Sunday's Spotlight - Lincoln's disaster

BY GUEST BLOGGER PETE

As I write this blog on Thursday morning the snow is falling heavily,  This has been the pattern since Monday morning, although a smattering of the white stuff did put in an initial appearance over the weekend.

 

Lincolnshire and Yorkshire (excluding Scotland) have been the worse affected in the UK.  We in England, despite having jokes made pretty continuously about our weather, are not experienced in handling such a downfall of snow.  Roads become blocked - even Lincoln experienced a gridlock one evening during the rush hour - schools close, workers struggle to get to work, owners of four wheel drive vehicles are asked to take nurses into the hospital or on their rounds, the bus company closes down, emergency admissions to hospital is the order of the day and shops begin to run out of everyday essentials.  I estimate that we have had 18 inches of snow - which probably means about 14 inches! - although I haven't taken a ruler outside to measure it.

 

The big disaster to hit Lincoln, though, has been the cancellation of our Christmas market - the first time in its 27 year history.  Well over 100,000 visitors were expected to visit the event; that number being based on the attendance for previous years.  For many of the stall holders and shop keepers in the city centre this will entail real financial hardship, especially hard in the present economical climate.  It is estimated that about £10,000,000 is usually put into the local economy by this Christmastide event.

Stall holders have not yet been informed whether or not they will be reimbursed for payments already made in advance to the City Council.  This morning on Radio Lincolnshire it was suggested that the insurance taken out by the City fathers did not cover the cancellation of the Market.  This has still to be either denied or confirmed.  The official reason being given for the cancellation of the market is concern for the safety of visitors.

 

Lincoln's roads have been and still are badly affected by the snowfall.  In the hope of keeping the market open many resources were devoted to uphill Lincoln for clearing away snow and maintaining access.

Criticism is often heard that other countries always cope with heavy snowfall, such as this, a lot better than we do in the U.K..  Also on Radio Lincolnshire this morning was a report that the Council's snow blower had been used for the first time in 12 years.  Such snow storms as we are experiencing are not the norm for us and even when we get a winter like this one - nothing similar since sometime in the 1980s - the expense of purchasing expensive equipment that will be only be used every other decade or so just can't be justified.

 

The photos for this week's blog are taken on Tuesday afternoon and really do nothing approaching justice to the true situation and depth of snow.  They do, however, show a picture of our car.  That car is a constant deterant to out two grandsons - "Misbehave and I'll give you a lift to school in my car!"

Sunday's spotlight - Lincoln Christmas Market

By guest blogger Pete.

Well! It's all over for another year. I mean, of course, the Lincoln Christmas Market. The weather for the Thursday and Friday was seasonal and dry. We saw some rain on Saturday afternoon but by then the crowds were there and they put up with the inconvenience admirably. Sunday was fine again so those who went on the last day weren't denied what others had enjoyed.


A general comment from people who went to the market this year was that it had more of a seasonal atmosphere about it than it had had for the past three or four years. The city fathers, who organise the event, had worked with "Christmas atmosphere" to the forefront of their minds and didn't accept stall bookings from those whose good didn't reflect the season. For some of the shops in the uphill area of Lincoln the Market presented the last chance to survive this recessional year of 2009 and enter 2010 in the black. People came in their tens of thousands. Friday and Saturday saw huge crowds. The city reckon that it brought £10,000,000 to the city economy. It is now the largest Christmas market in Europe. I don't know where is stands in the world rankings but it must be well up if not at the top.

Mick Dawson, he who rowed across the Pacific from Japan to San Francisco, was on Radio Lincolnshire a few days ago. He and his companion are still recovering from that 189 day outing. It appears that they lived the 24 hour day by working 2 hour shifts and then having 2 hours off. Mic reckons that he still hasn't recovered his previous sleep pattern and continues to sleep at night in 2 hour sessions. He lost 50lb on the trip. If you fancy loosing weight after the Christmas festivities then why not get out that rowing boat and enjoy yourselves? If you live in the U.K. then there's always the North Sea waiting for you. If you live in the States then what about rowing the length of one of the great lakes?


Yesterday Pam and I went to the local school where I am a governor. The 1st and 2nd year pupils were producing their Christmas Play "Babushka" - these are the five and six year olds. The story of Babushka evolves around a Russian Folk tale involving the nativity. They did very well and there were a few absolutely memorable incidents during the performance. I think the parents waved to the children more than the children waved to their parents. Joseph had a little strop and produced a most unJoseph like sign to one of the shepherds. An angel decided that she didn't like the audience so turned her back on them. The prize episode, though, was when Mary handed the baby to Babushka and Babushka dropped it. With commendable aplomb she picked the baby up, gave it a quick rock and handed it back to Mary.


The photos this week are from a previous year when we attended the Christmas Light ceremonies in the city centre. Hope you like them.


Enjoy the run up to Christmas. Watch the young children and see their magic.