Love Louth!

Glynis Fox visits this attractive market town and discovers an array of small shops and businesses offering plenty of variety for locals and visitors alike.

Beautifully located on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, Louth attracts visitors and shoppers from miles around.

Lively and dominated by an exciting mix of private businesses, which trade alongside branches of the well-known multi-nationals, it’s full of surprises.

The town also boasts a variety of attractions, including St James Church, and events to look forward to in the run-up to Christmas.

This popular town serves a wide catchment, with businesses which can boast a loyal following, but which also attract more occasional visitors. Good parking options offer easy access to shops, cafés, restaurants and service outlets.

On the outskirts of the town, you will find Louth Industrial Estate which is home to a wide variety of manufacturing and service companies, along with fast-food businesses.

Time your visit carefully as the festive season gathers pace and you can spend a great day out by enjoying a blend of shopping, a tasty meal and even a show at the Riverhead Theatre.

Louth’s physical make-up, with its wealth of smaller units, draws in new entrepreneurs who are keen to get established and those which run hybrid ventures by working from home or selling online, but who also want bricks-and-mortar premises.

The town’s many small and medium-sized shop premises offer businesses good flexibility, with opportunities to scale up or move into smaller units according to how they are performing.

NEW ARRIVALS
If you are new to Louth, or even just passing through, you are likely to spot shops with intriguing names – and don’t forget to look out for new arrivals too.

Many people will have driven past the Upgate shop Whole-istic/Feathers and been intrigued by its name. Well, it’s an interesting story!

Eighteen years ago, owner Claire Grant initially set up Whole-istic Therapies in Vickers Lane and then moved to Louth Golf Club – where she and her staff offered a range of body therapies and beauty treatments – before snapping up her current building in Upgate.

Unfortunately, when Covid hit, Claire was forced to furlough her current staff. When the business re-opened it was with restrictions in place for months and continued tiered system lockdowns, the business just wasn’t the same.

“It was exhausting and significantly affected my mental health. That’s when I decided to pick up on my love of fashion and introduce Feathers,” said Claire.

“With the help of my sister, I sourced suppliers and added the clothing side to the business, which has progressed well. We now rent out the therapy rooms at the back, so I now offer fashion and therapies.

“The fashion side is called Feathers because we had recently lost my sister-in-law to pancreatic cancer and I came across feathers all the time. It seemed that my transition into Feathers was meant to be,” added Claire.

In May, the former head chef and latterly managing director of Winteringham Fields (restaurant with rooms) brought new menus to the town. Gareth Bartram and his wife Lucy – who were originally from Grimsby and Cleethorpes – decided it would be good to have their own venture and began looking around the locality for an opportunity.

They had discovered that many entrepreneurs seem to do quite well in the town and, having heard that The Auction House, which occupies a prominent spot in the Market Place, was up for grabs, decided to take a closer look.

It was the ideal size, offering the couple enough space to create 24 covers, by setting up tables on two floors.

“When we first opened, people were obviously keen to try us. Our reputation grew and we were always busy, particularly on Fridays and Saturdays, then things settled down a bit, but in recent weeks we have been getting busier again,” said Gareth.

The restaurant has a team of nine, including Gareth and Lucy, who are looking forward to sharing their take on delicious fresh foods in the run-up to Christmas, and beyond.

“We specialise in serving seasonal food and will be offering more hearty, comfort dishes for the festive period,” said Gareth.

FEELING FESTIVE
If the looming Christmas period has got you thinking about choosing some special vino, or even champagne for the festive dining table, or a party with family and friends, it could be time to make a special call and take time to personally choose your wine.

One way of doing this is by visiting an independent wine merchant with a difference. The Wine Cellar in Louth is tucked away down Pawnshop Passage and you will need to pick up the telephone and make an appointment to visit. This is because it is not open all the time.

When you visit this quirky store, you will descend a short flight of stairs and step through into the dream cellar, which also hosts wine tastings.

It certainly sets the scene for some serious shopping in a building which dates back the 1700s.

The business also provides a whole host of services, including click and collect, local delivery, private hire, wine tastings, pop-up wine nights, gift vouchers, gift wrapping, wine and food pairing advice and events.

The “vault of temptation” is the brainchild of Jak Bakewell, who is also a hairdresser, whose salon Re-invention House is situated above the wine shop!

With the festive season racing up, it’s time to get down to sorting out those presents for special friends and relations, and if they are food-lovers, you could find the answers in Bridge Street.

Beaumont’s opened its doors in 2015 – when Emma Beaumont took over the former McLeod’s store, putting her own stamp on today’s specialist shop and delicatessen, where you can find a wide range of meats, cheeses and grocery items, alongside wine and flowers.

Current owner Kim Hardcastle formerly worked alongside Emma, going on to become a partner and then owner of the business in 2020, which had opened a café in the September before Covid hit.

“Luckily we were allowed to keep the shop open, although we had to furlough four people,” said Emma, who now employs a team of 10 part-timers.

“We had to think differently about what we were doing, so we did a lot of home deliveries during that period. We had also been making up corporate hampers, so we decided to build on that side of the business and we now make up hampers in a wide range of sizes, which we sell all-year round and courier countrywide.”

The light and airy café, which serves a variety of homemade lunches and teas, sits behind the shop. It has been extended into a private, raised paved area which is really popular on warmer days.

Beaumont’s will be open during Louth’s Victorian Christmas Market on 24th November and the Louth Winter Market on 15th December (both taking place on Sundays).

ARTISTIC TALENTS
Mixed media artist Tony Player fulfilled a long-held dream this year when he threw open the doors on The Louth Art Gallery in Upgate.

Tony, who has taught art classes at the Riverhead Theatre and done demonstrations to local art groups, has turned premises owned by Andrew Leonard (who also owns the nearby Mansion House and Andrew Leonard Interiors) into the perfect gallery.

“This building was formerly used as a store, but I was given the chance to rent it after decorating it. The gallery features a diverse and changing collection of artworks, including studies in pen and watercolour, acrylic and oils. They include pictures of Louth’s townscape, to holiday destinations and studies of people and animals,” said Tony.

“Pictures include my own studies and works by five other artists, and pieces by two ceramicists. Part of the deal for people wishing to exhibit here is their agreement to spend time in the gallery chatting to visitors and customers.

“The gallery also has an upstairs room and I am looking forward to setting it up in the hope of hosting painting workshops there next year,” added Tony.

If you enjoy browsing around markets, you will be delighted to know that Louth’s take place weekly on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The town has also retained its busy cattle market.

FILL YOUR DIARY
Here are some of Louth’s unmissable events to enjoy over the festive season:

• 26th Nov: Kenwick Park Christmas Market
• 3rd Dec: A Christmas Carol – Riverhead Theatre, Louth
• 6th Dec: Kenwick Park: Tom Jones Tribute Night
• 15th Dec: Louth Winter Sunday Market
• 19th Dec: Kenwick Park: Abba Tribute Night
• 20th Dec: Best of Hans Zimmer and Film Favourites Illuminated – An orchestral tribute at St James Church
• 21st Dec: Kenwick Park: Coldplay Tribute Night

REFLECTIONS FROM RESTAURANT AUCTION HOUSE
Launched by chef/patron Gareth Bartram and his wife Lucy, Restaurant Auction House offers a casual dining experience in the heart of Louth.

“Since opening our doors in May, we have already achieved great things. We have brought together a wonderful group of like-minded local people, who we love to call our Auction House family, who have helped us accomplish our mission of bringing quality food, drink and service to a comfortable and flexible setting.

“The ultimate reward for all our hard work has been the wonderful and constructive feedback we have had from our guests, and to have been featured in the 2024 Michelin Guide, with this description: ‘Across the board, the cooking is flavoursome and carefully prepared, with the strong technical skill of the experienced chef coming across in stand-out dishes like cod loin with bouillabaisse sauce. Make sure you order a helping of the impressive house-made focaccia.’

“And we have more plans for the future, starting with our first Auction House Christmas. Book soon to avoid disappointment!

For more information visit www.auctionhouserestaurant.co.uk

SEASONAL STYLES AT ORCHID BOUTIQUE AND DANIELLA’S
Embrace this winter with our pick of fresh fashion finds, we understand shopping can be daunting which is why we at Orchid Boutique and Daniella’s are on hand to help you choose the perfect pieces for your lifestyle.

Combining simplicity with colourful expression, the richness of colour for this winter is powerful; from winter blues to rich autumnal shades and futuristic metallics, to the must-have winter whites – our favourite season really does have it all.

The more challenging mission: finding the perfect footwear for every day whilst meeting the demands of everyday life, which stylishly completes every look.

Mission completed with our collections from Gabor, Remonte, and Caprice. Choose timeless boots, smart sneakers or eye-catching flats that make you look good and feel even better.

Christmas is just around the corner so there is not a better time to visit us, whether it be to find yourself the perfect outfit, a nice cosy jumper for those chilly winter nights, boots that your feet cannot do without, or that all-important gift voucher to treat someone special.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

For more information visit www.orchidboutique.co.uk or find us on Facebook

MOVIES AND MORE AT THE PLAYHOUSE CINEMA
The Playhouse Cinema in Louth is an independent three-screen theatre which has built an outstanding reputation for showing a wide range of popular films in a welcoming environment.

Part of the family-run Parkway Cinema chain, which also has branches in Cleethorpes, Barnsley, Beverley and Workington, the business was originally founded in 1983 by Gerald Parkes and his wife Denise and has grown to be one of the most successful independent cinema companies in the country.

This hospitable award-winning three-screen cinema in the town centre has long proved a favourite with locals and visitors alike.

“We’re independently owned, and independently minded,” explains Richard Parkes, who took over running the business with his brother Gerrard and mother Denise after his father, who was awarded an MBE for services to the UK cinema industry, passed away in 2013.

Historic Links
The Playhouse Cinema is believed to be the oldest cinema in Lincolnshire, opening just before Woodhall Spa’s Kinema in the Woods in 1922.

Originally converted from a Victorian chapel dating from 1821, it first opened as a cinema on Boxing Day, 1921.

The current Art Deco frontage was added in 1925, as well as stairs leading to the newly-built balcony.

Two further screens were added in 1996, followed by further extensive refurbishment in 2010, including the introduction of digital projection and sound and in 2017 new seating and sofas were added to the larger screen.

Over the years, it has fully modernised with sound and digital projection, but still has original 35mm projectors, one of which can be seen through the upstairs windows at night.

The largest screen is upstairs and includes traditional red cinema seating, as well as sofas at the front, with traditional curtains in front of the screen.

Cinematic Choices
The Playhouse screens a mixture of mainstream and more alternative titles, as well as many special event showings, such as operas, ballets and art gallery tours.

It also has a weekly Senior Screen on Thursday mornings, with the ticket price including tea and biscuits. Private hire in any of the auditoriums is also available, with capacities of between 72 and 150 seats.

Manager James Pickworth says: “With our stadium seating, digital projectors and Dolby Digital surround sound you can enjoy the latest blockbuster, an old classic or even play your favourite video games on the big screen.

“I think there’s something a bit special about this cinema in particular, the traditions are important. We always put intermissions in our films, which you don’t really get anywhere else. It’s what people remember from their childhood and going to the cinema.”

Manager Kirsty Dobson says: “We’re proud to host Louth Film Club, which has 200-odd members, and have a loyal group of regulars who support us and come every week to our senior’s screen on Thursday morning. They come for the experience as well as the film.”

For more information visit www.louth.parkwaycinemas.co.uk

CELEBRATE AT THE KINGS HEAD
Awarded the TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice 2023 and 2024, for the fourth and fifth consecutive years, placing this historic Louth coaching inn in the top 10% worldwide hotels, as well as Booking.com Traveller Review Award 2023/24 with an “excellent” score of 8.8 /10, the team at The Kings Head pride themselves on delivering a quality experience for locals and visitors alike.

Situated in the town centre with ample free parking, The Kings Head, which dates back more than 250 years, has been  sympathetically refurbished to include eight bedrooms in a contemporary style, with en-suite facilities – or for those requiring a longer stay, there is also a comfortable self-contained three-bed apartment.

If you’re looking for the perfect place to meet up with family and friends or celebrate Christmas get-togethers, either in the comfortable Upstairs restaurant or exclusive private dining room, the Kings Head has launched a traditional Christmas menu, with vegetarian options, featuring locally sourced fresh produce priced £34.95 per person, to include mince pies, coffee and mints – lunchtimes and evenings, bookings only.

For more information and to make your reservation, visit www.kingsheadlouth.co.uk   

HANDS-ON HELP
At Lincs Chiropractic Clinics, we are passionate about helping you achieve optimal health through the transformative power of chiropractic care.

With conveniently located clinics in the centres of Boston, Horncastle, Louth, and Skegness, our expert team is dedicated to making quality chiropractic care accessible to everyone in our community.

Each of our chiropractors brings over 20 years of experience, ensuring you receive exceptional care tailored to your unique needs. We understand that chiropractic is not just about pain relief; it’s about enhancing your overall well-being and quality of life.

Our welcoming environment encourages open communication and patient education, allowing you to understand the benefits of chiropractic treatment fully. With personalised treatment plans, we empower you to take charge of your health journey, addressing issues from chronic pain to stress relief.

Experience the difference that comes from working with skilled professionals who genuinely care about your well-being. Visit Lincs Chiropractic Clinics today, and unlock your path to a healthier, happier life!

For more information visit www.lincschiro.co.uk

Photographs: Mick Fox

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