LoveLincoln.co.uk can exclusively reveal that up to 40 full and part-time jobs will be created in the city when a new restaurant and pub opens later this year.
The Glasshouse in St Mark’s Square, which closed earlier this month, will reopen in August as a Toby Carvery following a refurbishment.
The restaurant chain is part of the Mitchells & Butlers group which owns around 1,600 pubs and restaurants across the UK including the Harvester which opened recently in Lincoln on Brayford Wharf North .
A spokesperson from Mitchells & Butlers said: “We are pleased to be opening a Toby Carvery in Lincoln. This site represents a tremendous opportunity for us to expand one of our key restaurant brands and we are excited about its potential.
“This development will see us make significant investment in the local area, creating around 30 to 40 new full time and part time jobs.”
Toby Carvery is synonymous with roast dinners and serves over 21 million meals at its 135 restaurants throughout the UK every year. So if you’re a fan of traditional Sunday dinners you’ll soon be able to choose from beef, gammon and turkey served with giant Yorkshire puddings and all the trimmings seven days a week for lunch and dinner!

If you’re looking for something to do this Bank Holiday weekend and you’re stuck for ideas then look no further as we have brought you a round-up of everything that’s going on in and around Lincoln over the next few days.
On Saturday (28th May) The Collection is hosting Lincoln Hay Day, a collaboration between the world renowned Telegraph Hay Festival and Cultural Solutions UK. Among the highlights will be a performance by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and John Sampson, former oil broker Tom Bergin with The Inside Story of BP and actor, writer and director Steven Berkoff who will talk about six of his favourite books.
After a day of celebrating words, art and music why not continue on your cultural journey and head to artsNK’s SaFire Festival at Lincoln Cathedral? The opening ceremony takes place on Saturday evening (28th May) including shadow puppet theatre, storytelling, light installations, music and dance and will finish with a fabulous demonstration of glass making and a blacksmith’s forge. It is most definitely an event not to be missed!
Enjoy a relaxing day on Sunday (29th May) at The Artists’ Market in St Mark’s Square, where a gathering of artists will be showcasing and selling a selection of their works, before getting ready to put on your dancing shoes! You’ll be spoilt for choice when deciding where to go for your traditional Bank Holiday Sunday night out with events taking place at Walkabout, SCY, Sakura and Ritzy.
Walkabout brings the Bank Holiday celebrations to a close on Monday (30th May) with the Carling Festival which will showcase emerging music talent from Lincolnshire and beyond. The festival will start at 12 noon and the entertainment will continue until 1am.
These are just a few of the events going on in and around Lincoln this Bank Holiday weekend. To see more of the brilliant events coming up or our comprehensive list of theatres, galleries, pubs, clubs and restaurants in the city, log on to LoveLincoln.co.uk!

Professional drummer and backing singer William Bowerman is hoping to revive a popular local music night at The Bivouac later this year.
Regular music nights were once held at The Bivouac (the room above the Duke of Wellington) to showcase the talents of local bands such as I Was A Cub Scout and Brontide.
William is now looking forward to reliving the memories for one night only on 23rd December 2011 at the popular venue.
“We want to celebrate the good times and reunite the original bands that we had when we were 15 and 16 – it will be like stepping into a time machine,” said William.
Since playing at The Bivouac the talented Mr Bowerman has gone on to work in the music industry alongside names such as La Roux, Gordon Moakes from Bloc Party and Paul Mullen from The Automatic.
“Having moved from Lincoln to London we don’t play as many shows as we used to and it will be great to see old friends who we haven’t seen for a long time,” he explained.
Being based in the Big Smoke has also made it difficult for William to get in touch with people and he is appealing to anyone who used to attend or take part in the music nights at The Bivouac to get in touch with him.
If you were one of the Bivouac faithful you can contact William on 07800 566 672 or via email at william@williambowerman.com . The event also has its own Facebook page, called 2004 Fest at The Bivouac, where you can register your interest. Watch this space for further updates!

Lincoln will play a pivotal role in the build up to the 2012 Olympic Games as one of the host cities of the Olympic Flame in its journey around the UK next year.

The Flame will arrive in Lincoln on 27th June 2012, exactly one month ahead of the opening ceremony in London.

The flame will be carried around the city, culminating in a spectacular evening celebration which it is hoped will attract around 5,000 local residents.

The free event, organised by the City of Lincoln Council, will give the local community an opportunity to celebrate the Olympic spirit through a range of sport and cultural activities.

The Flame will stay in Lincoln overnight before it leaves the city early on June 28th to continue on its journey.

Lincoln is one of 66 Evening Celebration locations across the UK confirmed today by the London 2012 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). As part of the events LOCOG and the Presenting Partners, Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung, will stage exciting entertainment shows where a cauldron will be lit from the Olympic Flame, marking the end of the day’s proceedings.

The Olympic Flame will arrive in the UK from Greece on Friday 18th May 2012 and the 70 day Torch Relay will start at Land’s End, Cornwall on the morning of the 19th May 2012.

The Olympic Flame is expected to travel an estimated 8,000 miles across the UK before it arrives at the Olympic Stadium on 27th July 2012. The torch will be used to light the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony, signifying the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Councillor Ric Metcalfe, incoming Leader of the City of Lincoln Council, said: “Playing host to the Olympic Flame is surely one of the greatest sporting honours a city can have. The Olympics is built on three main values; excellence, friendship and respect. The Flame itself is a symbol of friendship and our aim is to use this opportunity to extend the hand of friendship across all of our communities.

“I’m sure seeing the Flame pass through the city will resonate with local people and will inspire many of them to take up sport and get involved in activities they may never have tried before.

“We will be working hard to ensure the evening celebration brings out all that is great about this city and we want there to be a real focus on the young people of Lincoln who will have the opportunity to be part of the legacy of the 2012 Olympics forever.”

Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said: “We are thrilled that the City of Lincoln Council has agreed to host the Olympic Flame on its journey right across the UK. The Olympic Flame will shine a light right across Lincoln, celebrating the culture and heritage of the area and showcasing the very best of the city.

“We have no doubt that the welcome the City of Lincoln Council will provide will demonstrate how the spirit of the Olympic Games is reaching out across the UK and excitement builds as the start of the 2012 Games draws closer.”

Café Portico, a popular spot for grabbing a bite to eat at lunchtime or to enjoy a delicious home-made piece of cake with coffee, is under new ownership.

Sim Bellandini has taken over the lease for the café located at The Terrace on Grantham Street in an effort to get back to his catering roots and escape from being stuck behind a desk.

“I found Café Portico by accident really!” said Sim, who previously worked at a local design agency, “I wanted a change and decided to open up a cookery school. I was enquiring about a renting a unit at The Terrace when the opportunity with the café came up and I was asked if I was interested.

“It was really a no brainer for me. To set something like this up on my own from scratch would have cost me a significant amount of money so I put together a business plan and pitched for it. The process from first thought to moving in last week has taken about a month so it’s been a quick turn around!”

Café Portico is popular for its tasty home-made lunch fare of tea and coffee, cakes and sandwiches and now Sim, who has family roots in Turin, wants to add a touch of Italy to the menu.

“I’m indulging myself really and cooking to my strengths. Pasta, salads and other hot dishes have been added to the lunch menu. We use all local suppliers and bake fresh focaccia and ciabatta bread. I also do an Italian style roast loin of pork which has proved to be very popular.”

Future plans for the café include music nights, extended opening times, Saturday opening, dinner service and even a ‘secret supper club’.

“I’ve got lots of ideas for the café,” said Sim. “Once I’ve had a little more time to settle in and add a few finishing touches to the place we can start to implement some of them and depending on the response, go from there. “

Café Portico is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm – plenty of time for you to pay a visit!

It’s hoped two new action-packed weekends planned for the autumn will attract crowds to the city and give our economy a boost!

Lincoln’s first Full English Celebrations are designed to encourage Lincolnshire people and others countrywide to enjoy the wonderful heritage and cultural life of our city.

Lincoln BIG, the Chapterhouse Theatre Company, Lincoln Drill Hall and The Mini Morris Company have conjured an exciting programme of music, drama and dance to keep residents and visitors entertained.

From Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th September people will be able to enjoy the Shakespeare Festival and The Lincoln Morris Festival ceilidh.

On the weekend of 9th September to 11th September there’s a chance to see a performance of Sense and Sensibility, attend the Last Night of The Proms and come to the city to enjoy the Bailgate Village Street Party.

It’s hoped after the devastating cancellation of the Christmas market last year and more recently the end of Visit Lincolnshire the Full English Celebrations will attract tourists to the county this autumn giving a boost to local businesses.

Lincoln BIG events and promotions manager Michael Armstrong said: “There’s a lot of organising going on behind the scenes and some ideas are still being kept under wraps.

“But we are hoping that Lincoln’s Full English Celebrations will be such a runaway success that it becomes an annual event.”

Richard Main from the Chapterhouse Theatre Company, said: “Lincoln has so much to offer, but I genuinely think that these two weekends of events could be the highlight of the year.

“This is a great initiative for Lincoln, one which could define the city in terms of the arts and provide an opportunity for locals and visitors alike to see the city at its most vibrant and creative,” said Mr. Main.

“Lincoln is a city which knows what it is best at and it is doing it better than anyone else – it’s a beautiful city with a vibrant passion for the arts and the creative.”

Keep checking back with LoveLincoln.co.uk for more details of the events and spread the word, Lincoln is THE place to be in September!