< Previous50 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFOOD & DININGThe New Inn is by turns familiar andsurprising, traditional and contemporaryin keeping with what I like to callfarmhouse nouveau. To begin with we were treated to beerrye bread, still warm from the oven. Afresh batch is baked daily, with a newflavour combination. Ours was speckledwith fennel seeds, and the bursts of anisewere a great way to kick-start our palletswhile we perused the wine menu. Therewas a tremendous selection available, eachwith a description and pairing suggestions. When our starter arrived, the room wasperfumed with the welcoming scent ofwood smoke. My partner opted for theDevonshire Crab and Smoked Haddockserved with Granny Smith apples. It wassomething of a terrine, with the haddocka subtle mouse and the crab set in jelly. Itwas a fresh and light option, perfectlypaired before an indulgent main. I, onthe other hand, couldn’t resist theStornoway Black Pudding & PoacherCheese Hash Browns topped with thehoneyed crunch of pears. What struck me most about the mainswas the sheer variety, and the sense ofsomething familiar taken in anadventurous direction. Despite beingtempted by the Baked Lemon Sole, it wasthe Red Mullet and Squid served onoven-dried tomatoes and pickledmushrooms that won my favour. Thetomatoes were sweet and astringent andcut through the meaty flesh of themullet. The squid and mushroomsoffered complementary textures, complexin flavour and feel. The sea food wascooked to a delicate perfection, leavingno room for improvement. My partneropted for the 28 Day Hung Fillet of Beef,served with an unctuous oxtail ravioli,barley, rainbow chard and beetroot. Itmade for a sensational presentation onthe plate, but the real delight was in theeating. The steak was tender and pairedwell with each of the accompaniments,yet the highlight was the ravioli. Thepasta was cooked al dente and the meatinside was rich and delicious. No dessert came more highlyrecommended than the Hot ChocolateFondant served with cookies andcinnamon stick parfait, either by thewaiting staff or by other diners. Mypartner couldn’t resist, and was amazedby the ice cream interior and the hotspongy outside. It was made to order andworth every minute of the wait. Followingthe fish, I indulged with the Lemon Tartwith marmalade ice-cream. The zingylemon topping sat on a chewy base,while the ice cream was every bit ascomplex as it was piquant. Between meals, the fascinating walldisplays, pictures and fireplace keptconversation flowing. Likewise, the friendlystaff were keen to engage in conversationand quick to answer all my food queries.Sampling the menu made it clear just whyThe New Inn inspires such fierce devotionamong its regulars and why we’ll bedropping in again in a heartbeat. The New InnA real find, with its rustic décor, open fireplace and impressivemenu, The New Inn at Great Limber was at once comforting andconvivial when we visited to sample their latest offerings. Great LimberTo book a table or find out more visit www.thenewinngreatlimber.co.uk or call 01469 569998.50_Layout 1 18/03/2016 11:34 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY51FOOD & DININGTealby has been described as the mostcharming village in the LincolnshireWolds, and its quaint buildings andbackdrops are home to The Olde BarnInn, a traditional pub with a menu tomatch. The starter options boasted a greatesthits of British pub grub, and I opted forthe Whitebait served with salad and alemon mayonnaise for dipping. Mycompanion, on the other hand, orderedthe Trio of Deep Fried Brie Wedges,paired with a cranberry sauce and saladgarnish. The sweet-tang of the saucematched the creamy texture of the gooeybrie, with the salad offering a nicevariation between mouthfuls. With the ample ‘From the Grill’ aspectof the menu, I couldn’t pass up one ofthe many steak options. Although therewas sirloin and rump on offer (as well aslamb cutlets and gammon) it was the 6ozBistro Steak served with salad and chipsthat most took my fancy. It was a heartyand sumptuous plateful, with the saladand coleslaw offering a variety oftextures and flavours. My companionopted for an equally traditional optionwith the Homemade Steak & Ale Pie. Itboasted slow cooked steak in a rich alegravy, topped with crispy short crustpastry and served with golden chips andgarden peas. The daily dessert board was full oftempting dishes, but I went for theindulgent mint choc chip option, servedwith both cream and ice cream for adelicious, if sinful, end to the meal. As well as its hearty grill dishes, there’salso a variety of fish and vegetarianoptions, as well as lunch time offeringssuch as jacket potatoes and sandwiches.Whether its lunch, dinner or just a handpulled pint, The Olde Barn Inn isproving that you can’t improve on theclassics. The Olde Barn InnTealbyWhen pub food’s done well, there’s little else that comeclose, so with that in mind we dropped in to sample the menuat The Olde Barn Inn, in Tealby.For more information, or to book a table, visit www. theoldebarninn.com or call 01673 838304 51_Layout 1 18/03/2016 11:35 Page 152 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYThis month we had the opportunity tovisit the Millfields Hotel in Grimsby, andtheir iconic restaurant – the Bargate 53Restaurant. Using locally sourced, high-quality ingredients, Bargate 53 sets alight and airy atmosphere that’s perfectfor an evening of casual dining, whilealso maintaining the ambience necessaryfor a more romantic or formal outing. With a range of new menus in place,from the grill evening menu, to a brandnew set menu, we were keen to see whatwas on offer. For starters I ordered baked goatscheese with balsamic onion and crackedhazelnut salad, while my companionopted for the chicken liver and port pate.My started was incredibly creamy, with adelicious tang that served to whet myappetite for the main course, while myfriend could only sing praises about herown pate. With Grimsby’s fishing heritage it’simpossible to resist the temptation oflocal fish, so for the main course mycolleague went for a large haddock, freshfrom the local Grimsby docks and cookedin Millfields’ famous batter. Deliciouslysoft on the inside, with crispy batter onthe outside – the smell of it was almostenough to make me wish I’d ordered thesame. That was, until I had a chance tosample my own; a set of three lambchops, char-grilled with mint sauce –which was truly divine. Cooked until pinkon the inside, the meat was tender andfilled with flavour, while the portion sizewas generous enough to satisfy with ease.After such a sterling starter and maincourse, there’s always a sense ofanticipation that comes from the dessert.Bargate 53 has a range of optionsavailable, which is a welcome changefrom other eateries. I selected the lemonmeringue, unable to resist thetemptation, and was very impressed withthe sweet taste, which seemed a perfectway to end such an indulgent meal. Mycompanion went with the ginger parkin,which was served with warm spicedsyrup and rhubarb & custard ice cream,and seemed no less pleased than I waswith my own. From starter to dessert, Bargate 53 wasan absolute joy, and the attention todetail put forth by the staff truly was theicing on the cake. It’s also worth notingthat everything we ordered that day waseither gluten free, or came with glutenfree availability, as does most of themenu. Neither of us had that as arequirement but it was impressive to seethe range of options that could cater topeople with such needs. It’s just anotherexample of the effort put forth by thoseat the restaurant, as well as the MillfieldsHotel in general. And is why it willremain a firm favourite of ours for sometime.Bargate 53 Restaurant,the Millfields Hotel Freshly prepared dishes from locally sourced ingredients, there’s a lot to like about Bargate 53,the restaurant at the Millfields Hotel, in Grimsby.The Bargate 53 Restaurant can be found at the Millfields Hotel, 53 Bargate, Grimsby, DN34 5AD. For more information,be it on the menu or how to book a table, you can call on 01472 356 068 or visit online at www.millfieldshotel.co.uk 52_Layout 1 18/03/2016 11:37 Page 1The China RoyalRestaurant6 Bridge Street, Brigg DN20 8LNTel: 01652 650688 (reservations)/654762 (takeaway)www.chinaroyal.co.ukThe intimate, warm surroundings of the ChinaRoyal are ideal for the most romantic dinner or thelargest banquet. Serving the best in Chinese cuisine, it has five star scores on the doors, andis open throughout all Bank Holidays.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY53The Blue Bell Inn1 Main Road, Belchford, Horncastle, LN9 6LQTel: 01507 533 602 W: www.bluebellbelchford.co.ukThe Blue Bell Inn is a pub/restaurant situated on theViking Way between Horncastle and Louth. It has anexcellent reputation for fine food, good wine and friendlyservice. It offers an a la carte menu and fresh localingredients.Now open seven days a week, Monday to Saturday11.30am to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to 11pm, Sunday noon to 10.30pm.Byards Leap LodgeEast View, Byards Leap, Cranwell, SleafordTel: 01400 261375/07595 760 774www.byards-leap-lodge.co.ukWhether you are on a leisure or business trip, you’ll find warmhospitality at the Country Kitchen and Lodge. It offers four star,silver awarded accommodation, having won a TripAdvisor award of excellence.The Lodge has five double rooms, all of which are en-suite and on the ground floor, as wellas two two-bedroom apartments. Dedicated facilities for the disabled are available.Poplar FarmHoliday Cottages, Touring Caravan Site, Farm Shop www.poplar-farm.org.uk • Tel: 07894292641 • Visit us on Facebook Eat, Craft & StayJoin us at Poplar Farm. Sandwiched between the fabulousLincolnshire Coast and scenic Lincolnshire Wolds our site offers excellent accommodation inhigh quality cottages and a lovely spacious location for touring caravans. Whilst you are herejoin us in the Farm Shop where we excel in home cooking and produce direct from the farm.We also specialise in art and craft activities visit our website to find out more.The New George Inn1 Boston Road, Spilsby, PE23 5HB Tel: 01790 752528 • www.spilsby.info/georgehotel Attendees to the George are guaranteed a warm welcomeand met with a variety of traditional home cooked food withSunday lunches. With karaoke every Friday and Saturday night,live music once a month and a large function room (available free of charge for parties) theGeorge is perfect for entertaining. The accommodation boasts 8 letting bedrooms with TV, teaand coffee making facilities and free Wi-Fi with a reasonable price and breakfast option onoffer. Open Sunday to Thursday 12 till 11pm and Friday and Saturday 12 till 12.Exotic Thai Restaurant205 High Street, ScunthorpeTel: 01724 843204Exotic Thai Restaurant is a testament to traditional Thaicuisine. The only Thai restaurant in Scunthorpe, Exotic Thaican accommodate up to seventy guests for a deliciouschoice of authentic starters, main courses and an impressiveselection of fish dishes along with a choice of tasty desserts.The Exotic Thai prides itself on authentic Thai cuisine with friendly service, giving a truetaste of the east.The Duke of WellingtonStation Road, Midville Tel: 01205 270593www.dukeofwellingtonmidville.co.ukAt The Duke of Wellington, the aim is to make youwelcome and deliver the very best in food and drink thatwill keep you coming back time and again. The Duke ofWellington is a much loved part of the local communitythat extends a welcome to locals and visitors alike.On offer is great food, drink and warm hospitality.Crewyard Holiday CottagesEverards Farmhouse, Highgate Leverton, Boston, Lincolnshire PE22 0AWTel: 01205 871 389These former farm buildings have been converted to providethree comfortable single storey cottages set around an enclosedcourtyard, each with a private patio area, overlooking a maturethree acre garden with a natural lake. Also off the courtyardthere is a games room with a full sized snooker table, seatingarea and a selection of games and books and a laundry room.The Mad Turk8/9 St Paul’s Street, Stamford, PE9 2BETel: 01780 238001 • Web: www.themadturk.co.ukAt The Mad Turk, head chef and owner Kaz aims tocook traditional Turkish Cypriot food - prepared freshdaily using locally supplied ingredients and cooked on a real charcoal barbeque. There's alsoa great selection of vegetarian options, and Kaz can also accommodate a gluten free andvegan diet. Dine alfresco and be transported back to your holidays on the stunning terraceespecially nice on a Saturday afternoon. Also why not try a Shisha or Shisha cocktails.Hammer & PincersSwineshead Road, Boston, PE21 7JE • Tel: 01205 361323Email: wayne.salmon@btconnect.com www. hammerandpincers-boston.co.ukThe Hammer & Pincers pub is a welcoming, warm pub that servesa great range of cask ales, fantastic food and offers service with a smile. It has a selection ofmeals available throughout the day, starting with breakfast at 9.30am on weekdays, and thenlunches and dinners. Every Sunday it offers a sumptuous carvery with a range of meats andvegetables to choose from. It also offers a range of entertainment and room for large parties. To promote your services callAngie Cooper on 01472 310302or email: a.cooper@blmgroup.co.ukThe FarmersMarket Rasen Road, Welton Hill, Lincoln, LN2 3RDTel: 01673 885671Based in Welton near Lincoln, The Farmers offersa delightful range of meals from locally sourcedingredients. With a friendly team, and excitingmenu, The Farmers caters for anything from singleguests to large parties and has ample seating bothwithin the restaurant, and outside, in the fantastic beer garden. PictureYour Venue53_Layout 1 18/03/2016 11:46 Page 154 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYSOCIAL SCENECALLING ALL EVENT ORGANISERSIf you are holding an event and would like one of our photographers to come along pleasecontact Michael Fisher at m.fisher@blmgroup.co.ukDoubleTreeHilton’s 4th Birthday Once again Lincolnshire Today enjoyedcelebrating with the DoubleTree Hilton attheir 4th Birthday party. With complimentarydrinks served in the electric bar, and with livemusic and entertainment, it was a fantasticnight – and a sure sign of the hotel’scontinued success. 54-55_Layout 1 18/03/2016 11:51 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY55SOCIAL SCENE54-55_Layout 1 18/03/2016 11:51 Page 2Lincolnshire’swest alongside the River Witham. Aftertwo miles there was, from the 1880’s, aspur to Halls Hills where the GNR had acreosoting plant manufacturing tracksleepers from imported Baltic timber.Then came Anton’s Gowt named after SirAnthony Thomas a prominent drainageengineer of the 1630’s who was involvedin a scheme to drain the East Fen. Oldrailway bridge abutments can be seen bythe lock. At Langrick it reached the firstof several ferry crossings over theWitham. (The bridge here dates from1907.) These essential lifelines weresituated at most villages between hereand Lincoln. (e.g. Kirkstead, Stixwould,Southrey, Fiskerton.) At Tattershall andKirkstead, a station which was to assumegreater importance after 1855 (seebelow), the station buildings still standbut now as private homes.The next two stations were Stixwouldand Southrey where substantial platform,signal box and station buildings remainsare in evidence (again some are privateproperties). The line stayed on theWitham’s north bank until after Bardneybut then crossed to the south bank toreach Lincoln. At Five Mile Bridge, almostheritageexploredOpened by the Midland Railway in1846 the first railway in our county ranbetween Nottingham and Lincoln –although only a short section of it wasactually in Lincolnshire. Within two yearshowever the Great Northern Railway(GNR) had completed construction oftwo main lines, though they shared thesame track heading north betweenPeterborough and Boston. (North ofSpalding this line now lies beneath theA16 road.) From Boston the EastLincolnshire Railway proceeded via Louthto Grimsby whilst the second line headedwest beside the River Witham to Lincolnbefore continuing to Gainsborough andDoncaster. It was this line that is mostreadily identified as the “Loop Line” andit is on this that we shall concentrate.The foundation for Lincolnshire’s railnetwork heritage was thus laid inOctober 1848 with the GNR’s line fromGrimsby (opened in sections) becomingfully operational on 2nd of that monthwhilst the “Loop Line” – as it was calledeven then - opened on the 17th. Thislatter was the GNR’s main line fromLondon to the north of England.Once across the Grand Sluice Bridgenorth of Boston station the line turnedIn 1848 Lincolnshire truly entered the railway age with the openingof two major routes. We examine the history of one of them.GRAND SLUICE BRIDGE BOSTONwith Hugh Marrows56-57_Layout 1 18/03/2016 11:50 Page 1track permanently shut was from Bostonto Coningsby in 1963. Then, once theHorncastle branch closed in April 1971,the line dwindled further finally ended itsdays pretty much as a branch line runsolely for the British Sugar Corporationsfactory at Bardney until 1981.So what’s left of the Loop Line today?Its route is still traceable on present dayOrdnance Survey maps and much of theold trackbed is now followed, orparalleled, by the Water Rail Way; thewalking-cum-cycleway leisure trail linkingLincoln and Boston. Throughout itslength this is also an outdoor sculpturegallery with many varied artworks – bothin subject and materials - scattered alongits length. Near Anton’s Gowt and atSouth End, Lincoln two striking viewingplatforms give bird’s eye views of the oldtrackbed and the river. This modernleisure facility provides many fine shortwalks in addition to its main purpose as along distance route; particularly pleasantsections being from Washingborough toFive Mile Bridge; between Stixwould,Southrey and Kirkstead and from Bostonto Anton’s Gowt.Two books give accounts of the LoopLine’s history and both are well worthreading. A. J. Ludlam’s “Lincolnshire LoopLine and the River Witham” (OakwoodPress 1995) is (very!) detailed. And S.E.Squires’s devotes a chapter to the line inhis “Lost Railways of Lincolnshire”.(Castlemead Publications 1988) I amindebted to both.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY57opposite Fiskerton, a former bargee’s inn,Five Mile House, was incorporated intothe station building. The line then passedWashingborough.The railway’s impact on river packetboats and the Horncastle canal was notimmediate but was over timeconsiderable. The packets survived untilthe early 1860’s and the Horncastlecanal, which had opened in 1802, finallysuccumbed in 1878. The “Loop Line”brought considerable benefits too ofcourse for it made possible the openingup of yet more areas of the county torailway expansion and the developmentof three more lines; these were theHorncastle branch, the Bardney to Louthbranch and the “New Line” to Skegness.The Horncastle and Woodhall JunctionRailway branched from the Loop Line atKirkstead, opened in 1855 and played acrucial role in promoting Woodhall Spaand the internationally famous Horncastlehorse fairs. From the new railhead atHorncastle much of the southern/westernWolds also enjoyed improvedcommunications. There were for instancethrough carriages to London that wereattached to main line trains at Kirkstead.Then nineteen years later (1874) otherremote parts of the Wolds were accessedby the Louth – Bardney branch line andlinks with the East Lincolnshire Railway. The “New” line left the “Loop Line”near Coningsby and met the EastLincolnshire line at Bellwater Junctionnear Firsby. This provided a much moredirect route from the Midlands toSkegness by avoiding the more circuitousroute via Boston. Incidentally this line,opened in 1913, was the last main linerailway built in Lincolnshire. The Loop Line’s glory days as theGNR’s main line to the north andScotland were however short-lived. Their“Towns Line”, the present East Coastmain line, via Grantham, Newark andDoncaster – hence its name - took over in1852, but this missed Lincoln entirely. Closure of the “Loop Line” was a longdrawn-out process with the first station(Washingborough) being closed in 1940;then Five Mile House in1958 and goodsyards from the early 1960’s. The firstKIRKSTEAD STATIONPENDULUMVIEWPOINT NEARANTON GOWTSTIXWOULD STATIONSHEEP SCULPTURENEAR KIRKSTEAD56-57_Layout 1 18/03/2016 11:50 Page 258 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFounded over 50 years ago offering a first classservice to the general public and commercialsector. We are members of the BritishAssociation of Removers (B.A.R). We listen so we can offer a service that canrange from a single item removal to taking careof everything which includes packing of boxes,removing house contents and storage. We tryto tailor our service to customers needs.We have our own containerised storage, apurpose built store on our premises which isfully alarmed.Riggall’s Removals is a familyowned and run business, onlyone of a few left in theLincolnshire area.Alford, LincolnshireTel: 01507 462336Fax: 01507 462684info@riggallsremovals.co.ukwww.riggallsremovals.co.ukRemovals and Containerised StorageWWW.FLY .CO.UKPILOT TRAININGFLIGHT GIFT VOUCHERSEVEN “FEAR OF FLYING” COURSES01673 885111 INFO@FLY365.CO.UKCharles H Hill Ltd. Moor Lane, Horsington,Woodhall Spa, LN10 5HH.Tel: 01526 388281www.charleshhill.co.ukVisit our website to startviewing today...Available oniPad & iPhoneDigital EditionsNever miss an issueRead on the go!WWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NETIdeal for those whospend timeaway fromtheir office 58-61_Layout 1 18/03/2016 11:54 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY59FAMILY BUSINESSIt’s intriguing how consumers are turningaway from the corporate faceless giants thesedays and favouring family-ownedbusinesses. But who can blame them, afterall they’re often far friendlier, and, whereother family members are employed, have amore dedicated workforce which generallytranslates into a better product or service.As a member of a family business myself, and workingalongside other family members, I can certainly vouch forthat. In fact such businesses are as unique and personable asthe families that own and run them and I’m pleased to seethat the Harvard Business Review observes that, theirownership structure “gives them a long term orientation thattraditional public firms often lack.” This is further endorsed by business consultants KPMG whonote that a family business has access to unique ingredientsthat can provide a lasting competitive advantage andsustainability, which often requires choosing long-term overshort-term gain, is a natural concept for family-ownedbusinesses. This seems to be what consumers like – knowing that theyare dealing with a company that genuinely cares about itscustomers and pay their taxes, unlike certain global muti-million organisations. And that’s good news considering howprevalent these firms are in our county. In fact two thirds of UK businesses are family owned -three million in total, of which over 15,000 are medium andlarge businesses and have been operating for hundredsof years. They account for a large percentage offirms across our region too and make a bigPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/MAKSIM SHMELJOVBy families,for families60 Á58-61_Layout 1 18/03/2016 11:54 Page 2Next >