Lincolnshire this week

It’s that time again and after the heartache not to mention the financial losses that followed its cancellation last year the Lincoln Christmas Market swung into action on Thursday. The now traditional curtain raiser to the festive season is back bigger and better than ever with everyone determined to make up for the loss of last years market, victim of the snow and arctic temperatures. The City centre was packed, even on the first day usually the day when the locals visit the extravaganza.

Wednesday’s strike by public sector workers organised by the TUC brought a touch of the seventies to Lincoln with a march by striking workers starting at Tentercroft Street and heading up the High Street to the Drill Hall. Across the county about 100 schools and academies were closed according to the Lincolnshire Echo. The marchers did not have it all their own way though with the Echo reporting that pensioner Christine Wearing ran towards the marchers shouting “get back to work!”

Mrs Wearing told the Echo “I think this is disgusting. They earn enough money. Personally I get very little pension which is nothing to what these lot will get.”

Now here’s something for all you yellowbellies living in faraway places. Looking at my stats you’re in the USA, Russia, Germany, China, France, India, the Netherlands, Indonesia and Ireland not to mention the UK. The Lincolnshire Echo has produced a list of the ten best pubs in Lincolnshire. If you’ve been away a while you’ll know some but not others. Here they are: The Chequers Inn, Woolsthorpe by Belvoir. I know this one and it’s only just in Lincs. The Jolly Brewer, Lincoln. The Railway Tavern, Aby. Thornton Hunt Inn, Thornton Curtis, Ulceby. Dogma, Lincoln. The Tobie Norris, Stamford. The Village Limits, Woodhall Spa. Bar 67, Lincoln. The Kings Head, Tealby and The Wheatsheaf Inn, Hubberts, Bridge Boston.

Bring back any memories? You won’t find Watneys Red Barrel any more!

Finally the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s autumn statement brought an unexpected ray of light amongst all the doom and gloom when George Osborne announced that the stalled Eastern Bypass bid was back on the agenda having been quietly put on the back burner a while back. Local worthies had an inkling that we may be back in favour but we were all surprised to find work is expected to begin in a couple of years time to extend the bypass from its present terminus at Bunkers Hill to Bracebridge Heath.

There are a couple of downsides though. In order to get the road on the rota the proposed dual carriageway highway has had to be downgraded to single which is a ridiculous state of affairs for an urban conurbation well in excess of 100000 now. The second problem is that it will still not be a ring road so the problems of traffic seeking rat runs in places like Hykeham, Waddington, Harmston, Aubourn and Haddington will get much much worse.

Traffic on the single carriageway sections of the existing Western bypass is already at a standstill for much of the day and, again this will worsen. In due course, as is the case at Teal Park, developers will be prevailed upon to chip in to fund dualling but I don’t think I’ll see a ring road of dual carriageway standard in my lifetime. Quite why we’re treated like this is anyone’s guess but of course others, Bostonians for example will point to the fact that at least we have something.

When I travel to supposedly third world countries like Spain and Portugal and see the roads they have I do wonder sometimes. Have a good week whatever part of the globe you’re in.