SouthSide – a new name and exciting plans for city venue

New owners are reinvigorating Lincoln’s former St Katherine’s Church and Priory Centre as a community meeting space, as well as a performance and events venue. Caroline Bingham was shown around the impressive facilities.

The new name, SouthSide, perfectly reflects the location of the two grey brick, Victorian buildings to the south of Lincoln adjacent to the South Park/Newark Road junction. St Katherine’s Church and its adjoining parish hall were built in the 1880s but this was the site of a well-documented medieval priory and close to the original location of Lincoln’s Eleanor Cross.

A Heritage Lottery Fund grant revitalised the future of the buildings in 2008, but the voluntary liquidation of the Trust which ran the buildings meant the property was put up for sale in 2019.

New owners Colin and Anne Webb, co-directors of St Katherine’s Care, have purchased both buildings. The church is now owned by Acoustic Nations Live CIC and the community venue/offices by St Katherine’s Care. Acoustic Nations Live CIC is a not-for-profit organisation which produces music, films and videos and promotes live events, while the adjacent St Katherine’s Church has become offices for domiciliary care company St Katherine’s Care.

“We were looking for new offices for St Katherine’s Care and there was a good fit with the performing space and Acoustic Nations offered by the old Priory Centre,” said Colin. “St Katherine’s Care could grow and set up a care training facility to improve recruitment, while Acoustic Nations promotes events and community based activities.”

With both businesses now well established in SouthSide, Colin is eager to welcome more visitors and organisations to feel equally at home using the wide range of facilities available.

“Within easy access of SouthSide are diverse local communities, as well as our own immediate neighbourhood and all their passions and interests. Lincoln is a relatively small city and we want to throw SouthSide open to welcome as many of these people as possible.”

We began the tour in the church, which is now known as St Katherine’s Hall. The heritage building was originally built to a high specification with marble columns, an intricately patterned tiled floor, a balcony and beautiful stained-glass windows; these all remain intact and as part of the renovations, a section of glass floor was fitted to reveal remains of the medieval foundations.

Colin explained: “The space is equally ideal for conferences, special occasion celebrations such as weddings or for community activities such as yoga, dance, book clubs or talks. In the Hall we can accommodate up to 200 guests theatre style or 150 banqueting style.

“We are a family run business and visitors like the relaxed approach we have towards hospitality and entertainment. Clients can hire space by the hour or for the whole day – each event is offered their own tailored solution to match the occasion. We have just quoted on our first themed wedding parties for 2023. The two beautiful halls are very versatile for the wedding breakfast and then the party afterwards.”

The parish hall has been renamed The Amie Slavin Hall after a Lincoln woman who constantly strove to improve access to music and community in the city, but sadly died in 2020. The Hall, its excellent stage and bar are already the home of monthly concerts by Commuter Jazz and a valued performance space for local musicians and singers such as Lincoln’s popular gypsy jazz group Djanco and the Rock Choir.

Colin and Anne have also made a significant investment to ensure that SouthSide’s commercial kitchen facilities are equipped to cater for any event. They are working with Lincoln based chef Eamonn Hunt, a former MasterChef finalist who now runs GoGro (another local CIC), offering exciting menus to complement the events programme; Eamonn will offer guests a wide choice of menu style to suit their vision and budget.

“SouthSide aims to offer something for everyone and will create jobs in the process,” ended Colin.

“Our events programme is designed to be inclusive and friendly so everyone is welcome. We want to encourage anyone to come and join in – give them a go!”

You can find out more about SouthSide at: www.southsidelincs.com

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