colin still runs a company that deals with staging events on an international scale with his business partner in London, but due to his commitment in the county he doesn’t get to do as much as he would like.

This feature interview was first published in issue 47 of the Lincolnshire Business weekly magazine, now available to read at www.lincsbusiness.co. Subscribe to the email newsletter to receive the latest edition in your inbox this Friday.

“So I understand business from a small business perspective, as a company owner and a company director. It gives me that knowledge of how the real world works and too many politicians these days have no experience of the real world. They start off working in a Think Tank in London and then they end up as a policy researcher, some MP support and then suddenly the party selects them as a candidate.

“For me, you need some experience of the real world. Some of our current MPs and ministers have that and some of them don’t. Ultimately I think that it’s down at a local level, when I talk about business, I should understand it and I think that’s really really important.”

Colin moved back to Lincolnshire when his mother passed away, so he could help his dad. He had no intention of getting involved in politics. However, a knock on the door from one of his neighbours changed this. The neighbour was upset about the prospect of a wind farm being built right next to them, so Colin decided that they needed to do something about it.

“Then it ended up being me – I had to do something about it. I got involved in the onshore wind farm campaign across Lincolnshire. I came to a council meeting here and I just took the view that we needed to be much more robust and we needed people who could speak up for our community. I took the view that I should stand to be a councillor [Conservative]. I had never stood for anything since the student union elections.”

Taking Lincolnshire global

With the restoration of Lincoln Castle and the Magna Carta celebrations bringing in record levels of tourism, whilst boosting the county’s economy, Colin has no plans to stop shouting about how great Lincolnshire is and now it’s getting global attention.

“The castle is the fire starter for the whole uphill redevelopment/re-enhancement. The cathedral now has its funding through the Heritage Lottery Fund. I believe that that offer, coupled with the redevelopment with The Lawn and potential work we are looking at with other buildings up there ourselves, once all of that is complete, we will have an offer in central Lincoln that is unrivalled anywhere in Europe, and it will be one of the great places to visit in the world.”

The full cover interview with Colin Davie is available to read in full here. For the latest dispatch of business news from across Lincolnshire delivered in your inbox every Friday, subscribe to the Lincolnshire Business magazine.

The Shell petrol station on Burton Road roundabout in uphill Lincoln will be closed for two months due to maintenance on the pumps.

After the work is completed the petrol station will have new pipes and the forecourt will be replaced.

A Shell spokesperson said: “Shell Lincoln is currently closed for repump works. The primary work is to replace the fuel pumps and underground pipes, which includes digging up the forecourt and replacing it with a new concrete forecourt.

“The site is anticipated to reopen between late November and early December.

“We apologise to our loyal customers for any inconvenience caused and the nearest Shell station is Shell Waitrose Lincoln on Searby Road, approximately two miles away.”

For the latest dispatch of business news from across Lincolnshire delivered in your inbox every Friday, subscribe to the Lincolnshire Business magazine.

A new corporate Santander office will open in Lincoln’s Cornhill next month after a £400,000 investment.

The international bank’s new office, which will be located on the first and second floor of 19 Cornhill (formerly Ambitions Personnel), will be the first corporate office Santander has opened in the city.

As an addition to the existing Santander branch on Cornhill, the office will deal with corporate sales of over £250,000, growing its support for businesses both locally and internationally.

The refurbishment has been ongoing over the summer and now the premises is looking to open mid-October.

The new office will support up to 12 staff, who will be transferred from other branches to allow the bank to provide a full range of commercial services.

Stephen May, Relationship Director at Santander said: “With the opening of this new corporate office, we can improve the support that we provide to existing customers and increase support for additional business growth both locally, in the domestic market, and internationally.

“Our key market focus for Santander will be in manufacturing and export. We will be providing the full range of commercial banking services including: asset finance, invoice finance, international trade finance and commercial mortgages.”

For the latest dispatch of business news from across Lincolnshire delivered in your inbox every Friday, subscribe to the Lincolnshire Business magazine.

Businesses across the county are being invited to The Showroom on Tritton Road in Lincoln for the fourth annual Building a Better Business event, themed around improving productivity.

The event takes place from 9.30am until 4pm on October 21. Organised by the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce, Streets Chartered Accountants and the Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub, it is aimed at small business owners with at least five employees.

It will feature talks by industry experts on subjects such as leadership, creative thinking, PR, finance and law, using real-life business case studies to talk about their experiences and answer questions from the audience.

Speakers include Kate Strawson from Shooting Star, Chris Brown from Andrew and Co LLP, Emma Brealey from The Petwood Hotel, Paul Banton from Ruddocks Design & Print and more.

Simon Beardsley, Chief Executive at the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Over the past year the economy has enjoyed steady growth and confidence is slowly returning.

“The focus for many businesses has shifted to recruiting more staff, increasing sales and improving productivity.

“I hope that this event will equip businesses with the knowledge and skills they need to grow and give them the chance to share their experiences with other businesses from across the county.”

To book a place or for more information contact Charlotte Baxter on 01522 846923.

For the latest dispatch of business news from across Lincolnshire delivered in your inbox every Friday, subscribe to the Lincolnshire Business magazine.

Some six sites, including areas of Lincoln, have been identified as key zones for investment and job creation as part of the proposed Central Lincolnshire Local Plan.

An employment policy has been put together by Local Plan partners City of Lincoln Council, North Kesteven District Council, west Lindsey District Council and Lincolnshire County Council.

The policy sets out six areas totalling 122.7 hectares, that could accommodate significant growth and attract inward investment.

Councillors behind the plans are forecasting the creation of 11,894 full-time-equivalent jobs in the area by 2036.

The six areas are:

• Teal Park, North Hykeham
• Lincoln Science and Innovation Park
• Network 46, Camp Road, Witham St Hughs
• Somerby Park, Gainsborough
• Sleaford Enterprise Park
• Land at Hemswell Cliff

The Central Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee approved this next round of consultation at its meeting in early September.

The new phase of the draft plan set out targets for 36,960 new homes in 30 years’ time, along with additional amenities and business opportunities.

Consultation events get under way on Thursday, where people can find out more about the document that covers housing, jobs, local facilities and transport up to 2036.

There are 19 consultation meetings throughout October and November. They are:

• October 1: 3.15pm – 7.30pm – Skellingthorpe Youth Centre
• October 5: 3.15pm -7.30pm – The Source, Sleaford
• October 6: 3.15pm -7.30pm – North Hykeham Town Council Office
• October 6: 10am -8pm – Old Standard Office, Market Place, Gainsborough
• October 7: 3.15pm -7.30pm – Ruskington Village Hall
• October 8: 2pm -8pm – Festival Hall, Market Rasen
• October 8: 3pm -6pm – Moorland Community Centre, Moorland Avenue, Lincoln
• October 12: 3.15pm -7.30pm – The Hammond Centre, Bassingham
• October 13: 2pm -8pm – Town Hall, Caistor
• October 13: 3.15pm -7.30pm – Navenby Methodist Chapel
• October 13: 4pm -7.30pm – Committee Rooms 1 and 2, City Hall, Beaumont Fee, Lincoln
• October 14: 3.15pm -7.30pm – Washingborough Community Centre
• October 15: 3pm -6.30pm – Croft Street Community Centre, Baggholme Road, Lincoln
• October 15: 3.15pm -7.30pm – Billinghay Village Hall
• October 20: 3.15pm -7.30pm – The Windmill, Heckington
• October 21: 3.15pm -7.30pm – Bracebridge Heath Methodist Church
• October 22: 3pm -6.30pm – Generate (previously Birchwood Youth Centre), Larchwood Crescent, Lincoln
• October 26: 3pm -6.30pm – St Giles Community Centre, Swift Gardens, Lincoln
• November 6: 2pm -8pm – St Peter and St Paul’s Church Hall, Cherry Willingham

Councillor Jeff Summers, chair of the committee and Leader of West Lindsey District Council, said: “This plan has come together through years of research and consultation with businesses and agencies. It is a development structure plan designed to create an appropriate balance of housing, employment and infrastructure to meet the modern needs of Lincolnshire people both now and into the future.”

Councillor Ric Metcalfe, Vice Chair of the committee and Leader of City of Lincoln Council, said: “It’s important that people make their views known and the consultation events are the opportune time to seek any further information you may require, or ask questions about the plan.

“I urge anyone who has a view on the plan to have their say as it’s imperative that we collate all opinions to shape such an important document for the future of Central Lincolnshire.”

For more information on the plans, people can visit the website here.

Twenty-five years ago David Rossington predicted that the University of Lincoln would inject £50 million a year into the local economy – but he probably didn’t expect that figure to explode to an amazing £250 million.

David often quoted the £50 million figure when, as Chief Executive of the former Lincolnshire Training & Enterprise Council, he was part of the original team responsible for actually bringing a university to Lincoln.

This feature interview was first published in issue 48 of the Lincolnshire Business weekly magazine, now available to read at www.lincsbusiness.co. Subscribe to the email newsletter to receive the latest edition in your inbox this Friday.

It was a time when many people shared David’s (and his colleagues’) excitement. Doubters who might have suggested this was a pipe-dream, have been left to eat their words. It’s hardly surprising then, that as Chief Executive of Investors in Lincoln, David remains enthusiastically involved in city regeneration projects and he is confident that Lincoln’s star will continue to rise.

Lincolnshire-born and bred, he left the county in his mid-20s, and went to work in the West Midlands and Sheffield. David worked in central government roles, latterly for the Manpower Service Commission.

He had no particular plans to return to Lincoln, but the government’s decision to introduce Training & Enterprise Councils fired David’s interest and he snapped-up the opportunity to help establish the Lincolnshire TEC.

As Chief Executive from its launch in 1991 until the TECs were abolished in 2001, he was based at Beech House in Waterside South, Lincoln. At the height of the TEC’s operations, he oversaw 200 staff.

“I think that we made an important contribution towards helping many thousands of young people to get a foothold in the world of work and getting those who had been out of work a long time back into the work place,” said David.

“I was particularly proud of the work we did for those with ‘special needs’. Our focus on improving the Lincolnshire economy was behind our support for the University of Lincoln project.

“I felt very privileged to be involved with that from the outset. I believe it has made an amazing difference to Lincoln. I was thrilled when we set out our objectives of putting £50 million into the local economy. Now its economic impact is estimated to be £250 million.

“The TEC was private-sector led, but involved a partnership of business leaders, senior council officers and trades union representatives. Funding-wise, the devolvement of central government funds meant we could put money to work locally, rather than being dictated to from the centre.”

The full cover interview with David Rossington is available to read in full here. For the latest dispatch of business news from across Lincolnshire delivered in your inbox every Friday, subscribe to the Lincolnshire Business magazine.

Lincoln-based Visual Print and Design has acquired Derby based digital print shop Go Digital as part of plans to create new jobs and increase its current turnover by 50% within a year.

The purchase came as Go Digital’s owner Peter Mosley entered into retirement after more than 20 years of trading.

The company was considering closure if a buyer was not found.

Graham Hunstone, Managing Director of Visual Print and Design, has set out a growth plan to create new jobs, hire an apprentice and introduce new digital services to the company’s portfolio.

Over the next three years, he plans to replicate the success of Visual Print and Design in Derby.

Go Digital currently has three staff, whose jobs will be safeguarded, and Graham is looking to create an additional two jobs over the next year.

Graham said: “I am really excited to lead Go Digital and I have some really ambitious plans to develop the business into the kind of print and digital business that serves the growing wants and needs of companies in Derby and surrounding areas.

“We have some fantastic and very creative website developers and social media managers who can help small businesses to grow. We have an excellent team here at the shop who can provide fast, high quality print from roll up banners, booklets, leaflets and business stationery.

“We want to work within Derby to help create jobs and contribute to economic growth of the city. As one of the only surviving print shops left in the city we want to make sure that the legacy of good local print and high customer service continues.

“With the new offerings of social media and website design we can roll these out to our new and existing customer base in both Visual Print & Design and Go Digital.”

Peter Mosley said: “It has been an incredibly journey over the last 24 years but at 67 years of age I felt it was the right time to pass this on. We had a few offers on the table but Graham’s knowledge, experience and passion for the industry meant that not only would the business continue but also grow in the direction it deserves.”

Visual Print and Design has also recently boosted its tender-writing skills and improved its workplace organisation in a bid to improve performance and win more local customers with help from Lincolnshire County Council’s ERDF-funded supply chain building initiative, Supply Lincolnshire.

For the latest dispatch of business news from across Lincolnshire delivered in your inbox every Friday, subscribe to the Lincolnshire Business magazine.

All 25 stars of the Lincoln Barons’ Charter Trail, which came to the city this summer as part of Magna Carta celebrations, were reunited for one final time before being sold off at auction.

In one of the quirkiest charity events the city has seen, some 250 of hopeful bidders gathered at the Doubletree by Hilton hotel, as well as taking part in an online bidding frenzy for the sculptures.

In total, bidders raised £167,000 for national food bank charity the Trussell Trust.

The event was hosted by Lincs FM presenter Ross Garrigan, with local professional auctioneer Ian Walter of JH Walter.

Of the much-loved sculptures which went under the hammer on October 1, Lincolnshire Day, some even achieved five-figure purchases.

The Bomber Baron, a WWII Bomber Command Pilot sponsored by Pipers Crisps was the most successful lot, with a winning bid of £11,000.

The Red Arrows Baron, sponsored by Virgin Trains, also did well, fetching £10,200 and the Wings of an Angel baron sold for £10,000.

Together with Salisbury’s Charter Barons Auction, the cities raised £250,000 for the chosen charity.

Lincoln businesswoman Dawn Baron was behind collection sponsors for the trail. She said: “The journey actually started in the Hilton hotel. Lincoln BIG’s Matt Corrigan said to me when we were here for a business meeting that we have this opportunity to join Salisbury in this wonderful programme.

“I thought it would be really quirky, modern and brilliant for us to do. We didn’t know if we would get the sponsors with so much going on for Magna Carta this year, but we were committed.

“In five weeks we went from hoping that we would have ten to having the full 25 barons, representing those who forced King John to sign the Magna Carta.”

South of England Network Manager for Trussell Trust, James Milton, said: “We had no idea how this would grow the public’s heart. They are lovely characters in the street but they have become people’s lives over the last few months.

“We are so grateful to Lincoln BIG and for Wild in Art for making this happen.

“The simple, practical gift of food and support at the point of crisis changes lives.”

Ursula Lidbetter, a Lincoln BIG Director, added: “The barons trail has been fantastic. At Lincoln BIG we do fun things and what a great thing to be involved in, it’s been off the scale.

“Everywhere we’ve gone there have been families taking pictures, people looking for the codes and it’s been brilliant.

“One early morning I spotted that every baron had been knitted a scarf!

“We have to keep this momentum going. We can’t keep doing the same thing but we will do more and better.”

Thousands of fans of the characterful sculptures enjoyed visiting the barons along a special trail which was created by Lincoln BIG, in collaboration with Wild in Art and the national food banks charity The Trussell Trust.

The feature was part of a host of celebrations for the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta.

The barons were each sponsored by businesses and organisations and each was individually painted and given their own identity by a variety of talented artists who worked closely with sponsors on the designs.

A Steampunk Baron, Squadron Leader Baron, Bee Keeper Baron and a Mayor of Lincoln Baron were among the collection.

Their popularity even sparked movements to keep them on the streets.

Hundreds of people came together in order to campaign the loss of the barons, with over 4,000 people ‘liking’ a Facebook page set up to make that barons a permanent fixture in the city.

The Lincoln Barons to Stay group and Lincoln Property Company set up a Go Fund Me page with the aim to purchase as many barons as possible to gift back to the city.

The group didn’t manage to win a baron, but raised £1,070. The money will go directly to the Trussell Trust.

Take a look back to the Lincoln Barons’ Charter Trail with our gallery here. 

Take a trip back in time:

A French restaurant chain has agreed a deal to take over the site of a Lincoln bar later this month.

Craft, based on High Street, will close its doors just over two years after it opened following a decision by the owners to accept an offer for the site from Côte Restaurant Ltd.

Côte has said that it will invest in the region of £1 million to refurbish the site, which will take around four months to complete.

Côte has over 70 restaurants across the UK, including 12 in Central London alone, and estimates that around 35 jobs will be created as a result of its latest acquisition.

The future of the 16 members of staff currently employed at Craft has not been confirmed, although Côte has said that it has invited all the employees to apply for jobs with them.

The owners of Craft are also the management behind Home nightclub in the city centre.

Harald Samúelsson, Joint Managing Director at Côte Restaurants Ltd, said: “Lincoln is a city steeped in history and culture. Its thriving arts scene and stunning architecture are attracting more and more people from right across the country to visit its sights.

“We feel extremely proud to be opening a restaurant in Lincoln and we’re looking forward to offering our friendly style and all-day dining to both tourists and locals.

“It’s great for us to be joining an already flourishing eating out scene while offering something different in terms of value and service.

“We think that Côte’s classic, but contemporary feel is perfect for Lincoln. We hope the people of Lincoln and its tourists will agree.”

The restaurant will offer all day dining, from breakfast right through to lunch and dinner, seven days a week.

A Lincoln pet shop owner has urged police to track down a man caught on CCTV stealing two tortoises worth hundreds of pounds.

Footage from the Lincoln Reptile & Pet Centre on Newark Road, at around 10.45am on September 11, shows a man in his mid to late 30s casually walk into the store and pick up the two tortoises, before leaving.

He was wearing a black baseball cap, grey top, dark jacket, dark trousers and dark grey trainers.

The owners contacted Lincolnshire Police on the same day, but it was when they shared the footage on their Facebook page on October 5 that several local residents came forward with information.

Hundreds of people shared and commented on the story, with a number of people giving the name of the thief to the owners confidentially.

A regular customer at the store spoke to the man as he left, and is also said to be in a position to identify him.

Lincolnshire Police are continuing to investigate the incident and have been made aware of the name and address of the person believed to be in the video.

Alyss Dickinson, one of the owners of Lincoln Reptile & Pet Centre, said: “It’s really upsetting that someone could actually do something so low and steal two of our tortoises just to sell them on and make some easy money.

“Obviously we’re very concerned for their welfare, especially as a lot of people do not know the difference between tortoises and turtles. Tortoises live on land and turtles in water, so we’re concerned that our tortoises have been put in water by the thieves.

“But I can’t thank people enough for their support – we’ve had such a fantastic response from people coming back to us with the same name of the person who did this. Hopefully, now the police will be able to act.”

Police are investigating the theft and would like to hear from anyone who may have seen a man matching that description or anyone who may have been offered the animal for sale.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Lincolnshire Police on 101 quoting incident 152 of September 11.

A number of loyal Lincolnshire Co-op colleagues have been recognised for their hard work after totting up almost half a millennium of years at the society between them.

People working in all sectors of the business reached their 25 and 40 year landmarks, including office staff, food store workers and pharmacy staff.

Their quarter-century with Lincolnshire Co-op was celebrated at a long service dinner, where colleagues marking 25 years were presented with a commemorative gold watch and those reaching 40 years were given £500 in Lincolnshire Co-op travel vouchers.

Colleagues recounted fond memories including their first days with the society and meeting friends for life in their workplaces.

Regional Manager Richard Lister started his career working at a food store in the county 25 years ago.

He said: “I remember being given a tour of my store and hoping that customers didn’t ask me where anything was.

“These days I could tell you where any product is in any of the 20 food stores in my region – and the names of all of the staff who work there!”

Meanwhile Sue Townsend who currently works in the wages department at Lincolnshire Co-op’s head office remembered a funny moment from her past: “I was being trained on the Handy Bank at the Silvergate store and I kept pressing a button under the counter.

“When I asked what it was, my manager went mad – it was a panic alarm! It turned out it wasn’t working, so it’s a good job I tried it.”

Some 15 members of staff reached the 25 year milestone, while a further two received awards for 40 years of service.They are:

• Sue Townsend from the Wages Department at Head Office
• Carol Sellars from Market Rasen Food Store
• Denise Buckberry from Moorland Avenue Pharmacy
• Daphne Simmons from Horncastle Food Store
• Jo Sims from Gainsborough Travel
• Tracey Pinkett from Collingham Food Store
• Joanna Proctor from Sutton on Trent Food Store
• Andrew Atkin from Ruskington Food Store
• Cheryl Keeley from the Food Distribution Centre
• Jane Nutting from Wragby Food Store
• Carole Tindall from Market Rasen Food Store
• Jacqueline Brown from The Forum Pharmacy
• Lorraine Semmens from Woodhall Drive Food Store
• Sylvia Jackson from Bardney Food Store
• Tena Martin from the Food Distribution Centre Office
• Denise Black from Nunsthorpe Food Store
• Richard Lister, Regional Food Manager

Head of People and Performance Heather Lee said: “I think it’s testament to what a great employer Lincolnshire Co-op is that we have colleagues who’ve been with the business for 40 years.

“The long service dinner and awards are one way that we can recognise the hard work and dedication of employees who have reached a landmark anniversary.

“Some colleagues who started out on our old Youth Training Schemes are still with the Society today; hopefully in 25 years we’ll be celebrating some of our current apprentices’ achievements!”

Even on the toughest day, Commercial Director Simon Smithers can be caught wearing a smile…. because it’s not everywhere you catch a colleague breezing past you dressed as a bright yellow chicken!

Whether anyone explained to Simon, when he joined Smiffys of Gainsborough nine years ago, that this phenomenon is quite “normal” at this well-known fancy dress and wigs company, is unclear.

But the wild, wacky and colourful world of Smiffys has worked its magic and he’s still there, playing a key role in a family firm which has been going for more than 120 years and chalked-up worldwide sales of £60 million.

This feature interview was first published in issue 49 of the Lincolnshire Business weekly magazine, now available to read at www.lincsbusiness.co. Subscribe to the email newsletter to receive the latest edition in your inbox this Friday.

Simon hails from Milton Keynes, but regularly commutes to Smiffys’ Gainsborough head office, visits its Leeds-based creative team and also travels overseas on business for the company.

As enthusiastic as the day he joined the company, he revealed that his move to Smiffys marked a complete shift in his career path. He was formerly commercial director for the American giant Alcoa, whose main office is in Richmond, Virginia – Simon worked for its UK arm.

Before that he had held senior positions in Cadbury’s and worked in sales and marketing for Gillette, so why did he choose to bring his wealth of corporate experience to Lincolnshire?

“Two things attracted me. When you work in a corporate all your life, every day is very similar, and I always wanted to work with a smaller company which offered me a broader scope,” said Simon.

“This was a completely different industry for me too, and I felt I could make a real difference, by bringing my previous experiences. I really liked the owner Ray Peckett, and his entrepreneurial approach. So I was sold!

“We had some organisational structures to sort out early on joining and, once we had these in place, we began to build the business strongly. We found new customers in new countries and more customers in England.

“We now sell to 42 countries and to thousands of independent shop owners and major customers, such as Walmart, Asda, George and Tesco.”

Smiffys is a global business, with offices and showrooms around the world. It has 5,000 different products, from fun to outrageous costumes, Halloween and Carnival outfits, as well as eye-catching wigs. More than 26 million items are shipped every year.

“People often have the impression, when you say who you work for, that this is a small business in a quirky industry. Far from it. This product category is not only the lifeblood for thousands of owner operators around the world, but an important aspect of major high street retailers’ ranges, especially at Halloween and Christmas and Carnival in Europe.

“Smiffys designs all its own costumes from its offices in Leeds and produces everything to its own exacting standards and specs. This business, that started in Gainsborough, is now recognised across the globe as a leader in the party industry.”

The full cover interview with Simon Smithers is available to read in full here. For the latest dispatch of business news from across Lincolnshire delivered in your inbox every Friday, subscribe to the Lincolnshire Business magazine.

A new Lincoln Netto store is set to open its doors on October 15, bringing 20 jobs to the area.

The Danish discount supermarket is based in the former Blockbuster Unit on the Lindis Retail Park.

It will celebrate its grand opening with live music from the Netto band, balloon modelling for the children and a chance to meet Netto’s giant LEGO Scottie, the biggest LEGO dog in the world.

Founded in 1981, the supermarket chain originally came to the UK in 1990.

In 2010 Asda bought the shops that Netto had, and the brand left the UK again until last year.

This is the eighth store to be launched in the UK since the first one opened in Leeds in November 2014, covering 12,000 sq ft and stocking over 2,000 products.

The new Lincoln store will include an in-house bakery, which will provide fresh Danish breads and traditional Danish pastries. All fresh meat is British and there will also be seasonal British fruit and vegetables.

Netto has its own-label brands that has been created for the UK market called ‘Premieur’ and ‘Easy’, as well as established brands from Netto’s existing portfolio.

Morten Moberg Nielsen, Managing Director at Netto UK, said: “We are excited to be opening a new store in Lincoln and to be part of the local community.

“We look forward to welcoming new customers from the area and to bring a taste of Scandinavian to the town. At Netto, we think that everyone should be able to buy nice things, in a nice shop, at a nice price.”

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Value retailer Poundworld will open its first Lincolnshire store next week on Lindis Retail Park in Lincoln, creating 30 new jobs.

The grand opening will coincide with the opening of the new Netto supermarket on October 15 at 10am.

Having started out as a family-run market stall in Wakefield in the 1970s, the company has now grown to around 300 stores with more than 6,000 staff.

The store will span over 5,000 sq ft, boasting over 5,000 products for £1 including cleaning products, health and beauty items, stationery and DIY to toys pet care products and more.

Gordon D’Andilly Store Manager of Poundworld said: “The store is in a really convenient place with free parking making it even easier for our customers to stock up on bargains.

“We’ve got a great opening celebration planned including face painting for the kids taking place on Saturday.”

For the latest dispatch of business news from across Lincolnshire delivered in your inbox every Friday, subscribe to the Lincolnshire Business magazine.

Work has started to demolish the former Ruston Bucyrus warehouses in Lincoln to make way for the new £6.75 million Boole Technology Centre on Lincoln’s Science and Innovation Park (LSIP).

The LSIP is a public/private sector partnership owned by the University of Lincoln and the Lincolnshire Co-op.

The Boole Technology Centre is part-funded from the government’s Growth Deal through the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

This project is the next step in the park’s development after the completion of the Joseph Banks Laboratories, which opened to students and businesses for the first time earlier this year.

This scheme will complete development of phase one of the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park.

The centre will stand at 2,398 sqm and is expected to accommodate between 10 and 15 growing businesses, supporting over 250 businesses over the next decade through its outreach into key supply chains. This will directly create or safeguard some 53 jobs.

The centre will provide office space and laboratories within a mixture of refurbished and brand new buildings.

The development will retain the existing art deco 1930s substation, which is to be incorporated as an entrance hall and meeting space. Two new wings will also be constructed over two to three storeys.

Councillor Colin Davie, Executive Member for Economic Development at Lincolnshire County Council and Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership board member, said: “Lincoln is very much a city on the up, and the LEP is keen to build on that momentum by supporting and investing in projects like the new technology centre.

“I’m sure this new facility will add to our reputation as a world-class place to do business, attracting new businesses and investors to the area.

“It will encourage entrepreneurship, drive up levels of innovation, create skilled jobs and improve the competitiveness of our local firms, nationally and internationally. And that all means a major boost for the local economy.”

Read more about the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park story so far from its director Tom Blount in issue 23 of Lincolnshire Business magazine.

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A Lincoln housing company set up by former students has announced that it has acquired a number of revamped apartments in the city centre.

Student Housing Lincoln, which is part of the Lincoln Property Co., will take over management of the Bank Street Apartments, taking the value of their student property portfolio to over £3 million.

Their latest apartments consist of 35 student rooms made up of four, five and six bedroom cluster flats.

Recent renovation of the communal areas, new mattresses and beds, and a new CCTV system is estimated at over £30,000, with planned improvements this year totalling a further £15,000.

The upgrades over the coming year include room by room temperature controls, 40 inch flat screen TVs in the communal living areas, 100mbps fibre broadband and secure bike storage within the private rear courtyard.

The Bank Street Apartments will be available for the 2016-17 academic year and priced from £90 per week inclusive of all bills.

Harry Conti from the Lincoln Property Co. said:

“Within four short months we now manage over £3 million worth of property within the city of Lincoln.

“We are pleased to add Bank Street Apartments to our ever growing student property portfolio.

“Student Housing Lincoln launched less than three months ago as the student lettings arm of our company.”

To book a viewing, contact the company’s student lettings team on 01522 410646 or email info@StudentHousingLincoln.co.uk.